New - The things that really annoy you

[Wolf Hunting]

We have British Gas Homecare but the boiler is about 13 years old now. Every time they service it they warn us that it’ll be hard to get parts for it if something breaks.

We have an immersion switch in the airing cupboard (which I’ve never used nor do I understand how it works!) I presume I can get hot water via that if the boiler is knackered?

Sorry, only just saw this. Your immersion heater is dead simple.
If it's a simple basic one, you have your tank of water, on the outside of you tank is a dark brown round box about 3".
Coming out of that and down into your tank is a bright shiny metal tube, fairly thin. This is your element. When you switch it on, it'll radiate electricity and start to heat up your water. You can set the temperature to how hot you want it it.
There's a bit of a debate about this, basically if you set it very hot, you wont use it all, to say, fill a bath because it's so hot, you'll only use half and then fill it up with cold water, or you only heat it up to a comfortably warm temp and then use it all with minimal cold water.
You decide.
If it's better than a basic one, you'll have 2 switches, on that says 'Bath', one that says 'Sink'. This will mean you have 2 elements going down into your water tank. One is around 18" that'll just heat a couple of sinks but no more. Uses a lot less electricity, but only heats the top bit of your tank. The 2nd one is the long one for heating the main part as described.
We leave ours on all the time, but carefully set the thermostat so even though it's switched on, the stat cuts it out when it reaches the desired temp. So we always have hot water.

 

[lemonjelly]

looks like my dentist has gone bump. not entirely a surprise, and annoyed by the inconvenience more than anything else.
Noticed immediately prior to covid that staff turnover suddenly got high. had concerns. the dentist himself also seemed to become a bit tetchy/less caring. noticed more agency workers being there all the time.
Received some bizarre emails during covid. Haven't been for a while, mainly as I have a significant fear following treatment when a child.
Anyway, realised this week it has been too long. Thought I'd bite the bullet and book an appt. Now I have to locate another dentist!

 

[leedswolf]

Yeah, biting a bullet would need a dentist appointment.

 

[The Bear]

My dentist recently moved premises into my local town a couple of months ago. Then I had a letter last week off them saying that shortages of dentists meant they couldn't guarantee any NHS appointments, unless I signed up for a monthly subscription which had two tiers. £10 or £20. The lesser one had an additional fee per appointment.

Absolute shysters.

 

[Tyrannosaurus Dan]

My dentist recently closed too. Annoying.

 

[Langers]

Brum Christmas market (sorry to whoever posted about it on the other thread saying how much they enjoyed it!!)

I absolutely hate it - always have done. It's expensive, it's tacky as fuck, it's massively overcrowded and the beer is crap.

Annoyingly, we've just moved offices and we're now pretty close to it so it's unavoidable when I go out for a lunchtime walk.

 

[sycophantia]

Seems like a common theme with Dentists, mine started postponing appointments at short notice about 18 months ago (a friend of mine got hers postponed while she was in the waiting room with her 3 kids!) Then they closed a few months ago, recently re opened offering private only.
Luckily I managed to get in with another local dentist but only cos my DiL informed me they had spaces and I scored one.

 

[Tony Towner]

Yep, my dentist stopped NHS treatment this month and replaced it with a subscription model that effectively means you are paying circa £200 a year for a couple of check ups. I've found a new one, but they aren't plentiful

 

[Jack Regan]

Brum Christmas market (sorry to whoever posted about it on the other thread saying how much they enjoyed it!!)

I absolutely hate it - always have done. It's expensive, it's tacky as fuck, it's massively overcrowded and the beer is crap.

Annoyingly, we've just moved offices and we're now pretty close to it so it's unavoidable when I go out for a lunchtime walk.

Had a walk around the one in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester yesterday. So much overpriced shit that you could get for half the price anytime the rest of the year if you were so inclined.

 

[lemonjelly]

found a dentist and registered with them. They basically don't do any NHS work at all. Had to pay a deposit and book in for the first assessment. Having got this booked for 2 weeks time is apparently really good?

dentistry has basically become private now anyway, so elected to register with them and accept the consequences/costs.

 

[sycophantia]

found a dentist and registered with them. They basically don't do any NHS work at all. Had to pay a deposit and book in for the first assessment. Having got this booked for 2 weeks time is apparently really good?

dentistry has basically become private now anyway, so elected to register with them and accept the consequences/costs.

Don't blame anyone going private if they can afford it but it boils my piss that you have to.
I got lucky earlier this year and managed to find a new NHS dentist.

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

Don't blame anyone going private if they can afford it but it boils my piss that you have to.
I got lucky earlier this year and managed to find a new NHS dentist.

It's quite quietly happened too hasn't it?

It's how I envisage the NHS will go, just drip, drip, drip so it's not as noticeable.

 

[sycophantia]

It's quite quietly happened too hasn't it?

It's how I envisage the NHS will go, just drip, drip, drip so it's not as noticeable.

Unfortunately I think you're right, luckily I'll be dead before it gets bad enough to drive me nuts.

 

[EpsomWolf]

found a dentist and registered with them. They basically don't do any NHS work at all. Had to pay a deposit and book in for the first assessment. Having got this booked for 2 weeks time is apparently really good?

dentistry has basically become private now anyway, so elected to register with them and accept the consequences/costs.

Yep, same here. Hunted everywhere but absolutely no chance of finding an NHS. Think I had to pay about £80 for the initial assessment, then pay-as-you-go for treatment. Keep meaning to sign up to some sort of monthly plan so this is a reminder to get onto it.

There must be an awful lot of people who have just given up on dental care altogether. Shocking state of affairs.

 

[lemonjelly]

Yep, same here. Hunted everywhere but absolutely no chance of finding an NHS. Think I had to pay about £80 for the initial assessment, then pay-as-you-go for treatment. Keep meaning to sign up to some sort of monthly plan so this is a reminder to get onto it.

There must be an awful lot of people who have just given up on dental care altogether. Shocking state of affairs.

am currently busy researching the work dental plan they offer.

 

[Lupo]

Mrs Lupo let her dentist appointments lapse throughout the Covid era and probably hasn't had an appointment for 4/5 years now. A few months ago I tried to make an appointment for her when I had mine and they said they had struck her off for lack of appointments. She messaged me today to say she has managed to make an appointment at another practice in town for the end of January

 

[UKYankieWWFC]

Stupid question, I guess...
But when did the housing market drastically change?
After our visit home last week (which was wonderful), we had the "talk" of maybe moving back in 2025 after the kids graduate uni.
I went on a local Realtor site last night and was horrified at the cost to purchase a home.
Houses on the old street I lived in were upwards of 250k to 400k.
How do people even get on the housing ladder? At that cost I can't believe many people back home are purchasing houses...

 

[lemonjelly]

Wash your mouth out Ray! Realtor? Ffs!

 

[sycophantia]

Think house price v salary hasn't changed that much over recent years, the big issue for first time buyers is the amount of deposit required.
Also the recent big interest rises haven't helped.

 

[Paul]

Wash your mouth out Ray! Realtor? Ffs!

Ignore him mate, he's one step away from typing 'y'all', and then all hope is lost