The Grumble Thread - No energy for a full on rant.

[Cudzoziemiec]

It's just taken me an hour and two minutes to convince British Gas that the three subtly different addresses they had for us – one for electricity, one for gas, and a third for gas meter reference point number (I didn't have to deal with the electricity meter reference point, thankfully!) – all refer to the same physical property. I'm not actually totally sure why it became a problem now, after living here for 11 years.

[Beardy]

It's just taken me an hour and two minutes to convince British Gas that the three subtly different addresses they had for us – one for electricity, one for gas, and a third for gas meter reference point number (I didn't have to deal with the electricity meter reference point, thankfully!) – all refer to the same physical property. I'm not actually totally sure why it became a problem now, after living here for 11 years.

It’ll be an ‘upgrade’ to a computer or software package somewhere in amongst the 10s of different computer systems they’ll have interconnected to handle their customer and supplier data.

[rogerzilla]

Sainsbury's had run out of any tolerable Valentine cards last week so I Moonpigged it.  Ordered Friday afternoon, estimated delivery Sat 11th, never turned up even by 14th because Royal Mail have stopped trying.  Bastards.

[Poacher]

It's just taken me an hour and two minutes to convince British Gas that the three subtly different addresses they had for us – one for electricity, one for gas, and a third for gas meter reference point number (I didn't have to deal with the electricity meter reference point, thankfully!) – all refer to the same physical property. I'm not actually totally sure why it became a problem now, after living here for 11 years.

Ask them whether they're using the National Land & Property Gazetteer (NLPG), and if not, why the hell not.
You can find out your Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) using https://www.findmyaddress.co.uk/ and quote that to them, after which there should be no confusion.



(Confession: I was involved, in a very small way, in creating this definitive database, and any systems analyst who chooses not to use it needs taking outside and re-educating with a nail-bearing piece of 4 by 2)

[Cudzoziemiec]

It's just taken me an hour and two minutes to convince British Gas that the three subtly different addresses they had for us – one for electricity, one for gas, and a third for gas meter reference point number (I didn't have to deal with the electricity meter reference point, thankfully!) – all refer to the same physical property. I'm not actually totally sure why it became a problem now, after living here for 11 years.

Ask them whether they're using the National Land & Property Gazetteer (NLPG), and if not, why the hell not.
You can find out your Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) using https://www.findmyaddress.co.uk/ and quote that to them, after which there should be no confusion.



(Confession: I was involved, in a very small way, in creating this definitive database, and any systems analyst who chooses not to use it needs taking outside and re-educating with a nail-bearing piece of 4 by 2)

Interesting! That only accepts one of the three addresses – the PO seems to recognize all three of them, and the local council even chops and changes. Fortunately (probably fortunately) the one it accepts is the one BG have settled on.

Also curious that here I have a five-digit UPRN. The house I grew up in has a 12-digit UPRN. I wonder if this is a bit like AUK, where the grizzled veterans on old steel reminiscing about PBP '77 have three digit numbers and the ones shooting round on carbon have six or seven? (No, it's probably not)

[robgul]

Sainsbury's had run out of any tolerable Valentine cards last week so I Moonpigged it.  Ordered Friday afternoon, estimated delivery Sat 11th, never turned up even by 14th because Royal Mail have stopped trying.  Bastards.

. . . presumably the all-night petrol station saved your bacon with card, flowers and a bar of Galaxy   

[ian]

Sainsbury's had run out of any tolerable Valentine cards last week so I Moonpigged it.  Ordered Friday afternoon, estimated delivery Sat 11th, never turned up even by 14th because Royal Mail have stopped trying.  Bastards.

. . . presumably the all-night petrol station saved your bacon with card, flowers and a bar of Galaxy   

For similar reasons, I had to draw my wife's card, which I hope she appreciates because it took me all yesterday evening. The daily post is now a stealth delivery late in the evening, once every couple of weeks. I can chart it by how many weekly issues New Scientists it features. Top one so far is five. She brought me a load of plants for my balcony, which curiously all seem to have names, and have started to email me. Helena is apparently a cycad and likes her soil on the dry side.

[rogerzilla]

SO Moonpigged me 24h later than I did hers, and mine turned up today.  Next year I shall shop locally and earlier.  You definitely get ruder ones online, though.

[The Family Cyclist]

Wanted to pop by the running shop on way home from work as need some new running shoes soon. Despite it being a beautiful day worked through lunch instead of going for a walk so could skive off a bit early

Another depot at work gave a customer the wrong order so had to send someone to sort thar which means I'm in office on own so can't leave early.

Arse

[Wombat]

It's just taken me an hour and two minutes to convince British Gas that the three subtly different addresses they had for us – one for electricity, one for gas, and a third for gas meter reference point number (I didn't have to deal with the electricity meter reference point, thankfully!) – all refer to the same physical property. I'm not actually totally sure why it became a problem now, after living here for 11 years.

Ask them whether they're using the National Land & Property Gazetteer (NLPG), and if not, why the hell not.
You can find out your Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) using https://www.findmyaddress.co.uk/ and quote that to them, after which there should be no confusion.



