Anyone know how to fight the power?

[Slipstream]

I moving this weekend and it's just over the road. I'm thinking, sweet, same phone number, not to much travelling and less rent :)

But then I get stung for connection costs for power and phone as my new place cannot be serviced by the companies I'm currently with...bugger!

*sigh* these things can't be helped I suppose.

But then the reason for connection costs are to pay contractors to come and physically connect the wires and turn switches on and whatever else they do right.
That's cool.

What's not cool is, I get told by my new power company that I have to stay 5 hours in a house that isn't connected to anything and sometime in that time frame someone is going to show up.
OK, Not convienient, but it's only 1/2 day.
So noone shows.
I ring up to see what happened.
They tell me to wait a little longer cos there could've been an emergy somewhere, meanwhile they'll call to find out what happened.
I wait.
Still noone.
I call again.
Noone seems to have called to find out what happened to the contractor.
Will I have to pay the guy?
They tell me that it's something I'll have to discuss with that particular contractor and work it out with him....can I have his number...sorry company policy is not to give out numbers...so how do I get hold of him...you'll just have to wait for him to show up,mean time would I like another contractor? ...well I guess I do....That'll be more money then thank you. ... How much more? [YOU'RE F**KING KIDDING ME!!]

How can they F**K you over once and then do it again?! I can't even yell at them cos then I won't even get the pretense of help and I'll be considered a hostile client. *sigh*

I also had to change my phone company too. They apparently don't service the building either...more F**KEN connection fees.

Maybe I shoulda moved far far away...I used to like the excitement of moving...now moving is a F**KEN LOAD OF F**KEN SHITE WITH F**KEN MOTHER F**KERS WHO KEEP F**KING ME OVER BY CONTINUALLY TRYING TO F**K WITH MY HEAD AND TAKE ALL MY F**KEN MONEY WHEN ALL I F**KEN WANT IS TO LIVE IN F**KEN PEACE AND F**KEN HARMONY!! F**K IT!!! F**K THEM!!! F**K THEM ALL!!!
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[jrandom]

Basically, you're screwed.

I suggest hiring someone to bring you the contractor's head, pickled in vodka.

That might help.

[Slipstream]

Basically, you're screwed.

I suggest hiring someone to bring you the contractor's head, pickled in vodka.

That might help.


Roll on solar power :sunny: and cups with taught string :mobile: I say...I'm going to crawl under the covers and wait for it all to go away *sniff* :weep:

[Blakamin]

Basically, you're screwed.

I suggest hiring someone to bring you the contractor's head, pickled in vodka.

That might help.
waste of vodka... would brine do???
that we can achieve

[parsley]

Same thing happened to me when I got my phone connected in Queenstown. Waited all morning for the little man (sorry, person) to arrive with no sign of him, so I called them up. "He didn't come because the phone was connected at the exchange end." Er, so how come it's still not working here? "Oh, he'll have to come out tomorrow. Can you be in between 8 and 12?" Grrrr....

They did at least waive the $150 connection fee after I called back and had a rant.

[jrandom]

... the little man (sorry, person)

Short, was he?

[manuboy]

Mate, you actually sound pretty calm considering! I'd have gone down to H/O and gone on a columbine type shooting spree... (i should qualify that in case youre an AmErYcAn - don not go on a shooting spree. Shooting sprees are BAD. People can get hurt. kay kids???).

Are you seriou tho? you had to wait all day at your own expense, they don't turn up, you get no help and at the end of the day you still have jack shite? Man! :mad:

Go on a shooting spree! (did i already mention that????).

Chin up. It could be worse. The guy coulda turned up, run over your cat and your motorcicle and taken a keen liking to you partner or something....

[parsley]

Short, was he?
I believe the (politically) correct expression is "vertically challenged". He was also "follically suppressed" and "sartorially inelegant".

Bit like you, then. :moon:

[jrandom]

I believe the (politically) correct expression is "vertically challenged". He was also "follically suppressed" and "sartorially inelegant".

Bit like you, then. :moon:

I'll have you know that my folics and satorials are without parallel, thank you very much.

[jrandom]

The guy coulda turned up... and taken a keen liking to you partner or something....

Yup. We all know about the Handbrake's partner, too. Bit of a rep with the ol' contractor sparky men, I hear. It's that taut wee arse, they just can't resist it. Particularly when it's in leather.

Poor cuckolded Handbrake.

