The grumpy thread

[chaseracer]

Did he offer the gobshite a lift, or drive over him? 

[Louise2cv]

The bathroom nonsense drags on. 

 

We thought we would get a surveyor in to get a full and fair assessment of the work (following several builders quoting for different levels of repair). We sent that to the builders who installed the bathroom thinking that an independent review would be a good place to start negotiations. Instead they have said that because the survey doesn't include everything we complained about (eg the overflow not being connected to the bath, which it isn't) then we must be fabricating our complaints and have therefore reported OH to professional standards for extortion by deception. 

 

WTF.

 

I don't know what we have done to deserve this treatment. We tried really hard to accept many of the faults and chalk it up to experience, initially only asking that they come and stop the bath from leaking (it's staining the living room ceiling and the floorboards are permanently wet). They refused to even answer our emails, and only started to engage when the Federation of Master Builders got involved. I sent 2 emails to the builder in August and September, to inform them the bath waste had broken and they accused us of harassment, surely this isn't reasonable?

 

One of the builders who quoted (to remove and reinstall the bath) has admitted he is a personal friend of the original builder and has spoken to him about it. He seems to suggest that the builder has admitted mistakes to him , but they seem determined to battle it out with us. 

 

Its really stressing me out, especially now they are involving OH's job. 

 

Any tips?!

[chaseracer]

consumer-advice

 

Seriously.  If all else seems to be failing.

 

And Matt should get ahead of them by having a quiet word with his Federation rep...

[alcyonecorporation]

Work. 

Well, I thought it was getting better. 




Oh no, whoops, shit, no. I was wrong. 

[Louise2cv]

CAB have said go to court, we are just waiting to hear back about some legal advice.

 

I know you may be thinking you only have half the story and we have probably been rubbish customers, but we really have tried to accept the work as is and have remain polite throughout. However water is now damaging the living room below and we can't use the plug as designed, so showers soak the floor and baths are  bit of a pain in the ass. We haven't bombarded them with complaints and only involved the trade organisation when the refused to respond to a full written complaint.

[Cavcraft]

Small Claims Court (assuming amount involved doesn’t exceed their criteria) sounds like the best option there.

Hope it works out however you play it, Louise.

[SherpaMog]

Take the weasels to small claims court. You will win, the judge will see right through their b.s.

[Craig the Princess]

Yes, no more being nice to them. From the sounds of it they have crossed a line in alleging that.

 

Get some legal advice and take action.

[Bianconeri]

I pass a school on my way to work. It's the next street over so not very far away.

School morning means a tripling of traffic, and as such every day at letting in and letting out there's a 25 mph zone set up and a prehistoric sheriff's deputy standing at the junction, "directing" traffic.

There's a behemoth coming down the street having dropped little D'Rat or Tarquin or whatever children are being named these days so the cop ambles backwards into my lane and gives a cursory palm towards me before waving the traffic through.

He then sees a small gap in the traffic coming so ushers me through. I'm not expecting this so try to put the car in first. But, it's a Renault and the gearbox is cold, the clutch is doing it's usual dragging bearing BS and I'm fighting to get it to engage first. Second-first slam isn't working.

Cop begins to wave his arms frantically, like I'm ignoring him. I can see his face beginning to screw up and turn puce. It'll be only a short period of time before he starts shouting at me. Finally, gear decides to engage and I make progress, being scowled at by the cop.

Total elapsed time? Maybe a second and a half

FFS people, patience.

Phil

Ah yes the dimwit factor on the school run. I had to venture out early today to see the dentist (see later) and caught the end of the moronfest.

 

Short queue of traffic on two lane section just before some lights at a roundabout. I am fourth car in the left lane, lights are red so I stopped so as not to obstruct access to a side road (e.g if someone wanted to turn right from the other side of the road. All reasonable and sensible I think.

 

Driver (female) of green FIAT 500 behind me in same lane decided to start sounding the horn to urge me to move forward (lights still at red). Driver of blue Audi Q3 (ugly car, driver also female) overtook FIAT and stopped in the right hand lane but obstructing the side road. Phone call was obviously important.

 

Lights go green, Audi tries to turn left in front of me, FIAT turns right.

 

I really don’t miss this wilful incompetence at all.

 

Anyway, get to dentist to be told I have to rebook as they have had a computer problem since yesterday and they couldn't contact me as they only have my landline number. Can anyone explain that without using the phrase ‘incompetent lazy receptionist couldn’t be arsed to do job’?

[Tickman]

CAB have said go to court, we are just waiting to hear back about some legal advice.

 

I know you may be thinking you only have half the story .....

 

Doesn't matter what any of us think, you paid for a service, a substandard job was done and it needs rectifying.

You tried to get it sorted but the builder ignored your complaints.

Take him to court.