(Confession: I was involved, in a very small way, in creating this definitive database, and any systems analyst who chooses not to use it needs taking outside and re-educating with a nail-bearing piece of 4 by 2)

Shame it can't actually get my address right!  it seems to want to insert two post towns, one of which is definitely wrong, and definitely not on the Royal Mail database, or the local authority's or land registry's databases.

[Canardly]

My battery powered Braun travel alarm clock has just given up the Ghost and its only 43 years old. The quality of things these days. I dunno. 

[Jurek]

My battery powered Braun travel alarm clock has just given up the Ghost and its only 43 years old. The quality of things these days. I dunno. 

I believe they're still available - I bought a brace of them not so long ago.

[Canardly]

Yes still available and have ordered one. 

[T42]

My battery powered Braun travel alarm clock has just given up the Ghost and its only 43 years old. The quality of things these days. I dunno. 

I had one of those: wee square black thing dating from ~1983.  Mine lasted a good few years, until an inadvertent hand motion sent it flying.  The replacement, a Citizen, is still chuntering away.  Made in China, not.

[Jaded]

It's just taken me an hour and two minutes to convince British Gas that the three subtly different addresses they had for us – one for electricity, one for gas, and a third for gas meter reference point number (I didn't have to deal with the electricity meter reference point, thankfully!) – all refer to the same physical property. I'm not actually totally sure why it became a problem now, after living here for 11 years.

Ask them whether they're using the National Land & Property Gazetteer (NLPG), and if not, why the hell not.
You can find out your Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN) using https://www.findmyaddress.co.uk/ and quote that to them, after which there should be no confusion.



(Confession: I was involved, in a very small way, in creating this definitive database, and any systems analyst who chooses not to use it needs taking outside and re-educating with a nail-bearing piece of 4 by 2)

Shame it can't actually get my address right!  it seems to want to insert two post towns, one of which is definitely wrong, and definitely not on the Royal Mail database, or the local authority's or land registry's databases.

Our PO address includes the post town, but not the actual town. Since there is a street in the post town with  the same name as ours, if the address isn't manually altered, and delivery drivers use the address rather than the postcode, items take longer…

[Mr Larrington]

How in the name of all that's unholy did I manage to burn my arm while asleep last night   I definitely didn’t set myself on fire before going beddy-byes and this morning had a blister the size of a 1p coin.

Unless it was aliens…

[rogerzilla]

How in the name of all that's unholy did I manage to burn my arm while asleep last night   I definitely didn’t set myself on fire before going beddy-byes and this morning had a blister the size of a 1p coin.

Unless it was aliens…

Any signs of rectal probing?

[Mr Larrington]

How in the name of all that's unholy did I manage to burn my arm while asleep last night   I definitely didn’t set myself on fire before going beddy-byes and this morning had a blister the size of a 1p coin.

Unless it was aliens…

Any signs of rectal probing?

No.  No, none of that.

[T42]

How in the name of all that's unholy did I manage to burn my arm while asleep last night   I definitely didn’t set myself on fire before going beddy-byes and this morning had a blister the size of a 1p coin.

Unless it was aliens…

Any signs of rectal probing?

No.  No, none of that.

Just as well. Rectal probing that reaches the arm is kinda radical.

[Mr Larrington]

Then to add injury to, er, MOAR injury; spent last night on a mattress on the floor at Schloß von Brandenburg, in a room full of Things freshly liberated from a storage unit over there ////.  Mr Larrington's toes did not expect to find a sturdy wooden shelf on the floor, leading to Mr Larrington sprawled across the said mattress like the remains of a Chinese weather balloon.  With an already-dodgy shoulder taking the brunt of the impact.

“Aaaah, FUCK!” said Mr Larrington, the words coming easily from force of habit.

[andrewc]

Brekkie chez Andrew.  Kettle on, crumpets toasting, coffee grinder grinding.    Then all 3 stop.  Not a power cut, lights are fine.


All 3 are plugged into a 4 plug extension lead which goes to a double wall socket.  I move the plug to the other socket & everything starts working again.


Fed & caffeinated I take another look.  The on/off switch for the dodgy socket is stuck at on (though it's always left that way).  I move the plug back & everything works ??


Looks like I'm going to be buying a new double socket & searching for a screwdriver though.

[Kim]

Unless it's a particularly feeble kettle, you've probably exceeded 13A.  Presumably the plug fuse was in the early stages of thinking about blowing, but hoping to get some coffee first.  (Being designed to prevent wiring meltdowns, they're not especially fast.)

In the absence of expensive semiconductors to do the job, it sounds like the switch sacrificed itself to protect the fuse.

[hellymedic]

How in the name of all that's unholy did I manage to burn my arm while asleep last night   I definitely didn’t set myself on fire before going beddy-byes and this morning had a blister the size of a 1p coin.
Unless it was aliens…

Mebbe it's not a burn, but an insect bite or some other insult your skin Does Not Like.

Burns are not the only cause of blistering...

[andrewc]

I had a brisk walk to the shops & back yesterday. Only about 3.5km.  Now my right knee has gone on strike. This getting older business is no fun.

[Beardy]

I had a brisk walk to the shops & back yesterday. Only about 3.5km.  Now my right knee has gone on strike. This getting older business is no fun.

Getting older certainly sucks, but when you consider the alternative, I’d take it any day.