# The most frustrating thing you have encountered lately



## Spectric (28 Feb 2021)

Ok, whats the most frustrating thing you have encountered lately that has consumed more time than you could have imagined but initially you thought it will be simple, I don't mean partners, pets or the like but task, projects and manmade items?

For me it is a so called smart phone that has become a real PITA, more so because I do not use mobile phones on a regular basis and only carry a very basic one for emergencies, but I needed a device for navigation when out walking and looking for specific locations when in out of the way places, all it has to do is basically receive data from a Ublox GNSS receiver and display it on a map so not asking for too much or so I thought. My current device is 14 years old and and very usable so you imagine things have progressed since it came onto the market, but no what benefits they now offer are offset in other areas . So my first problem is that I struggled with the tappy, tappy - swipe swipe thing needed for touch screens on these devices, not having thin pointy fingers does not help but after many hours of painstaking trying progress was sort of made. But this was just the start of a string of issues that would need resolving, loading the program I needed seemed relatively simple but soon I realised that was just Google giving me false hopes, I could not locate where my files were within the device and so could not copy the ones I needed to use, but they were there somewhere. Got some further info from a guy in the states who knew the Android OS inside out and he explained that the smart phone is great for those into social media, making phone calls, texting and sharing pictures which is what the majority use it for but if you fall outside of these groups then you will meet the restrictions imposed by Google who only allow it to do what they deem it should, talk about big brother and this stuff is being integrated into new cars! For me copying and moving files is a basic requirement in any field of IT so whats the problem with Android?

I was directed to another site that explained the solution, I needed to root my device and that did not mean putting it into potting compost. Has anyone heard of rooting their phone because it is not a term I had heard of before but then I am not a mobile phone user and being of the baby boom generation I avoid much of this social interaction technology found on these devices. Well after more hours of digging around I found that rooting is what a lot of people do to Android devices to free them from the restrictions imposed by google and give you full access, files will no longer be hidden and there is a lot more you could do, so why why make life so difficult at all, it is like buying a new car but you cannot open the bonnet, sealed by the OEM and only they have access. Well this process has taken hours to perform and was like going back to the days of DOS in the eighties with a command line interface. I have over forty years working in electrical, electronics and software in many fields including R&D but have never come across such a stubborn, unfreindly and uncooperative device like this thing, it just fights you all the way and loves to throw obstacles in your way, so how do so many people become addicted to such a device, perhaps it's just my age but you can teach old dogs new tricks but with age comes wisdom so it is more a case of we don't always want or need new tricks. So when I though woodworking was going to be a major challenge and give me some hard times little did I realise something as small and insignificant as this mobile device would be many magnitudes greater.


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## D_W (28 Feb 2021)

Yesterday, the credit card company called to tell me that my card had a suspicious charge and they would send me another one. After farting around with them for several minutes, they said they couldn't verify that it's me because my phone is voip. Wtf...Why don't you ask first instead of dic-ing me around for ten minutes. I asked them to send me some sort of paper method to contest the charge.

..No, can't do that. I said, I have no legal obligation for the charge and I'll send you a certified legal letter if that's what this comes down to, and I'll stop using the card.

Instead, they want me to sit in front of my phone, take a picture of myself holding my drivers license visible and send it to them with a secret code number and then call them back. And, no, it's not even a scam, it's their stupid procedure. Synchrony bank. I've been through it with them before. Voip phones over internet have probably been out for ten years and I have no problems with anyone but them.

So, I tell the lady to patch me through to someone who can make a decision, and she forwards my call to her manager, and heshe never picks up. 

The whole time, she's mumbling that all of the trouble is for my benefit, which is bs, as private individuals on the US are not responsible for anything over 50 bucks of credit card fraudulent charges. The automated system calls me later in the day yesterday and I tried to use that instead of an agent and it automatically hung up.


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## paulrbarnard (28 Feb 2021)

Does a wife count?


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## D_W (28 Feb 2021)

You're right. That's definitely worse than customer service.


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## PhilipL (28 Feb 2021)

A small outfit in Hillsborough, NI were going to make moulding for my front door. They were contacted way back in November and were going to come and view. They never did, but said they were busy. I suggested I send a bit of moulding off to them at the end of January (getting worried about timescale for house sale) and they said, yes do that. I said if they were busy I could get the moulding fitted etc. Couple of weeks later I then asked what was happening, and they said they would sort it in a few days. Two weeks later they went into hiding and never answered emails. Couldn't find a phone number anywhere for them (was that a sign they often hide out?)

