Discontent #10 food, energy, transport, cost of living, society etc

[Folkevermore]

When I worked in HR we sent out little maternity packs that explained how long your maternity was, how much you’d be paid (a spreadsheet break down of every single week and what payment to expect for the week), how to use KIT days and how much holiday you’d accrue during your leave, and to use your holiday entitlement after maternity.
If you haven’t received anything I’d definitely contact HR

 

[Ro98]

Thank you everyone! I'm a nanny so only have my bosses to ask and the payroll company won't speak to me about it, will ask today so I can prepare myself a bit financially for the shock
I guessed I should be sent some sort of information pack on pay/how holiday works if mat leave goes into the next holiday year.

 

[Cantthinkofausername]

Yes, I was perplexed seeing wind turbines switched off on very windy days. Who is the brains behind British energy? A toddler could do better.

Apparently it's because there is no technology to store windpower, and none is expected for several years.

 

[emmer_moans]

Apparently it's because there is no technology to store windpower, and none is expected for several years.

You'd think they would make it a priority but noooooo... No joined up planning as usual.

 

[Droosie123]

I get paid anywhere between 27th and 31st of the month. It’s a bloody nightmare in January. Got paid today eventually which is good as my council tax went out today and would have been returned if salary had not gone in. The rest of it is going on rent, gas/electric/water and the inevitable credit card bill.

Nowt left after that. Husband hasn’t had much work either so we have had to borrow from in-laws.

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

Obviously this isn’t a statistically significant analysis of property prices but just having a nose on rightmove and have seen a house for sale on a road someone I know lives on - it’s 28% less than they paid during the stamp duty holiday chaos and the house is in much better condition (altho apparently decor is n/a for property prices as people redo it but idk how much I believe that especially when it comes to artex ceilings!) in east London.

 

[TheGlossy]

I received a lovely bill of €320 for 5 weeks of hot water / heating consumption. I use the heating maybe four times a week max for an hour each time. Hot water is 10 minutes twice a day. I live on my own.

The temperatures dropped so low in December, I couldn’t not turn the heating on.

It appears I’m getting charged even when I’m not actively using hot water when the boiler is turned on to heat water up. I normally have a program setting for morning and night for hot water and the hot water only comes in the control unit during those times. I left it on to continuously heat up one night and my bill skyrocketed. I don’t have a combi boiler so I don’t have hot water on demand and the only way is to heat it up with the control unit. I’m shocked I’m getting charged just for turning the control unit on when the water is not being used.

 

[Ineedmorecoffee]

Not just me that gets paid on the last working day of the month then!
Man, it’s been a long month. And all I've heard on the radio when I’ve been driving is ‘payday weekend!’ Nope, not for me mate!

One more sleep. Then I can breathe again for a while.

 

[Jwren]

I received a lovely bill of €320 for 5 weeks of hot water / heating consumption. I use the heating maybe four times a week max for an hour each time. Hot water is 10 minutes twice a day. I live on my own.

The temperatures dropped so low in December, I couldn’t not turn the heating on.

It appears I’m getting charged even when I’m not actively using hot water when the boiler is turned on to heat water up. I normally have a program setting for morning and night for hot water and the hot water only comes in the control unit during those times. I left it on to continuously heat up one night and my bill skyrocketed. I don’t have a combi boiler so I don’t have hot water on demand and the only way is to heat it up with the control unit. I’m shocked I’m getting charged just for turning the control unit on when the water is not being used.

I don’t have a combi boiler either but can have my heating on without heating the water. Do you have a switch that will turn off the water heating function, so if you need to put it on continuous again you can do that so it only runs the heating.

 

[Chocolategoggler]

I received a lovely bill of €320 for 5 weeks of hot water / heating consumption. I use the heating maybe four times a week max for an hour each time. Hot water is 10 minutes twice a day. I live on my own.

The temperatures dropped so low in December, I couldn’t not turn the heating on.

It appears I’m getting charged even when I’m not actively using hot water when the boiler is turned on to heat water up. I normally have a program setting for morning and night for hot water and the hot water only comes in the control unit during those times. I left it on to continuously heat up one night and my bill skyrocketed. I don’t have a combi boiler so I don’t have hot water on demand and the only way is to heat it up with the control unit. I’m shocked I’m getting charged just for turning the control unit on when the water is not being used.

