The grumpy thread

[Pete-M]

Sorted. Quick rant and they put things right.

[Baz]

This probably isn't the first post of this nature on here, but....Insurance Companies....Aren't they just a bunch of arseholes?

 

It's renewal time on my bike insurance....This time last year, I was riding an '88 Honda CBR1000F/J, and my premuim was about £110.00 for comprehensive cover....Happy enough with that....Earlier this year I downtraded to my Kawasaki GPZ500s, and amended the policy accordingly, without drama or expense....So far, so good!

 

Then, after a year of claim/conviction free riding, they send me through a renewal of £123.00....For a smaller bike! To further annoy me, they keep phoning, trying to pester me into renewing, and when I say that I'm not happy with their figure, they waste fifteen minutes of my life going through all the details again, just to confirm that yes, that is their best quote!

 

Then, to add insult to injury, I go on "Compare The Meerkat" and their quote is £69.00....I'm livid....As it happens, there's another reputable company that'll do the same cover for £58.00, with a lower excess, so I'm gonna take great delight in telling my existing company to poke their business!

 

I don't consider myself a hater, but I just cannot be nice to Insurance agents....They want as much of our money as possible, and then are reluctant to pay out when required....I hate shit like that!

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Tell me about it, Baz. Admiral can insure the RAGE ROWER I'm importing but they won't allow me to drive it to the MoT test when it's not on UK plates.

[nigel bickle]

Ebay. Buy a T shirt from Germany. Free P&P. Seller then decides it isnt free P&P. Sigh . 2nd Paypal top up.

 

Nothing. No T shirt -no comms. Start Complaint.

 

10 days -nothing. Complaints succeeds -but no refund 'as I didnt pay by Paypal'. ?

 

So- I give them the reference numbers. Sorry - no refund as you 'didnt pay by Paypal thru Ebay'. ?

 

But I did. Sorry- but you didnt pay through Paypal -''I can find no reference'' (despite quoting the reference) ?

 

Escalate to a phone call. 20 mins late -we'll let you know...

 

Today: Sorry. Cant refund because you paid ,via paypal, in TWO instalments. Whole invoice has to be paid in one payment....

 

So -thats it. Particulars of Claim issued this morning. Ebay & I are off to Court. Happy days

[M'coli]

This probably isn't the first post of this nature on here, but....Insurance Companies....Aren't they just a bunch of arseholes?

 

It's renewal time on my bike insurance....This time last year, I was riding an '88 Honda CBR1000F/J, and my premuim was about £110.00 for comprehensive cover....Happy enough with that....Earlier this year I downtraded to my Kawasaki GPZ500s, and amended the policy accordingly, without drama or expense....So far, so good!

 

Then, after a year of claim/conviction free riding, they send me through a renewal of £123.00....For a smaller bike! To further annoy me, they keep phoning, trying to pester me into renewing, and when I say that I'm not happy with their figure, they waste fifteen minutes of my life going through all the details again, just to confirm that yes, that is their best quote!

 

Then, to add insult to injury, I go on "Compare The Meerkat" and their quote is £69.00....I'm livid....As it happens, there's another reputable company that'll do the same cover for £58.00, with a lower excess, so I'm gonna take great delight in telling my existing company to poke their business!

 

I don't consider myself a hater, but I just cannot be nice to Insurance agents....They want as much of our money as possible, and then are reluctant to pay out when required....I hate shit like that!

Ensure you have the "Auto-renewal" feature that many insurers now use removed from your old policy.

[Cavcraft]

Ebay. Buy a T shirt from Germany. Free P&P. Seller then decides it isnt free P&P. Sigh . 2nd Paypal top up.

 

Nothing. No T shirt -no comms. Start Complaint.

 

10 days -nothing. Complaints succeeds -but no refund 'as I didnt pay by Paypal'. ?

 

So- I give them the reference numbers. Sorry - no refund as you 'didnt pay by Paypal thru Ebay'. ?

 

But I did. Sorry- but you didnt pay through Paypal -''I can find no reference'' (despite quoting the reference) ?

 

Escalate to a phone call. 20 mins late -we'll let you know...

 

Today: Sorry. Cant refund because you paid ,via paypal, in TWO instalments. Whole invoice has to be paid in one payment....

 

So -thats it. Particulars of Claim issued this morning. Ebay & I are off to Court. Happy days

 

 

I cannot wait to see how this goes, those robbing bastards have had some sort of legal kicking due for a long while now. Keep us posted please and good luck.

[willswitchengage]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peugeot-405-1 ... fresh=true

 

Just lost this on ebay. Bugger!

[panhard65]

I had a problem with ebay a few weeks ago. A seller listed the wrong paypal account on his listing so wouldn't accept the payment. I finally got another paypal accout out of him and paid. All was good except it took him a week to post it and it was crap when it turned up. I returned it and he said he would give a full refund which didn't turn up so I started a claim. Ebay found in his favour saying I hadn't paid. I am now on a paypal claim. If you paid with a card get the credit card company on to it no need for legal action

[autofive]

This probably isn't the first post of this nature on here, but....Insurance Companies....Aren't they just a bunch of arseholes?

