Is there any official body to complain about a landlord.?

Hi, I've got one credit card, that had about £125 on it, which I paid off in 2 payments the last one being in January. The other week, after applying for a different type of card I was told I was refused because I had a bad credit history and had £113 outstanding on my card. I phoned my bank (the credit card one) and they said, no problem it was all paid off and that the payment was just taking time to go through. I thought it was stupid, I'd paid at the beginning of January and this was middle of Feb. I was then advised to do a credit reference search, which I did. I was gobsmacked to see that it showed I owed this money and said I'd only made 1 payment of £5 over a, now, 5 month period. It also had a discrepency on the outstanding balance. One month it was over £400 (which I'd never had) and the next it was £113 despite the fact no payment was recorded. I originally complained to the FSO about the 1st payment that hadn't been recorded and the other stuff I've discovered since. The bank made a fuss, I had to screenshot all the stuff and send it to them and they are supposed to be sorting out - when, I honestly don't know. The problem is that I now have a bad credit rating and I don't even owe anyone anything. Any advice because this is driving me crazy?

Our company car park is now being run by a private cark parking company. We have been given parking permits by the building's landlord, however a colleague has been "fined" today becuase his permit had been moved out of view by someone else. We believe the fine isn't enforceable but wanted confirmation that he wont get bad debt/mark on his credit rating if he doesnt pay. Can anyone confirm this please?

Hi. I have made a claim in the county court against my neighbour.they broke my wall with their car while driving back into it. I asked them to repair it, and they promised, as time went on i was getting eyed by other neighbours and the neighbour refused to rebuild it. i had text messages from neighbour promising to repair it. I then made a claim against the neighbour and expected to win. i didn`t receive the court paperwork with the date of the application, so lost and the judge ordered costs against me as it was not allocated to track. I then made an application to tell the judge i didnt receive the docs. he ruled i must have received them. also then said i cannot prove my case. i told him that i will prove my case at the final hearing at disclosure but he said no. I did send documents to the bulk processing court I have a recorded delivery slip but the appeals court say they did not receive it. If I do appeal is there a chance it can be heard or can i do something else. I now have a broken wall and costs against me. and today i received a fi fa high court writ. please i need some help

Hi, i need some help, i recently sold an expensive watch on ebay. I wanted it collected in person with cash as didnt want any come backs. It was as advertised with pics ect, also had it authenticated in writing. i had 1 winning bid, the chap asked if i could courier watch to him and he would transfer money into my bank account. money got paid in ok and recorded delivery to him. i thought everything was fine until i have just returned from working abroad and to my dismay i have a court letter saying that he is claiming £470 because the watch needed servicing ect. Can he do this? Thanks.

