Council taxpayers took to social media to tell of their progress - or lack of it - with the £150 rebate.

A social media post by the Northern Echo asking if people were still waiting for their council tax rebate drew more than 200 comments this week.

One respondent wrote: "Have phoned Durham County Council 3 times asking if there was anything I needed to do but they just kept saying it'll be paid in a few days. That was 3 weeks ago and still nothing."

He later added: "I pay by direct debit. They told me there was a glitch in the system."

Another said she was told the same thing after she applied three weeks ago online, was "on all week trying to get thro on phone" then was on hold for 59 minutes.

And one resident said: "Spoke to DCC 2 weeks ago & they said it would be paid within 5 working days. Still nothing. We pay by DD, everyone I know has had theirs apart from us."

Read more: Durham County Council respond to man's £150 tax rebate concerns

Householders have also communicated via email to explain their position.

One Durham resident said: "This issue is not just linked to those who do not pay by direct debit.

"Myself and others who I know pay by direct debit and have yet to receive payment. 

"I phoned the council in May only to be told it would be with me in two weeks. I phoned again three weeks later after still not receiving it only to be told they could not give me a timescale for my payment.

"They further admitted that there was a technical problem with their system where some with direct debits could not be paid and they were trying to resolve it again with no timescale.

"People are on hold trying to get information for lengthy periods only to be told at the other end that there is no timescale for payments and we just have to wait.

"The communication from the council is appalling and the attitude really poor."

Read more: £150 cost of living council tax rebate still available - who is eligible?

He shared a council response to his complaint, saying his case was an "exception" where the energy rebate had not been allocated, the council was working with ICT specialists to resolve the issue and update systems and would provide the rebate within 15 working days.

Another correspondent said: "I pay by DD and have done for many many years. I rang the council tax department this week with an unrelated query and asked about the rebate whilst on the phone to be told I will be recieving a letter with details of how to claim although I pay DD."

And one customer said she wanted to know why she had not had the money yet: "Just normal working people paid our way all our lives."

Read more: Levelling up - 'fingers and toes crossed' for Durham

Other social media responses included:

  • "Loads of people are still waiting in co durham, I still not got a letter to claim for it yet. Their a disgrace";
  • "Still waiting on a letter, can't apply without the code that is on it";
  • "Says I'm not entitled to it when I fill out the form";
  • "Applied but still waiting";
  • "Pay by direct debit and still haven’t received ours";
  • "With Durham County Council and no letter yet. Not holding my breath either";
  • "I applied online on Friday so not expecting anything for at least a month lol";
  • "Nope, got mine weeks ago, paid straight into my bank account without fanfare";
  • "Yes still waiting I pay DD also, if it was us owning [sic] them it be a different story";
  • "No link for Darlington, we have to wait for a letter apparently with a security code, can't apply till you receive that. It's absolutely shocking";
  • "I'm still waiting, I still haven't been sent a letter to fill in to claim for it yet, it's a disgrace";
  • "Yes we got ours about 2 weeks ago. We pay DD";
  • "Got mine on Friday, applied on form on council website, took 7 days";
  • "Yes still waiting, paid by direct debit for years. Would be a different story if I cancelled them and didn’t pay this months council tax for about the same amount";
  • "Yes still waiting rang again Friday they say it was a glitch and should go in this next week. We will see";
  • "No booked a tattoo wiv it":
  • "Council tax you say... I'm still waiting to get into the airshow. What time does it finish?"

Both Durham and Darlington have said they are working hard to get payments to people as soon as possible, with a Government deadline of September 30.

Durham County Council said it prioritised the vulnerable, brought in extra staff and had made more than 144,000 payments worth more than £22.4m.

Darlington Borough Council said it had paid 29,495 customers a total of over £4.4m, with 15,230 rebates to be paid and a final two batches of letters to go out in the coming days.

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