The grumpy thread

[Supernaut]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Speaking of scumbag councils, Falkirk are raising their Council Tax by 15.6% on April 1st. To me that's FORTY QUID a month. Oh well at least I'm in steady and certain employment to be able to afford the increase. Oh wait.....

On the one hand we can try to be pragmatic about this. Council tax has been frozen in Scotland for a while. Now that it's been un-frozen, councils are trying to play catch up. Who had one of the lowest rates when it was frozen? Falkirk.

On the other hand, it really is a kick in the fucking teeth when taken into the context of [vaguely waves hands] everything else costing an eye watering amount.

 

Personally, I think the entire council tax system needs reformed. Make it income based, for a start.

[Metal Guru]

53 minutes ago, Supernaut said:

On the one hand we can try to be pragmatic about this. Council tax has been frozen in Scotland for a while. Now that it's been un-frozen, councils are trying to play catch up. Who had one of the lowest rates when it was frozen? Falkirk.

On the other hand, it really is a kick in the fucking teeth when taken into the context of [vaguely waves hands] everything else costing an eye watering amount.

 

Personally, I think the entire council tax system needs reformed. Make it income based, for a start.

Good idea. Then the Duke of Westminster  says “I don’t own anything, it all belongs to a trust etc etc.” Pays same as a pensioner on a basic state pension.

(Other Dukes are available for tax dodging schemes).

[myglaren]

11 hours ago, Wibble said:

All of this would have been much easier if my arms weren’t so fucked. Carrying a washing machine 30 yards from the car didn’t help, so the old one has  been dumped in the back garden, for now. 

My youngest daughter  inherited a triangular platform on wheels that is ideal for moving heavy stuff around.

I used my grandson's skateboard to shift mine and my eldest daughters washers, driers and ovens around, as well as my own as she lives over the road from me.

B&M, and presumably others, also sell wheeled platforms for such applications.  I was recently in a B&M and the bloke in front of me bought four of them.

[barefoot]

5 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Speaking of scumbag councils, Falkirk are raising their Council Tax by 15.6% on April 1st. To me that's FORTY QUID a month. Oh well at least I'm in steady and certain employment to be able to afford the increase. Oh wait.....

My water rates have gone up from £79 to £99 per month. I calculate an increase of 25%.

[iainrcz]

Bought a new extractor, planning to run it in extraction mode using the old hole in the wall.

Anyone spot the issue?

[High Jetter]

14 minutes ago, iainrcz said:

Bought a new extractor, planning to run it in extraction mode using the old hole in the wall.

Anyone spot the issue?

Yer haven't drilled the ole yet M9 😁

[iainrcz]

6 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Yer haven't drilled the ole yet M9 😁

The black mark on right is where the old hole comes through the inside wall 

 

[comfortablynumb]

45 minutes ago, iainrcz said:

Bought a new extractor, planning to run it in extraction mode using the old hole in the wall.

Anyone spot the issue?

It'll be reet.

It's the kitchen version of egr......😁

[High Jetter]

We had no mains water on Wednesday lunchtime. Typically, it came back on late afternoon by which time I'd been out and bought bottles of water - though that's not the grump.

Looking online at S E Water's website showed the location and estimated duration of the issue, and I could submit my phone number to get updates - so I did. However, I must have given my number before, twice, so every notification came through 3 times! Can't seem to unsubscribe either, it just makes their website hang.

[Wibble]

4 hours ago, myglaren said:

My youngest daughter  inherited a triangular platform on wheels that is ideal for moving heavy stuff around.

I used my grandson's skateboard to shift mine and my eldest daughters washers, driers and ovens around, as well as my own as she lives over the road from me.

B&M, and presumably others, also sell wheeled platforms for such applications.  I was recently in a B&M and the bloke in front of me bought four of them.

Small dolly/trolley things don’t really work with kerbs, steps and uneven ground. Always used to just borrow the stair climbing sack truck from work in the past.

[myglaren]

30 minutes ago, Wibble said:

Small dolly/trolley things don’t really work with kerbs, steps and uneven ground. Always used to just borrow the stair climbing sack truck from work in the past.

I was a bit awkward in places but managed OK.

[sheffcortinacentre]

5 hours ago, barefoot said:

My water rates have gone up from £79 to £99 per month. I calculate an increase of 25%.

So in real terms that's a 2.5% increase as you obviously don't know how this stuff works ( like the rest of us).

[comfortablynumb]

1 hour ago, myglaren said:

I was a bit awkward in places but managed OK.

I'm a bit awkward ALL the time🤣

[barefoot]

1 hour ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

So in real terms that's a 2.5% increase as you obviously don't know how this stuff works ( like the rest of us).