Hello Everyone, Last weekend we purchased a new car, all was going fine until the dealer rang up requesting more money for an issue he has found with the car we had part exchanged. We were totally unaware of any issues and had the car checked out before taking it to him (as you will see in the emails below). He's now started to turn the screws cc'ing his solicitor in emails. I would really appreciate some views on this case, am I right to push back and where do I stand. Thanks in advance. -------------------------------------------------------- The first communication was a phone call, so no evidence of that, however email number one is the response from us to the dealer, email two is his response this evening to that email. Emails below;.... EMAIL 1 Dear XXXX, I am writing following our telephone conversation yesterday when you asked me to pay £500 towards the cost of repairs to the gear box of the Honda Jazz that you took as part exchange for the Audi that I purchased from you on Saturday 24 November. My position on this matter is; I had no awareness of an issue at the time of part exchange. I took reasonable steps to ensure that the vehicle was delivered in a clean and roadworthy condition for your viewing and testing, prior to completing the paperwork and transaction. As you had a good look around the car, started it and manoeuvred it, I had reason to believe this was your standard process and you were happy with the car, as we went ahead and completed the paperwork. I took the decision to part exchange the car with a professional tradesman to avoid this kind of confusion, as I believed that a lower, but fair price would be offered for the car as it is seen and tested. I agreed to purchase the Audi on the basis of achieving £2,000 in part exchange value for the Honda. I hope you understand that I am unable to take responsibility for any issues you feel have now arisen with the car. Therefore I will not be making any further payment beyond that which is stated and settled in our contract dated 24th November 2012. During our conversation yesterday, you stated that you haven't sent off the warranty documentation and wouldn't until you had heard from me as to whether I would agree to pay the £500 for the repairs to the Honda. Should you choose not to purchase the warranty, I believe that this would be a breach of the contract that we entered into on Saturday 24th November and any warranty claims will become your responsibility under that contract which states the car is supplied with 12 months warranty. I trust that this puts an end to this matter. I would like to thank you for otherwise making the purchase of a new car a less stressful experience. I believe you are a good man operating a good business and I will not hesitate in recommending you to friends and family looking to purchase Audi's in the future. All the best for you and your family. Kind regards, XXXXXXXX EMAIL 2; Dear XXXXXXXX Without Prejudice Thank you for your email dated the 27th of November 2012. I am extremely disappointed with your stance on the matter and wish to put on the record the following as I believe you have been dishonest in your dealing with me for the following reasons: 1. You never brought the part exchange car for me to see on Thursday the 22nd of November 2012, so I had no chance of seeing and testing the vehicle. 2. When you decided to purchase the Audi A4 from me you said you had part exchange vehicle which was in good condition and no mention was made of any mechanical problems. 3. When you came to pick up the Audi on Saturday, you wanted to test drive the Audi and you were happy with the way it performed. 4. The only experience I had with driving your vehicle was maneuvering about 12 inches in my driveway in order to get the vehicle you have purchased out for you. 5. The reason I did not take your Honda Jazz for a full test drive was that you gave me your word that it was in good mechanical order and no mention was made about the gearbox at any time. 6. When you left, about 10 minutes later I moved your car to my compound and found that it was not running as it should have been. I called you immediately to discuss and you denied any knowledge of a problem. 7. I said I would contact you on the Monday the 26th of November 2012 after I had a chance for my mechanic to see it. 8. After my mechanic checked it, he said the 1st and 2nd tooth in the gearbox had broken off and that is why there was a noise. He also said to me that even the most inexperienced motorist would have noticed there was a problem. 9. You also told me that you had the car checked by a mechanic before you took it to me, which I find unbelievable as if there was not any problem why would you want a mechanic to check it over, especially as you were going to part exchange it. You also said to me that he did not test drive your vehicle, and again in my opinion if you were checking it for safety reasons he would have test driven it and told you there was a problem. In my opinion you were fully aware there was a problem, especially after a long drive from Cornwall, you would have noticed the noise from the gearbox. I am disgusted that you have not been honest with me and have instructed my solicitor to deal with the matter. Furthermore the repairs have come to £700.00, which is higher than the £500.00 originally quoted. I have put a hold on the warranty until this dispute is resolved. Also my solicitor will also be requiring the details of your mechanic if we need to obtain obtain any clarification from him. I am an honest motor trader and pride my business on principles and do good by my customers, however if people are unfair with me, I will pursue my rights and will be prepared to go to court in order to get a resolution. Please advise within the next 24 hours on how you wish to proceed as my solicitor is awaiting my instructions. Yours sincerely XXXXXXXXXX

I would like to make my thoughts known on Expert Logistics who have within the past 30 minutes delivered a washing machine bought from Tesco. My son bought us a washing machine as our old one packed up. I disconnected it and pulled it out into the kitchen. When the delivery man came into the kitchen, there wouldn't be enough room for the new machine as well as the old machine so I asked, "could you move this one to there?" pointing to a spot outside the backdoor and 4 feet from where the machine stood, he immediately jumped in 'No, we don't do that' , I said it's only four feet, are you saying you won't move my old machine four feet for me", and he again said "NO". So there I am, an old man with a walking stick and he a young strapping bloke who refused to move my old machine. His mate on the van did do it but I think he was a bit reluctant to do it as he moved it and then disappeared. I'm not wasn't asking for a replumb of my house and installation of the new machine, all I wanted was my old machine move 4 feet. What is wrong with people today, no courtesy and no hint of customer service. I bet he wouldn't have refused a tip, but because of attitude they got nothing, not even the offer of a cuppa. Sod them, I'm fed up with the crap customer service in this country, all they want is to screw you for as much as possible and to do sod all in return.

If a groundworkers contract states 40 hours a week, no mention of adverse weather arrangements etc., and the person arrives for work to be sent home as the site is frozen, am I right in thinking that they are entitled to be paid? Many thanks.

