BS Fees charged by telecom, landlords, governments and such.

[Geeze]

/Rant on/

The trigger for this is looking over my new lease. The complex was sold last year and I expected an increase and it came - 10% on apartment and 25% on garage. The thing that frosts my hairy butt is they are charging a $12 per month for a 'building fee;, $25 per month 'utility' fee even though I pay for all of it to the city and even $0.95 to accept my electronic check rent payment an additional $455.40 a year. They're playing the same game phone/cable/internet providers do with the extra BS fees [Federal line charge, etc] that only lines their pockets. Moving, while attractive on the surface, would be $$$ as I have a shop full of equipment, a literal ton of wood and the righteous gear necessary to be a member here. So other than paying less [maybe] it would a wash or a loss that first year. But I will be looking next year.

Here is the bottom line - GROW A PAIR AND JUST PUT THE BS FEES IN THE MONTHLY / YEARLY CHARGE.!!!! Don't give me it's only $49 / month plus the $25-$30 extra. Or the 13oz POUND of coffee that began in the 80's.

Are consumers this stupid?!?

Owning a home isn't much different. What actual value does the title company really provide to the home owner? My last home in Dallas the city would play this yearly or bi yearly game and announce the property tax increased by 8-10%. They are only allowed to increase it by 3% at that time. To challenge you physically had to go to the appraisal district and waste most of a day for them to say 'OK fine. 3%. There were companies that would challenge for you and charge a percentage of the 'reduction' scam on both ends. Then there was the property value game...

What the actual phuck?

/Rant off/

Russ

I hope y'all are having a fabulous Friday.

 

[Trelwheen]

/Rant on/

The trigger for this is looking over my new lease. The complex was sold last year and I expected an increase and it came - 10% on apartment and 25% on garage. The thing that frosts my hairy butt is they are charging a $12 per month for a 'building fee;, $25 per month 'utility' fee even though I pay for all of it to the city and even $0.95 to accept my electronic check rent payment an additional $455.40 a year. They're playing the same game phone/cable/internet providers do with the extra BS fees [Federal line charge, etc] that only lines their pockets. Moving, while attractive on the surface, would be $$$ as I have a shop full of equipment, a literal ton of wood and the righteous gear necessary to be a member here. So other than paying less [maybe] it would a wash or a loss that first year. But I will be looking next year.

Here is the bottom line - GROW A PAIR AND JUST PUT THE BS FEES IN THE MONTHLY / YEARLY CHARGE.!!!! Don't give me it's only $49 / month plus the $25-$30 extra. Or the 13oz POUND of coffee that began in the 80's.

Are consumers this stupid?!?

Owning a home isn't much different. What actual value does the title company really provide to the home owner? My last home in Dallas the city would play this yearly or bi yearly game and announce the property tax increased by 8-10%. They are only allowed to increase it by 3% at that time. To challenge you physically had to go to the appraisal district and waste most of a day for them to say 'OK fine. 3%. There were companies that would challenge for you and charge a percentage of the 'reduction' scam on both ends. Then there was the property value game...

What the actual phuck?

/Rant off/

Russ

I hope y'all are having a fabulous Friday.

Yep.... The only problem with wonderful concepts like business and government is that it takes people to run them, and people are the worst kind of animal one could possibly choose to do any of that in an honest and trustworthy fashion....

 

[crossroadsnyc]

I recently had to get a new phone, and on my latest bill from AT&T, I noticed an additional charge of $30 (+tax) … wondering what was going on, I called to ask. Well, the woman asked me if I recently got a new phone, to which I replied yes, and she explained that the charge was a “service fee“. Having purchased the phone at the Apple store, I questioned why in the hell they are charging me a service fee when they literally had nothing to do with it … 2 minutes later the service fee was credited back to me. I wonder how many people swallow the fee without questioning/complaining? Probably many.

Incidentally, I was actually thinking of just buying my new iPhone through AT&T, but was told that I was not permitted to just buy the phone, but rather, had to basically finance it over monthly payments. I understand that they make money that way, but you’d think that if a long time customer simply needed/wanted to buy a new phone (it had been 5 years since my last new phone), that they’d accommodate. Nope. Apparently they were not interested in the business unless they could nickel/dime/dollar me in a contract. No thanks.

 

[StrummerJoe]

We're all getting hosed. That really sucks Geeze.

 

[StrummerJoe]

I recently had to get a new phone, and on my latest bill from AT&T, I noticed an additional charge of $30 (+tax) … wondering what was going on, I called to ask. Well, the woman asked me if I recently got a new phone, to which I replied yes, and she explained that the charge was a “service fee“. Having purchased the phone at the Apple store, I questioned why in the hell they are charging me a service fee when they literally had nothing to do with it … 2 minutes later the service fee was credited back to me. I wonder how many people swallow the fee without questioning/complaining? Probably many.