[Hitcher]

I'll have you know that my folics and satorials are without parallel, thank you very much.
May your pleats remain crisp.

[jrandom]

May your pleats remain crisp.

It's a good thing I only plat them on weekends, then.

[Hitcher]

It's a good thing I only plat them on weekends, then.
Mate, you don't know the half of it!

[Ms Piggy]

That sucls BIG time my dear! You need to ask to speak to a Team Leader in their contact centre. Unfortunautely (as you have said) there is no point in ranting b/c it won't get you anywhere but, being straight to the point and spelling things out clearly may help. Threaten them with letters to the paper or maybe you can switch to another power company?? I dunno.

Hope you get it sorted!

[parsley]

I'll have you know that my folics and satorials are without parallel, thank you very much.

If we're going to be picky about spelling, what are sators? Or do you mean Satyrs? Pervert.

[jrandom]

If we're going to be picky about spelling, what are sators?

I hereby proactively declare any spellitudes that I screw up to be simple typographical errors and unworthy of subsequent mention.

Everyone else is, however, subject to reprehension.

You better start posting with www.dictionary.com open, mister. I'm-a flame you now.

[vifferman]

That Mr Parlsey must have spend to much time studying the vilent caligula. He is not helping the handbraek.

[White trash]

I moving this weekend and it's just over the road. I'm thinking, sweet, same phone number, not to much travelling and less rent :)

But then I get stung for connection costs for power and phone as my new place cannot be serviced by the companies I'm currently with...bugger!

*sigh* these things can't be helped I suppose.

But then the reason for connection costs are to pay contractors to come and physically connect the wires and turn switches on and whatever else they do right.
That's cool.

What's not cool is, I get told by my new power company that I have to stay 5 hours in a house that isn't connected to anything and sometime in that time frame someone is going to show up.
OK, Not convienient, but it's only 1/2 day.
So noone shows.
I ring up to see what happened.
They tell me to wait a little longer cos there could've been an emergy somewhere, meanwhile they'll call to find out what happened.
I wait.
Still noone.
I call again.
Noone seems to have called to find out what happened to the contractor.
Will I have to pay the guy?
They tell me that it's something I'll have to discuss with that particular contractor and work it out with him....can I have his number...sorry company policy is not to give out numbers...so how do I get hold of him...you'll just have to wait for him to show up,mean time would I like another contractor? ...well I guess I do....That'll be more money then thank you. ... How much more? [YOU'RE F**KING KIDDING ME!!]

How can they F**K you over once and then do it again?! I can't even yell at them cos then I won't even get the pretense of help and I'll be considered a hostile client. *sigh*

I also had to change my phone company too. They apparently don't service the building either...more F**KEN connection fees.

Maybe I shoulda moved far far away...I used to like the excitement of moving...now moving is a F**KEN LOAD OF F**KEN SHITE WITH F**KEN MOTHER F**KERS WHO KEEP F**KING ME OVER BY CONTINUALLY TRYING TO F**K WITH MY HEAD AND TAKE ALL MY F**KEN MONEY WHEN ALL I F**KEN WANT IS TO LIVE IN F**KEN PEACE AND F**KEN HARMONY!! F**K IT!!! F**K THEM!!! F**K THEM ALL!!!
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Jesus! Sounds like you had a bad day.

What my advise would be, is get that freakin' tough husband of yours to borrow a couple o' "nines" from one of his equally unstable mates and go bust some caps.

[Slipstream]

Well this'll be a short lived thread :)

I couldn't be bothered waiting for the idiot contractor anymore, I had stuff that needed to be attended to.
I thought, we'll if he didn't come this morning I doubt that he'll come this arvo... stuff him. :kick:
I went, attended to things, meanwhile my dear ol' Da' went to check out if the power had been put on. All was working :) Infact, you could even say there's an entire posibility that the power was never dis_connected.

The battle shall now comence...If dickwad contractor did indeed show up and do his thing without me knowing, then I'll only be mildly F'd off for waiting all day. :angry2:
However if infact the power was never disconected and I can proove that Mr Gonad Contractor was never there, I shall rejoice in the fact that the power company can stuff their connection fee up their ****** *****! :finger: (I've been wanting to use that smiley for quite a while now...joy!)

Either way I'm in a much better mood.
Prooves yet again that good things come to those who wait ... and plot revenge. mwah ha ha ha haaaa :devil2:

[Ghost Lemur]

Let me guess was the company EMPOWER?