Hi just curious if anyone has had one,good companies.. is it really a good idea

I moved to FD after smile made the decision to stop paying standing orders on my account even though my salary was still going in and I didn't notice as I had an injured shoulder so couldn't sit at the PC for a while. First I knew was when I got calls from the likes of my ISP asking why my bill wasn't paid. When I rang they couldn't explain and didn't seem to care even though I'd been with over 4 years and had been paying an account sub. Before I went back to work I decided to switch and moved to FD as my boss had raved about them. I've received excellent service for the past 3+ years but what I've read on here has really shocked me. Are they really one of the worst offenders?

Good news for everyone locally in the UK. As of yesterday, the new iTunes (10.5) and iOS (5) was released for the iPhone 4 and above, as well as the iPad and above! If you want to upgrade, feel free to do so by: 1) Upgrade your iTunes to 10.5. This usually happens automatically 2) Once iTunes 10.5 is installed, plug your device in and upgrade as per instructions For those of you who like to tinker with toys, i.e. have jailbroken your phone, this will break the jailbreak, and you'll be returned to the land of the living and have to pay for your apps again Have fun peeps, and RIP Steve Jobs Cheers Adridude

Hi all, Against my better judgement. I decided to log a repair for my dead dishwasher with 0800repair.com after being impressed by their website, code of conduct and fixed prices. Current situation is that after 4 weeks of engineers & broken promises, I am currently left £140 down with the same dead dishwasher and 0800repair don't really want to know anymore. No refunds. They keep fobbing me off. As you can imagine, I am furious and its clouding my judgement. I have summarised the entire farce in the PDF attachment to this post. Can anyone advise the next steps please? Many thanks Anthony Edit - content of PDF below: ***** Monday 5th November Logged call for a Faulty dishwasher. Was told wait time for engineer was 5 days. Seemed long but OK. Approx 2pm - Friday 9th November Took day off work. Despite being told the engineer would call first thing with an ETA, I called the engineer at approx midday to ask for an ETA. Was told a couple of hours. * Engineer arrived at approx 2pm. * Upon arrival, Engineer asked me to describe the problem. I explained that the water in the dishwasher never got warm and the dishwasher kept restarting itself and never completed. * Without opening the dishwasher to perform a diagnosis, Engineer diagnosed the fault as a faulty heater. * Engineer tried to find serial number on the Unit to order the part. Engineer informed me the serial number had rubbed off and so was unable to identify the exact model. * I gave Engineer the Make and Model number from Manufacture's operating manual. * Engineer called a part supplier and said that the heater was the same across all the Manufacture line so there is only 1 part. However, this 1 part was a special order part and the supplier did not accept refunds. * The Engineer asked for my permission to purchase the part. I responded 'Yes, as long as we are sure that this part will resolve the problem'. Engineer responded 'Oh yeah' and ordered the part. * I wrote Engineer a cheque for £83.52. * Engineer said that parts take up to 28 days to arrive but usually take around 7 working days. He would call me. * Engineer left. Monday 12th November * Funds remove from my account Tuesday 13th November. Friday 16th November * As 7 days had past, I called Engineer to find out the status of my part. * Was informed that he was still awaiting delivery but offered to call the Supplier for an ETA. * Engineer called back later that day to say the part was 2 days away and he would call when it was in his hands to make an appointment. Tuesday 20th November * Engineer called to say part had arrived and to make an appointment. * Because I have to take days off work, appointment for Monday 26th November agreed. * I ask for an ETA for time of day. Was promised a call on the day to advise on arrival time. Monday 26th November Took day off work. Was promised a call before the engineer arrived to advise on arrival time - never received a call. * Engineer arrived approx midday with part. * Engineer pulled out Dishwasher unit and decided that this was a 2 man job and couldn't proceed. * Engineer said he needed to find a 2nd person to help with the repair as the dishwasher internals were too heavy for 1 person to lift. Unsure why this was not identified on the first visit. * Engineer unable to make a new appointment whilst on-site as he needed to confirm available of the 2nd person - but would call me. * Engineer called later that day to make an appointment for Wednesday 28th December evening. Wednesday 28th November * 2 Engineers arrive at approx 19:20. * They pull out Dishwasher unit and examine/dismantle it for the first time. * Engineer discovers its not the heater that is faulty after all and its 'the module' * I asked when he will be able to repair it. He says he is unable to identify the necessary replacement part as the serial number was worn off the Unit. * Engineer suggested I call Bosch (the manufacture) to ask for a free part replacement as the Engineer claimed that there is an inherent fault with this dishwasher and Bosch had a recall programme. (I called Bosch the following day and they knew of no such recall programme). * I asked Engineer what was happening about the spare part and he responded that he pointed out the part was provided on a 'No refund' basis. I pointed out that I only accepted the purchase of the part on the understanding that it fixed the problem. Stalemate. * Engineer re-assembled dishwasher, said he can't continue with the repair and recommended I called the manufacture and left my premises. Thursday 29th November Having felt conned, ripped off and fobbed off, I called the 0800repair call centre for advice. * I spoke to a helpful call centre representative and explained the story so far. * He was very sympathetic and explained that this isn't the service 0800repair offer and asked me to hold the line whilst he called the engineer for an update. Promising. * I was cut off. * I called back and was put through to the same call centre person. * I explained that I have now waited 1 day shy of 4 weeks, am back to square 1 again with a dead dishwasher and that my patience has run out. I added that I have lost confidence in 0800repair's ability to diagnose and repair my dishwasher. * I requested a full refund. * I was told that I am only entitled to a refund on the part but not the labour as 0800repair labour includes call out and fix. I had had the call out - the fix has not been delivered as technically I am choosing to cancel the repair by not allowing them to proceed. * My argument was that after 4 weeks and 3 engineer visits, 0800repair cannot diagnose or fix the problem by admission of their own engineer - therefore 0800repair can't deliver what I paid for - therefore have not delivered the service I paid for and should refund my money. * I was told to package up the part and sent it back to the Engineer for refund. * I was told I would not get a refund of £60 for labour. I explained that I plan to dispute this with my credit card company. Friday 30th November * I sent the part back to the Engineer using Royal Mail Special Delivery at my expense (£8) to avoid any 'we never received the part' excuses. Monday 3rd December * Royal Mail Delivered parcel to Engineer Wednesday 5th Dec * No cheque so far. * I called the call centre to ask when I can expect my refund of £83.52. * Call center had to call Engineer. * Engineer said it will be with me by Friday. Friday 7th Dec * No cheque arrived * I called the call centre to ask when I can expect my refund of £83.52. * Call center had to call Engineer. * Engineer said it will be with me by Tuesday (this suggests it hasn't been sent). * Call centre said to call if it doesn't arrive by Tuesday. Tuesday 11th December Approx 9:30am * No cheque arrived * I called the call centre to ask when I can expect my refund of £83.52. * Call center had to call Engineer. Bad line apparently. Call centre emailed engineer. * I commented that this was farcical and can 0800repair refund me and claim it back from the Engineer. Call centre did not know and didn't offer to really find out. * Call centre insisted I had to wait for Engineer to refund me. * I asked whether I have to go to the small claims court to recover this money. Call centre did not comment. Approx 10:30am * I called the Call Center. * Call center say Engineer has responded to email and cheque is on its way. Unable to confirm whether its in flight or whether it will be sent today. * Call centre said to call if it doesn't arrive by Friday. This is the 3rd time I have been informed that the cheque will be sent out and to wait 3 days and contact them if it doesn't arrive.

