Exasperation

Ever get the feeling you’re being taken advantage of? Because I’ve had that twice today and it’s playing on my mind as I sit here watching ‘Get Shorty’.

The letting agency are continuing to bend us over and ravage us vigorously from behind, while we pay handsomely for the privilege. A flatmate is back up there for a couple of days and gave me a call this afternoon. The kitchen floor is warped and bubbling, the downstairs bathroom ceiling is bowed worse than ever and the whole place apparently smells of damp! We have called numerous times about the problem; supposedly someone came round to have a look, but still no action. My flatmate called again today, only to be informed that the builders are busy until next week, even though they would be visiting the place next-door tomorrow. Why can’t they check our place too?! The landlord, the people in the office and the builders seem to have no bloody idea what each other is doing and are aware we’re just lowly students. What the hell are we paying them for! I just wish I knew what exactly I could threaten them with to spur them into action…

Second is that the mechanics servicing, MOT-ing and fixing my car, have deemed it necessary to keep it incarcerated for another 24 hours. I booked it in at 7:30am Monday morning and was told it may have a chance of being ready that evening, if not then the day after. They called today to say it will actually be ready Wednesday and kindly told me of the cost of the work. Nearly £350 to replace the brake fluid and fix the driver-side door handle (and lock) alone. It took me about 10 minutes to work out how to open the bonnet of the damn thing, so obviously I have no idea what all these repairs should cost.

It makes me angry that I’m probably being swindled by all these money-grabbing bastards and I don’t know of any way to avoid it (unless I decided to leave my car unserviced, uninsured and used it to double up as my university accommodation). John Travolta wouldn’t have these problems!

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UPDATE:

The garage called mid-afternoon to let me know the car was ready at last. I arrive about an hour later, only to be told that someone had cocked up and not done the MOT!!! Amateurish in the extreme. So while they completed it I had to wait a further hour with nothing to do until it was all checked out. Fabulous!

Total car service work ended up being £800-odds :@