Artist Lights My Fire

As the weather turns to autumn here in Oakland my lovely little apartment is getting cold. Turns out that my heater's pilot light is out, which means no heat. So, I called Pacific Gas and Electric. They said they could send someone over in 10 days. What? Is this British Gas all over again?

While at lunch today with Kal, the co-founder of the Oakland Underground Film Festival, I mentioned that my heater isn't working. Kal, an accomplished electrician, said, "no problem, I'll light your fire." Now that's what I like to here. So, I offered Kal some pro bono arts management advice and he re-light my pilot light. Bartering all the way.

British Gas Breaks into Couple's Home (not ours)

This is from yesterday's Telegraph. I had to share.

British Gas broke into couple's home
By Lucy Cockcroft
Last Updated: 3:36am GMT 26/02/2008

A couple who returned from holiday to find the locks on their front door had been picked were shocked to discover that energy giant British Gas behind the break-in.

A British Gas engineer gained access to the two-bedroomed flat in Willesden Green, London, with the help of a locksmith, and swapped their meter for a pay-as-you-go version.

Proper checks would have revealed the couple did not owe a penny. But from 2005 the British Gas computer system wrongly began to bill the couple with demands rising from £90 to £900.

Mr Houghton dealt with numerous threats of legal action and visits from the bailiffs, before a personal apology from the energy giant’s managing director, Phil Bentley, convinced him that his troubles were over.

But when the couple went on a long weekend to New York in June 2007, they returned home to find British Gas employees had picked the locks on their front and internal door and installed a new meter.

They then left a note informing the couple of what had happened. Investigators have since worked out that it was the occupants of the next-door flat who owed the money to British Gas.

Mr Houghton said: “I am totally disgusted and bewildered by their behaviour. It felt so intrusive that they had been in our flat and could have gone into every room if they’d wanted to. “I spoke to manager after manager at their call centres and each time was promised the problem had been sorted out.”

A spokesman for the company claimed last night that the Gas Act allows workers to break into a customer’s home to change the meter, providing he or she has been warned in advance. However, Mr Houghton claims he was never notified.

A British Gas spokesman said: 'Our managing director, Phil Bentley, has spoken to Mr Houghton and apologised.

“We’ve since corrected our records, changed the meter back and Mr Houghton has been given £200 in compensation.”

--Now I know why my tech didn't show up all those times - he was busy providing quality customer service to his non-customers.

British Laughing Gas

Oh the story gets better. I arrived home last night to find not one but TWO letters from British Gas confirming last Monday's meeting. (What the ?????) I called their customer service line (costs me money) at 7.45pm (because I have nothing better to do on a Friday night?!?) and the woman apologized and again confirmed that no meeting had been scheduled. She said someone will call back within 24 hours. We are now on hour 22 and no call.

She asked me how long this has been going on and I said, calmly because I'm over wasting energy on them.

"About a year." She didn't laugh, cry or smirk. The big question is did she quit her job in disgust?

British Gas is a Joke

Now it is three days later and I haven't heard a peep from British Gas about why my appointment was cancelled.

Maybe someone on the inside is reading the blog...

British Gas Makes Funny Joke

First the good news - the plumber arrived, on time. I even offered him a cup of tea or coffee as I've learned from my Watching the English book by Kate Fox. He was very pleased and said, "as a matter of fact I just had a cup of coffee." So I've now succeeded in English banter.

British Gas of course didn't show. I called and they said that my appointment had been booked and cancelled. Is there someone out there cancelling my appointments? I told them that I had to take yet another day off from work (6) and that this has been going on for a year. The woman went into standard customer-service-speak and said, "I said someone will call you to reschedule I can't tell you when." And then... "Is there anything else I can help you with today?" That must have been her attempt at a joke.

Home from work but not sick

The good news is that I have thus far avoided the nasty bugs of London.

The bad news is that our shower is leaking into our neighbour's flat so I am home for the day waiting for the plumber, in my pajamas of course.