Incidentally, I was actually thinking of just buying my new iPhone through AT&T, but was told that I was not permitted to just buy the phone, but rather, had to basically finance it over monthly payments. I understand that they make money that way, but you’d think that if a long time customer simply needed/wanted to buy a new phone (it had been 5 years since my last new phone), that they’d accommodate. Nope. Apparently they were not interested in the business unless they could nickel/dime/dollar me in a contract. No thanks.

Just pay it off the first month. They can't do jack about that.

The wife & I overpay on our car payments. It'll save us money in the long run.

 

[crossroadsnyc]

Just pay it off the first month. They can't do jack about that.

The wife & I overpay on our car payments. It'll save us money in the long run.

He did mention the option to pay it off early, but the experience left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn’t want to play the game, so I just went right to the source (Apple) like I have in the past. I want to walk out of the store with an unlocked phone that I own with no contract (even for a month).

 

[Dogs of Doom]

you can unlock any phone, once you are out of a contract...

 

[Vinsanitizer]

They beef up the jargon with wordiness because they know that the dunbass restarts won't bother to actually read it and think for themselves. Same exact thing as software license agreements. I don't mean to be crude, but with each and every software update, we all keep literally agreeing to shove our rights up our own asses. We've been doing this since the beginning of publicly available Internet. I remember, as you may, when an iPhone update revealed tracked and hidden maps of all the locations you've been to. It was a big controversy... for about two weeks. Then Apple released another "update" and the world forgot all about it seemingly overnight. I saw the maps, the procedure to access them was out on the Web. I was surprised how detailed my trips and stops were on my journey from NY to NC and TN and back: the hotels, gas stations, restaurants... everything.

Does anyone really believe that capability ever went away?

We see it, we know it, we deny it and we fund it. It is the Machine.

 

[South Park]

When it comes to the government user fees . It pays for nothing it is a way to count how much use the department gets . so you can get more money in the budget . And when more money shows up management gets it first

 

[pedecamp]

I dont mind paying my fair share but bs fees no. I haven't figured out how to get around it except cancel the service...

 

[saxon68]

When I moved to Virginia I got a new bill, every 6 months, for “personal property tax” on the value of my car. That’s BS, I paid my tax when I bought it.

Then I move to WV, and while the personal property tax is cheaper, they charge me triple normal amount for car registration because my car is hybrid and they say I don’t pay enough gas tax to fund the roads. Then FFS don’t tax the gas, tax the cars!!

Then I get a bill that I’d missed previously from the local ambulances, I’d tossed the earlier ones because I had already donated to them. So because of that, they charge me double for being late and threaten to turn me over to a collection agency. For a service I haven’t used and that my insurance covers if I do. I call that a tax. They said it’s a fee and I argued. A fee is what I pay for a service I receive. A tax is where I’m not consulted and do not receive a good or service and can get in legal / collections trouble if I do not pay.

It’s BS, in Pennsylvania when I lived there they had a local tax in addition to state and federal, it was like 1% or so but it came out every paycheck like other taxes so I didn’t miss it. Rather have that, instead of these 6 month or annual bills. Ugh.

 

[mcblink]

They beef up the jargon with wordiness because they know that the dunbass restarts won't bother to actually read it and think for themselves. Same exact thing as software license agreements. I don't mean to be crude, but with each and every software update, we all keep literally agreeing to shove our rights up our own asses. We've been doing this since the beginning of publicly available Internet. I remember, as you may, when an iPhone update revealed tracked and hidden maps of all the locations you've been to. It was a big controversy... for about two weeks. Then Apple released another "update" and the world forgot all about it seemingly overnight. I saw the maps, the procedure to access them was out on the Web. I was surprised how detailed my trips and stops were on my journey from NY to NC and TN and back: the hotels, gas stations, restaurants... everything.

Does anyone really believe that capability ever went away?

We see it, we know it, we deny it and we fund it. It is the Machine.

My absolute favorite Pink Floyd song.

 

[mirrorman]

Taxes on used vehicles.
The government already bitch-slapped the consumer for thousands of dollars and then want more when the vehicle is resold.
And the one that really frosts me every time I go to the pump --
In Canada we have a Carbon Charge on gasoline and natural gas which is basically a Federal Tax.
Then the bastards have the nerve to charge HST which is a combined Federal and Provincial sales tax on the Carbon Charge.
WTF?

 

[scotheath]

Sad part is is that this is pretty accurate

 

[Vinsanitizer]

Sad part is is that this is pretty accurate

Ah, that was funny. tax Tax TAX!