Had a similar hassle with those bitches. Disconnected me after I gave them a hundred dollars to show I was starting to get the overdue amount back down. If that wasn't bad enough called them up to find out, that they've charged a $50 disconnection fee (standard so far), but here's the killar. They said if I wanted it re-connected on the day I payed the bill it would cost $90, otherwise I could have it done any weekday following for only $50. WTFSOBMF :mad:

Anyway thanks to a one-in-a-million case manager at WINZ (yes there are a few good ones) got the bill up to date, inluding the extra $40 to have it done on the same day. So then I find out I have to go home, and ring them, then wait "up to 5 hours" for the contractor to come and flick it on. Thankfully it was the gf's day off so we made our own amusement in the powerless house. So four and a half hours later, he shows up and walks around the outside of the house to where the box is and flicks it on.....

So I had to stay home for what??!!11!!1

There bastards. Worst than fucking telecom.

[Slipstream]

Let me guess was the company EMPOWER?


Yup...everything you said was the same sorta stuff...except for your girlfriend...I don't know her well enough for that :niceone:

But here's the kick in the pants...Empower _is_ better than genesis...the only power company I have ever truly liked was Transalta... before it changed :mad: Now I'm stuck with Contact Energy (Empower by a different name)

I understand that people are just doing their jobs...but that doesn't mean you have to be an inconsiderate :tugger: to do it!! (I've been waiting to use that smiley too...rapture!)

[Blakamin]

there is a trick with a coiled up coathanger and a screwdriver..... I'd tell you but i might get in trouble.... :blah:

[Slingshot]

Here are some tips that may help:

For the phone connection charge, wait until the bill comes in which shows the connection charge, then just ring up and ask why there's a connection fee, explain to the person that answers the phone that you were not told that you would have to pay a fee and if you live in an area where there's more than one provider explain that they had offered a free connection to try and win your business but due to your loyality you decided to connect with the other company.
Key points here are...be nice. As soon as you get nasty it'll get harder. If you have no joy, ask to speak to the team leader, if you have no joy with the team leader, then ask to speak to the manager. Believe me...they have the discresion to credit these fees.

On the power company problem, again, be nice. Simply point out the lack of customer service and explain your dis-satisfaction. go up through the ranks until you get the result you want (and deserve).

PS. I manage a Contact Centre (not telling you which one though), this is how it works...believe me and good luck.

EDIT...I don't work for a power company or a telco

[ching_ching]

Maybe I shoulda moved far far away...I used to like the excitement of moving...now moving is a F**KEN LOAD OF F**KEN SHITE WITH F**KEN MOTHER F**KERS WHO KEEP F**KING ME OVER BY CONTINUALLY TRYING TO F**K WITH MY HEAD AND TAKE ALL MY F**KEN MONEY WHEN ALL I F**KEN WANT IS TO LIVE IN F**KEN PEACE AND F**KEN HARMONY!! F**K IT!!! F**K THEM!!! F**K THEM ALL!!!


F**KEN ELL!
:weep:

ching

[FROSTY]

Ya know wot really gives ya the shits--to "connect" the power its a siple job of either plugging in a fuse or tightening up a m8 nut -10 seconds work.
But um er handbrake --you are kidding me --you really doiddn't check that the power wasn't working before calling em??

[The Pastor]

If the house is just over the road, geta big extenstion cord for phone / power. I went flatting and the landlord did that to the neighbours. Works well :)

[Blakamin]

Ya know wot really gives ya the shits--to "connect" the power its a siple job of either plugging in a fuse or tightening up a m8 nut -10 seconds work.
?
Thats where the coiled coathanger (in absense of fuse) and the screwdriver work.... maybe a spanner too....



wasnt me :whistle:

[Slipstream]

But um er handbrake --you are kidding me --you really doiddn't check that the power wasn't working before calling em??

When I rang up to change addresses, they said that it had been disconnected, I said, no it hasn't I saw the pilot light on and was switching on lightbulbs the day before. She said that it had been disconnected this morning...[HB looks at date...] yesterday morning.

...moving in 6hrs....better get some sleep :) :spudwave:

[parsley]

I thought parsley was a plant

That Mr Parlsey must have spend to much time studying the vilent caligula. He is not helping the handbraek.
Yes, Parsley is a herb. However if you come from England and you were born between 1969 and 1975 (ish) you will know that Parsley the Lion is a character from a children's TV show called The Herbs. It was a nickname I picked up at Uni 14 years ago and it's been with me ever since.