I had this kind of boiler before getting a combi. When I moved in the next door neighbour said I could us a switch on the wall in the kitchen just to heat up water only. Was handy when the boiler packed in and in summer.
I no longer have it since getting the combi as they took a massive cylinder out of the back cupboard which used to hold the water.

 

[Yel]

You hear things like "people aren't paid enough to afford to buy a house" or "wages haven't increased enough to cover the cost of houses" all day long. But never do you hear "house prices are too expensive" .

How can there be stuff all day long on the TV and radio about the cost of living. But a root cause is never even touched on

Lots of this is the inevitable result of many years celebrating house prices rising way out of sync of wages

But poor renters don't dare say lower house prices will be good, you'll be told to shut up and accept it as lower prices won't happen and they wouldn't help anyone (spoiler alert yes they would help)

 

[TheGlossy]

I don’t have a combi boiler either but can have my heating on without heating the water. Do you have a switch that will turn off the water heating function, so if you need to put it on continuous again you can do that so it only runs the heating.

I do. Heating and hot water have separate switches. You can have one on without the other. When I left it on continuous, it was only the hot water switch. The heating was completely turned off including the related switch.
---

I had this kind of boiler before getting a combi. When I moved in the next door neighbour said I could us a switch on the wall in the kitchen just to heat up water only. Was handy when the boiler packed in and in summer.
I no longer have it since getting the combi as they took a massive cylinder out of the back cupboard which used to hold the water.

It’s good to know, thank you! I’m renting so I can’t make any changes, but that’s great info!

 

[Yel]

It appears I’m getting charged even when I’m not actively using hot water when the boiler is turned on to heat water up.

Your 3 way valves could be jammed, they often do and cause the boiler to be burning when it should be off.

These things

Drayton 27101SX 3 Port Motorised Valve 22mm Compression - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. 22mm compression connection. 5-wire installation. 100% tight shut-off FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.

www.screwfix.com

 

[Cantthinkofausername]

You'd think they would make it a priority but noooooo... No joined up planning as usual.

It is a priority. Things don't just invented out of thin air, it takes time and hard work.

 

[no-no]

I get paid anywhere between 27th and 31st of the month. It’s a bloody nightmare in January. Got paid today eventually which is good as my council tax went out today and would have been returned if salary had not gone in. The rest of it is going on rent, gas/electric/water and the inevitable credit card bill.

Nowt left after that. Husband hasn’t had much work either so we have had to borrow from in-laws.

Banks like Monzo and Revolut let you access BACS payments the day before. Sometimes it’s just 4pm the day before if the payday falls Tues-Fri, but if it falls on a weekend or Monday then it’s really helpful getting it on a Thursday/Friday.

 

[rainbowlemon]

Matt Walsh's take on the google girl who was laid off.

 

[Yel]

China leading the way with GDP growth, with the eurozone slightly increasing and uk slightly decreasing. Both are probably going to be shown a optimistic when it comes to fruition.

Obviously take with a pinch of salt as they're estimates, GDP is a pretty blunt tool (it's been increasing for years while the living standards per person has reduced) and the imf have their own agenda.

 

[Polythene Pam]

They couldn't have been able to do this before DD. I need to find another way to pay bc I don't consent to this. None of the other utilities I pay do this so these elec companies shouldn't get away with it. Sick of being squeezed dry by billionaire execs

I cancelled my DD and just make a card payment for the usual amount. We have never actually gone into arrears and yet they hassle me constantly and threaten me with a prepayment meter.
I am on maternity leave and we can't afford to line their pockets building up a huge credit.

 

[Piff paff puff]

I cancelled my DD and just make a card payment for the usual amount. We have never actually gone into arrears and yet they hassle me constantly and threaten me with a prepayment meter.
I am on maternity leave and we can't afford to line their pockets building up a huge credit.

Just shows them for the sharks they are. I wonder how long before customers are forced to only pay by DD? they'll be fuming they can't hold your £££££ hostage as they do to others. Thiefs.

 

[Cantthinkofausername]

I cancelled my DD and just make a card payment for the usual amount. We have never actually gone into arrears and yet they hassle me constantly and threaten me with a prepayment meter.
I am on maternity leave and we can't afford to line their pockets building up a huge credit.

I don't know why more people don't do this. If you can afford to overpay then you afford to put that money away in your own account.
I'm on a prepayment meter and I managed to save some money during the summer because I knew the winter months would be expensive. I only pay for what I use. I'd hate to be on a DD paying whatever stupid amount they came up with.