I've not had a problem with Stansted, never been charged a navigation service fee, and been allowed to orbit over their runway with some WW2 aircrew. They've been nothing but polite.
If when I listen they are frenetically busy, then I go round the outside with their listening squawk on.
Elsewhere I've been asked, in Class G on a basic service, if I could maintain X feet or Y track because of an incoming 747. I was happy to comply: it was all done politely.
If the argument is about which word the ATCO used, well....