Unbelievable!!! After upgrading with T-mobile, I get a pretty new Galaxy S3 handset but I need a new mini sim, so I call T-mobile "no problem" I'm told, I'll have one sent out and it'll be with you in 1 to 3 days. sounds great right? a week later, I still have no new sim and my new phone is still in its box, so I call T-mobile again only to be told by the Philipino gentleman that the lady I spoke to last week hadn't processed my request for a sim, so it hadn't actually been sent out at all, the guy this morning sympathises and makes all the ahhh and ohhh noises but I'm still waiting unecessarilly!! Fuming doesn't come close and I won't be upgrading with T-Mobile again:mad2::mad2:

Hello, I am hoping to move out from my parents soon as I would like my own space. I do not have very good credit I believe my credit score is about 430. I have 6 defaults on my file dating 2010. Originally I was think about renting but a couple of friends at work tell me I would be better off buying. Can someone tell what is the likely chances of me getting a mortgage? Can anyone recommend any mortgage companies? How much will I need in savings. I have been looking at studios as it will be only me and they range £110-£120k Thanks PK

Very disturbing http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/cardsloans/article-2231040/Payday-borrowers-face-Christmas-credit-shock.html

oh dear this is bad news for the private parking companies http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=in_the_back&issue=1326 thanks to Private Eye for this