My feeling is that I and many others would just think that small crafts people are wasters and there's no point in asking them to do anything. They give the small craft businessman a bad name - do you deserve it?


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## Jelly (28 Feb 2021)

I suppose the issue is that you're coming in with s much greater level of understanding (and desire for a level of control) than the system was designed to be optimal for.

Android has been designed with a set of constraints which makes it quick and easy to produce programs which do the kinds of things that Google anticipates a user would want, but if you as a developer attempt to step outside that it's just infuriating.



I've had much the same issue playing with home automation equipment designed to use wi-fi/ZigBee via Various apps (or an onsite server).

Fundimentally the equipment is designed to be very easy to configure and use for someone who is non-technical, and the slightly more involved equipment which is intended to be wired in isn't designed with existing installations, (or British electrical wiring conventions) in mind...

After years working with PLC and HMI, I keep being irritated that it's impossible to exert granular control over relatively simple things without either fully committing to computer control via a cloud service or re-wiring things in fairly major ways to use only smart switching.

But realistically, I'm being more exacting than the average consumer in my desired outcome.


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## stuckinthemud (28 Feb 2021)

I am a luddite, if I want a window to open , I go an open it, if its cold I go and turn the heating on. My main concern (and I am not into conspiracy theories) is that companies like Google are leading/cajoling/leaving no option for everyone to store everything online, once everything depends on their services they become untouchable. Just ask the Australians what happens if you cross them.


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## Terry - Somerset (28 Feb 2021)

Phones are now intended to be intuitive devices, capable of operation by anyone with a new style brain. Those over 60 have old style brains.

An analogy - I and many others on this forum grew up at a time when every bloke knew how to fix his car. In the event of "no go", lift the bonnet, check fuel, spark, compression etc etc.

New style brain car users assume that if something is wrong the car will tell them. They don't even know how the bonnet opens. Servicing is what the garage when the owner is told it is due.

Applying an old style brain to a modern car means that whilst opening the bonnet may be simple, the rest is an incomprehensible mess of interconnected and interrelated sensors and ECUs. 

Young lads tuning motors - big exhaust, high lift cam, gas flowed inlet and exhaust, etc etc - is mostly history. They don't understand and nor do they need to.

So it is with phones - they are designed to work with new style brains - even though the intellect behind the new style brain is woefully deficient. They are not designed forr amateurs to tinker with.

This is probably why woodwork is our hobby - we can actually play with the machines and tools like we did in our yoof, and avoid reliance on Ikea!


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## Jelly (28 Feb 2021)

stuckinthemud said:


> I am a luddite, if I want a window to open , I go an open it, if its cold I go and turn the heating on. My main concern (and I am not into conspiracy theories) is that companies like Google are leading/cajoling/leaving no option for everyone to store everything online, once everything depends on their services they become untouchable. Just ask the Australians what happens if you cross them.



That's what irritates me, it's currently nigh on impossible to avoid being dependent on the internet and expensive to avoid a situation where the functionality of normal "dumb" switch operation is compromised.

I suspect it's more lazy thinking than malice aforethought, but I'm really not keen on any system which doesn't just work normally with the smart elements inactive.


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## selectortone (28 Feb 2021)

The smartest thing in my house is the cat.


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## EddyCurrent (28 Feb 2021)

People selling stuff where it's collection only, I thought we were in a lockdown ?

Does it qualify as "click and collect" ?


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## Jelly (28 Feb 2021)

Terry - Somerset said:


> New style brain car users assume that if something is wrong the car will tell them. They don't even know how the bonnet opens. Servicing is what the garage when the owner is told it is due.
> 
> Applying an old style brain to a modern car means that whilst opening the bonnet may be simple, the rest is an incomprehensible mess of interconnected and interrelated sensors and ECUs.



So I'm definitely in the "New Style Brain" Bracket, but have also always serviced my own cars...

There is a reasonable amount of control electronics, sensors and wiring which makes diagnosis more complex and car specific (I have stuck to Ford and PSA cars, because I've learned the "Architecture" of their Common-Rail Diesels) but it's still pretty straightforward...

Just like a fully mechanical engine reading the workshop manuals and understanding the systems is more than half the battle and there's a lot more systems in an engine these days.

