Internet banking, technology and other such joys

So given that I am off to market this afternoon I thought that I would get some boring but necessary jobs done today. I thought that these would be achieved quickly and without many problems. Oh how wrong I have been.

Our house in the UK finally completed last week. Whilst it sold for considerably less than we had first thought it would go for we were just relieved to have it gone. We also have a flat in the UK that our sons currently live in. My plan was to pay off the mortgage, I hasten to add, that this is a small amount. Well after 3 phone calls to the building society and the same number to the bank I have only been partially successful. I have managed to pay off half today and will need to pay off the rest tomorrow. I will also have to make at least one further phone call tomorrow to the building society to gain a new redemption figure. In this age of computing and internet banking I would have expected for this to be simpler. Silly me.

I then needed to deal with our gas and electricity supplier. Now they have been a problem since we bought the house and they have not got any easier. So given we moved out in July very little gas and electricity has been used for the last 8 months. I keep getting automated emails asking for meter readings, however when I give them, the automated system tells me that I’m wrong. So today I thought that I’d deal with that one too. I logged into my account and looked for a way to contact them. This one I found almost unbelievable but apparently due to my account type there are no phone numbers that I can ring! I have sent an email to the person that was previously dealing with my complaint. That was another issue altogether!

On a roll I decided to sort out finalising the water account. According to the website this can be done on line. Not so neither! However a phone call actually got me through to a personable human who was able to take a final payment and close the account. These processes have taken over four hours. So I’m a little fed up with this.

My husband isn’t having the best day either. About 4 years ago we got a 3 piece suite free on Marketplace. It was iron framed and weighed an absolute tonne. He and a friend managed to manhandle it upstairs, our lounge is on the first floor. With the work we are now doing to the cottage the suite is no longer suitable, it was ripped and stained when we got it and was only intended as a stop-gap. My husband has now been working for 6 hours or more to take apart the sofa in order that he can bring it down. Only another few hours! Then there’s the chairs!

On a positive note I’m off to market shortly. I have managed to complete a couple of bags for impulse purchases and am now back working on my orders. How has your day gone? What surprises you when it doesn’t work in this modern age of technology?