Incompetent REPS Planners

SafeSurfer

Is there any comeback for major errors committed by REPS planners which cost thousands in lost income, such as failure to submit REPS application, missing the deadline etc. Are they required to have professional indemnity insurance?

Have had a recent bad and very costly experience!

Ford4000

What do you mean by 'failure to submit reps aplication' exactly? Are you refering to the application for reps 4? Or are you referring to the application for yearly payment for reps3 the '1C' ?

SafeSurfer

Complete Failure to lodge the REPS 4 application full stop. No phone call, no correspondance to say it had not been lodged. The first I knew was when I contacted the office to enquire when the first payments were due. I had already completed initial work, eg. planting apple trees etc.

Username John

SafeSurfer wrote: »

Complete Failure to lodge the REPS 4 application full stop. No phone call, no correspondance to say it had not been lodged. The first I knew was when I contacted the office to enquire when the first payments were due. I had already completed initial work, eg. planting apple trees etc.

That's rough. What was their reason for not submitting it?

That is a big loss, over the 5 years its quite a bit of money. Best o luck however it goes for you.

Ford4000

Did you sign the application and plan? If you had done this to be honest the responsibility lies with yourself to hand deliver the plan to your local AES office and get a receipt this is the only way to be sure anything is lodged,
BTW im v sorry for your loss i am a planner myself and i didnt get into reps 4 but thats another story

SafeSurfer

Thanks guys. Yes signed sealed and delivered, personally to REPS planners office. Reason given was some extra fencing would be required (which I wasn't informed of) and we thought you wouldn't want to go ahead with it. Again no phone call or letter to confirm!

Ford4000

Ah that sounds crappy, but meaning office i meant that u should have delivered the completed plan and application form to the AES the department of agriculture office, not the planners office, i cant understand though how you had the completed plan ready for signing if he said there was a fencing issue??

Username John

Ford4000 wrote: »

Did you sign the application and plan? If you had done this to be honest the responsibility lies with yourself to hand deliver the plan to your local AES office and get a receipt this is the only way to be sure anything is lodged,
BTW im v sorry for your loss i am a planner myself and i didnt get into reps 4 but thats another story

Hmm - I am sure you are right Dan - but in my experience the planner doesn't have the plan ready and waiting for you to collect. I know my plan was only finished just before the deadline, and submitted by the planner with a stack of others. So to say, have my plan ready for collection at such a date / time may not always work in practice.

Is there any 'code of conduct' or such thing for planners?

Ford4000

Not a code of conduct but in my experience it is bad practise for the planner to submit plans, i always got the farmer to submit their own plan and get a receipt it guarantees things better so to speak

Sam Kade

Ford4000 wrote: »

Not a code of conduct but in my experience it is bad practise for the planner to submit plans, i always got the farmer to submit their own plan and get a receipt it guarantees things better so to speak

Thats exactly what I done when joining REPS. I also take the 1C form in every year and I ask them to stamp it and give me a photo copy of it (they wouldn't be bothered giving a photo copy of stamped form unless you ask them).

agcons

SafeSurfer wrote: »

Thanks guys. Yes signed sealed and delivered, personally to REPS planners office. Reason given was some extra fencing would be required (which I wasn't informed of) and we thought you wouldn't want to go ahead with it. Again no phone call or letter to confirm!

All sounds a bit hokey to me. What time of the year did this happen?
Presumably if they had prepared and given you a plan then all works and options had been discussed and agreed beforehand, your farm walked etc etc. Did they ever give you an invoice or discuss their payment terms?

chicken2010

I have a file that my Reps planner was to submit on the closing day of 09/07/09, when I visited my planner that morning he told me that this was the last day we could sub,it the plan for reps 4. He told me he was busy and I explained to him that I was not concerned with any other persons only my own reps. He asked me to sign the application form and told me he would fill in this appropraite form before close of business on 09/07/09.

It has come to my attention that he did not fill in pages 2, and 3 of the file, they are left with all zeroes. He did send in a file that was received on 12/08/09 fully filled in that is pages 1,2,3, 6,7,8,9,10 note page 4 of the application form that needed my signature was omitted. He signed this application 09/07/09 and dated, which was only received on 12/08/09.

Is there anything I can do or why should I be penalised for a planner that is approved that acted in this manner???