The advice thread for random problems #4

[Jerry Garcia]

Ok, so my UPS issue is still not resolved.

As UPS drivers are not allowed to call recipients during delivery, and my complex has no intercom or reception, I asked for the package to be delivered at a UPS pick-up point instead. I am unable to travel 1.5h to collect the package at their distribution center.

UPS rang me saying that because signature is required, they cannot deliver my package to a UPS pick-up point. I’m now stuck - they won’t deliver to a UPS pick-up point and they also won’t make contact if delivery is at my apartment.

What am I supposed to do here? What kind of nonsense is this? To say I paid another €10 of delivery fee to be dealing with this level of absurdity is beyond me.

My own way of handling this is to have it delivered to my workplace. If this isn't applicable to you, have it addressed and delivered to a friend or relative's workplace instead. There's always someone to sign for it at reception. I've not had any issues yet !

 

[becca7721]

After an incident involving police and a neighbour and me ending up in a state and being taken by police to place of safety (which wasn’t but that’s another story) the police spoke to my landlord about my situation, as they’re concerned for my safety, given the only options I have are to go back to DV or the street.

The landlord has told the police, council housing (who told them to evict in the first place!) and charity housing worker that they are not going to evict as we are are so close.

BUT

They won’t put this in writing and refuse to confirm this is the case to me - bearing in mind they’ve already tried to force me out by changing the locks (Christmas night when they thought I’d gone away along with everyone else in building) and my notice ends in days. I’ve also been told I must pay all costs including bailiffs for eviction. I can’t register with housing as their website won’t work on my old device (so they told me to use my phone to access it - my phone being a specialist adapted phone that doesn’t do online) because the council are paperless so there’s no other way.

I’ve been told I’m being paranoid and overthinking about my landlord (had police around again) and the incident. I’m not blaming police to be clear.

Am I being paranoid expecting this in writing? I finally got an advocate and therapist for hoarding but that’s on hold right now due to mental health being so poor.

 

[Babysnark]

And @Babysnark is this a carpet beetle? Just found it on a cushion upstairs but have been coming across them on my linen sofa downstairs now I’m worried my stuff is going to get eaten by them.
View attachment 2828178

Yep that's them so don't panic, I believe it's the larval stage that eat your stuff and these come out in the autumn when the eggs hatch. At the moment you'll see new adults emerging, make sure you kill them when you see them. There are sprays you can get on amazon and I've found them effective however I worry about my cat so I don't spray as much as I would want to if I didn't have pets.

 

[becca7721]

I finally, after six weeks, got two dates from social worker to meet with housing department and housing worker and landlord, potentially medical staff as well (last proving difficult due to social worker telling them their diagnosis is wrong)

Good Friday and Easter Monday OR start of May (being evicted after Easter) so May is useless.
They were contacted mid January.

Every person required is unavailable due to those being bank holidays.

Not too sure how to reply. Surely they must realise that as bank holidays no ones going to be available, nor is anywhere to meet? They’ve been a social worker here for well over ten years now (very rural so with the exception of very few shops (7/11 corner shop type) everything closed for the four days).

I did think of forwarding to housing officer/worker via charity and asking them to sort?

ETA another issue is new tenant has a major weed and a drink problem, to the extent my flat stinks of it and it’s making me very unwell. Apparently landlord doesn’t want to know. They’re ringing housing every day about why I’ve not left and sorted my life out yet.

So any advice?

 

[Rockin' Robin]

How long after the use by date, is plain flour still able to be used? I have more than half an un used packet left.
I do wish retailers would stock the small packets of flour, the large bags tend no to be used.

 

[Rxt156]

Just FYI, there's a toddler advice thread, I'm sure they'll be able to give you some great advice over there as well as anyone who may comment here
I can't offer much advice unfortunately, as I sent my daughter to a childminder from 9 months and she kind of never knew any different...
Saying that, she is 4 now and is going through a phase of HATING going, she clings on to me crying so that's fun!

Ooohhhhh thank you I’ll go there right away

 

[Snippysnips]

Is there nobody recommended locally? We have a guy local to us we use to build us pc's to spec. Very knowledgeable and he is honest too. We got him recommended through facebook

There's only one an it was on FB I seen it, unfortunately it's a small town so it's not like there's a ton of places, we've only got like 10 shops, but I just wasn't getting great vibes off this one I seen, it's a little over a hours drive away an there's like 6 reviews, it seemed strange for someone who's apparently got a few years building an selling to only have that few reviews

 

[Thank(space)you]

I had a pest controller over as I've got a carpet beetle problem in my bedroom. He looked through my underwear drawer which is the other side of my room from where the beetles are. Normal or weird? I've never had a pest issue so don't know really what's necessary

 

[becca7721]

This person in mind works for shelter too as it’s too rural for them to come here - I cannot get to swansea for an appointment (their suggestion). There’s no community centre or anything like that anymore as they’ve been closed. When we did have them I did approach but the cost was far more than the room I’ve found.

I made the suggestion of them paying as much as they would for the other rooms as I cannot manage the full amount and I’d top up (as a compromise) but they’ve refused that. They are insisting there’s not an access issue (as they can manage the acccess but they’re not physically disabled) and I’m being “deliberately difficult”. They do not have my condition and I cannot risk falling and ending up in hospital (which was what happened last time before condition deteriorated this much).

