The grumpy thread

[dozeydustman]

We normally use Sainsbury's, Lidl, Aldi and Tesco, and they all work out significantly cheaper for the same items. Most of which are own brand or the economy version.

 

What annoys me more is the wife and I spent a good 2 hours last night putting together our shopping list of things we need to tide us over until payday (next Monday) and using the Comparison website Mysupermarket, the Morrison's shop should have been significantly cheaper that it was worth going to the next town along to save a good amount.

 

I queried a few prices only to be told "that offer's expired".

 

The stuff I got today, which normally costs around £40 was a third more on a false pretence and staff who couldn't give a toss the hopeless bunch of swindling bunglecunts.

[DodgeRover]

‘I’d like to offer 30% less than the advertised price for your house because I feel it needs work’

.

Broken Xbox and 2 pit bikes tonite m8?

Yep we've had offers on our house I feel the estate agent should just have said FRO to rather than bother submitting them to us.

[SiC]

Broken Xbox and 2 pit bikes tonite m8?

Yep we've had offers on our house I feel the estate agent should just have said FRO to rather than bother submitting them to us.

I think the estate agents have a legal obligation to pass on every offer, no matter how ridiculous it is. They have to even pass them on if the house is sold subject to contract.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

You’ve got to bear in mind the roofer will know how to do the job right, he’ll be under absolutely ridiculous time constraints and expected to do the job for less than cost effectively. That’s why these new builds are a lash up usually. Max profit for the guys at the top.

 

How many brickes, roofers and dry liners do you see living in new builds?

 

 

In fairness, this roofer did.  He was a very good bloke.  No problem with him at all and he actually spent the time to go over the inside of our roof and check it was all good.  Then gave us his number in case we had any problems.

 

Problem has been solved by the Water Lego people.  As I suspected, I could have done it myself in no time but, of course, it's better that I leave that to the people that are meant to have done it themselves.

[DodgeRover]

In fairness, this roofer did. He was a very good bloke. No problem with him at all and he actually spent the time to go over the inside of our roof and check it was all good. Then gave us his number in case we had any problems.

 

Problem has been solved by the Water Lego people. As I suspected, I could have done it myself in no time but, of course, it's better that I leave that to the people that are meant to have done it themselves.

I hope someone was paying him for dragging him away from a job, why on earth didn't they get him to sort it while he was there rather than dicking about getting more people in.

Am I being too hopeful for joined up thinking?

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Because he wasn't the contractor that fucked it up.  That was the plumbers in the end.  The mystery was whether the roof vent was the issue or (so it turns out) a relief soil pipe that vents through the roof.  The plumbers did come straight round and sort it.  The roofer just thought it was funny and pretty typical of their shenanigans...

[Cavcraft]

Broken Xbox and 2 pit bikes tonite m8?

Yep we've had offers on our house I feel the estate agent should just have said FRO to rather than bother submitting them to us.

 

It was via Burple Pricks, I think we just get whatever message/offer somebody makes. I have their email address though, which you think would be protected.

[Supernaut]

It was via Burple Pricks, I think we just get whatever message/offer somebody makes. I have their email address though, which you think would be protected.

http://www.mailbait.info/

[Kiltox]

You’ve got to bear in mind the roofer will know how to do the job right, he’ll be under absolutely ridiculous time constraints and expected to do the job for less than cost effectively. That’s why these new builds are a lash up usually. Max profit for the guys at the top.

 

How many brickes, roofers and dry liners do you see living in new builds?

Not many because of commercial vehicle covenants stopping them parking their vans on the driveway

 

What developer is it, Grumpius?

[Pillock]

We normally use Sainsbury's, Lidl, Aldi and Tesco, and they all work out significantly cheaper for the same items. Most of which are own brand or the economy version.

 

What annoys me more is the wife and I spent a good 2 hours last night putting together our shopping list of things we need to tide us over until payday (next Monday) and using the Comparison website Mysupermarket, the Morrison's shop should have been significantly cheaper that it was worth going to the next town along to save a good amount.

 

I queried a few prices only to be told "that offer's expired".

 

The stuff I got today, which normally costs around £40 was a third more on a false pretence and staff who couldn't give a toss the hopeless bunch of swindling bunglecunts.

 

TBF it's not Morrisons' fault if the MySupermarket website is advertising prices that aren't current. Supermarkets don't change prices on a whim, they're all set by head office and planned in advance - when the price goes down there's a date it'll go back up on as it's known in advance when the stock levels or buy prices will change.

 

MSM are a third party best-guessing the prices and valid dates by scraping the website, putting people out in shops checking them, or crowd-sourcing it from shoppers. It can't always check Morrisons site too often otherwise it'll trigger a firewall so the prices might be a few days out of date.