 

Good luck. 

[Kiltox]

Absolutely bastard full of the cold. Tried to burn it off with whisky last night - didn’t work

 

Urgh.

[Louise2cv]

Thanks, probably should have done it ages ago really. Fear of the unknown I think, it should be pretty straightforward though I think?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I don’t know why these chiselling dickheads don’t just come round and sort out your flippin bath plug Louise, it can only be one of about 4 cheap bits from screwfix that needs replacing. They must just be a load of mardy ba$tards who can’t face the idea that they might have actually dropped a bo11ock.

 

Does the bath need to come out to access the waste and overflow pipes to sort em?

[Cavcraft]

Stick to the facts, take proof/correspondence with you and go for it.

All being well he won’t turn up, in which case you’re laughing, though I think you will be even if he does.

[alcyonecorporation]

Stick to the facts, take proof/correspondence with you and go for it.

All being well he won’t turn up, in which case you’re laughing, though I think you will be even if he does.

Yes, correct facts are the best kind of facts. Especially in court. 

I would get gold plated taps or summat for the mither. Maybe gilded from a melted down Faberge egg perhaps. 

 

Hope you get it sorted, it sounds unduly stressful. 

[Louise2cv]

Ha yes! Thanks guys. I can't really understand what they are playing at. Yesterday they sent that email saying they have gone to professional standards and accused us of fraud, today they have sent an email saying we will come and discuss with you and the surveyor next steps but only at a time convenient to them.

 

I don't ever want to see them again tbh but will the courts see us turning down this suggestion as us being unreasonable?

 

Basically they replastered a wall and replaced two stud walls. The bath should fit between these three walls, but they aren't square so they just rammed the bath in, leaving a gap round one end (so inadequate seal to the tiles) and the corner of the bath sticking through the stud wall in the airing cupboard at the other. The plasterboard here is damp and mouldy because everytime we shower water is coming through the tiles somewhere and leaking all over the airing cupboard floor. We believe the bath should come out, the standard plasterboard should be replaced with waterproof and squared up so that we loose the gap that they have covered with plastic trim and sealant. Other niggles are stupid cosmetic things like trim cut too short and tile trim around the window mitred in one corner and butt jointed at the other.

 

I just tried getting advice from CAB but after giving them my name, address, postcode, phone number and case reference number she said "can't talk to you, data protection" FFS.

 

ETA: I know it's not the end of the world and I could have much bigger problems, I just not very good at coping with things, and especially not confrontation.

[chaseracer]

I know you may be thinking you only have half the story and we have probably been rubbish customers, but we really have tried to accept the work as is and have remain polite throughout.

 

I've known you a good while, Louise, and I know this to be true.

 

Another vote for small claims court here.

 

make-court-claim-for-money

[SherpaMog]

I was taken by an unreasonable client and won.

Its totally non confrontational, that won't be allowed, just take the communications you have had, and some photographs of the shit they have provided you with. Due to the fraud bollocks you won't have to agree to let them fix it. You will definitely win, try not to stress about it. Nobody should have to put up with such substandard work or treatment, even if the relationship with the builder went sour.

[MarvinsMom]

work has decided that the beige AS forum is "inappropriate content" and blocked it, even at dinnertime.

 

bastards.

[bub2006]

Proxy server ftw!

[meshking]

Ha yes! Thanks guys. I can't really understand what they are playing at. Yesterday they sent that email saying they have gone to professional standards and accused us of fraud, today they have sent an email saying we will come and discuss with you and the surveyor next steps but only at a time convenient to them.

 

I don't ever want to see them again tbh but will the courts see us turning down this suggestion as us being unreasonable?

 

Basically they replastered a wall and replaced two stud walls. The bath should fit between these three walls, but they aren't square so they just rammed the bath in, leaving a gap round one end (so inadequate seal to the tiles) and the corner of the bath sticking through the stud wall in the airing cupboard at the other. The plasterboard here is damp and mouldy because everytime we shower water is coming through the tiles somewhere and leaking all over the airing cupboard floor. We believe the bath should come out, the standard plasterboard should be replaced with waterproof and squared up so that we loose the gap that they have covered with plastic trim and sealant. Other niggles are stupid cosmetic things like trim cut too short and tile trim around the window mitred in one corner and butt jointed at the other.

 

I just tried getting advice from CAB but after giving them my name, address, postcode, phone number and case reference number she said "can't talk to you, data protection" FFS.

 

ETA: I know it's not the end of the world and I could have much bigger problems, I just not very good at coping with things, and especially not confrontation.

It sounds like really shoddy work, how can you possibly be in the wrong for demanding a bath that has been fitted doesn't leak?

 

Bringing in your oh profession is a really bad move by them, straight to the rep as Mr racer recommendeds.