I have a friend who has worked as a nurse in a care home for the past 20 years. Recently conditions and moral in the home started to deteriorate. She recently (about two months ago) ended up been disciplined for use of her mobile phone during working hours (she works part time by the way). She was given a written warning for this (a bit harsh I thought) She was also disciplined for something else can't remember what it was now. I think they may not be relevant anyway. As a result of this and how conditions are at the home, she went off sick due to stress. While off she came across a similar job closer to her home. She filled out her CV and applied for the job (all done online). The home phoned her the next day to arrange an interview. It went well and she told me it was just a matter of waiting for the necessary checks to be done. She has already handed in her notice with her current employer. I got a message from my friend this evening to say that the new place wrote to her current manager who has apparently given an unsatisfactory reference. So therefore the job has fallen through. Am I not right in thinking that an employer is not allowed to give a bad reference?

Hey all , Its understandable a company you owe money to can get frustrated , but there are ways and means of getting said money and i want to know if the person that's spoken to me has behaved in a disgusting way. My partner is my carear and we went with a buy as you view for a washing machine and a dryer , im writing this on her behalf to see if there's anything illegal about the gentlemen's actions from buy as you view. We started falling behind with payments a few weeks ago , around 90 pounds or so most of which is charges for making a late payment in retrospect we only owe 40 pounds minus the charges. Now we have had no issues with the direct debts before now as we dont see it leave the account. But lately we had a few issues which stopped them being paid for a few weeks. With this being the only issue we have ever had with the company we thought they would allow us some time to get the money together to clear the arrears, they said it was fine. The day we set to phone them up and make a partial payment them there was a knock on the door. It was a gentlemen from buy as you view demanding the full amount , my partner explained that would be impossible to do as the weekly budget has already been set aside and we cannot adjust it to the amount he wants as we already came to a agreement with the company over the phone. He started rambling on about how he was going to enter the property and remove the products from the house there and then. Now at present my foot is broken and as i suffer from a number of mental health issues , i didn't think showing my face and getting myself into trouble would be the best idea. So i decided to call consumer direct and they where about as helpful as a chocolate teapot stuck up stairs and having my partner face this clearly ignorant man , i had no choice buy to allow her to use my card and i could clearly tell this man was intimidating her , he even went to the trouble of causing his manger then his manger starts to guilt trip my partner *I quote* We thought you could afford the products why are you letting us down by not paying*. When i shouted down to my partner he cant enter the propertie its illegal , he shouted up , IT ISN'T. Now this happened around a week ago , and we now have a regular payment going back to them to clear the small debt. But i want something done to this pig who made my partner feel like this. Its still bothering me now and i very much doubt its going to go away until this bloke is dealt with. Thanks for reading.

had some urgent work done in my bathroom due to a leak .paid the builder £745.00 cash no receipt .quick to collect cash very difficult indeed to get him to do the work.he fitted the toilet not seated right not secured wobbles all over.fitted the bath but found it did not fit so he decided to saw about 4ins of the top and the bottom of the bath so it would fit.told bath is useless as him doing this weakened the bath .left my sink on the floor unfitted never replaced the door frame he was paid to do .failed to mend my leaking roof .failed to wood clad the walls and ceilings in the bathroom he has took the money and vanished ignoring all recorded delivery letters .he has not been back for 3 months .he has left live wires hanging out of the walls .our jaccuzzi bath he has left exstension leads running from the bathroom to enable us to use the bath.i find consumer direct useless indeed feels there protecting the builders not the consumer every time i ring north east lincs council trading standards i get consumer direct so i feel im just wasting my time here .any one advise me here on my situation .please can you tell me if cutting the bath at both ends renders the bath as dangerous .

Unbelievably, I posted this thread nearly 2 years ago :- http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?284285-No-experience-no-job-no-experience. Unfortunately, despite taking and using all the advice given my poor daughter still doesn't have a job and we're getting desperate enough to ask JCP for help. Apparently, as a carer (she gets carer's allowance and IS) she could volunteer for the work programme. However, having read some horror stories we're very wary. For example, if she volunteers to join, is it then compulsory? Could they sanction her benefits if she couldn't turn up because she's in A & E with me or if she refused a course because it was too many hours? Even if they technically can't do that, how likely are Work Programme advisors to have any experience of dealing with carers? Are they going to just push her into caring jobs because that's the easiest option? Does anyone know of any more guidance about support for carers other than the standard DWP leaflet? Or have any other suggestions at all?