 

[ibmorjamn]

/Rant on/

The trigger for this is looking over my new lease. The complex was sold last year and I expected an increase and it came - 10% on apartment and 25% on garage. The thing that frosts my hairy butt is they are charging a $12 per month for a 'building fee;, $25 per month 'utility' fee even though I pay for all of it to the city and even $0.95 to accept my electronic check rent payment an additional $455.40 a year. They're playing the same game phone/cable/internet providers do with the extra BS fees [Federal line charge, etc] that only lines their pockets. Moving, while attractive on the surface, would be $$$ as I have a shop full of equipment, a literal ton of wood and the righteous gear necessary to be a member here. So other than paying less [maybe] it would a wash or a loss that first year. But I will be looking next year.

Here is the bottom line - GROW A PAIR AND JUST PUT THE BS FEES IN THE MONTHLY / YEARLY CHARGE.!!!! Don't give me it's only $49 / month plus the $25-$30 extra. Or the 13oz POUND of coffee that began in the 80's.

Are consumers this stupid?!?

Owning a home isn't much different. What actual value does the title company really provide to the home owner? My last home in Dallas the city would play this yearly or bi yearly game and announce the property tax increased by 8-10%. They are only allowed to increase it by 3% at that time. To challenge you physically had to go to the appraisal district and waste most of a day for them to say 'OK fine. 3%. There were companies that would challenge for you and charge a percentage of the 'reduction' scam on both ends. Then there was the property value game...

What the actual phuck?

/Rant off/

Russ

I hope y'all are having a fabulous Friday.

Genius’s in control . They want to make money any way they can. I feel your pain , even my storage is going up.

 

[DaDoc]

Yeah, I get it!

We own our home, and we're in the county, just outside the city limits..We found out last year that the city manager wants to annex a two mile radius around the entire town, which will of course put us in the city limits, and accordingly we'll have to pay city taxes for sewer, water, ect. Even though everyone in my neighborhood has well water and septic tanks. So we don't want or need city services. Nor pay taxes on services we don't want or need!

The city manager is a freakin' weasel, and we are on a system in which we don't have a town mayor to keep him reined in. He's apparently in the back pockets of the developers, so he's giving the green light to a lot of housing projects and development that's going to screw up the area and isn't feasible or sustainable to the town. But of course he doesn't care, because he's getting rich in the process!

He pulled the same crap on the east side of town, and they got annexed even though NOBODY over there wanted it. They were supposed to do a town meeting for the public to let their feelings known last year, but then they used the covid excuse to postpone it. So far, they haven't rescheduled anything, and they're probably trying to figure out an angle to pull the clandestine takeover here as well.

These people seem to spend all their waking hours trying to figure out ways to screw us, and the worst part is they are invariably the "upper class" who really don't need the money themselves..Greedy bastards!

When I was living in N.C., the county there tried a couple of times to make everyone list everything they owned at tax time, and I mean EVERYTHING! Furniture, TV's, stereo gear, computers, jewelry, musical equipment, even their dogs and cats!

I remember them sending out paperwork so's people could list their belongings as "property" and they could charge taxes on them, and everyone told them to stick it where the sun don't shine and did what I did, which was to throw their little lists in the trash bin. So since to one was complying anyhoo, they did a "reevaluation" and it was finally decided that they couldn't re-tax folks for things they had already paid taxes on, but that sure didn't keep them from trying!

They still get nick us, both here and back there, on yearly vehicle taxes, which is total B.S., the excuse being it's for road improvements, although the potholes, ect. never seems to get fixed..

 

[PelliX]

/Rant on/

The trigger for this is looking over my new lease. The complex was sold last year and I expected an increase and it came - 10% on apartment and 25% on garage. The thing that frosts my hairy butt is they are charging a $12 per month for a 'building fee;, $25 per month 'utility' fee even though I pay for all of it to the city and even $0.95 to accept my electronic check rent payment an additional $455.40 a year. They're playing the same game phone/cable/internet providers do with the extra BS fees [Federal line charge, etc] that only lines their pockets. Moving, while attractive on the surface, would be $$$ as I have a shop full of equipment, a literal ton of wood and the righteous gear necessary to be a member here. So other than paying less [maybe] it would a wash or a loss that first year. But I will be looking next year.

Here is the bottom line - GROW A PAIR AND JUST PUT THE BS FEES IN THE MONTHLY / YEARLY CHARGE.!!!! Don't give me it's only $49 / month plus the $25-$30 extra. Or the 13oz POUND of coffee that began in the 80's.

Are consumers this stupid?!?

Owning a home isn't much different. What actual value does the title company really provide to the home owner? My last home in Dallas the city would play this yearly or bi yearly game and announce the property tax increased by 8-10%. They are only allowed to increase it by 3% at that time. To challenge you physically had to go to the appraisal district and waste most of a day for them to say 'OK fine. 3%. There were companies that would challenge for you and charge a percentage of the 'reduction' scam on both ends. Then there was the property value game...

What the actual phuck?

/Rant off/

Russ

I hope y'all are having a fabulous Friday.

Excellent rant, Russ. 5/7, would read again.

Agree with your bottom line, too. You should start billing them for all the paperwork.