Showing posts with label repairs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label repairs. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Going on the record re L&Q

First up I want to say that this is NOT a dig at L&Q, not for one second.
Over the years since taking over from Lewisham Homes, for me at least, they have done a sterling job of taking care of business.
OK there was the issue with the bathroom taking a little longer than expected to deal with, but other than that. A few hiccups, some no show contractors from time to time, but really nothing to cry about (apart from the bathroom, did I already say that?)

So, a few years back (2010) the driveway was resurfaced. I use this term loosely as the driveway was actually covered over with a good few inches of concrete. During the laying of the driveway, in Dec 2010 we had heavy snow and freezing temperatures, which sadly had an effect on the way the work ended up. Now i'm not saying it is not an improvement on the old drive, it is. But what I have said to L&Q all along is, the finished result was not what I would personally sign off on and agree to pay a contractor for.

Sweep it on a dry day and you can sweep away layers and layers of powdered concrete, walk on it on a wet day and you will slip on the exposed stones. As one of my neighbours did a few years back, breaking her ankle in the process. This was what drove me to contact L&Q again about the condition. The fact it has deteriorated this much in this short space of time, and someone has already slipped on it. Thats not to mention the dust and stones kicking about the place.

Well today the results are in, and after provisionally agreeing it needed repairing, the new surveyor has made the decision that NO work is needed on the driveway and it should remain as it is.

I am fine with this decision, and accept it with no challenges whatsoever. However....
Should anyone have any form of accident in the coming years relating to the condition of the surface of the driveway..... I WILL say I told you so.

So for now, its back to sweeping the drive carefully of leaves and snow when they cover it, in case I sweep the drive away, and looking out for fallen neighbours over the winter as the colder weather makes it even more slippery.

As for the rest of the work being done on the house. Thank you L&Q for looking after us so well. I am more than happy with it all, just bad call on the driveway. In my untrained opinion of course.


Work in progress in Dec 2010 (before the snow stopped play)
The whole area was laid with hand mixed concrete.. The house up the road had it delivered on a mixer for the same contractors working for L&Q. Clearly learned from this mistake. Theirs is fine by the way.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Well, well, well...

Officially as good as confirmed that I wasted another day of annual leave today.
So lets look at this in a breakdown.

10/3/14 Axis confirm appointment for 1/4/14
10/3/14 I call them to confirm the actual job. Front, rear or all fencing.
10/3/14 Axis confirm 31 panels, but job showing as 2 hours allocation

1/4/14 9am Call to Axis to confirm job still scheduled, assured all is well.
1/4/14 1.30pm Call to Axis, contractor no show. Assured he will be here in 30 mins to start job. Advised he has only today been made aware of the authorisation of the job, but will start today for sure.

1/4/14 3.30pm Call to Axis, contractor still no show. After being put on hold I am told the exact repeat of the above. When I asked why the contractor is visiting today if he cant do the job, I am told that they don't know why, but if I can just hang on. I ask for confirmation that he will be the stated 30 mins, as I have already wasted nearly the whole day on this. I am told, if I can just give him til 5.30pm that would be good.

I really don't know what I am meant to be waiting in for today, but know that if I go out, and he DOES come I will end up being told I didn't wait in for the appointment and will have to wait for the whole thing to be rescheduled.

So, sincerest thanks to Axis for wasting away yet another of my days of annual leave on a no show, pointless exercise of a failed appointment. But don't worry, I will get up early tomorrow to contact my work and ask them for ANOTHER day of annual leave to wait in again for the contractor to show up.

One or two failed appointments is one thing, but over the past few years I have genuinely wasted WEEKS of my annual leave waiting in for contractors, from Axis and other L&Q appointed contractors, and quite frankly I am fed up of the whole matter now.

Sincerely yours
Fed Up