I have just sent this to the NatWest complaints department, but I thought I'd post it here too so that people can see how bad their service is. Here it is: I am a mature student and I have just finished university. I have just taken a new job and I was looking to open up a new current account with NatWest. This was largely because a friend has told me your online banking was good and I've had major problems trying to get my existing Barclay's account to work online at all (after literally 7 failed attempts I've given up, they simply can't seem to sort it out so I'm changing banks). I first tried to create an account online, and that seemed to work. I was sent the following email yesterday (12/06/2012): ----------------------------------------------------- Dear Mr ***** Thank you for your application We're pleased to confirm that we've received your application for our Select account. Please note your application reference number: ********** What you need to do now We need to confirm some additional information about you. Below you'll find details of the documents we need to see. All you need to do is bring them to your local branch along with your application reference. We've saved all the details you've given us so far, and your customer advisor will be able to help you to complete the application process quickly and easily. Bringing your documents into a branch is the quickest and easiest way to complete your application. For details of your nearest branch, use our branch locator. Can't get to a branch? If you're not able to visit a branch, you can send the documents we need by post. This does not include valuable documents such as your passport. We've sent you a letter explaining how to post documents to us, together with a prepaid envelope for you to use. The letter also explains what you need to do with the documents that can't be posted. The documents we need from you Please note that we can only accept originals - we can't accept copies, even if verified. To complete your application, we are legally required to confirm your identity and where you live. To do this, we need to see one item from Table A and one from Table B: Table A (to confirm your identity) Table B (to confirm your current address) Current signed Passport EU National ID Card Current full UK photocard driving licence Current full UK driving licence (old style paper version) UK Armed Forces ID card Police Warrant Card From HM Revenue and Customs: Coding Notice or Demand Notice Disabled Persons Tax Credit Notice National Insurance contributions account statement From the Department for Work and Pensions, notification of your entitlement to: Child Benefit Working Tax Credit Child Tax Credit Pension Disability Living Allowance Income Support Incapacity Benefit Only if you are under 20 Birth certificate NHS medical card A statement (no more than 6 months old) from your: Bank Building society Credit card provider Mortgage provider A utility bill (no more than 6 months old) for your home e.g. gas / electricity / water / telephone / cable services / satellite TV. We can't accept your mobile phone bill or TV licence as proof of your address. A document from your local authority (no more than 12 months old, valid for the current or the upcoming financial year): Council Tax bill or demand Rent Book/Card Don't have all the documents you need? For a full list of valid documents, go to [won't let me post links because I'm new - deleted] What happens next? Once we've checked the document(s), we will complete your application and as long as everything is in order we will confirm your new account details. We’re here to help If you have any questions about your application, ask at your local branch or call us on 0845 3030 299. Calls may be recorded. Yours sincerely Signature Allan Hardie Current Accounts --------------------------------------------------------- So all seemed well. As I said, I have just finished university. I am still living on campus for another week, so I went into the NatWest branch in High Wycombe, which is the nearest to the university. I took my passport and a bank statement for my Barclays account from last month with my home address on it (which is the one I provided above, in Putney). Upon arriving, I gave them the number provided in your email to me and they told me that it was not showing up on their system. I asked the woman behind the desk if it would be alright opening the account in Wycombe, when I actually live in Putney and would be moving home next week. She said that it did not matter. This was further backed up by the email you sent me, which said: "Bringing your documents into a branch is the quickest and easiest way to complete your application." Clearly implying any branch would do. Since they couldn't find my online application in their system, despite me already having the confirmation email (which I showed to them on my Android), they photocopied my documents and told me someone would call me the next day. The next day (this morning) I was called up and told that the online application had vanished into the ether and that I would have to come in and set the account up manually. I made an appointment for 4pm. At 5 minutes to 4pm, I went into the bank and no one was at the front desk. So I waited patiently for someone to come and assist me. I waited a full 25 minutes, till 4:20pm before a man came out of an office and asked if he could help me. I told him I had an appointment for 4pm and he said someone would be right with me. At 4:30pm, half an hour after the agreed appointment time, a woman finally appeared from the back and came to help me. I saw no less than 4 different people come in, wait at the front desk, get angry and then walk out between 3:55 and 4:30. I considered doing the same thing but I wanted to get my account sorted out so I waited. So I went into this lady's office and after going through the required legal speech she looked at my documents and noticed that I live in Putney. I said yes, as I already told the other lady yesterday, I have just finished university and I will be going back home in a week. She said that I should open the account in Putney, not in the Wycombe branch. That really was the last straw for me. I was told twice, once by your email which I have shown above and then again by a member of staff that the branch did not matter. I specifically asked this question the day before so that my time would not be wasted. And now I am told that, in fact, my time has been wasted and that both your online service and the Wycombe local branch are completely useless to me. At this point, it was 4:40 and I'd had enough so I left. You may be interested to note that I walked out of NatWest and straight into HSBC, which just up the road. I went online on my Android to the HSBC site, applied for a current account with them, got a similar email to the one you sent me about a minute later, showed my documents to the lady behind the counter (they actually had someone serving people, unlike your bank did today) and managed to get everything done before 5pm. The fact that I was moving back to Putney in a week didn't bother them a bit. That's less than 20 minutes. I waited longer than that at NatWest for someone to even acknowledge my presence and I had an appointment! I don't expect a response, but I thought you should know why I am angry. I can only imagine how many others feel exactly the same as I do but couldn't be bothered to write out a lengthy complaint. I know I saw several of them storm out of your Wycombe branch today because there was no one working the front desk. Terrible service, employees giving me contradictory information, and ultimately wasting huge amounts of my time. Appalling.

