So, so annoyed with F***ing bureaucracy with government departments
As some of you know Paul and I are getting married in August, 9 weeks today to be prescice but when I booked it I knew we needed to go through to the Registrars with formal ID including my Decree Absolute. However Paul's stuff was at his Employers as he was joining the company pension scheme so when he got it all back and we were both free to go, I couldn't find my DA even though for 25 years I knew exactly where to find it.
Yes I've had the house upside down, bitten Pauls head off numerous times when he's said "you've probably put it somewhere safe". It's been F***ing safe for 25 years, why would I put it somewhere else. You get the picture!!
So over a month ago I contacted the Court where I got divorced to get a copy only to be told it, the Court, doesn't exist anymore and that all the records were sent to Preston. Phoned them the same day, left a message to be called back but no phone call. Phoned again the following week, paid the £45 and was told it would be in the post that day. Nothing arrived so I phoned again the following week, bear in mind I work away from home so only have one day each week to chase up, to be told that none of the records were on a computerised system so they have to search manually and they're having trouble finding some but they'd have another look and phone me back. Again no phone call so I phoned them again last week to be told the same, they have to search manually, look again blah di blah di blah.......
So today, having gone through every single piece of paper I could find in the house and still not found it, I've phoned again. This time to be told they definitely can't find it so I now have to wait for them to send me a form which I need to fill in and send off to the Central Records Office in London but it's another £65.
To say the air was blue is an understatement!! "I've paid you to find it but you can't because you've lost it, now I've got to pay again, only even more. So what happens if they can't find it?"
"Then you've never got divorced" SERIOUSLY?
Not only that but I'll probably have to rearrange the wedding as we probably won't have time to get it back in time. So I speak to a Manager, not very politely, who agrees that if they, London, find it I'll get the original £45 refunded. I get the phone number for London off him so I could speak to them there and then and get some sort of guarantee that they will find it.
Lovely guy I spoke to who told me I don't need to fill the form in or pay the £65 because if Preston couldn't find it they should have requested confirmation from the Central Records Office so they could do me a new one!!
Amazingly after speaking to the Preston Manager with this information, they've just phoned me to say they've found it