 

 

[BavarianRetro]

I have four Three mobile phone contracts. Myself, missus, junior and one in a 4g router.

 

Junior fancies a new handset as befitting his station (see what I did there?) as a full time radio presenter (Wave FM - all about Dundee and Perth) and goes into the Three store.

 

Instead of upgrading him - "It's a bit complicated with the contract not being in your name..... " - they tuck him up with a nice new contract. No big deal. He gets his super duper new handset and he's happy.

 

To keep his number, I need to phone them, change it to PAYG and port it to his new contract. No bother. 20 minute phone call sorts it out! 30 days later, it'll swap to PAYG and he can swap numbers.

 

Thursday past was the thirtieth day and was uneventful.

 

On Friday I made a phone call which was met by the message, "You have insufficient credit to make this call." Hmmmmmm. ...... Surely not?

 

Yes, rather than swap the number I asked them to swap, they swapped the one I called from!

 

No bother. I'll phone them and get it fixed.

 

They can see what's happened. They've made a mistake. Very sorry. No bother, just sort it out. Put it all back.

 

Computer says no.

 

I need a new contract and I need to give 30 days notice on junior's which is still live.

 

"You can see you got this wrong, just fix it please."

 

"Sorry. Can't do that. All we can do is what I've said."

 

Let me speak to your boss please.

 

He tells me the same.

 

"We are an hour into this call, now. I know you made a mistake, you know it, you've accepted it. I don't have any more time, please fix it and call me back when you have."

 

"I can't do that."

 

"OK. Let's see what your boss has to say, put me through to him please."

 

"I am the senior team member here."

 

"You have a boss?"

 

"He's not here."

 

"Just put me on to someone - anyone - above you in the food chain please."

 

After a couple of minutes I get put through to someone in Glasgow. Halle Fucking Lujah. Not a voice out of "It Ain't Half Hot, Mum."

 

Mark sorts it out.

 

He puts £25.00 credit on my now PAYG phone and creates me a new contract on exactly the same terms. In a day or two, it'll be swapped on to my existing number. He cancels Junior's number with immediate effect, arranges some compo for him for having been stuck into a new contract as opposed to an upgrade.

 

All stuff everybody else said couldn't be done.

 

1 hr and 27 minutes I won't get back, but it's sorted. At last.

 

Yesterday, I'm heading to Furryboots City area via Dundee and the excellent Wave FM Weekend Breakfast Show, to see eight new punters.

 

Get to Stonehaven. No signal. Bugger. Must he the area. Get to Aberdeen. Still no signal. Bugger. Something is wrong.

 

No network. Bought a PAYG sim. All working - but the wrong number. Deal with it tomorrow.

 

Back home.

 

Today I call Three in Glasgow. Somebody for no discernible reason has cancelled my number completely.

 

Another 20 mi utes till it is sorted.

 

The point is this. If anybody on Three is fed up dealing with Windsor Davies's mob and wants to speak to someone in Glasgow who can and will fix your problem, I'll pass the number on. You'll never, ever find it on Three's website.

[puddlethumper]

You’ve got to bear in mind the roofer will know how to do the job right, he’ll be under absolutely ridiculous time constraints and expected to do the job for less than cost effectively. That’s why these new builds are a lash up usually. Max profit for the guys at the top.

 

How many brickes, roofers and dry liners do you see living in new builds?

I've been in building, off and on, for 40 odd years and the last house I would buy is a new build.

I've been called by a fair number of people, with a house that was built in the last ten years, to do work 

and after having a look, most I've turned down.

I did explain why I didn't want the work. Apart from not needing it they are a furkin nightmare.

[Pillock]

Three have always worked like that.

 

I had loads of trouble years ago when they were brand new to the business. I had a phone with a volume button that didn't work. Chap in India wanted me to take the SIM out and wipe the contacts with a cloth - a trick basically to cut the call short because you can't do that whilst on the phone*

 

Loads and loads of calls to try and resolve it, eventually got put through to someone in Scotland. He sent me a new phone. He also told me in future, if I use the option for signal faults it always goes through to them.

 

* I've worked the phones for PC support and had similar tricks to cut one long call into two shorter ones, so we all got our bonuses.

[chaseracer]

^

[Lord Sterling]

....the Three store.

Instead of upgrading him - "It's a bit complicated with the contract not being in your name..... " - they tuck him up with a nice new contract. No big deal. He gets his super duper new handset and he's happy.

To keep his number, I need to phone them, change it to PAYG and port it to his new contract. No bother. 20 minute phone call sorts it out! 30 days later, it'll swap to PAYG and he can swap numbers.

Thursday past was the thirtieth day and was uneventful.

On Friday I made a phone call which was met by the message, "You have insufficient credit to make this call." Hmmmmmm. ...... Surely not?

