Grumble Thread

[Pulcinella]

A very good point. Statements consisting of multiple pages of figures are impracticable to check without having a home printer, unless one goes to the time-consuming trouble to handwrite down all the information. And I agree too about the non-necessity of so much junk mail.

I go to Print Preview and then select the pages I want to keep in printed form (sometimes in smaller font/two pages to an A4 page).

[Serial_Apologist]

I go to Print Preview and then select the pages I want to keep in printed form (sometimes in smaller font/two pages to an A4 page).

Not sure if I have that option to choose the number of pages I want printed, but worth checking for next time - thanks!

[LMcD]

My newly installed smart meters refuse to send readings to British Gas. I've informed them (that's British Gas, not the meters) that as far as I'm concerned the ball is in their court and I await developments

[oddoneout]

I go to Print Preview and then select the pages I want to keep in printed form (sometimes in smaller font/two pages to an A4 page).

When my printer was working I was usually able to just select the pages I wanted from an online bill, but as I don't have a working printer now that's not relevant! It was having to resort to the pencil and back of an envelope alternative that made me think that OVO's figures didn't quite tally; the method they outlined to check the bills certainly didn't produce the figures on the statement. It's not drastically out,but the gap using both their method and my own version gives a figure lower than they claim, which is why I'm not volunteering to make up the discrepancy(as they want me to) that they claim exists between what the monthly DD has delivered and the total cost of energy I have used. Most of the past 18 months "bills" have been estimates as they haven't asked for readings and when I have submitted them anyway they don't seem to get taken into account. I imagine that they'll put the DD up now with the excuse that as winter bills are higher they want to prevent me getting into financial difficulties. A worthy sentiment, but doesn't apply to me, as they could check by reference to my payment history with SSE before they(OVO) created a muddle by forcing me onto the monthly DD route but not starting with a reading.
The 3 years of muddle while they got their heads round the SSE business that they had chosen to buy means I don't give them the benefit of the doubt when it comes to discrepancies! It is a reason why I don't like the lack of hard copies though, not least because it takes so much time and effort to scroll through dozens of pages to find what is needed.

[oddoneout]

Love being able to check my balance on my phone and do bank transfers, havent needed to visit a branch in years, no wonder they closing them all.

Which is fine if one has smartphone/internet, not everyone has or can have. The DIY route also depends on having straightforward banking requirements if it is to be quicker and easier. It is striking how often queues in the bank and building society I use are the result of someone who has problems with their online banking that they can't resolve online.

[teamsaint]

Love being able to check my balance on my phone and do bank transfers, havent needed to visit a branch in years, no wonder they closing them all.

It is probably a good idea for all of us to use, even to the point of some inconvenience, those things that we might eventually regret losing .

Cash is right at the top of my list, along with checkouts operated by humans, bank branches, cash or card parking machines, real doctors rather than remote AI based services, whatever.
A long list can doubtless be compiled.

[teamsaint]

My newly installed smart meters refuse to send readings to British Gas. I've informed them (that's British Gas, not the meters) that as far as I'm concerned the ball is in their court and I await developments

Join the smart meter resistance,if it isn’t too late…

[Serial_Apologist]

It is probably a good idea for all of us to use, even to the point of some inconvenience, those things that we might eventually regret losing .

Cash is right at the top of my list, along with checkouts operated by humans, bank branches, cash or card parking machines, real doctors rather than remote AI based services, whatever.
A long list can doubtless be compiled.

Nationwide claims in its TV ad not to be closing down branches. I do hate today's TV commercials - they nearly all seem to be telling the Great British Public we are a lot of Charlies with mental ages of around ten to take their garbage promos for recommendations. This one has two besuited characters in an upstairs office block pretend-smugly looming down on a Nationwide branch just over the precinct saying their own outfit wouldn't contemplate such indulgence, would they? - before one of them exclaims "Isn't that my ex-wife?" Oh ho ho, how very funny. Not. This is the commercial world of virtual unreality responsible for the economic recovery promised by the current lot in charge if we knuckle down.