The Salvation Army realised that it had never received a donation from the city's most successful lawyer. So a Salvation Army volunteer made an appointment to see the lawyer in his lavish office. The volunteer opened the meeting by saying, "Our research shows that even though your annual income is over two million dollars, you don't give a cent to charity. Wouldn't you like to give something back to your community through the Salvation Army?" The lawyer thought for a moment and said, "First, did your research also show you that my mother is dying after a long, painful illness and has huge medical bills that are far beyond her ability to pay?" Embarrassed, the Salvation Army volunteer mumbled, "Uh... No, I didn't know that." "Secondly," says the lawyer, "did it show that my brother, a disabled Veteran, is blind, confined to a wheelchair and is unable to support his wife and six children?" The stricken volunteer began to stammer an apology, but was cut off again. "Thirdly, "the lawyer said, "did your research also show you that my sister's husband died in a dreadful car accident, leaving her penniless with a mortgage and the burden of supporting three children, one of whom is disabled and another who has learning disabilities requiring an array of private tutors?" Completely beaten, the humiliated Salvation Army volunteer said, "I'm so sorry. I had no idea." And then the lawyer said, "So, if I don't give any money to them, what makes you think I'd give any to you.

Hi I would appreciate some advice. I recently signed up to CPP and this includes access to my credit file. I checked my credit file and noticed a default for money owed to Virgin Media. I found this very strange as I've not been a Virgin customer for many years. So I called Virgin and they told me I owed them 1 penny since 2007 and this is why it was on my credit file. They were very "sorry" and said they will credit my account with 1 penny but they cannot remove the default notice. Is there anything I can do about this?

Come here for some off-topic chat. That's what this forum is for. There was a time when we could come to the Bear Garden, have a laugh and a bit of banter, but these days I find that if I've had a bad day and come to here, I can end up more depressed than I was in the first place! I I know it's good to have a rant sometimes (as I am now) and get things off your chest, and I'm not pointing the finger at anyone in particular - it just seems to have become a bit of a culture somehow. Can't we leave some of the negativity at the BG gate, and make it a place where we can forget our worries and just chill a bit. I'm not saying everyone should wear rose-tinted glasses but in the words of Monty Python (all together now!!!) ......

Hey one and all im hoping you can help me with a situation i have found myself in. Yesterday i was given a parking fine for a code 25 "parked in a loading place during restricted hours without loading". I feel i have grounds to appeal on several accounts :- 1 the signage was posted far away from the bays in question 2 the sign (the only one i eventually saw turned out to be the only one around the area) was facing aaway from the flow of traffic on a one way street. 3 the "restricted hours are monday to saturday 10.30am - 4.30pm and my ticket was issued at 7.40pm so not within restricted times 4 after reading around some sites i could be allowed to load/unload up to 20 minutes i was "observed" for 5 5 the nature of my unloading was to supply a public house with £200 worth of change and getting £200 in different note dividends back (i work in retail that was the only nearby retail outlet able to supply such change and we needed to make sure that neither me or the public house had miscounted etc) Im going to take pics of the road sign tomorrow i just thought id ask for all of your opinions/guidance in writing my appeal Thankyou