Yes, rather than swap the number I asked them to swap, they swapped the one I called from!

No bother. I'll phone them and get it fixed.

They can see what's happened. They've made a mistake. Very sorry. No bother, just sort it out. Put it all back.

Computer says no.

I need a new contract and I need to give 30 days notice on junior's which is still live.

"You can see you got this wrong, just fix it please."

"Sorry. Can't do that. All we can do is what I've said."

Let me speak to your boss please.

He tells me the same.

"We are an hour into this call, now. I know you made a mistake, you know it, you've accepted it. I don't have any more time, please fix it and call me back when you have."

"I can't do that."

"OK. Let's see what your boss has to say, put me through to him please."

"I am the senior team member here."

"You have a boss?"

"He's not here."

"Just put me on to someone - anyone - above you in the food chain please...

Yeah. I'm having a similar, ongoing problem with those UTTER THUNDERCUNTS known as Npower.

 

2 FUCKING years I've been fighting these utter arseholes. They just keep on chucking hundreds of pounds a month on the bill like I live in a 8-bedroom mansion with all the lights on all the time or something.

 

Finally before I left for Turkey it was all supposed to be sorted. They'd send someone around to change the meter for a pay-as-you-go one. I had to sort out sister_Sterling to stay at mine as I do this thing during the day called work.

 

Cunt bloke eventually pulls up at mine, takes one look at the box and says 'I ain't touching that'.... Your supposed to be a fucking professional you utterly useless twat.

 

So Npower don't bother contacting me about what has happened other than to send me a letter demanding payment.

 

FUCK. OFF.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Not many because of commercial vehicle covenants stopping them parking their vans on the driveway

 

What developer is it, Grumpius?

Persimmon.

 

Yes, I know. But the Barrett three beds were out of our range and they also locked us in the show home! House is actually fine, just typical new build snagging...

[angle]

My girlfriend just got dropped off by her friend on the corner outside our house. A lady in a Passat couldn't be bothered to wait, so mounted the pavement, drove round them and:

 

 

...scraped the front of the Laguna. We walked up a couple of streets (with a taxi driver who'd seen it and offered to be a witness in tow) to find her outside her house, double parked and blocking the whole road while she got her kids out. When I told her she'd hit my car, I got a 'oh did I? Well I've got to get my sons inside and I can't leave the car here, can you come back later?' at which point she went indoors and shut the door.

 

There's nothing I can do except stock up on Argos catalogues, is there?

[ruffgeezer]

Well that is either failing to provide details or leaving the scene of and accident I suppose?

 

You have her address, let your insurer chase her?

[Tamworthbay]

Drop a note through her door reminding her politely of the need to exchange details within the given time, report to plod for failing to stop and failing to provide details if she doesn’t.

[angle]

Don't really want to go down the insurance route, it's a 13 year old Laguna that they'd write off for a stone chip. I basically just wanted her to realise she can't just drive off and maybe get an apology, but never mind...

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Three.  Oh yes.  I remember them.

 

Four years or so of good service (and poor signal - which did become a running gag after a while) and I give them a call.  Got put through to the standard fuzzy line somewhere in SE Asia/India.

 

'Hello, I'd like my PAC code so that I can cancel my service with you.'

 

'Why do you want to leave, sir?'

 

'Well, not that it's any of your business - because it isn't - but I can't get coverage in the area that I'm moving to.  There is no signal.'

 

'Where is that, sir?'

 

'Like I say, it's none of your business but it's East Kent.  There isn't any for miles.'

 

'Well, let me check if we are due an upgrade there...'

 

'No.  Let me stop you there.  I'm not interested in your script or your conversation flow chart.  I am interested in getting my code.  Wild horses couldn't keep me on your network because it will be utterly useless to me in six months.'

 

'Let me just check...'

 

'No.  Skip ahead to the part where you put me through to your cancellation team.'

 

'I'll have to check with my manager.'

 

'Right.'

 

*Hold music plays*

 

'Hello, sir.  I believe we are getting a signal upgrade in East Kent in the next few ye...'

 

'No.  I'm not interested in your script.  I don't care what you've been told to do by your manager.  Put me through to your cancellations department.  Now.  You are not going to be able to persuade me to stay on this network.  Upon request, you are legally obliged to give me the PAC code and if you don't, then I will be making a very bloody serious complaint.'

 

*Finally puts me through*

 

After that, I got my PAC code within a minute from a nice bloke in Scotland.  Who said they were planning to upgrade but they were uncertain what was going to happen because various political events had thrown a bit of a spanner in the works.

 

I hate call centre outsourcing.  15 minutes for my PAC code, which I am legally entitled to.

