19 February 2007
Our boiler decided to stop working - just as we were going to bed. I called out a heating engineer the very next morning explaining that it was an emergency and was informed that someone would arrive at 10 o'clock.
I watched as the clock ticked past 11 o'clock, then 12 noon before making another phone call to the engineers just as he arrived. "Oh, you need a part," he said.
"Well, well, well," I said. "If you'd arrived at the time I was promised maybe you could have popped out and purchased one." His reply was fairly standard. "I'll have to go back to the office and phone around for one."
A while later I glanced at the clock - 2pm, 3pm, 4pm.....!!!
I eventually decided to telephone my husband who then telephoned the heating engineer's 'office'. "We have called our supplier, but they do not appear to be open, so we have sent an engineer to check why." My husband asked if they could find another supplier. "But, we always use that one," came the reply.
In the meantime I had phoned around and located the valve which was the part we required. So another call was made to the office and we were informed that they had the part ready to be collected the next morning. "I thought the supplier was shut, so how would you know that the part is ready?"
I gave up before a reply was forthcoming. So another evening with no heating nor hot water awaited us. The service these days is appalling, but if you complain the service inconceivably gets worse! How so?
I'll let you know next time whether we have been able to wash. I just pray the weather stays mild and we do not get snow!