Although I do occasionally get called Meatloaf... :bash:

[MrMelon]

Maybe I shoulda moved far far away...I used to like the excitement of moving...now moving is a F**KEN LOAD OF F**KEN SHITE WITH F**KEN MOTHER F**KERS WHO KEEP F**KING ME OVER BY CONTINUALLY TRYING TO F**K WITH MY HEAD AND TAKE ALL MY F**KEN MONEY WHEN ALL I F**KEN WANT IS TO LIVE IN F**KEN PEACE AND F**KEN HARMONY!! F**K IT!!! F**K THEM!!! F**K THEM ALL!!!
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:
Go on, tell us how you really feel, don't hold back this time :P

That does suck about having to wait around for contractors to turn up though. I had to do the same thing when I moved a couple of months ago.. :(

[badlieutenant]

Here are some tips that may help:

For the phone connection charge, wait until the bill comes in which shows the connection charge, then just ring up and ask why there's a connection fee, explain to the person that answers the phone that you were not told that you would have to pay a fee and if you live in an area where there's more than one provider explain that they had offered a free connection to try and win your business but due to your loyality you decided to connect with the other company.
Key points here are...be nice. As soon as you get nasty it'll get harder. If you have no joy, ask to speak to the team leader, if you have no joy with the team leader, then ask to speak to the manager. Believe me...they have the discresion to credit these fees.

On the power company problem, again, be nice. Simply point out the lack of customer service and explain your dis-satisfaction. go up through the ranks until you get the result you want (and deserve).

PS. I manage a Contact Centre (not telling you which one though), this is how it works...believe me and good luck.

EDIT...I don't work for a power company or a telco
what SS said, if the person cant help you then your talking to the wrong one. One other thing, ring during week day business hours.
Empower fuked me around too, only bonus was they paid me dividends for 3 years which meant I paid bugger all if any for my power during that time.

[Storm]

As I work in the electrical industry, I'd like to mention that all the inspectors/linesmen I have ever dealt with have been polite and courteous folk, who showed up, did thier business and moved on. The #@$%^s you have to worry about are the minimum wage earning mofo's every company seems to have that have no relevant trade experience and no idea of where their guys are. However, they also have small mans disease and will get really snarky and I am at least 90% sure that if you abuse them, they will purposely put off making the phone call to the contractors. Be nice to them (even if you have to go and put $100 in the swear jar later) as they basically have you by the short and curlies.
"And thats the way the cookie crumbles" Bruce Almighty

[Slipstream]

I'm never going to move again!!!! I'll either buy the place I'm in or I'll hire movers...having kids running round your ankles why you move stuff is quite agitating. You feel even more :buggerd:
But the main thing I hate about moving is the little stuff at the end...you know, the stray towel, the pot plants and the 15 left socks that had been hiding under the washing machine. :mad:
The only thing I like about moving is setting up my TV, stereo and Xbox in a new and clean livingroom :)

Thanks very much to White Trash, Deano, Jimbo750 and Nick, who did all the very heavy lifting. :apumpin: :not: :niceone:

[White trash]

My pleasure TH. Was great fun tripping over kids n' shit carrying a frickin heavy couch. Jimbo didn't actually do fuck all, he was just there for the free beer.


And to "check you out"

[Madmax]

what ss said
but here are some good ways to torment telemarketers
http://www.milk.com/random-humor/torment_telemarketers.html

[El Dopa]

Do I know how to Fight The Power?

No, but I can stick it to The Man! Erm, metaphorically speaking, of course. Wouldn't want anyone thinking I was a bit fruity.....

Bugger.

No! I mean...Gosh darn it!

I think I should shut up now.

[Slipstream]

The problems I've been having with gas...and I don't mean baked bean fueled gas...The gas man came over in the weekend, but didn't turn it on like I thought he had...then came over on monday and turned it on, so the oven works (flambe anyone :) ). But he couldn't start the pilot light in the water heater....It was then that I found out that the gasman doesn't actually really know his product. He should really be called 'The gas switch man'...So now I'm waiting for the the plumber...And here I thought that plumbers only dealt with water stuff. :o At least I've still got access to a shower at a mates place just up the road...but the kids are starting to smell :eek5:

....I trained and worked to be a top waiter, even won a medal for it....But I really loathe _waiting_!! :angry:

Where's McDonalds :ar15:

I need to go for a bike ride... :thud: