chewits - the debtquake monster is coming

nellypops

plenty of insane ppl here lol!

kissjenn

:rotfl:Insanity is good, it is the sign of an active and creative mind :rotfl:

Well the sugar highs of today still have me buzzing.

Made 1.5lb birthday cake and icing to go in and on cake of 1.25lb. Small boy was soooooo happy and bounced and bounced and bounced. 5'10" of dark, hairy tiggerlike bouncing.

Made Twinks Hobnobs. I will go and thank her straight after this. OH wonders if he can propose and cut out the middleman - any woman with hobnobs like that has to be his.

Made raspberry muffins. Used the frozen raspberries I got on offer from Mr T last week and they made the best muffins ever. Put them in at the last minute straight from the frezer and they just exploded with moist raspberry loveliness when you bit into them.

Yorkshire pussings were obviously designed by me to look like Yorkshire pancakes - admit I made a cockup - never!! They were eaten, but need to make fat even hotter next time...I do like firemen so either I get huge puddings or a man in uniform, decisions decisions.

Job front - dire. More layoffs coming in finance up here. So all these money saving ideas are fabby, 2nd NSD this week. We will get there.

Mad Husky having nap before foxy pops round.

Oh I did send an web email to Watchdog about the dodgy going on at Big Duncan's Gym. Edited highlights below

Phoned Gym in May 2009 to cancel membership, told the form we signed changed us to 3 months notice except in a medical case which was still 1 month. We had to get a GPs letter to qualify.
GPs letter sent May 2009 and letter received back offering us full and final settlement of £237.50 – which included a 20% discount if we paid within 7 days and never used facilities again.
Phoned to query figure and why medical evidence ignored.
Bannatyne’s response - We didn’t ignore medical evidence but it only counts for partner and would cost you more to cancel this way than normal cancellation. Why? A £75 admin fee is administered if you use medical clause – T&Cs say may charge a reasonable admin charge.
Why did you waste everybody’s time, including my GP’s to get a letter you don’t actually need or want. We don’t work out if its more or less expensive til you get the letter then we decide. We are within our rights to charge you the higher amount but we were trying to help you and you don’t appreciate it!
Where do you get the figure of £237.50 from? We don’t count the remainder of the month in which you give notice towards your notice. When T&Cs say 3 months notice at any time it means 3 full calendar months from the monthly payment date after you give notice. That’s how we interpret that clause in Bannatynes.
So stealth T&C changes, medical cancellation costs more than normal cancellation and 3 months notice can stretch to 4 months minus 1 day under the definitions used by Bannatyne’s admin team.
Contractually and ethically reprehensible.
Can you do anything?
Be interesting to see if either the Gym or Watchdog get back to us. Cancelled DD meantime, don't trust them at all now.

kissjenn

Just had to post a positive event. After much soul searching and a helpful kick up the bum here I did go back to my heavily in arrears tenants and say "Pay up or get out" (all legally etc etc) "because this is your problem with Housing Benefit not mine and you're sitting on your backside doing nothing."

HB have agreed two case this week so hopefully tomoz or Monday we get some desperately needed cash. I will update sig when I see how much and when - I'm such a saddo - it has to be in tomoz to count or I'll have to hold over until end June update....nooooooo

Even more positive is Councillor has now agreed this situation is untenable, I'm a good landlord and if they start losing people like us then the system will collapse. So hopefully things will improve.

kissjenn

Joined Grocery Challenge for first time. We spent a fortune, probably £200 - £300 a week on average, which having looked at MSE is outrageous. So for last 3 weeks we've menu planned and had no meals out or takeaways OMG! Thats actually pretty darn miraculous.

So tonight we all agreed; me, OH and DS to stick to £350 for all food, cleaning, toiletries and pet stuff this month. That will be about a 70% saving if we can manage it.

We also planned out our June menu - 30 dinners. Grandad comes every Saturday so Weasel-Friendly meals then.

Husky has even contributed because her number one favourite dog food is Lidl's own brand which works out at less than 30p all in!! Go Misha Obviously Foxy sees her as a cheap date.

:j:j:jFeel revved up and raring to go...:j:j:j

:o:oAnd tomorrow I'll do the filing:o:o:o

kissjenn

OK have to admit to filing not being done - yet but the night is still young.

Took OH to hospital appt and they confirmed he does need help from a clinical psychologist not an amateur telling him to think positively. Having been thro all this with him, I'm surprised there's not an automatic referral to a psychologist when you go blind. C'est la vie he's now on the waiting list which is grand.

Got some tupperware from Grandad's house today as home baking requires a home. Made fairy cakes (for small boy) Twinks hobnobs (for OH) and fresh fruit salad (for 5 a day). Homemade fish and chips tonight. I feel like an escapee from Little House on the Prairie!

About 50 ebay things finishing today and tomorrow so hopefully Monday will be busy packing and shipping.

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Hey KissJenn,

Congratulations on starting your diary, and well done for being so proactive!! Very impressive!

Well done for kicking bum on the rent arrears - you are not in a position to be mollycoddling people who aren't making an effort to get the situation sorted out, their financial problems are theirs, not yours. Harsh, but your main responsibility is for yourself and your family, not to provide free housing for people who aren't playing ball.

Keep up the good work, hope something comes up for you work-wise soon.

kissjenn

Thanks HOOS. I'm finding it very useful to have a virtual set of goals which I can be pulled up on. I'm so used to working to targets and plans in my normal life having it all suddenly disappear is quite disconcerting. BUT it's a good challenge and I'm really starting to enjoy it.

So this round up of this weeks to-do (with a tiny bit of Sunday available maybe still to go - not that I'm stalling or anything :rolleyes:).

1) [STRIKE]Sort out all filing in office (I hate filing)[/STRIKE] Done 30/05
2) [STRIKE]Ebay 10 items a day, 50 by next Saturday. (Fresh start must do) [/STRIKE] 48/50 items listed 27/05
3)[STRIKE] Pick one room and clear it out - tip, ebay, charity, freecycle, storage [/STRIKE]Partial over 2 rooms
4) [STRIKE]Draft arrears policy[/STRIKE] Draft done 30/05.
5) [STRIKE]Send P11D and latest final final "we'll tell your mum next" demands from HMRC to accountant[/STRIKE]Paperwork found will go in post 01/06
6) [STRIKE]8 Hours OU work and start next assignment[/STRIKE]Partial 2 hours
7) [STRIKE]Bring ebay spreadsheet up to date[/STRIKE] Paperwork found will update w/c 01/06
8) [STRIKE]Check Jobserve and speak to agent [/STRIKE]Nothing, bada, zip. Time for new plan (rustling noise as new plan unwrapped and paper falls to the floor)
9) Business Plan for DS
10) [STRIKE]Bake cake for small boy[/STRIKE] DOne 28/05
11) [STRIKE]Application form for RNIB library[/STRIKE] OH to ring RBIB again 01/06
12) [STRIKE]Pick up last bit of OH's prescription on Tuesday[/STRIKE]Done 27/05
13) [STRIKE]Plasterer Tues and [STRIKE]Thurs[/STRIKE][/STRIKE] Done 27/05 and 28/05
14) [STRIKE]Painter Thurs[/STRIKE] Done 28/05
15) [STRIKE]Architect Tues[/STRIKE] Done 26/05/09
16) [STRIKE]Hosp Sat[/STRIKE] Done 30/05
and from 6 week plan

17) [STRIKE]RNIB appointment for OH to discuss DLA[/STRIKE]We have to re-apply ourselves they will help with any appeals. 27/05
18) [STRIKE]OU Course for small boy, funding and school permission[/STRIKE] Hold until exam results back
19) [STRIKE]Local Authority funding for RNIB Audio Books[/STRIKE] OH to ring RNIB again 01/06

If only I could post a gantt chart - it's like a stationery cupboard - makes me feel all warm and safe inside.

Off to wander round car boot tomoz. We dont get many round here so interesting to see whats on offer and if they're planning anymore.

Seaxwyn

Hi kissjean! Gosh you do have a lot on your plate, with OH's disability, elderly dad, wayward tenants etc etc - I admire you for sounding so positive. And 18 out of 19 items crossed off must be a to do list record! Good luck with the job search and I look forward to reading your progress.

kissjenn

Hi Seax, thanks for dropping by. I finally finished your diary in the early hours of this morning and realised you’ve gone from years of freelance to employed and I’ve just done the opposite, or will if I can ever find a bleeping contract.


I did however have a productive day. Agreed one repayment schedule with a tenant so hopefully that will reverse about £1500 of debt over the coming year at a pace he can afford. And my little Nemisis – Mr Smith (protecting idenities obviously) – got his comeupance from an unusual route.


Mr Smith told his Granny he was being evicted by me (pantomine boo hisses noises for Queen Rat here). So Granny, who is 83 and lovely, called me to confirm that he was being kicked out and could I tell her how much he owed to put it right. It’s £1750 and he’s had 3 ASBO warnings and he walked out of his job a month ago but doesn’t want the hassle of signing on!


Granny: “John James Smith do you owe this money?”


JJSmith: “But Granny...”


Granny: “Don't 'But Granny' me. You’re lazy, You’re a disgrace to the family. You’ve shamed me. I’m going to phone your uncle and he’ll sort you. And you’re NOT moving in here.”


Transpires Mr Smith had his job and full Housing Benefit (because he forgot he had a job) and half the rent paid by Granny (because he forgot he had Housing Benefit) and still spent every penny.


I have visions of a little old lady bending Mr Smith (wearing his beanie of course) over her knee and giving him a damn good skelping. I also need to get out more. :rotfl:


Sig updated and dire. Hopefully some arrears will be cleared this month with nothing new added.

Seaxwyn

That's a wonderful story, hoorah for Granny!