Conservatory
So, there were two missing panels from the conservatory, and two locks. A window panel that cost £28 to replace, and a roof panel which would cost £220. I spoke to eBay who said I should contact the police who would contact them and then they'd pursue it. Would the police take it seriously, I asked. Absolutely! They said.
Anyway, I contacted the guy who was terribly sorry. I asked if I should send him and invoice for the roof panel. No no no, he would get me one. So two weeks later he arrived with £28 for the window I'd already bought, one lock, and a roof panel.
Except that the roof panel is a completely random size. It's almost the right size, but kind of, er, four inches too wide. So I'm left with no roof panel and a large sheet of double glazed toughened glass that I need to find a way of getting rid of. I contacted him again. No reply. And again. No reply. And again. No reply.
I contacted eBay again who said I needed to contact the police and yes, they would absolutely take it seriously.
Police conversation:
Katy: Blah blah blah, this is what's happened.
Policeman: Can you explain what you mean by conservatory?
K: Um, a glass room?
PM: So a whole conservatory? You know they cost £8,000, right?
K: Yes, but they cost £500 on eBay, and I've paid £750 for this one.
PM: But it's erected and you have a conservatory.
K: Yes, with a large hole in the roof.
PM: eBay are fobbing you off. This isn't a police matter and conservatories cost £8,000.
K: Rrrright, so I should ring eBay again?
PM: Yes. It's not a police matter.
So I called eBay again who told me that I should contact the police and that they would take it seriously. I've already done that and they laughed at me down the phone. You need to contact local police and they will contact us so we can chase it up. Or you can have a solicitor contact us.
Great! I'm going to have to pay a solicitor £250 to send eBay a letter for the sake of a £220 glass panel.
So, I have no roof on the conservatory and not much chance of being able to afford one very soon, thanks to the old council tax bill, which I had no idea Ivan hadn't been able to pay, which I'm now paying £50 a week of out of my £65 a week that I live on.
I'm not best pleased, as you can imagine, and just wish that I had this guy's address so that I could get toupe catalogues sent to him.
Anyway, I contacted the guy who was terribly sorry. I asked if I should send him and invoice for the roof panel. No no no, he would get me one. So two weeks later he arrived with £28 for the window I'd already bought, one lock, and a roof panel.
Except that the roof panel is a completely random size. It's almost the right size, but kind of, er, four inches too wide. So I'm left with no roof panel and a large sheet of double glazed toughened glass that I need to find a way of getting rid of. I contacted him again. No reply. And again. No reply. And again. No reply.
I contacted eBay again who said I needed to contact the police and yes, they would absolutely take it seriously.
Police conversation:
Katy: Blah blah blah, this is what's happened.
Policeman: Can you explain what you mean by conservatory?
K: Um, a glass room?
PM: So a whole conservatory? You know they cost £8,000, right?
K: Yes, but they cost £500 on eBay, and I've paid £750 for this one.
PM: But it's erected and you have a conservatory.
K: Yes, with a large hole in the roof.
PM: eBay are fobbing you off. This isn't a police matter and conservatories cost £8,000.
K: Rrrright, so I should ring eBay again?
PM: Yes. It's not a police matter.
So I called eBay again who told me that I should contact the police and that they would take it seriously. I've already done that and they laughed at me down the phone. You need to contact local police and they will contact us so we can chase it up. Or you can have a solicitor contact us.
Great! I'm going to have to pay a solicitor £250 to send eBay a letter for the sake of a £220 glass panel.
So, I have no roof on the conservatory and not much chance of being able to afford one very soon, thanks to the old council tax bill, which I had no idea Ivan hadn't been able to pay, which I'm now paying £50 a week of out of my £65 a week that I live on.
I'm not best pleased, as you can imagine, and just wish that I had this guy's address so that I could get toupe catalogues sent to him.