Rapidly approaching fourscore years and ten with many health issues, I find my tolerance level dropping every day.
I reside in an adapted bungalow in a remote Suffolk village where life should be peaceful. It was...until the Housing Association changed hands.
We have had an Asbestos check three times, central heating condemned then recommissioned when the intended Air Source Heat Pump would not suit the old property. Cavity wall checked twice, numerous loft insulation checks, floor insulation fitted, multiple Gas safety checks (although we are a no gas area) and ceiling re-boarded in two rooms left for me to paint.(they could have included the remaining three ceilings that were in the same condition).
Currently we have a new kitchen being fitted (paused for the Bank Holiday)so we're cooking in the shed on a camping stove. Now I'm pestered by another jobsworth who wants to spend a couple of hours checking the heat efficiency of the property i.e wall insulation, loft, floor etc. I'll let him find the active wasp nests in the attic for himself.
Now 'waiting for God', I dread it every time the phone rings. I know it won't be friends or relatives, they've all gone now, it's either them with another inspection or some fraudster wanting me to invest money I don't have. Perhaps I'd be better without the phone.
Rant over.
------------- Knowledge is recognising that a tomato is a fruit: experience is not putting it in a fruit salad.
However, on the other hand, whoever that is providing your accommodation is obliged to make sure it is fit for purpose, and they have to keep up with the changes in health and safety (H&S) regulations.
There are so many different H&S regulations that apply to different industrial sectors, it is very difficult for one person to know it all unfortunately.
Personally, I would rather they come and visit, and put right what are wrong, than to let me rot in a hell hole and be forgotten.
I have to cough up my own money to keep my house in order.
DK
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Wow, that sounds like a roller coaster ride - without the 'fun' element! Even routine inconveniences loom large in that sort of situation. Hopefully once they've checked/upgraded everything, things will calm down.
As for the phone, some providers offer screening services I believe. When I ring one of the members of my knitting group, a 'this call is being screened'-type message plays and I'm asked to give my name, before the call is put through. Perhaps something like that might weed out annoying /scam calls? My phone has caller display; if an overseas code shows, I don't answer as that's likely to be some sort of scam. My only overseas contact doesn't phone, she emails.
Good luck with it all! At least the weather's fine for cooking in the shed...
------------- Always edited for sloppy typing - when I spot it!
Unplug your landline phone & just use your mobile if your signal is ok at home. This will stop 99% of junk & scam calls ime. Scammers mostly target landlines as mostly only older people still use them.
Do cut your jobsworth some slack though as not keeping exactly to their narrow remit might indeed be more than their job is worth.
Quote: Originally posted by starcraft on 27/5/2023
Rapidly approaching fourscore years and ten with many health issues, I find my tolerance level dropping every day.
I reside in an adapted bungalow in a remote Suffolk village where life should be peaceful. It was...until the Housing Association changed hands.
We have had an Asbestos check three times, central heating condemned then recommissioned when the intended Air Source Heat Pump would not suit the old property. Cavity wall checked twice, numerous loft insulation checks, floor insulation fitted, multiple Gas safety checks (although we are a no gas area) and ceiling re-boarded in two rooms left for me to paint.(they could have included the remaining three ceilings that were in the same condition).
Currently we have a new kitchen being fitted (paused for the Bank Holiday)so we're cooking in the shed on a camping stove. Now I'm pestered by another jobsworth who wants to spend a couple of hours checking the heat efficiency of the property i.e wall insulation, loft, floor etc. I'll let him find the active wasp nests in the attic for himself.
Now 'waiting for God', I dread it every time the phone rings. I know it won't be friends or relatives, they've all gone now, it's either them with another inspection or some fraudster wanting me to invest money I don't have. Perhaps I'd be better without the phone.
Rant over.
Our housing association has changed hands twice in the past two years, and I know it can cause chaos. The original association were quite good but we have no idea what the new one is going to be like. They are big and have been around for a long time. Our house is one of 30 that were built in 1992 when we moved in, and 3 years ago we were told that our bathroom was due for replacement. Because of the changes we are still waiting. When we got back from shopping yesterday we found a card from the maintenance engineers saying that they had called to carry out our annual gas check which we knew nothing about. They used to make an appointment but we had no idea they were coming or we would have waited in. I'll be glad when it all settles down.
