as a teenager,
I had a friend (also teenage) who was attending the local college full-time, and lived in one of the tiniest, grottiest little council bedsits you ever did see. Unsurprisingly, he was eligible for full Council Tax Benefit.

One day, he got a letter informing him that he owed the Council £0.00 in unpaid council tax over the last few months, and should come to their offices to pay it within 28 days.

He dutifully made his way to the council office where they assured him that it was a computer-generated letter and that obviously £0.00 wasn't anything to worry about.

Couple of months later, and there's another letter. This one tells him that they are taking him to court for his non-payment of the outstanding £0.00 and gives the date and time of the hearing. Again, he goes to their office. Again, he is told it is obviously a mistake and to just forget about it.

Shortly after that, and fast approaching exam time, another letter. This one informs him that as he didn't attend the hearing, the Council have won by default, and he is now required to pay not only the £0.00 but also £40-odd in fees and costs. It gives another hearing date. My friend was rather alarmed by this, as £40 is a lot of money when you're on teenage-level benefit and have no family to fall back on.

He showed up to that hearing, to make sure that a human being would have to actually look at the details of his 'non-payment'. It was thrown out by the person in charge of the hearing within minutes. No one from the council apologised.
( Batsgirl, Thu 26 Jul 2007, 16:21, Reply)