Dear Claudienne

In March 2011, I asked a land surveyor to prepare a pre-check diagram for me. He said that the fee to prepare the diagram was $30,000 and I paid half of the fee ($15,000) to his secretary. He visited the premises and did the survey, but up to now I have not got the diagram. Since the survey was done, I phoned him twice but he said the diagram was not ready. Since then, I have called him several times but he never answers his phone.

I have asked his secretary for the PE number that the National Land Agency needs to track the diagram but the secretary said he has not given her this number.

I would be grateful for your help.

AH

Dear AH

We contacted the Land Surveyors Association and were advised that the land surveyor you asked to prepare the drawing of your tract of land for submission to the Survey Department was a member of the association.

You were instructed to write a complaint to the association so that their Grievance Committee could deal with the matter. We see that the Grievance Committee has spoken to the surveyor and that he has now prepared the plan and lodged it with the National Land Agency (NLA). When it is approved, you can then take it to the titles office for the preparation of the title.

The chairman of the Grievance Committee told Tell Claudienne that the surveyor has given him a copy of the plan. He said that he will leave a copy of the plan for you at the association’s office. You can use the copy of the plan to track the processing of the diagram at the NLA.

Good luck.

Dear Claudienne

I live in Clarendon. On April 23, my service wire was removed by three JPS workers in the company of a policeman. They said they saw an illegal connection on top of the light post. Since the removal of the service wire, I have been without electricity. After the light was cut off, I was sent to the Revenue Protection office of the JPS on the Spanish Town Road where they told me I would have to pay $400,000 for the light to be reconnected. I was also told that the house would have to be rewired and recertified by the Electrical Inspectorate.

I then went to the OUR who sent me to the manager of the JPS office in May Pen. The JPS manager was busy and unable to speak with me. However, I was sent back to the Revenue Protection office.

I was not aware of the illegal connection and I had nothing to do with it.

Please see what you can find out for me.

JR

Dear JR

Tell Claudienne spoke with the head of the JPS Revenue Protection Office and he agreed to meet, with you. At the meeting you were shown pictures of the illegal connection, but the JPS made it clear that they were not accusing you of making the illegal connection. It was also pointed out that the light bills of $2000 per month and lower were at odds with the number of appliances in your house.

The JPS said that if you were able to produce receipts to show the dates that you acquired various electrical appliances, the sum that you were being asked to pay retroactively could be lowered.

However, the JPS insisted that your house would have to be rewired by a licensed electrican and passed and certified by the Government Electricity Inspectorate.

We note that an officer has been assigned to work with you to sort out the problems.

Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 936-9436 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.