As for the phone we have caller display and never answer it unless we recognise the number. If our children, grandchildren, or friends call, their names come up on the display, and so do people we might want to talk to like our doctors' surgery. Anyone genuine who might call and whose name we don't have will leave a message on our answering machine, so if they don't they are probably a scammer.
We are continually getting calls offering heat efficiency checks to offers of stair lifts and damp proofing. We either put the phone down on them or tell them to stop bothering us. We also get lots of mail offering all sorts of stuff that they think we need. I dont mind the mail so much as it comes in useful for starting the log burner. What I do find it slightly offensive is the thought that all elderly folks need the help of do gooders. We manage perfectly well on our own and are probably more healthy than most of them, from what I have seen.
Regarding scam phone calls. Most of these use automated systems to dial out. We recently bought a new set of landline phones that have a security system built in. Only numbers that are in the phones listing will connect direct. Anything not listed will receive a message telling the caller to enter another digit for the call to be accepted. As yet, automated call systems can not do this so the phone does not ring.
Quote: Originally posted by Ancient Uncle on 27/5/2023
Regarding scam phone calls. Most of these use automated systems to dial out. We recently bought a new set of landline phones that have a security system built in. Only numbers that are in the phones listing will connect direct. Anything not listed will receive a message telling the caller to enter another digit for the call to be accepted. As yet, automated call systems can not do this so the phone does not ring.
That's a good idea, I hadn't heard of that one. We have anonymous caller rejection on the line, which stops phones that don't leave a number from getting through, and we just let those that do get through go to our answering machine unless we know who it is. Automated systems and phone pests usually just hang up at that point. Shame we have to do this sort of thing really.
I no longer use a landline, just a PAYG mobile.
I have noticed that scammer calls display a UK city location (i.e Bicester) something normal calls do not. I've recently been advised to not use my actual phone number when completing forms, instead protect myself with trueCall38!
Enter 0333 88 88 88 88 (that’s three threes, eight eights) as your phone number, and if, or rather when, they call, those cold call culprits will hear a short but sweet recorded message:-
"trueCall38 is handling my calls. I prefer not to be contacted by phone, so please contact me via my email address. Goodbye!"
Note: Some online forms are very fussy and won't accept the full trueCall38 number. If the number is rejected then enter 0333 8888 888 (three threes, seven eights).
Post last edited on 28/05/2023 12:30:27
------------- Knowledge is recognising that a tomato is a fruit: experience is not putting it in a fruit salad.
If an online form insists on a phone number before it will work, I just usually make one up, such a the dialling code then 123456 or similar. I used to use the phone number of the phone box over the road, but that has long since gone. I never use my real phone number.
Not being critical but when my father was that age he was of a far more cheerful disposition - as he got older and more infirm he was more and more grateful for the little support he got and the life he had enjoyed.
"Jobsworth", its someone doing his job as he is required and the housing association has both legal responsibilities and an obligation to have a CI (continuous improvement) programme, as well as sure up any shortfalls from the previous HA as they now have acquired the responsibility for their decisions.
It's not a very nice thing not to warn someone of a wasps nest if you know its there - they may even be at risk of shock and death from a sting. I know, I have been to hospital critical after a sting.
Sorry if its inconvenient having to compromise a bit while someone else fits you a brand new kitchen.
We get about one spam call a month, if you set your phone to show the number dialling you can only recieve calls from who you want. Theres loads of ways to do this, block all other numbers except..... etc etc. Loads of ways.
The inspector arrived, he was warned about the wasps but chose to ignore.
After two hours faffing around discovering the up to date insulation I'd told him about, he left an advice sheet noting how to save money.
1. Use low energy bulbs.........we already have them in every room.
2. Use Shower instead of bath...we have a wet shower room for 20 years, no bath.
3. Fill the dishwasher..........we've never had one of those.
4. Fit movement sensors on external lights...we don't have any outside lights.
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Topic: Waiting for God
via mobile 27/5/2023 at 3:41pm