Whatever. By means of protest I'm going to start wandering the streets after dark and shitting directly into the kerbside drains.

 

[clayts450]

7 hours ago, barefoot said:

My water rates have gone up from £79 to £99 per month. I calculate an increase of 25%.

I'm on a water meter - mine bizarrely went down from £17 to £15 per month from April. Get yerself on a meter, lad

[loserone]

5 minutes ago, clayts450 said:

I'm on a water meter - mine bizarrely went down from £17 to £15 per month from April. Get yerself on a meter, lad

We've just ordered a meter as our rates have gone up about 25%.

[barefoot]

1 hour ago, loserone said:

We've just ordered a meter as our rates have gone up about 25%.

Have other folk experienced the same? Am I being priced into having a metered account?

[loserone]

7 minutes ago, barefoot said:

Have other folk experienced the same? Am I being priced into having a metered account?

I'm not yet convinced that the meter will be cheaper but apparently if it's not cheaper we can go back to unmetered within the first two years.

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, loserone said:

I'm not yet convinced that the meter will be cheaper but apparently if it's not cheaper we can go back to unmetered within the first two years.

You sure? I thought it was a one-way street.

[sheffcortinacentre]

I'm single so meter is ideal been on one for ages, bill is a third what I was paying.

[New POD]

3 hours ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

I'm single so meter is ideal been on one for ages, bill is a third what I was paying.

My wife has a deep bath every day. I'm convinced a meter will be more expensive. 

[paulplom]

11 hours ago, barefoot said:

Whatever. By means of protest I'm going to start wandering the streets after dark and shitting directly into the kerbside drains.

 

Just leave your taps running all day and get your moneys worth.

[comfortablynumb]

12 hours ago, clayts450 said:

I'm on a water meter - mine bizarrely went down from £17 to £15 per month from April. Get yerself on a meter, lad

I'm on a water meter, since about mid last year.

I'm also on a special rate for disability needs.

I've had CONSTANT letters from Anglian water telling me I've got a leak ( I haven't) and the bill has increased despite the rate.

I'm not alone either, I've heard of dozens of people online with the same 'fault'

Couldn't be Anglian water trying to get work to get them.out of the massive financial hole they're in could it? No, can't possibly be that..🤔

[EyesWeldedShut]

23 hours ago, Supernaut said:

On the one hand we can try to be pragmatic about this. Council tax has been frozen in Scotland for a while. Now that it's been un-frozen, councils are trying to play catch up. Who had one of the lowest rates when it was frozen? Falkirk.

I guess they're just playing catchup with us over here in Wales?

10% last year here, 9.8% this year (more or less £25 on each monthly payment for band D).
Moved here in 2011 and the monthly has gone from £110 to £275 - I guess less coming in from Central Gov accounts for some of it.

https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Local-Government/Finance/Council-Tax/Levels/annualpercentageincreaseinaveragebanddcounciltax-by-billingauthority

[loserone]

9 hours ago, High Jetter said:

You sure? I thought it was a one-way street.

After two years it is

[Metal Guru]

34 minutes ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

I guess they're just playing catchup with us over here in Wales?

10% last year here, 9.8% this year (more or less £25 on each monthly payment for band D).
Moved here in 2011 and the monthly has gone from £110 to £275 - I guess less coming in from Central Gov accounts for some of it.

https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Local-Government/Finance/Council-Tax/Levels/annualpercentageincreaseinaveragebanddcounciltax-by-billingauthority

The SNP freeze on council tax was a stunt to make them look good to the voters while passing on the problem of providing services without enough money to the councils. I’m no fan councils , they love spending other people’s money on vanity and other unnecessary projects, but they have been shat on by the Scottish government. 

[EyesWeldedShut]

1 minute ago, Metal Guru said:

The SNP freeze on council tax was a stunt to make them look good to the voters while passing on the problem of providing services without enough money to the councils. I’m no fan councils , they love spending other people’s money on vanity and other unnecessary projects, but they have been shat on by the Scottish government. 

Wasn't there a big ruck last year over the whole Council Tax freeze up there? It kind of rings a bell.

Our lot had some changes post COVID that either allowed or forced them to make large rises. Average on a Band D in Wales  2024-25 was £2024, we're on £2103 and the lowest is £1813. The rural areas seem to feature towards the higher end of the scale - I guess less population density?
(not sure if Scotland still includes the water rates with the Local Authority taxes - ours are over and above council tax)

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, loserone said:

After two years it is

Thanks, didn't know that. Bet they don't bother to remove the meter though, just change the billing method so a free way of gaining a meter if it doesn't proove cheaper?

[loserone]

Correct 

[Fumbler]

Bad words.