Brent Council Reviews Summary

Customer Service

Pros:

• "The staff is not only highly knowledgeable but also incredibly friendly and helpful."
• "Fantastic service. Requested a bin to be removed from a property we have just moved into as it contained the wrong waste and I didn't know how to dispose of it properly. Spoke to an incredibly helpful lady, who guided me through the process."
• "It was well worth the 15 min wait to get through to Kaia. He was efficient sharp, friendly, polite and honestly if he carries on like this he will go far."
• "Thank you, Brent Council, for your dedication and hard work!"
• "I love Brent Council, every service I asked for in the last 40 years was offered at the highest standard."
• "Absolutely amazing and fantastic service ever I received.(birth & death register department) civic centre Wembley. they help me every possible way to get my daughter's birth certificate as soon as possible."
• "From my experience, all staff are friendly and professional."

Cons:

• "When you do finally get through to someone they sound miserable and as if they hate their job."
• "Homeownership team doesn’t reply to emails or send generic unhelpful responses."
• "Not only did I wait for 48 minutes to speak to someone when I did her phone manner, lack of knowledge and don’t care attitude shone through."
• "The staff are unprofessional and unhelpful on the phone."
• "Worst local authority in the UK. They don't answer their phones on purpose."
• "The absolute WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE I've ever come across."
• "Literally the worst customer service I have ever experienced in any industry."

Council Efficiency

Pros:

• "Takes care of the area. Responds swiftly via online enquiry form."
• "They go above and beyond to address residents' concerns and provide timely solutions."
• "I think Brent stands above most of them in terms of delivery of good services."

Cons:

• "This council is a joke."
• "Brent council are a waste of time."
• "Waste of time."
• "Incompetent, lazy and expensive!"
• "Useless! an automated disgrace."
• "The incompetence is shocking. Rude phone operators who send you in circles."
• "Worst council in London, staff was slow lazy and rude and they all seem to be cousins to me."

Repair and Maintenance Services

Pros:

• "Modern clean and tidy. Glad there was parking underground."

Cons:

• "OMG - I have a flat in Wembley and have been trying to report a repair for 2 months."
• "External works take ages, we had scaffolding installed in November 2021, and today (we are in July 22) we still have it on, so far they only painted the house facade, didn’t even scrub the old paint and just paint over it."
• "Each time I submit the repair online it times out then comes up with a 'technical issue' message."
• "They hire the worst contractors."
• "BHP's ability in dealing with property repairs is noteworthy in being exceptionally bad."
• "Brent have now outsourced its repairs team to Wates Living Space who take approx 5 days, yes I've called 5 days in a row and been on hold for over 2.5 hours only for someone to answer and then put the phone down."
• "Worse council on earth…. I’ve been suffering with cracks big enough to pull my hand in for 3 years and I just keep getting fobbed off."

Online Services and Communication

Pros:

• "Excellent !! Today I applied for a 12 month Brent Household Visitor parking permit, A problem with the online service mean't I decided to do it by phone."

Cons:

• "Trying to register a change of address has become a nightmare since their new online portal just gives errors no matter what you do."
• "Really ineffective online communication with this council and nobody picks up the phones."
• "They have set up an infinite 'looping' system that refers you to a broken website which refers you to a phone line which nobody ever, ever answers."
• "6 months down the line and their website still hasn't changed."
• "No response to calls. Several issues with their newly implemented system."
• "The Parking website doesn't work (for the last 4 years)."
• "Another instance I was trying to send them proof of my wage slips so had to scan em all in. not a problem except that the site 'times out' after about 3 damned minutes."

Financial and Legal Issues

Pros:

• "Mandy Brammer you Rock! thank you Brent."

Cons:

• "Even though I can prove I don’t owe them the money AND sent them the evidence they needed way back in 2016 and AGAIN in 2022."
• "They are taking me to court because they reckon I owe them money for the period of time my son was in full-time education."
• "Sending me threats because of a seemingly missing monthly instalment of council tax."
• "Should you DARE to question them about the validity of your council tax bill they see that as I sign of non-compliance and send you straight to court where they tell a judge you don’t want to pay."
• "We are being overcharged on council tax for the past year and when you try to call them, you are being held on the line for 20 minutes ad then your call jumps into voice mail!!!"
• "They just want to steal your money. Any way they can- if you park your car for one min, ticket men will put that bloody ticket in no time in front of your eyes!"
• "This council is a joke, we paid £1266 in council tax last year, and then out of the blue they change our banding and all of a sudden it's £1750."