Annoyed
Riccardo and I had an interesting, though not quite politically correct, conversation about terrorism here in the UK the other day. We were commenting how strange it was that terrorists attacked places like the London Underground when there are such worthy targets as BT going unscathed. We agreed that this was because they wanted to bomb something that was functioning.We are both at the point where we are **sarcastically** exploring such outlets for our annoyance with this, our landline/broadband provider, because of certain recent events. We have come to understand that accomplishing almost anything with almost any type of business in the UK is next to impossible. Allow me to give a few examples:
(1) Looking to transfer our landline/broadband account to our new house, we learn that the former owners have not used BT as a service provider, and as such, we must pay £125 ($250+) to have the line connected. Not only this, but when we investigate dropping the devil: BT, we learn that not only is our Internet contract not transferable to any other provider, but we are in a contract for our landline as well, and in order to get out we would have to pay all charges until the contract expiry date. Though this would be approximately £450 ($1000) I actually considered it. Why? Because I'm furious with waiting in a queue for at least 40 minutes every time I call BT Customer Service only to talk to some ignorant shit. Damn assholes.
(2) I called our car insurance provider and learned that because we are moving to an area of higher crime, our car insurance will cost us a total of £750 ($1500) more. Payable immediately or our insurance becomes invalid. This, of course, is in addition to the £1100 ($2200) we've already paid, and is only to clear the next 7 months. OMG!
(3) I've had my mobile phone for just over two months now, which apparently isn't long enough to tell my provider that I'm moving. Though Orange is already holding £150 ($300) as a deposit because I didn't have a UK credit history when I signed up (they'll trust me with a mortgage, but not a mobile phone), they seem to think I'm up to some sort of fraud when I do them the favour of updating my new address. After giving me a particularly accusatory speech including how I have to fax in proof of the address change (because I care if their bill goes to the wrong address), they proceeded to block calls and texts to and from my phone until said proof is received. What part of WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MOVE don't you understand? As if I have time to go someplace to get a printout of my new address, find a copyshop and fax them a damn whatever-the-f***!!! All this for two-for-one movies on Wednesdays and a cute pink phone? I don't think so. I recommend voda.
So anyway, the official move is next Friday, as we are having new carpet installed this coming week (YAY for mortgage cashbacks!) and have I even started packing? Still no. What with the 8 hours spent trying, unsuccessfully, to change our address and transfer our utilities (a feat only half done even now), our superfun weekend o' dinner parties with NEW friends, and my crazy parent-teacher interviews at work, I feel a bit zombieish as is. Ah, I'll get to it.
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