 

It's renewal time on my bike insurance....This time last year, I was riding an '88 Honda CBR1000F/J, and my premuim was about £110.00 for comprehensive cover....Happy enough with that....Earlier this year I downtraded to my Kawasaki GPZ500s, and amended the policy accordingly, without drama or expense....So far, so good!

 

Then, after a year of claim/conviction free riding, they send me through a renewal of £123.00....For a smaller bike! To further annoy me, they keep phoning, trying to pester me into renewing, and when I say that I'm not happy with their figure, they waste fifteen minutes of my life going through all the details again, just to confirm that yes, that is their best quote!

 

Then, to add insult to injury, I go on "Compare The Meerkat" and their quote is £69.00....I'm livid....As it happens, there's another reputable company that'll do the same cover for £58.00, with a lower excess, so I'm gonna take great delight in telling my existing company to poke their business!

 

I don't consider myself a hater, but I just cannot be nice to Insurance agents....They want as much of our money as possible, and then are reluctant to pay out when required....I hate shit like that!

Ensure you have the "Auto-renewal" feature that many insurers now use removed from your old policy.

 

 

just renewed my insurance today, footman james quoted 165, then after a bit of badgering reduced it to 142 fully comp, with breakdown cover

[Caffiend]

HR: fucking useless

 

Consultation as we're all moving one place to the left in the NHS. Letter from work this morning:

 

"As you will be aware, when we wrote to you in January, the function in which you work and your current role was originally identified as transferring to the National Commissioning Board. Following further discussions, it has now been agreed that the (function) will now sit within the (one of the local) Clinical Commissioning Groups."

 

Another letter from work this morning:

 

"As you will be aware, when we wrote to you in January, the function in which you work and your current role was originally identified as transferring to the National Commissioning Board. Following further discussions, it has now been agreed that the (function) will now sit within the (the local) Commissioning Support Unit."

 

So, I am still none the wiser as to which of the three "successor" organisations in the so-much-less-complicated structure of the NHS I'm likely to be in - National Coal, I mean Commissioning Board, CCG or CSU?

 

This is particularly a grump because I am on FUCKING HOLIDAY, but this cannot wait until I get back. Have a call into my boss, who will be equally unimpressed, although probably less profane. If anyone who knows about public sector union type stuff can give me some advice by PM on what questions I should be asking (apart from "What the fuck?") I would be everso grateful - sorry, I'm not a member as our trust has decided not to recognise any unions, but strongly thinking that I should bloody well join one!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

sounds to me very much like something that could wait till you get back from holiday

[Rocket88]

HR: fucking useless

 

Consultation as we're all moving one place to the left in the NHS. Letter from work this morning:

 

"As you will be aware, when we wrote to you in January, the function in which you work and your current role was originally identified as transferring to the National Commissioning Board. Following further discussions, it has now been agreed that the (function) will now sit within the (one of the local) Clinical Commissioning Groups."

 

Another letter from work this morning:

 

"As you will be aware, when we wrote to you in January, the function in which you work and your current role was originally identified as transferring to the National Commissioning Board. Following further discussions, it has now been agreed that the (function) will now sit within the (the local) Commissioning Support Unit."

 

So, I am still none the wiser as to which of the three "successor" organisations in the so-much-less-complicated structure of the NHS I'm likely to be in - National Coal, I mean Commissioning Board, CCG or CSU?

 

This is particularly a grump because I am on FUCKING HOLIDAY, but this cannot wait until I get back. Have a call into my boss, who will be equally unimpressed, although probably less profane. If anyone who knows about public sector union type stuff can give me some advice by PM on what questions I should be asking (apart from "What the fuck?") I would be everso grateful - sorry, I'm not a member as our trust has decided not to recognise any unions, but strongly thinking that I should bloody well join one!

 

 

Photocopy both letters, send both copies to both senders, enclose a slip with WTF! written across it in 9 ft capital letters.

[Caffiend]

They both came from HR - i.e. the same place.

 

And as this is not the first time that HR have right royally tried to fuck me over (it's about the third in three years I think - and it's not personal, it's because they're useless) it really can't wait until I get back from holiday - we're amongst the last to get our letters as it is, 90+% of my colleagues have known for months where their places will be in the brave new world. Will see what my boss says when she calls back, I'm going back to cleaning my car, which is v. soothing

[sporty-shite]

our trust has decided not to recognise any unions, but strongly thinking that I should bloody well join one!

 

Yes you should. Don't know what you do within the NHS but what would you do in the case of an allegation against you of any kind? It's the main reason why I joined a union. Allegation = guilty until proven otherwise, and a serious career ender if it doesn't go your way.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I don't think union involvement would be helpful at this stage. Just send an e-mail to HR, ccing your manager, saying that you've received two contradictory letters and demand a written reply with an explanation and, if applicable, apology for the mix-up.