Albeit the push towards ever smaller "packaging" makes some engines a nightmare to work on and sometimes needing a proprietary plug-in cable and laptop, for things like replacing injectors or calibrating sensors is a right pipper and a bit of an irritating expense if you work on multiple engine types/generations.





Terry - Somerset said:


> Young lads tuning motors - big exhaust, high lift cam, gas flowed inlet and exhaust, etc etc - is mostly history. They don't understand and nor do they need to.



I could point you to any number of supermarket car-parks full of lads who would be only too keen to prove you wrong on that... Although forced induction is definitely de-rigeur now, so understanding how to select between and spec a turbo or supercharger is now important for any serious modification hobby.

And there's a garage near me which sometimes offers DIY rolling road time to lads like that to tune up the engine performance using ECU modification, which is really quite nifty stuff giving frankly terrifying power outputs if they want to push it that far.


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## Terrytpot (28 Feb 2021)

Back in 2009 I had ,what was for it's time a groundbreaking phone, the HTC HD2 which was sold running on windows mobile 6.5 but after some jolly clever folks on xda developers applied their thinking caps , we were all able to install and run pretty much any operating system we wanted to either replace or work in tandem with windows mobile. Having grabbed one as soon as it came out I was rather disappointed with it's native software so was quite pleased that the option of changing it was not only possible but also rather easy to do. I had my fun with it and learned quite a bit about tinkering with gadgets but eventually moved on to other types of device that seemed to me to be more "stable". 
Now jump forward to last year when I see a little post on the interwebby somewhere that I could pick up a refurbed HD2 for £10...how could I refuse? I still had my original one (even though I'd been offered £50 for it 5 years ago but declined the offer) and thought I wouldn't mind having a trip down memory lane and seeing how it compares to my current device (iPhone 11pro). HD2 promptly ordered and received and then it was time to wipe her clean and load it up with mmm, let me see...what did they make for it?

Android (versions 2.2 Froyo, 2.3 Gingerbread, 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich, 4.1 Jelly Bean, 4.2 Jelly Bean, 4.3 Jellybean, 4.4 Kitkat, 5.0 Lollipop, 6.0 Marshmallow and 7.0 Nougat), Ubuntu, MeeGo and Windows Phone have all been unofficially ported to the HD2. In addition, many customised versions of Windows Mobile are available for the device, with versions 6.1,[20] 6.5,[21] 6.5.3 and 6.5.5 available.

at least,that's what they used to have available for it...turns out there aren't any live links now for all the stuff you need to install any of those!!! doh! (now got 2x HD2 in my cupboard for when I get bored and want to try again)


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## Sandyn (28 Feb 2021)

Buying anything!!! there are just too many sources for everything. Just simple things like coach bolts for example. I have to check Screwfix, Toolstation. Amazon, eBay, then a general search on the web, then pack sizes are different, different finishes, Web searches are generally useless. Every conceivable item with bolt, or coach in it's description is thrown at you. Then I have to go through my shopping list to see what else I need to get since I will be placing a order somewhere....repeat search for all the other items, then there's an anxious think session....is the anything else I need to buy??, but I'm very aware that Toolstation was the only place with all the coach bolts I need, but someone might place an order while I have my think session!!!! Lately, I have just been checking local suppliers where I can click and collect. Nearly always I get home after collecting the items and I remember another thing I need and should have got.!!


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## Spectric (28 Feb 2021)

Jelly said:


> I've had much the same issue playing with home automation equipment designed to use wi-fi/ZigBee via Various apps (or an onsite server).


I can fully understand because these days people don't sell complete puzzles but bits from many different puzzles and down to you to make them fit. Is it going wrong in the process of simplification or just that engineering standards are sliding. 



Terry - Somerset said:


> Phones are now intended to be intuitive devices, capable of operation by anyone with a new style brain. Those over 60 have old style brains.


I would suggest it is more like over fifty, and as you say we had cars that could be fixed, simple carburation and a dizzy but often needed welding, now they have displays that tell you the door is open, that would have been obvious to us with old brains!


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## Amateur (28 Feb 2021)

sub quality Chinese ply, paper thin show face, debonds and insufficient glueline and rigidity and why suppliers keep insisting stocking it at sky high top grade prices.


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## Amateur (28 Feb 2021)

and getting that bloody tab off HP brown sauce bottle that you access by unscrewing the cap and then attempting to pull it off..........brown sauce all over my Sunday shirt, trousers, floor and pipper all on my bacon sarnie!