[oddoneout]

Nationwide claims in its TV ad not to be closing down branches. I do hate today's TV commercials - they nearly all seem to be telling the Great British Public we are a lot of Charlies with mental ages of around ten to take their garbage promos for recommendations. This one has two besuited characters in an upstairs office block pretend-smugly looming down on a Nationwide branch just over the precinct saying their own outfit wouldn't contemplate such indulgence, would they? - before one of them exclaims "Isn't that my ex-wife?" Oh ho ho, how very funny. Not. This is the commercial world of virtual unreality responsible for the economic recovery promised by the current lot in charge if we knuckle down.

I agree that the ex-wife bit is a dud in a not very appealing ad,( and the small print on the posters qualifies the no-closure claim by adding 2026 as the guarantee limit) but I had evidence of the message getting through when I was in my local N/W last week. Someone ahead of me was enquiring about opening a current account, because he was with Barclays which are closing their branch in town in the New Year, and he had seen the TV ad about N/W not closing branches which he thought was worth investigating...

[Petrushka]

Nationwide claims in its TV ad not to be closing down branches.

Nationwide closed the branch we had in town here. Admittedly, it was several years ago but even so...

[LMcD]

Join the smart meter resistance,if it isn’t too late…

Unfortunately I'm no longer flexible enough to read my electricity and gas meters (one's high up on a wall and the other is in the cupboard under the stairs). I asked British Gas whether they could move them to somewhere more accessible, but they assured me that smart meters (in the same locations) would solve the problem. I'd be perfectly happy if they sent a human meter reader along. I just don't want to end up with bills based on wildly inaccurate estimates.

[Serial_Apologist]

Unfortunately I'm no longer flexible enough to read my electricity and gas meters (one's high up on a wall and the other is in the cupboard under the stairs). I asked British Gas whether they could move them to somewhere more accessible, but they assured me that smart meters (in the same locations) would solve the problem. I'd be perfectly happy if they sent a human meter reader along. I just don't want to end up with bills based on wildly inaccurate estimates.

Weren't these service providers once upon a time required by law to send someone round to physically record readings ever so often? Once a year? Or was that just for the era before smart meters, and are we now "supposed " to all have them? I am repeatedly regaled with emails to get one fitted, even though two years ago the same provider (EDF) did send someone here, at my request, and I subsequently received a letter saying all our premises in this block are not fittable.

[oddoneout]

Weren't these service providers once upon a time required by law to send someone round to physically record readings ever so often? Once a year? Or was that just for the era before smart meters, and are we now "supposed " to all have them? I am repeatedly regaled with emails to get one fitted, even though two years ago the same provider (EDF) did send someone here, at my request, and I subsequently received a letter saying all our premises in this block are not fittable.

They still are though not as often as before

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/reforming-suppliers-meter-inspection-obligations

The other thing that has changed and causes problems on occasion is that the work is sub-contracted, so it won't be the supplier's logo on the van. Not surprisingly not everyone is happy to allow a person making an unsolicited and unexpected call access to their home, but that person should provide alternatives - phone photo that can be uploaded there and then, or a phone number to call. I get a card put through the door asking me to complete the electricity meter reading(the gas is outside) and leave the card somewhere visible on a given day, but I have had in person readings 3 or 4 times since I moved in 8 years ago. The customer submitted reading doesn't fulfill the bit about checking the meter is safe and functioning correctly, and obviously it doesn't ensure the reading(dumb meter) is correct, although at some point it might get picked up if it's incorrect(deliberately or accidentally) perhaps.
The government is the reason your supplier keeps on about getting a smart meter as it has set targets for percentage of homes fitted by whatever date. Needless to say, they've been missed

https://www.theregister.com/2023/06/15/smart_meter_rollout_delayed/

[smittims]

Brave, teamsaint. I think I've fended off , for now, repeated coercion to get me to have a smart meter, At one point it got quite bullying, with their telling me they were coming 'period', as they say.

[french frank]

Brave, teamsaint. I think I've fended off , for now, repeated coercion to get me to have a smart meter, At one point it got quite bullying, with their telling me they were coming 'period', as they say.

Of course, if you've had one (actually both) for years and they've been trouble free and really useful, you can't understand why people are resistant. But, yes, one should be absolutely free to choose.