[chaseracer]

If it's got to this stage with your employer fecking people about left right & centre, and you're still THINKING about protecting your interests by joining a union, there's probably not much I can say... other than...

 

http://www.unison.org.uk/membership/

 

http://www.rcn.org.uk/membership/join

 

[Pete-M]

Unions? Fuck that. Do something else instead. It's unions and HR departments that fuck this world on a regular basis.

[ashmicro]

Unions? Fuck that. Do something else instead. It's unions and HR departments that fuck this world on a regular basis.

+1 (in my experience anyway)

[trigger]

Aye, The unions isn't worth a wank, most people at my work have left our union as they do fuck all for the worker.

[chaseracer]

Really? I wonder what I do all day...?

[Guest]

Aye, The unions isn't worth a wank, most people at my work have left our union as they do fuck all for the worker.

 

This can only end badly. Let's hope they can spell and don't drive OLD SKOLL FORDS [sic], innit?

 

Anyway, minor grump time.

 

Put the film in from Uttoxeter on a mega long haul develop because I'm tight like that. Finally get the fucker back and the daft twat behind the counter has given me a blank CD.

 

Still can't get AS to work with Firefox. ITS RIDICULOUS. WHERE IS MY FORUM. Someone take me through it. eVERY click eVERY click.

[Cavcraft]

[cobblers]

Grump 1: Ran out of thinners on Sunday halfway through a job. Instead of the usual £22 for a 25l drum (delivered), I had to go to halfords and spend £7 on half a litre.

Grump 2: Whatever they have sold me as cellulose thinners definitely isn't. Not sure if it's some new "safety thinners" but it doesn't smell of much and it wouldn't even wipe off some matt black overspray. It's not even flammable FFS.

[sporty-shite]

Unions? Fuck that.

 

Spoken like a true private sector worker, Pete.

 

Seriously, as far as the NHS goes, the union is invaluable, if only for the legal back-up. In this horrendously litigious world in which we live, if someone thinks there's a few quid in blaming someone else for their fuck-up, they will.

 

What? Can't afford to pay for your defence? Tough shit. Looks like you won't be working again.

 

And that's before you have someone fighting your corner to avoid getting stiffed over a financial crisis you had no involvement in creating.

[Cavcraft]

You're wasting your time, Chris.

Pro/anti union is the slightly newer Focus/Astra, Sun/Mirror or wannabe Clarkson/shit cars killed Rover.

[Caffiend]

My boss called. She has had the same 2 letters. The word "incompetent" was used, and she is a union member, so I shall wait and see wassup when I get back from holiday now. Phew. I am one of those evil bureaucrats (someone has to do it, what with compliance legislation and government targets and all), so unlikely to get sued for cutting the wrong leg off someone - but thanks for advice all Only reason I hadn't joined a union is because this job was only supposed to be a stopgap - 3 years on, I should extract digit ...

[sporty-shite]

You're wasting your time, Chris.

Pro/anti union is the slightly newer Focus/Astra, Sun/Mirror or wannabe Clarkson/shit cars killed Rover.

 

I know, Billy. But I feel more passionate about it, seeing as I joined a union for the first time at 40 years old. Sometimes, yes, there's no place for them eg in the small companies that I used to work in, but in large organsations, and the public sector, they're invaluable.

 

Anyway, that's the last I'll say, except, Alfa, internet news feeds and bad management.

[Pete-M]

Unions? Fuck that.

 

Spoken like a true private sector worker, Pete.

 

That's what I've always been, Chris. I understand why Unions exist, it's because there are lots of people doing similar jobs who all want more money / holidays / breaks / rights than they're getting in exchange for less work. Union gives them a voice and they get more power when they're mob handed, in exchange for that they occasionally have to do what the Union says. Striking / work to rule / early retirement type stuff.

 

That's how it looks from the outside, to me. They do occasionally do some good things, they have done some good things in the past, but I'm not a fan of them in general.

 

In your work I can see that a Union could be useful. I think you should have more money for the work you do. I don't think the NHS should have as many middle management pen pushers as it appears to, but those who actually do the caring / repairs / servicing etc of people are vital and should be treated very well.

 

No, I don't know what the alternative is re:Unions, but I really don't like a lot of them as they are at the moment, and I don't like the fact they own a political party.

[warren t claim]

What I've learned in my new job is that the stranglehold the union officials had back in the 70s has been replaced by health and safety officials in the present day. The list of things I'm not allowed to do is breathtaking. Mundane jobs I've always done like topping up my truck with hydraulic oil are a big no no because I don't have the correct certificates to let me stand on the chassis of the truck as it's classed as working at heights, even if I did have the right certificate then I still wouldn't be allowed to top up because my hard hat doesn't have a chin strap. I could go on, and indeed might later, but I'm too angry at the whole regime that only exists to keep many employed at the expense of productivity and common sense.

[Cavcraft]

It's great* isn't it, Warren? We had a driver in yesterday who's perfectly fine carrying 25 tonnes of pretty dangerous chemicals but can't use a mild form of acid to wash his wheels because 'he's not trained'.