Ok, so I’m using Riot-Act to get this out of my system. But it really got to me so need to vent my spleen somewhere.
Last night we noticed that there was a patch of very wet carpet next to the cupboard where the Water Heater is. Investigating it I found that the heater was bulging and the floor around it very wet.
The propery is a rental and so I contacted the agents and they told me to contact the agency-used plumber directly. I described the issue and he said he’d be around after he finished the current job. Fair play, no worries with that. However, the bulging did worry me a bit so I check on the web. I found a few ‘Plumber’ forums and in all of them the message was the same – turn it off imediatly.
When the plumber came (to be fair, only a couple of hours later) he looked in the cupboard for 10 seconds and grunted that it needed replacing. I said that I’d turned it off by pulling a few fuses out of the main electricity board (the labeling was awful so I wasnt sure which was the right one), joking saying that i didnt want it to explode on me. He just kept a blank expression and grunted it wouldn’t explode. He asked for the keys to the house but I said i’d be in all afternoon anyway. Another grunt and he said he’d be back later in the afternoon with a new boiler.
Couple of hours later I noticed some guy wandering around the back garden. Front door was open AND has a bell but he hadn’t even bothered trying. I zapped out and said hello. Greeting was ‘wheres the boiler?’ Slightly taken aback I showed him. Trying to be friendly I was chatty and jokey. All I got back was grunts. The ‘boss’ and the other gorilla were just as conversationally challenged. I was really taken aback, even checking I didnt have a “All plumbers are tools’ t-shirt on or something.
Later, trying again to be friendly (I’m nice!), I offered them a cuo of coffee/tea. One grunted ‘nah’ and the other two just ignored me completely. When I then tried to make myself a coffee I found the mains water was turned off anyway!! Whats wrong with ‘hey mate! Just got to turn the water off’ or even a jokey ‘hahah, you’ll have a fun trying to make coffee/tea, waters off’.
Eventually (again, being fair, they were efficient and quick), one of them said that all was done and he was just venting system. That was it no other words. When the water finally came through I was given the manual, told to keep the cupboard open for a bit and a ‘see yah’.
Not even the ‘boss’ couldn’t be bothered to come and say goodbye etc…
Now, i didn’t want them to be my best mate and invite me to be the birthing partner for their first-born. But some courtesy and basic communication would have been nice. I dont think I’ve ever been blanked so much. I even racked my brain to think if any thing I’d said on the phone could have been heard as ‘you arsehole’ or something. But no. I just dont think they’ve ever been taught basic manners or even communication skills. Quite bizarre, why would someone be like that?
Anyway. Spleen vented and those plumbers crossed off my Christmas card list, the Fat Yak six-pack I’d got them as a thankyou stayed in the fridge and I put their names on my list of petty people.
Okay – let the flames begin 🙂
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