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## Nigel Burden (28 Feb 2021)

Too many to list. According to my wife, life is one big irritation to me. Apparently I'm just like Siegfried Farnon in All Creatures Great and Small.

Nigel.


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## Nigel Burden (28 Feb 2021)

Now the bleddy speakers on the computer won't adjust, and the wife said that she'd rather not listen to The Byrds. Apparently she can hear them even though I have ear phones plugged in.

Nigel.


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## Jelly (1 Mar 2021)

Spectric said:


> I can fully understand because these days people don't sell complete puzzles but bits from many different puzzles and down to you to make them fit. Is it going wrong in the process of simplification or just that engineering standards are sliding.



I think it's the simplification process, the individual products are well built and function as intended, but a lack of contact between smart home technology developers, and the kind of installers or users who would undertake a retrofit application, means basic functionality for core applications doesn't exist yet.

For instance there's no product on the market which allows for integration of a smart switch with multi-way light switches without either:


Replacing the wall switches with smart switches connected by 12v DC signalling and/or WiFi or ZigBee and an external server to a seperate smart relay, or
Using a smart relay which is independent of the wall switches and cannot be turned off without an app/smart speaker and will fail on, or
Using a smart relay to control a dumb NO-NC relay configured to act as an intermediate switch, and accepting that the smart home system cannot sense the state of the light it's controlling because there's no feedback loop, not any provision for an independent state sensor to be integrated with the switch in the control software.
Muktiway switching of ceiling roses is 100% a solved problem, and it should not require a major rewire and ceading control of my lights to a cloud service to maintain that basic functionality when adding "smart" control.


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## 1steven (1 Mar 2021)

Probate solicitors


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## Skydivermel (1 Mar 2021)

Apple.
Their very good at selling you a product that solves a problem that you don't have.


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## BHwoodworking (1 Mar 2021)

P&P on web ordering bowl blanks.

failing that, school. or rather lack of. i miss being able to legally see my mates............


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## segovia (1 Mar 2021)

Dealing with suppliers for Commercial Energy Contracts, I have some rented commercial property that had their gas and electric supplied erroneously transferred to Yu energy. It took me 5 months to get the supply back but they are insisting on payment for the period it was with them, grossly overcharged daily meter charge bt 2000%. Annual services charges and fees over £3000.00 a year before I even used any Gas and Electricity. Yu Energy is the devil in disguise, a load of lying thieving scumbags.


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## MikeJhn (10 Mar 2021)

An E-bay purchase that has not been delivered, the sender managed to get hold of a Royal Mail delivery notification that was GB registered but the item was coming from the EU, no Customs documentation or import duty, or proof of postage, but Paypal dismissed all of that and closed the case in favour of the sender, this is now with the Financial Ombudsman for resolution, can't even begin to estimate how many hours I have spent on this.


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## TRITON (10 Mar 2021)

Headset on my computer. Its never been right, always I couldnt isolate the sound to just the headphones and always came via the tv speaker too. I could put up with that as I need to chat to team, NOW, I've somehow managed to isolate the TV speaker, but im only getting it in my ear as mono, and the microphone is fubar.
Alienware gaming system and razer gaming headset. It should work off the bat, but it just doesnt.


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## scooby (10 Mar 2021)

I'm in my mid 40's and recently got my first pair of glasses. I go to almost 'master criminal' levels of avoiding touching the lenses but they always seem to be smudged to death. 

I'm seriously considering chucking them out of the nearest window and giving up reading.


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## D_W (10 Mar 2021)

Short on sleep due to some pressing things at work - about an hour and a half before my alarm this morning, wake up and hear a dog barking in a suburban neighborhood. WTF. 

goes on for a couple of minutes. About 10 minutes later, I'm starting to fall asleep and someone lets the dog out again and I'm awake. have to wizz too bad to get back to sleep. 

F- them. This is at 6am after I worked late last night. 

Some areas (rural) a dog barking outside isn't unusual. In the burbs here, if there's a dog barking, it's one out of 350 houses in the neighborhood. Funny how when you go without it for so long when someone leaves a dog out then you can't sleep through it.


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## D_W (10 Mar 2021)

scooby said:


> I'm in my mid 40's and recently got my first pair of glasses. I go to almost 'master criminal' levels of avoiding touching the lenses but they always seem to be smudged to death.
> 
> I'm seriously considering chucking them out of the nearest window and giving up reading.



inexpensive microfiber cloth. You'll be shocked how fast one of those grabs every bit of grease you can get it in contact with on glasses.