To add insult to injury I am also waiting for British Gas. Yes, they re-re-re-re-re-re-rescheduled their appointment. Although promised, no confirmation letter arrived so we shall see if the tech actually shows.

Results of British Gas Tech vs. Amy Poll

The grand conclusion is that 62% of you think that the situation with British Gas will never end. Well, I happen to agree.

A new wrinkle in the plot. Last night water started pouring into our guest room, through the lights, from the flat above. Our upstairs neighbours were doing their laundry - same as always. So far I've not seen any damage.

British Gas Fan

Okay, whose the wiseguy that voted for the British Gas Tech winning spy vs. spy? Have you gone to the dark side?

Update: no call back from British Gas after the fifth missed appointment. See, I'm still winning.

British Gas - did he or didn't he

And the answer is... the Tech cancelled again! Appointment 6 done and dusted.

This is like Spy vs Spy.

Me and the British Gas Tech Give it Another Go

I'm admitting here that the British Gas Tech has made yet another date to fix the boiler. Yes, I know I said I was over it all but the customer service guy begged for another go. Supposedly both the Tech and the customer service guy tried to call me all day of the missed appointment but I didn't answer. Supposedly Stephen didn't answer his phone either when they tried calling him. So now they have my email. Yes, the communications are going high tech.

So I'll be home all morning on Tuesday waiting for the Tech to cancel appointment number five. Could this be an Olympic endurance sport? Or is it now a battle of wills?

The added nuance is that the heating pipes are making an extreme rattling noise every fifteen minutes once the heat is turned on. Hardly even notice it now. I was nervous when it happened during our Saturday morning yoga class but everyone must have assumed it was street noise. The only shocker was when the pump feature did its growling during our downward dogs.

Two Wheeling

Check this out - I won a folding bike from Time Out London magazine. I didn't want to reveal it until the bike was actually in my hands. Here it is - a Ridgeback Emmisary. Seven speeds, came with a rack and has its own bell. Would you believe the contest was sponsored by British Gas? How ironic.

Rode the bike home today along the Canal from Kings Cross to Paddington. Took me 50 minutes door to door including 10 minutes of walking the bike from my office to the canal. That's much better than the two hours it takes me to walk. Now that the Tube is getting steamy, no air conditioning and it seems to be facing constant delays, the bike is a super alternative.

Quick lessons learned include braking is opposite to the US. Left is back and right is front. Plus, I immediately learned to ride on the left as I nearly caused several water crashes. Also, ring that bell. Going under overpasses takes some care as well - they have low head room.

The best part is that I feel free for the first time in London - and - people smile at me. Some even said Cheers when I let them pass. I am happy as a lark. The bike rides like a dream.

I'm thinking of naming it Ike the Bike although am tempted to call it George like my Houston Scion.

Gas Update

Just as the British Gas tech was leaving I realized he hadn't actually tested the water during his visit. Sure enough, no cold water. He then very professionally turned on the bathroom tap and blocked it with his hand forcing the water back up into the pipe. Turns out it was an air bubble and he forced it out. All fine, for now.

What the heck was he doing the rest of the visit?

Also asked to have some of our vitamins since he had a tooth ache. You can't make this stuff up.

British Gas strikes again.

Getting High with British Gas

Yet another disaster with British Gas. Our cold water died - yes, not hot, cold. The latest tech is here now and is completely upset about the poor quality job on the boiler. He is a Rastafarian dude that is absolutely freaking out. He walking around looking at all the problems and saying, "you will have problems every day with this boiler.”

Now the tech says that this condensing boiler will create lots of muck and it will never go along the crazy pipes they setup. He has no latter and I don't so he's standing on our dining room table and has placed our benches on top of each other and is on top of those too. I had to hold it in place so he didn't crash.

“They are useless jonies.”

Now we’re on a conversation about the Virginia Tech situation and guns and Mr. Bush and Christians. Never a dull moment with British Gas.

So as not to reveal his identity I have a photo here of British Gas Man’s getup on our table.