The lawyer is a godsend. Now I finally get how people like Berlusconi sleep: they have lawyers to deal with all their problems so they don't have to!! No seriously, it's great to have someone who is wholly on MY team, who can show me the ropes. Not that he had great news: he says that despite the fact I could not have known rule xy and z because it's not stated anywhere (and I mean anywhere- I have searched high and low) explicitly, it doesn't mean I'm exempt. That said, Voorburg made a big mistake in that they have seen my bank statements with the offending loan on it, and have not warned me I was violating rule xyz. There are some other mistakes, such as their failure to motivate their decision (I could do that for them: We are incompetent bastards and that's why we give you money first, give you no information as to under which circumstances you are entitled to this money, do not take action when you inform us that you receive income in our terms or warn you that you are violating the rules, but instead wait 13 months until another government agency comes across the same information which you so generously supply, and then decide that indeed you were violating the rules from the start and send you a bill covering the whole 13 months to reclaim the money you received, because damn you, you weren't even entitled to money in the first place! ). That means the bill will likely be lower than as it stands. Probably not 6000 euro less, but a few thousand less, hopefully. And of course it will take a lot of time: I haven't heard the last of this yet. I am just happy I don't have to do the work (apart from not worry too much), and for the first time I am happy I wasn't rich in Italy (2007) either: it means cheap legal advice now. I get a lawyer for 100 euro. Not bad (apart from the fact he spells my name wrong... but at least he gets the rest of the legal letter right. It's better than I would do: I would spell my name and address right and then write 100 things that would get me into more trouble! That's from experience  )

My lawyer told me it's not so good that I received an invoice using the words: In Name of her Majesty the Queen. He says that means trouble, and will really mean trouble if I don't start repaying fast. I will just rephrase:

Of course, it's self-evident that we can let this go on for 13 months, take another 3 months before we inform you about the investigation against you, and another 6 months to produce a flimsy letter with a huge bill and no motivation, but you, miserable citizen, in the Name of her Majesty the Queen, have to repay us 7862,78 euro within 14 days, and if you can't do that you have to pay it back in full at least before the 31st of December or the amount will be increased with 60% and if you refuse to pay us back we are entitled to sell any or all of your or your partner's posessions.

Really nice guys, these welfare people

My lawyer had one big piece of advice: 'Beware of the government'. Yeah. I know.

I'm spending long stressful hours on these legal issues, but there is an upside on being thorough. I found a major mistake on their side, which might save me 6000 euro. Smiles. There is hope, at least.  

It's a pretty cool feeling to have your (verbal) knife at the throat of the 'bad guy'. It doesn't need to be a big knife, but it needs to be sharp. I am sharpening the knife (glad to notice at least some of it coming back), and my lawyer will add the finishing touches Friday. I wonder whether it will be enough.

But god, what hard work for the right to having an income. Suckers.

I'm in a bit of a pickle. I am pretty sure it isn't me (apart from being a bit oversensitive). Why are lawyers insensitive square jerks (at least the ones I get to deal with)? And why do I end up to my neck in bureaucracy, when all I'm trying to do is keep things simple, and get some advice? Why can't people just answer my questions? You know, in the sense: I have question 1, 2, 3 and 4, and you answer me 1, 2, 3, 4. I understand there are no fixed answers, but in that case just tell me: I don't know. I can live with that, but I cannot deal with being treated like an alien. Thanks.