[fordperv]

Aside from shitting through her letterbox and raping her cat there's not much you can do if you don't want to go the insurance route, the coppers don't really give 2 fucks, a potless moron smacked my saph door and turned out she wasn't insured as well, gave the wrong name, I found out her correct one and supplied the police with all the details guess what, all they said was we will tell patrols to look out for the car.

[Kiltox]

Persimmon.

 

Yes, I know. But the Barrett three beds were out of our range and they also locked us in the show home! House is actually fine, just typical new build snagging...

Have you seen the “Persimmon - unhappy customers” Facebook group? Incredible.

[loserone]

Wait, there's new builds worse than Barrett?

 

I was going to ask how, but then remembered the thread with THAT brickwork.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Have you seen the “Persimmon - unhappy customers” Facebook group? Incredible.

 

 

No but I've heard about it from Lady Grumpius.

 

I know they're one of the worst.  Knew this when we went into it.  Which is why we've got everything written down, done our research, etc.

 

The simple fact is that we live in the South East, specifically Kent.  There are only a couple of places in Kent that we could afford to have a home and the place where we have bought is a joint Barratt/Persimmon site.  The Barratt homes are more 20-30K more expensive and badly designed (I could go on a rant about the 7/8th size double bed they had in the second bedroom, or the fact that to get to the shower in the en-suite, you had to twist around the sink) but aside from all those other issues, they effectively locked us in their forecourt when we went to look at their show home because they had forgotten we were there.

 

Apparently our next-door neighbours were bluntly asked 'if they could even afford a home' by their sales staff.  The bloke told them to 'fuck themselves', went next door and reserved with Persimmon.  On this site, it would seem that Persimmon are the much better buy.

 

We were lined up on an old council house in the next town along.  We had the draft contract in our hand.  Turned out there were many, many permissive covenants that could have put us straight into negative equity the second we moved in if the council had decided to enforce a couple of them.

 

The house we have bought is about the same size, has the various guarantees with it, is cheaper and in a nicer area.  Although I was dead-set against a new build and I keep my eyes very bloody wide open, I don't regret it, even if I do think that Persimmon are mostly a bunch of shysters.

 

And our brickwork is fine.

 

We haven't blundered into this with our eyes closed.  Lady Grumpius is quite ferocious with her research and we are fully aware of their reputation.  We've been over our house with a fine tooth comb and we've documented every conversation re. snagging, etc.  I'm not blind to the fact that there are many badly-built homes from this firm and lacklustre after-sales support.  We seem, however, to have got the good side of them.  The sales office ring us back straight away (scared of Lady Grumpius), the central support team respond to my emails (I'm very, very strong by email) and when things need sorting, we pester them until they're fucking sorted.  

 

Not everyone will do this and they shouldn't have to, I admit.

[Bianconeri]

Three have always worked like that.

I had loads of trouble years ago when they were brand new to the business. I had a phone with a volume button that didn't work. Chap in India wanted me to take the SIM out and wipe the contacts with a cloth - a trick basically to cut the call short because you can't do that whilst on the phone*

Loads and loads of calls to try and resolve it, eventually got put through to someone in Scotland. He sent me a new phone. He also told me in future, if I use the option for signal faults it always goes through to them.

* I've worked the phones for PC support and had similar tricks to cut one long call into two shorter ones, so we all got our bonuses.

Three behaved like complete tw@s to me back in about 2010. Long story short, handset was playing up and under warranty, Three shop ‘expert’ also managed to balls up voicemail while making handset worse. Ended up removing my whole company’s business from them during call with customer support ‘director’.

[myglaren]

Wasps .... Invading the house ..Wave your arms they attack u . wave a towel to get them out the door they ignore u .... One quick spray of killercide and they fly out the dam door ???

Smoke allegedly sends them to sleep and you can stamp on them.  May be a specialist smoke though (weed)?

 

My daughter seems to have a nest of them somewhere.  She pus a bit of jam and some water in empty jam jars, smallish hole in the lid.  They go in after the jam, can't fathom how to get out and drown.

[Kiltox]

I hope it all works out for you Grumpius - I am a bit nervous about the new build I’m buying - small developer so the warranty is BLP not NHBC - basically keeps the lender happy and that’s about it

[Des]

I used a can of wasp nest killer after finding the hard way that fly spray gives the bastards super powers, great stuff, comes out as a foam like a fire extinguisher so when I'd squandered my opportunity of surprise and was dealing with a rabid swarm i could, to my enormous satisfaction, employ the thing as a death cannon.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

I hope it all works out for you Grumpius - I am a bit nervous about the new build I’m buying - small developer so the warranty is BLP not NHBC - basically keeps the lender happy and that’s about it

 

 

You will be fine.  It is nerve-wracking but there is a process there for any rectifications.  Be thorough with your snagging and keep records.

 

It's exciting and terrifying!