Banks and solicitors
When you ring up a solicitor in the UK, is it normal to get a saga about how he will not be there as his wife fell down stairs and was in hospital? As I had spent about 10 days during the last 2 months trying to phone the guy, my sympathy is not what it should be. Still, I persevered with the office staff and passed on information. I was told to try again during the afternoon.
I thought I was glad that I had already been into my bank, last week, and asked about arranging my money transfer to my solicitor in Wales. The nice guy at the bank said it could all be done on the phone.... amazing what difference a week makes.
Today, it was impossible to do over the phone... and would I go to the bank with 2 methods of identification. ( My passport is with my solicitors in Wales).
So, I returned to the bank... fuming... spoke to a lady first who passed me onto the the same bloke I had interrogated last week... ggrr!!
Anyway, some how I managed to transfer the last of my funds to Wales...
Then I had to phone the elusive solicitor back to let him know.
He wasn't there.. could I call back?
ok.. (I swore)
I then got the deluge of people from the bank phoning... one to confirm that I had really meant that amount, and to where?
But another checking customer service... so I cracked.. I went for the throat...
The consequence was I should be receiving a bottle of red wine at the new house, courtesy of Barclays bank! We will see if it arrives..
I also managed to get through to my solicitor, sorted out a few snippets, expressed condolences for his wife whose fall was actually causing surgery.
The day continues... How does anyone have time to buy a house if they are in full time employment?
Somewhere in between all these calls, I managed to get a phoneline installed at the new house, one minute after it gets disconnected from the other people, on Friday at 13:31. BUT no broadband can even be applied for until after the line has been working for 48hrs. And then I will have to get someone to remove the DACS box....
I don't believe a thing BT say...
I thought I was glad that I had already been into my bank, last week, and asked about arranging my money transfer to my solicitor in Wales. The nice guy at the bank said it could all be done on the phone.... amazing what difference a week makes.
Today, it was impossible to do over the phone... and would I go to the bank with 2 methods of identification. ( My passport is with my solicitors in Wales).
So, I returned to the bank... fuming... spoke to a lady first who passed me onto the the same bloke I had interrogated last week... ggrr!!
Anyway, some how I managed to transfer the last of my funds to Wales...
Then I had to phone the elusive solicitor back to let him know.
He wasn't there.. could I call back?
ok.. (I swore)
I then got the deluge of people from the bank phoning... one to confirm that I had really meant that amount, and to where?
But another checking customer service... so I cracked.. I went for the throat...
The consequence was I should be receiving a bottle of red wine at the new house, courtesy of Barclays bank! We will see if it arrives..
I also managed to get through to my solicitor, sorted out a few snippets, expressed condolences for his wife whose fall was actually causing surgery.
The day continues... How does anyone have time to buy a house if they are in full time employment?
Somewhere in between all these calls, I managed to get a phoneline installed at the new house, one minute after it gets disconnected from the other people, on Friday at 13:31. BUT no broadband can even be applied for until after the line has been working for 48hrs. And then I will have to get someone to remove the DACS box....
I don't believe a thing BT say...
posted by Sheila at
15:32
5 Comments:
My own sabbatical to the world of banking and realtors, has all of the same components. And, none of my RTFM and preparation, in turn, provided me any warm fuzzy moments.
As life goes, the only consolation is knowing - no matter what country or location - "we" are not alone in facing these frustratingly absurd bureaucratic processes!!! signed, (sigh) Chance
By
Anonymous, at 07/06/2005, 00:59
heya Sheila,
It does work if you do curse them out and turn the story around and make it their problem instead of yours.
The nice thing about bureaucrates is they really don't know what the f... they are doing. They can just do what is on their desk and do not have a clue what the other people in the office are doing.
Ask for 12 bottles of red.
hehehehehe
By
Anonymous, at 07/06/2005, 09:46
Hi cameraman
I actually did ask for champagne to be sent to my parents too, on their 60th wedding anniversary, but I think that was pushing my luck!.. we will see on Thursday though...
I can be cheeky when I want to...
Thnx too, Chancey, I knew you would empathise.
And thnx for all the comments everyone, this is great!
By
Sheila, at 07/06/2005, 12:19
Sheila cheeky, never.
By
Anonymous, at 07/06/2005, 15:35
they can fight you every step of the way,
they can put up road blocks from here to there,
they can cut wires and smash comps,
but they aren't going to keep Sheila
off the net!
//c-_-)\
By
Anonymous, at 18/06/2005, 14:06
Post a Comment
<< Home