In terms of complaint I was thinking more of contacting Mind Cymru and asking them about it? I don’t have any time left for complaints. My health is declining rapidly and need this sorted before I end up in hospital and trapped there.

To clarify: I’ve not been doing nothing with regards to the issues/finding somewhere else. It’s taken this long to tenancy worker to see me and I’ve been trying for months but she’s been off ill and then away for Christmas and is only part time.

Hoping this makes sense!

 

[becca7721]

It is and goes back to the start of covid over four years ago. I do know it’s complex and appreciate how busy CAB are, I hope you didn’t think I meant otherwise with my comment. Being rural and them only open three days a week makes it hard to keep on top of things I know.

 

[VeryNiceVeryEVIL]

They found a 4mm sessile polyp during my colonoscopy yesterday which was removed entirely using cold snare

It's being sent off as routine to pathology

Does this mean there's a possibility I could have cancer?

 

[Moth]

Just a question more than ‘advice’, but whose job is it to find cover if you call in sick? I remember working in pubs and the managers saying that you have to find cover or come in, or else you would be classed as a ‘no show’. I’m not in that role now but I have had to call in today as I have tonsillitis that has wiped me right out. Our manager is on annual leave, so I called on call and told them. My colleague said our area manager likes us to find our own cover and thought I should let her know. But my argument is, our area manager is not on call this weekend, the rule is that we call on call at weekends. I also said it isn’t our job, I called in sick and cannot call around our colleagues to find cover, although we normally do sort it out ourselves. There are only 2 people on our team that could possibly cover this weekend, they both have not said they would cover.
It’s not entirely clear though, I told my colleague I would take the flack if I’m wrong, by my thinking is that it is managements job?

Depends on your employment status. If you are an employee then it's not your job to find cover if you are sick, it is management's. If you are a self employed contractor, it might be.

 

[littlepup]

Does anyone know how to report a YouTube channel without signing in?

I was scrolling down my feed this morning and came across what claims to be a ‘yoga’ channel posting full blown intimate parts photos. It seems the owner of this channel is a yoga teacher promoting ‘nude’ yoga by literally showing their private parts.

This should have no space on YouTube where kids can’t stumble upon this nonsense. I’m honestly disgusted this wasn’t filtered by YouTube.

Could you just make a dummy account? If you want to post it here, I can report it for you.

 

[WeHadFunRight]

sorry wrong thread

 

[Piff paff puff]

It depends on what the issue is. DV, I’d probably try and get a local to her dv agency involved.
Or try and look for a Chinese cultural group in her area. We have one where I live so I assume they would be able to help with translation etc
Tbh you have done what you can by the sounds of it

I'll have a Google and see if I can any local Chinese community

 

[hytuhh]

I think they just want you up I read that cats don’t sleep as deeply as humans. So they get concerned when you are unresponsive and do whatever works to get you woken up. Can you pop something over the area or get a “decoy” like a toy or rug/scratching mat?

I fear that yes, they just don't want us to rest
I've tried draught excluders and door stoppers/toys etc. but not had much luck. May look in to a scratching mat, thanks!

 

[griftalo]

Last Thursday I started with stomach pain, took painkillers, didn’t ease it so took some indigestion tablets thought maybe had trapped wind, again didn’t go off, took more painkillers when got home but still in pain, rang 111 they said to go to a&e, felt like wasting time so tried to sleep, rang 111 again about 2.30am Friday morning still in pain just above my hip bone & below my ribs (right side) I then got a shooting pain in my chest, so an ambulance was sent to me about 6am, my stomach was so tender to touch, chest still ached, was taken to hospital I was seen & scanned found I have gallstones, given co-codamol & sent on my way, biggest stone was 1.8cm plus had 2 smaller ones then loads of little ones, I’m still in pain now with what feels like stitch, it hurts to walk, sneeze, cough, even breathing hurts plus my back just aches too, it’s such a sharp pain, rang 111 again for some advice & my GP is going to call me tomorrow sometime in the day, it’s not my appendix that was removed nearly 30yrs ago. Any advice would be great.

I feel for you. Your second to last sentence sounds like when I had pleurisy. I have a big gallstone, no idea how big but they said huge, but the point of what I’m saying is, could it be both?

 

[Midgetgem]

Does anyone own a Lumi spa, that isn't affliated with them, or is a salesperson selling them? Looking for genuine recommendations

 

[Snippysnips]

Has anyone done Hogmanay at Edinburgh? Looking to do it this year but not sure of best hotels to go for, I don't know if I'll be at the castle but I don't want to be completely out the way of where all the festivities will be happening, an if the hotel does a party that's a bonus as I might stay in for a bit before

Looked at the apex as it has views of the castle but folks don't want to stay at grassmarket not sure why, is there mostly idiots around there?

 

[50degreesnorth]

Bought a pack of laminate floor. Need 8 planks. Ordered a pack of 6. Should I cancel the order or pay for another pack for 2 planks?
I have a few planks leftover from my last room, same colour but they're less thickness and they probably won't click into a different brand.
I just don't want to pay nearly £50 for a 2 square metre porch

Honestly? Given you don’t sound that “invested”, it’s a small area and you’re DIY, I’d fudge it with mixed colours and then stick whatever junk you end up storing in the porch on top of the mismatch bits. It’s not like you’re spending £20k on a kitchen floor you’ll drool at. You’re only coming in the front door and leaving your wellies on it - not somewhere you spend much time.