 

Sent from my SGP621 using Tapatalk

[Kiltox]

Proxy server ftw!

P45 not so ftw

[Guest Hooli]

Ha yes! Thanks guys. I can't really understand what they are playing at. Yesterday they sent that email saying they have gone to professional standards and accused us of fraud, today they have sent an email saying we will come and discuss with you and the surveyor next steps but only at a time convenient to them.

 

I don't ever want to see them again tbh but will the courts see us turning down this suggestion as us being unreasonable?

 

Basically they replastered a wall and replaced two stud walls. The bath should fit between these three walls, but they aren't square so they just rammed the bath in, leaving a gap round one end (so inadequate seal to the tiles) and the corner of the bath sticking through the stud wall in the airing cupboard at the other. The plasterboard here is damp and mouldy because everytime we shower water is coming through the tiles somewhere and leaking all over the airing cupboard floor. We believe the bath should come out, the standard plasterboard should be replaced with waterproof and squared up so that we loose the gap that they have covered with plastic trim and sealant. Other niggles are stupid cosmetic things like trim cut too short and tile trim around the window mitred in one corner and butt jointed at the other.

 

I just tried getting advice from CAB but after giving them my name, address, postcode, phone number and case reference number she said "can't talk to you, data protection" FFS.

 

ETA: I know it's not the end of the world and I could have much bigger problems, I just not very good at coping with things, and especially not confrontation.

 

Every guide I've ever read on building bathrooms (& I read a few when restoring a cottage) says plasterboard in a bathroom should either be waterproof or tanked with waterproofing compound. You could get a leaflet from Wickes to prove this point, they don't have a leg to stand on.

[Pillock]

You might find it's advisable to still meet with them - at a time convent to you both though - to discuss, even though they're making accusations of fraud. It's handy the surveyor will be there as witness.

 

I'm just trying to think what a judge would say if they came out with the classic "we tried to sort it m'lud but the EVIL client wouldn't talk to us".

[purplebargeken]

Tape every conversation you have with them. Wankers.

[Guest Hooli]

Tape every conversation you have with them. Wankers.

 

But remember to tell them you're recording it. I think you need to, if you wish to use it in court later.

[Bren]

Absolutely bastard full of the cold. Tried to burn it off with whisky last night - didn’t work

Urgh.

Worth a try all the same.

[Bianconeri]

Ah yes the dimwit factor on the school run. I had to venture out early today to see the dentist (see later) and caught the end of the moronfest.

Short queue of traffic on two lane section just before some lights at a roundabout. I am fourth car in the left lane, lights are red so I stopped so as not to obstruct access to a side road (e.g if someone wanted to turn right from the other side of the road. All reasonable and sensible I think.

Driver (female) of green FIAT 500 behind me in same lane decided to start sounding the horn to urge me to move forward (lights still at red). Driver of blue Audi Q3 (ugly car, driver also female) overtook FIAT and stopped in the right hand lane but obstructing the side road. Phone call was obviously important.

Lights go green, Audi tries to turn left in front of me, FIAT turns right.

I really don’t miss this wilful incompetence at all.

Anyway, get to dentist to be told I have to rebook as they have had a computer problem since yesterday and they couldn't contact me as they only have my landline number. Can anyone explain that without using the phrase ‘incompetent lazy receptionist couldn’t be arsed to do job’?

Really has been fu**wit day to the extent that I checked that the car hadn’t acquired a “drive or park like a twat near me” sign. Got out of Waitrose and an oxygen thief had parked across the end of three bays, neatly blocking me and two others in. I had the registration called out and 5 minutes later the idiot returned moaning that “some people have no patience”. The car park was less than half full....

 

Within a mile, I was front car in the right hand lane at a set of lights. The filter arrow came in and the MB twatwagon to the left of me turned right and I got a mouthful of abuse because he was “f*cking indicating”. So, he got to sit behind me at 1mph under every speed limit until I turned off about 15 minutes later.

 

I don’t plan to use the car again until Saturday.

[DodgeRover]

Grump 1 need to go out to sort a job for tomorrow am start

 

Grump 2 silver car parked blocking driveway

 

Grump 3 3/4 of an hour on hold on 101, gave up and rang in on 999 as also need to pick up kids

 

Grump 4 no contact details for the owner and no resources to Hiab it.

 

Fuck sakes 6am start tomorrow got to ring in again and they'll Hiab it then if it's not gone

 

Edit kids sorted, there's no space to move it to on a jack either.

[wuvvum]

I just tried getting advice from CAB but after giving them my name, address, postcode, phone number and case reference number she said "can't talk to you, data protection" FFS.

Does anyone in any of these offices actually know what the terms of the Data Protection Act are?  Or am I being naïve and people just use it as another excuse when they can't be arsed to do something?