Latest Moan From You and Me 2025

Trying to pay Council Tax - doesn't work online nor on the phone. Reason given - Account no. not valid. Contact Us ? No chance however you try. After hours on the phone and online I resorted to a letter asking what is going on. That will take a few days to get there and then a few more days for them to reply - if they bother of course. From now on, it will be a cheque in the post whether they like it or not. I thought councils were desperately short of money these days or is that yet just another of the many "worrying concerns" ???

 

OH took our newer car for a pre MOT service this morning. All is well tho it needed new front wipers and will need new front brakes in the NY. A sensor at th eback had taken to shrieking the moment we put it in reverse so chappy had a look - it was stuck on with double sided tape and had come loose! He's glued it in place now and all is quiet. 330€.

Just before Covid we had major storms here and the flooding washed away part of a bridge across the Lay on the way to the SM in Luçon. The only detour was an extra 8kms each way for 3 months which is fine as it was spring and I enjoyed seeing all the blossom and spring flowers but it was also confinement so I had to go on my own, every time and carry a paper to say why I was out to play. Never got stopped tho.

 

The energy companies will be able to force it on everyone once the smart meter rollout is complete. The longer us stragglers hold out, the better.

 

Well they can alter the pricing but they cant make you take part.

 

Do you not find direct debit easier.

 

Long overdue for an NHS dental check-up (last one 18 months ago) I rang my dental surgery a few days ago to make an appointment. My usual dentist had been on maternity leave since last July, has recently returned, but is working just a few part time hours. I was told there are no appointments available. I need treatment so asked if there was someone else I could see. The reply "oh, we can't do that but you can have a private appointment". So, the dentists are available for those but not for NHS patients.

 

They always have time for private patients, prices are a rip off, the car park round the back of where I go is for staff only.
I wont go into the kinds of cars that are parked there but not the kind of thing the average person can afford.
But they will always say the NHS doesn't pay them enough so they have to have private work.

 

@CanadianLori my electricity is 25.82p per kwh plus 38.4p pence a day standing charge. Sorry I can't convert that to Canadian cents, for some reason the internet will only give me dollars and my maths is too weak for my brain cells to cope with.

Of course there's our gas charges on top of that for the heating/water boiler (furnace).

 

Interesting. I saw someone from the US showing off their electricity bill on YouTube and it was a similar deal. The extra charges for delivery, taxes etc added up to more than was billed for the actual electricity used.
We complain about our standing charges here but I don't think it's got quite that bad yet.

 

I always pay by online banking - faster payments system. It would say on the bill what reference number you have to quote. They would not be able to refuse the money.

 

It’s not necessarily the dentist, @Sheal. All NHS dentists have a contract with the local health commissioning body ( I’ve long since lost track of whatever they now call themselves!) which specifies how much treatment they can provide. If they go over their limit, they don’t get paid. They do get money clawed back if they do less than contracted though.
In the ‘old days’, we could just treat as many patients as we had time for. Obviously that could be open to abuse, and these days, the local health people could end up bankrupted if everyone was able to get everything done that they needed. Basically, the current system is rationing in disguise, in my opinion.
If I was starting again, I’d seriously consider training as a plumber. Less stressful, and the outlay for equipment negligible! Probably more hygienic too!

 

At one time dentists working privately was almost non existent and NHS dentists managed to live on their wage then.

I thought as NHS patients we were entitled to treatment, even if it's not at the surgery we are registered with.

 

Thanks for your reply @Ergates. I didn't know there were limits on treatment. Unfortunately they don't bother explaining the situation to us as patients.

 

Heard my first Christmas song of the season in B&Q today. And the staff were singing along out of tune. Shopping is going to be pure misery from now on.

 

Ha! When it starts here there'll be French versions murdering songs, most of which are already irritating ear worm types. Good job I only shop once a week!