British workmen

It was a few evenings ago - Wednesday - that I heard noises outside.  I thought it sounded as though the road was being dug up, despite it being dark at the time.  And I was proved almost right; it was, in fact, the pavement being dug up outside the house next door.  The gas supply company had two vans outside as I went out to a Lions meeting but they were gone when I came back home.  There was a hole surrounded by plastic fencing and notices reading, "No Smoking".  On Thursday and again yesterday, men arrived at odd intervals but never stayed long and didn't actually seem to do anything while they were here.  No, that's not quite true.  I came home from shopping yesterday to find the top of the drive partly blocked by a wheelbarrow and a heavy pointed tool that I think is used for checking for gas leaks. This morning, another van arrived not very long before I went out with the dog.  The driver stayed in his seat - and he was still sitting there when I returned almost an hour later!

Our other next-door neighbour has been having work done to the dormer window projecting from his roof.  The cladding has been replaced and tiles are being hung on the sides.  But the workmen appear at various times, hang a few tiles - and go away again.

I had cause last week to telephone a local company as agents working for me had been unable to get any action from them.  The girl I needed to speak to was on another line so I asked that she call me back as soon as she was free.  I had heard that she never returned calls so was not unduly surprised that I didn't hear from her.  I called again - and she told me that the problem had been referred to her only the week before.  I knew that to be untrue as I had seen a copy of an email she sent in early November.  No action had been taken by Thursday last week, and my agents had heard nothing further, so I wrote a letter to the chief director and dropped in to the office myself.  I asked for his early comments.  I am still waiting.

What is it with these people?  Maybe I'm old fashioned, but when I was at work every letter was answered - or at least acknowledged - on the day it was received.  Certainly no later than the following day.

Frustration is the name of the game!