Just make sure it's clean.


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## D_W (10 Mar 2021)

same boat, by the way - better than 20/20 vision at distance and close up is still at least 20/20, but eye strain due to age. Needed 0.5 script and filthy glasses was constant.


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## TRITON (11 Mar 2021)

My specs are always smudged, in fact sometimes theyre pretty filthy and i wonder how I manage when i do notice and clean them.
Just doesnt seem to bother me


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## Keith 66 (11 Mar 2021)

1steven said:


> Probate solicitors


I didnt use solicitors for my parents probate as i applied for probate myself. It was time consuming but not difficult.

But selling their house afterwards has been the biggest most royal pain in the harris ever. Buyers that ponce about & dither then back out, solicitors that ignore all communication & lose the same documents not once but twice. Buyers that have 5 months to make their mind up then just as we have the contracts ready to sign & exchange start quibbling about will the boiler start or not on a place that really needs knocking flat & start asking for more money knocked off. Selling houses must be the worst!


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## flying haggis (11 Mar 2021)

Amateur said:


> and getting that bloody tab off HP brown sauce bottle that you access by unscrewing the cap and then attempting to pull it off..........brown sauce all over my Sunday shirt, trousers, floor and pipper all on my bacon sarnie!


i always prise those foil seals off with a fork tine, the tiny tab always breaks


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## tomlt (11 Mar 2021)

MikeJhn said:


> An E-bay purchase that has not been delivered, the sender managed to get hold of a Royal Mail delivery notification that was GB registered but the item was coming from the EU, no Customs documentation or import duty, or proof of postage, but Paypal dismissed all of that and closed the case in favour of the sender, this is now with the Financial Ombudsman for resolution, can't even begin to estimate how many hours I have spent on this.



I wish you the best of luck with that, don't expect it to be quick, I'm almost at 3yrs in to a case for £3850 paid for a forklift which never arrived and turned out to be a scam. PayPal have tried everything to wriggle out of my section 75 consumer credit act claim, and despite getting judgement in my favour from the ombudsman in January 2021, they still haven't paid up!


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## AFFF (12 Mar 2021)

D_W said:


> inexpensive microfiber cloth. You'll be shocked how fast one of those grabs every bit of grease you can get it in contact with on glasses.
> 
> Just make sure it's clean.


Combined with isopropyl alcohol. Your lenses will be crystal clear


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## AFFF (12 Mar 2021)

1steven said:


> Probate solicitors


Totally agree! I did my mother's estate probate after asking the "family" solicitor for a quote to do it. The guy wouldn't give me a figure. He told me that probate is far too complex to be able to give a fixed price on. I suggested that maybe a fixed percentage of the estate value would be the way to go. No, he still wanted me to effectively write out a blank cheque. So I did it myself. Its not complicated, just takes a bit of time to do the paperwork. To add insult to injury the solicitor then tried to charge me for the consultation over probate procedure. Needless to say we don't use him anymore


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## Lons (12 Mar 2021)

Skydivermel said:


> Apple.
> Their very good at selling you a product that solves a problem that you don't have.


+1 but for a different reason, 

Pleasant young lady at the tech desk puts my less than 2 year old iphone 7 through diagnosis and with a smile on her face says" sorry sir but it has a hardware fault" I bl**dy know that, been through the processes and the 'phone calls and the damn thing has the same fault that in the USA and Asia markets Apple are replacing 'phones up to 4 years old due to a faulty component. 
"Yes but this is a UK phone with different hardware and doesn't apply". Pigs might fly I think so speak to the manager, no joy I ask what are my options what cost to repair? " Not economically viable sir, you could get a refurbished replacement for £350 but definitely don't recommend that", 
What if I part exchanged it for a new iphone 12 mini? "Sorry sir the phone is rubber ducked no chance of part ex you'll have to buy a 'phone from the shop here at £699". 
OK I'm a longstanding Apple customer, several 'phones every couple of years, ipads, watch etc, what discount can you offer me? " No discount sir it will cost you £699.

Emails to the UK MD and 'phone conversations follow with no solutions offered whatsoever so they will never get another sale of any kind out of me even if that means rows with the missus 'cos she's going android like it or lump it.


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## GuitardoctorW7 (12 Mar 2021)

Lons said:


> +1 but for a different reason,
> 
> Pleasant young lady at the tech desk puts my less than 2 year old iphone 7 through diagnosis and with a smile on her face says" sorry sir but it has a hardware fault" I bl**dy know that, been through the processes and the 'phone calls and the damn thing has the same fault that in the USA and Asia markets Apple are replacing 'phones up to 4 years old due to a faulty component.
> "Yes but this is a UK phone with different hardware and doesn't apply". Pigs might fly I think so speak to the manager, no joy I ask what are my options what cost to repair? " Not economically viable sir, you could get a refurbished replacement for £350 but definitely don't recommend that",
> ...


Was this an Apple store? Apple are very good at honouring a little known caveat of UK consumer law which basically states that goods must have a "reasonable merchantable life". If you check the Apple UK website they deem this to be 6 years. My laptop had a faulty screen at the 4 year mark. Apple arranged for collection and delivery to inspect it and warned me it could cost £440 to repair. Got it back with a 3 day turnaround, new screen and no charge. Several of my colleagues in my day job have had similar experiences.


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## Jameshow (12 Mar 2021)

Estate agents.... 

I searched are all estate agents ....was looking for on Rightmove but the suggestion was liars! 

We had an offer accepted on a house and two weeks later the seller pulled out probably got a better offer... Thankfully the searches hadn't been ordered ..! 

Solicitor hadn't drafted a memorandum of sale so we had no comeback. 

Frustrating.... 

Cheers James


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## Lons (12 Mar 2021)

GuitardoctorW7 said:


> Was this an Apple store? Apple are very good at honouring a little known caveat of UK consumer law which basically states that goods must have a "reasonable merchantable life". If you check the Apple UK website they deem this to be 6 years. My laptop had a faulty screen at the 4 year mark. Apple arranged for collection and delivery to inspect it and warned me it could cost £440 to repair. Got it back with a 3 day turnaround, new screen and no charge. Several of my colleagues in my day job have had similar experiences.


Thanks for posting that info I have heard of that law somewhere but it never crossed my mind tbh, the 'phone is otherwise immaculate so no misuse or accidental damage, I'll look into that and pen another email to the MD, I may even copy it to the CEO in the US so he knows I'm serious.

The phone was examined in the Apple store after the customer service guys on the 'phone couldn't resolve the issue, the people are great to deal with but just wouldn't budge in any direction, the crazy thing is that I would have bought 2 x Iphone 12 mini had they offered me a deal as my wife really fancied one.


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## Terrytpot (12 Mar 2021)

Lons said:


> ..the customer service guys on the 'phone couldn't resolve the issue...


In all my "gadget" dealings similar to this I've always found it pretty frustrating not immediately getting the response I was fairly sure I was going to get but persistence is nearly always the solution. Try,try and try again either elsewhere or even at the same place, quite often all you need is just a different person to speak to. The important part to remember though is to not lose your cool and take a stance that is detrimental to yourself. By all means,give the impression that you're very upset and about to do something rash but dont follow up on it. Hang up/walk away, then start over again. Bear in mind that telling someone they've "pee'd on your chips" and you don't want to play with them anymore is akin to taking poison yourself and then waiting for the individual who's upset you to keel over...it don't work that way


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## Lons (12 Mar 2021)

Terrytpot said:


> In all my "gadget" dealings similar to this I've always found it pretty frustrating not immediately getting the response I was fairly sure I was going to get but persistence is nearly always the solution. Try,try and try again either elsewhere or even at the same place, quite often all you need is just a different person to speak to. The important part to remember though is to not lose your cool and take a stance that is detrimental to yourself. By all means,give the impression that you're very upset and about to do something rash but dont follow up on it. Hang up/walk away, then start over again. Bear in mind that telling someone they've "pee'd on your chips" and you don't want to play with them anymore is akin to taking poison yourself and then waiting for the individual who's upset you to keel over...it don't work that way


In my case Terry I was very careful how I handled it, after the shop visit I emailed the MD direct with a very politely worded letter praising the staff attitude in general but wondered if company policy tied their hands or had it been an error, reputable company, loyal customer etc etc. I got a phone call within 2 days from Ireland customer services promising to investigate and sure he could sort something out for me, another call 2 days later saying sorry nothing can be done so another letter to the MD followed by another phone call and again nothing at all offered no repair, part ex or discount so a final letter to the MD again all polite but saying it was highly unlikely I would buy again and I was disappointed with an apparent lack of support to a long standing customer, got an email from customer services thanking me for feedback. I didn't really burn any bridges as I've been around long enough to know how it works and that under normal circumstances it's best to go straight to the top as long as it's in the right manner.

I am going to pursue it again now in light of the "merchantable quality" advice.


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## moosepig (12 Mar 2021)

Got £699 to spare? Apple fan? Why not buy...

...some wheels. Wheels! Seriously, £699 for 4 wheels!!!









Apple Mac Pro Wheels Kit


Put your Mac Pro on wheels with the Mac Pro Wheels Kit. The custom-designed stainless steel and rubber wheels make it easy to move your Mac Pro around, whether sliding it out from under your desk or across your studio.



www.apple.com


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## Spectric (12 Mar 2021)

Hi all

Heres one, the automated phone answering system where you get a message and a choice of which button you need to pick. The worst ones have many levels and get it wrong or you are out of hours and you get droped, need to start over again. And don't forget the noise that they play whilst you wait, it is often better on the sales side than on you wanting something where the aim is to drive you away. What is wrong with a nice freindly person who can help?


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## Lons (12 Mar 2021)

Spectric said:


> What is wrong with a nice freindly person who can help?



They cost money!


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## Jelly (13 Mar 2021)

Jameshow said:


> Estate agents....
> 
> I searched are all estate agents ....was looking for on Rightmove but the suggestion was liars!
> 
> ...



I spoke to my solicitor about preventing exactly this kind of thing when buying my house, as there had been a lot of interest...

Apparently unless the seller accepts some form of "consideration" (such as a deposit, or you providing some other valuable service to them) then it's effectively impossible to enforce a sale agreement as being contractually binding, even if purely for the purpose of claiming liquidated damages for losses on things like searches or surveys.

His exact words were "if you still want one, I'll happily take your money and draft it, as long as you understand you're wasting the money."; I really like that firm of solicitors, both times they've acted for me they really cut through to the heart of the issues.


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## TomTheToolMan (13 Mar 2021)

AFFF said:


> Combined with isopropyl alcohol. Your lenses will be crystal clear


Using isopropyl alcohol is not advised by the s manufacturers. It removes coatings and can also cause lenses to craze or cracks propagate around drill holes. Little bit soap and water is best


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## Sheptonphil (13 Mar 2021)

TomTheToolMan said:


> Using isopropyl alcohol is not advised by the s manufacturers. It removes coatings and can also cause lenses to craze or cracks propagate around drill holes. Little bit soap and water is best


Constituent component of Boots spectacle cleansing wipes, ‘isopropyl alcohol 1%’


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## Cabinetman (13 Mar 2021)

Jelly said:


> I spoke to my solicitor about preventing exactly this kind of thing when buying my house, as there had been a lot of interest...
> 
> Apparently unless the seller accepts some form of "consideration" (such as a deposit, or you providing some other valuable service to them) then it's effectively impossible to enforce a sale agreement as being contractually binding, even if purely for the purpose of claiming liquidated damages for losses on things like searches or surveys.
> 
> His exact words were "if you still want one, I'll happily take your money and draft it, as long as you understand you're wasting the money."; I really like that firm of solicitors, both times they've acted for me they really cut through to the heart of the issues.


 Worse than them are online conveyancers/solicitors my solicitor sounds like yours he exists and is helpful and saves you time and money. The last house I sold, he was tearing his hair out as there were five in the chain and one was using an online firm, totally uncontactable totally useless and the removal vans were lined up three times on three separate days. I’m glad I wasn’t one of them, I wasn’t moving, I suppose they all had to pay for those non-existent moves?


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## Jelly (13 Mar 2021)

Cabinetman said:


> Worse than them are online conveyancers/solicitors my solicitor sounds like yours he exists and is helpful and saves you time and money. The last house I sold, he was tearing his hair out as there were five in the chain and one was using an online firm, totally uncontactable totally useless and the removal vans were lined up three times on three separate days. I’m glad I wasn’t one of them, I wasn’t moving, I suppose they all had to pay for those non-existent moves?



I've been involved in a number of projects dealing with business acquisitions and commercial property purchases and was shocked at how unnecessarily difficult the whole house sale process was by comparison to something far more complex.

My move was made difficult by the seller not knowing/disclosing basic facts about the house (like the fact it was leasehold!) which resulted in me having to amend my mortgage agreement twice with attendant delays, then made intolerable by an estate agent promising the buyer unrealistic completion dates etc without speaking to me, then trying to bully me into agreeing (even insisting at one point that I take out a loan to make it possible to meet a particular deadline for the buyer, something which would actually have jeapordised the mortgage agreement and sale).

In the end I wrote to the buyers to tell them if the estate agent contacted me again, the sale was off; and they should give me a do-or-die completion date through their solicitors... If I could do it on or before then I would, and if I couldn't then it was game over.


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## MikeJhn (13 Mar 2021)

House buying in the UK is very different to most other countries in the civilised world, once an offer has been made a cooling off period starts and it's very difficult to back out after that period, a deposit is paid witch is used to ensure a financial penalty if you back out, also once an offer has been accepted gazumping is illegal in most of these civilised countries, but estate agent fees are astronomical in comparison, 10% is not unusual.


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## Jelly (13 Mar 2021)

MikeJhn said:


> House buying in the UK is very different to most other countries in the civilised world, once an offer has been made a cooling off period starts and it's very difficult to back out after that period, a deposit is paid witch is used to ensure a financial penalty if you back out, also once an offer has been accepted gazumping is illegal in most of these civilised countries, but estate agent fees are astronomical in comparison, 10% is not unusual.



It's not even the whole UK which clings on to the confused mess we have...

In Scotland the concept of all the surveys being done upfront by the seller (with the seller carrying the financial risk of mis-selling) and the process of "the missives" which results in agreeing heads of terms and an abbreviated form of the final contract becoming binding at the offer stage, all makes it quicker simpler and less opaque.


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## Jameshow (13 Mar 2021)

I'm all for the Scottish method! 

There must be a market for an estate agent modelled on the Scottish model giving both buyers and sellers security. 

The modern auction method is the closest to it. 

Cheers James


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## HamsterJam (14 Mar 2021)

The fact that you need very few qualifications to be an Estate Agent likely explains the ineptitude of some. 

However my recent frustration is......builders/landscapers. 
In 2019, I cleared an area for a 3x4m log cabin and wanted someone to cast the concrete base for it. 
After several wasted months due to a couple of builders/landscapers agreeing to do the work and then not showing up, we hit lockdown. The work was finally started last autumn but it still isn’t finished. 
Appreciate lockdown is a huge problem for everyone but the lack of communication and broken promises is very frustrating.


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## Keith 66 (15 Mar 2021)

On the plus side though the solicitors have been poor the estate agent i used (Armistead Barnett) have been absolutely first class, highly professional & efficient. Nothing was too much trouble & they have gone above & beyond what anyone could expect in these times.


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## selectortone (15 Mar 2021)

Folding a king-size fitted sheet.


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## Amateur (19 Mar 2021)

Ordered strips and clips for bookshelf overnight.
Clips arrived No strips.
When they arrived three days later this was the packaging.
That was supposed to be a heavy tube.


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## Spectric (19 Mar 2021)

What about products that have the word "London" on them, everything from sanitary ware, bathroom/kitchen products to ordamental items?

My bathroom taps have the word "London" on them, so does my shower but none of them came from or were manufactured in London, why do the product manufacturers assume that people who do not live in London want the word "London" on their products, I would much prefer nothing just the brand. 

So are they hanging onto a past where they believe London means quality, or upmarket! To me London means overcrowded, overpolluted, over rated and over priced so it is not a selling point just they gave me no option.


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## MikeK (19 Mar 2021)

selectortone said:


> Folding a king-size fitted sheet.



This is the method I use for our king-size fitted sheets. This is not my video, but it would have been nice if I had seen something like it decades ago.

There is another method where the second corner merge is not done that works well on smaller sized sheets.


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## Amateur (19 Mar 2021)

MikeK said:


> This is the method I use for our king-size fitted sheets. This is not my video, but it would have been nice if I had seen something like it decades ago.
> 
> There is another method where the second corner merge is not done that works well on smaller sized sheets.




it's "Posh" if you have two or more sets.
Own only one set.
Take them off. Wash them and put them back on the bed.
No need to fold them.....
More room in the cupboards too...lol


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## D_W (6 Apr 2021)

People running around over the easter vacation screaming about washing hands and variants demanding that entire groups of vaccinated individuals (including them) must wear a mask if they're present, even though they're not hosting said events.


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