Tuesday 26 June 2012

26th June 2012

One more piece of the jigsaw is now in place. Yesterday at 3pm we exchange contracts to buy or new home. The only thing really outstanding now in the overall plan is a school place for Kirsty. That is in process and we hope to hear in a couple of weeks time.

The exchange yesterday took ages and I was in contact with our seller quite regularly as we were getting different messages from our solicitors. Basically one of them was lying because we knew exactly what both of them were telling us. In the end though it got done and we will have the house on 27th July 2012.

The saga of the drainage DVD still goes on. It has still not arrived so I asked them again. I got an email reply, they have now sent 3 DVD's out and just do not know why they are not getting here. They said that the engineer would do another copy and drive it down to hand deliver today. I phoned them back and said not to bother, the report was Ok and we will be in King's Lynn in a few weeks and he could deliver it then. The supervisor was insistant that he would hand deliver it, I tried arguing but he would have none of it. So we will see if it turns up today.

Monday 18 June 2012

19th June 2012

5 weeks now until we move to King's Lynn and as each day passes I grow more tired and exhausted. We are also now half way through our stay with mum and dad having moved in 5 weeks ago, and although 5 weeks does not seem that long, to know we have only done half the time here makes it seems a long way away.

I am now getting fed up of my blow up bed, have to make it up each night and put it away each morning. I wake up have slept all night but my body feels like it has not slept in weeks.The constant trips across Enfield to get Kirsty and Craig to and from school or brownies is tiring whilst all along I am having to work and keep an eye on jobs that need doing.

It is harder than I thought it would be but I guess from my piont of view better than trying to complete and sale and purchase on a house at the same time. However I am very tired and a little bit short with the kids when they continue to expect me to fetch everything they need or want.

No more news on the Purcase of our property, we are all ready and I have no reason to chase it. We took Marion to see it last weekend and she loved it. We noticed the pointing outside had been done. Hopefully we will exchange contractes in a few weeks time with completetion near to end of July, that would be perfect.

Other than that it is work, kids, shopping, cooking etc but in more difficult circumstances than normal, shopping daily because there is not enough room to store a weeks shop, cooking meals around when my parents are having theirs, which changes every day. Cant wait to have a wardrobe again, living out of a suitcase is no fun, it seems I am just wearing the same clothes, recycling them as they get washed/dirty but as each day goes past it is a day nearer to moving and it will be really nice to be settled in one place once again.

Wednesday 13 June 2012

13th June 2012

Further on the drainage inspection report. The post arrived today but nothing regarding the inspection report. I phoned them again and my contact there was not in. Planned holiday or recovering from dealing with me, I am not sure. Anyhow I spoke to a new person but all she wanted to tell me was they had not received it either and could not do anything until they did.

I told her I understood this and tried to take her through the story but she seemed uninterested. I got a bit firmer with her as I was getting frustrated now, I really felt like I was getting fobbed off and I got put through to her manager. Anyhow a quick chat to him and he contacted the engineer. My copy was put in post yesterday this was confirmed, although I still do not believe it. I wonder what postal service the engineer is using as so far nothing has been delivered.

Anyhow what he did agree to do was email the report to the person I was speaking to (manager). The manager told me this and said as soon as it was received he would forward to me.

I waited but not expecting anything. Anyhow two hours later an email arrived with the report attached. I opened it eagerly looking forward to reading through this extensive report, which no one could tell me about, or email me about or even get delivered by post.

I started at the top, it had the addresses on there, date and job number. Underneath this it said:

FINDINGS: The investigation into the drain has identified that the line is in very good condition.

Then I laughed. That was the report, nothing else, no other words, paragraphs, explanations or anything. This is what I had waited 3 weeks for and what could not be discussed on the phone, emailed previously or posted from Norfolk to London.

Now don't get me wrong I happy with the findings, it means we have no problems, but surely someone could have read that out over the phone to me 3 weeks ago.

A call to BT was next regarding some microfilters missing from our broadband delivery, which were re ordered but have yet to arrive, that though is another story.

Tuesday 12 June 2012

12th June 2012

How difficult would it be to get a drainage inspection done and report I asked the drainage inspection company on 15th May 2012 following something highlighted on the survey that suggested there might be a problem with the drains. The nice lady at the other end said no problem at all, we can schedule the job for you and within 1 week you will have a DVD and full report.

Excellant I said and paid her the money. Inspection was booked in for 22nd May 2012. They did not show up. It was rearranged for 24th May. Once again a job overun and they could not do it. They finally inspected the drains on Friday 25th May 2012.

So we waited for the report. One week on 1st June 2012 came and went but nothing was recieved. No problem I thought we are in no rush.

However come Wednesday 6th June 2012 and still nothing received I thought something might be wrong. So I contacted them. After holding for a while and waiting for people to ring me back I found out report would be emailed to them that day and then onto me.

So we waited again. Nothing received by next day Thursday 6th so I rung back. This time was told that engineers computer was being fixed so it would be sometime later. He had put copy in post to company 26th May 2012 so they should have that. No they did not.

So we waited again. Monday 11th June I rang back again, surely his computer was fixed now. It appears not but due to this he has put another copy of the report in the post to the company, on receipt they would scan and email to me. He confirmed it was posted to them first class.

So we waited again. Tuesday afternoon 12th June still nothing so I rung again. The report had not arrived with them yet. So I got quite angry now, although it does not really affect anything, I would like to see the report before we exchange. After much discussion it appears the reports are not emailable anyway. I think they make alot of things up. They told me it was top priority, on receipt they would post off to me. I then suggested they should contact the engineer and tell him to send me the report and DVD direct, today, first class post. They agreed to ask for this.

Something smells funny here, and I hope it is not the drains.

Friday 8 June 2012

8th June 2012

We have spent the week up in King's Lynn in our rental house. It has been a great week and nice to spend some time up here other than just weekends. Weather has not been great but then again it has not been that good in London either.

We have visited Hunstanton Beach, Kirsty had a donkey ride and we ended that trip with an awful Fish and Chip dinner. We also went to Langhams Glass Factory and that was a great afternoon. Wells at Sea was a disappointment, the beach is a long way from the town, so you either park down there and walk back or park in town and walk down. Either way it is a long walk.

We also had a trip to Norwich, mainly to try and get Helens Iphone fixed. The apple store could not do anything, but Norwich was great to look around, very good shops.

Best thing though is the traffic, you can get to places with no problems at all, even half term and bank holidays. I cannot tell you how much better that makes me feel, London just puts you off going out anywhere for fear of getting stuck in a traffic jam.

We have treated ourselves to a new 42 inch TV. The 32 inch one we had was making an annoying hum and we had promised ourselves a new one in the new home, but we saw an offer on in Argos and it was too good to turn down.

The house move seems to be going ok. We have signed our contract and returned it to the solicitor. I had an email from our seller, they have carried out the works we asked them to do, they are just waiting for their seller to return the fixtures and fittings forms and then we should be good to go.

The rental property is lovely, not as good as the house we are buying but still good enough and I am quite happy to live here if there is any problems with our Purchase. Not that there should be but well you never know.

Back to London tonight, as Craig has revision session at school tomorrow, also Helen and Kirsty are back to work and school respectively.

Another 6 weeks and we will live in Kings Lynn permanently. Cant wait.