daveh

Many thanks.

We are returning an item to Amazon and they are arranging for a company called DPD to pick it up from us.

As DPD are not based in the islands, can someone please tell me who the Shetland-based agent company is who would come and pick the item up instead. If they don't pick it up on the specified day, I would like to be able to contact the relevant local company rather than have to go back to Amazon.

Thanks

That's reassuring, Brian.

It was the person at Northlink, when I made the booking, who told me to expect a bumpier ride than the passenger ferries.

I have definitely booked a cabin just for myself in each direction. I'm really hoping the sea is a lot calmer for the return trip than it is right now.

I have an appointment to go to in Aberdeen at the beginning of February and, due to one of the passenger ferries being in dry-dock, I am going down on the Hildasay and back again the following night. Thus I am on the Hildasay for two nights in a row.

I am an old git and am using my free ferry vouchers but have booked a cabin on each trip at half-price. I am not the greatest of sea passengers but have had only one bad experience so far on the passenger ferry coming back from Aberdeen. I would guess that the Hildasay is a more bumpier ride so I don't intend to eat much for two days.

Have others here travelled on the Hildasay as a foot passenger? If so, what is it like? I read that it only carries 12 passengers. Is that 12 passengers in 6 twin cabins? I have sole occupancy booked for my cabins rather risk having to puke over a stranger. If there are only 12 passengers, where do the lorry drivers sleep during the trip?

Just wondering...

I must have made claims for the Rewards flights at least a dozen times and probably more than that. When I haven't been able to book them via the website, I have phoned Flybe reservations (using the landline number via the saynoto0870 website) and they have arranged them for me instead; sometimes after theyhave spoken to Loganair first. 

I have to say that I have never been unable to get the flights I wanted on any occasion.

I must have made claims for the Rewards flights at least a dozen times and probably more than that. When I haven't been able to book them via the website, I have phoned Flybe reservations (using the landline number via the saynoto0870 website) and they have arranged them for me instead; sometimes after they have spoken to Loganair first. 

I have to say that I have never been unable to get the flights I wanted on any occasion.

Thanks, Brian.

I might treat myself to a glass of sherry to celebrate.

Many thanks to all who have responded to this thread.

When I threatened to go to court over this and let them know that I wasn't bluffing, I have had a couple of phone calls at last from the customer services department. They have agreed to all my requests and will be letting me have an upgrade to the next generation of hearing aids. They have also agreed that, when I get the new hearing aids, I will get a brand-new 5 year warranty with them. They have also agreed that I can have a 2-month period to test the new ones out, whilst initially retaining the old ones, whilst I see if I can get on with them. If I don't get on with new ones, they will come up with an alternative which may well be (which I would like) a brand new pair of the ones that have been so troublesome.

This is a happy outcome for me although I will have to make at least a couple of trips to the mainland at my expense but I can't really chase them for reimbursement as it is down to me the fact that I chose to live in Shetland.

Again - many thanks for the responses and advice.

Thanks for the responses.

Unlinked student - the digital aids that are giving me problems are the third digital pair that I have had. I bought a best pair and a second cheaper back-up pair down south 8 years ago. The first two were long out of their initial 2-year warranty periods and, when I went to the mainland to have them checked, I was tempted by the 3rd more expensive pair. The fact they came with a 5-yr warranty was almost as attractive as the fact that they were so advanced of what I had previously.

As I wrote earlier, when they have worked as they should (ironically, such as this evening) they really are superb, My problem is that they are so unreliable despite all the adjustments and repairs to them that have been done. This weekend was one such example when the left one went dead on me for a while and, when the sound came back, it was giving me distorted sound only. I had to switch to a different one for the best part of yesterday.

I don't particularly want to travel down the small claims route and would happily settle for a completely new pair and a new 5-year warranty. It is the seeming reluctance of the Boots customer service people to even discuss it with me that is forcing my hand. I will give them the rest of the week and attempt to make contact with them again tomorrow.

Thanks for the excellent link, Brian.

I am in town on Wednesday so, as Arabia T suggests, I might pop into the CAB in the first instance..

Thanks, guys.

I am hoping that someone here can give me some advice.

I have been wearing digital hearing aids, in each ear, for about 8 years. I am an ageing git and the years are catching up with me !

My latest pair was purchased from Boots on the Scottish mainland in May 2011 and I have approximately 2 years 4 months left of the 5-year warranty to run. The whole package totalled just under £4,000 and they were the "state-of-the-art" when I purchased them. When they have worked, they have been superb but I have had many problems with them. I have made about 6 return trips to the mainland, at my expense, to have them repaired in the Boots branch and they have also been returned to the branch, via expensive guaranteed/insured postage, about 5 or 6 times for in-house adjustment. They have also been returned to the manufacturer at least 3 times for them to adjust them with the latest adjustment involving the electronics in them both being replaced. They are still not working as they should do.

To say that I am miffed with them is a massive understatement and it has reached the stage where I am not prepared to just see my 5-year warranty wither away. I often have to use my spare older aids when the main ones let me down and that is just not acceptable. I have demanded that Boots provide me with a new pair together with a new 5-year warranty period but they are dragging their heels and their customers services department is not bothering to phone me despite the guy at the branch pushing them to do so.

I am now seriously considering going through the small claims procedure to solve the matter. I gather that, in Scotland, this is limited to £3,000 which is a tad irritating if I am successful. If I do go ahead with it, do I issue the claim here in Shetland, where the branch is on the Scottish mainland or do I issue it where the HO is in London (where I presume I would be eligible to get the full £4,000 if my case is proved)?

This is all new to me as usually just my threats of legal action, for past consumer problems, has brought about a satisfactory conclusion.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks

The weather up here right now is totally crap with plenty more of the same to come this week.

There - I've said it !

Apologies for the delay.

I have looked at our bill and we are, indeed, on a Standard THTC tariff here. 

This is split into the Heating Control Energy, covering our hot water and storage heaters, with the electricity being supplied at certain times each day.

The rest of the electricity used here is provided as Standard Energy.

The charges were and will be as follows (all excluding VAT):

The Heating Control Energy was being charged at 8.24p per unit and is being charged at 9.84p per unit from November 15th. This is a scandalous increase of 19.4%. How can this increase be justified?

The Standard Energy was being charged at 18.5p per unit and actually remains the same from November 15th.

I will look at the bills and the recent letter about the increase.

I will then post my findings here.

Sorry - we have the THTC tariff for the storage heaters and our hot water only with a general tariff for everything else. I am miffed by the current 19.4% uplift in the THTC rate which is a ridiculously high increase.

_{We are also partly on the THTC tariff and are appalled that the rate has increased by a whopping 19.4% from this month.}

_{What justification is there for this?}

I was interested to read this as I am due to have an achilles heel operation, at the end of next month, that will leave me in plaster from my foot to my knee. I am hoping that the op will be done in Lerwick but, if I have to go to Aberdeen, it looks like an uncomfortable ferry journey home for me, then.

Thanks for that.

I looked through the youtube links and none of them were appropriate to our blind with the frayed cord.

It seems that others have had the same problem:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?353257-Do-Velux-black-out-blinds-have-a-design-flaw/page2&s=fcbdbe4ddb08d0d89244a9aeb7b28142

It was all done via a phone call.

We have a number of velux windows upstairs and all of them have "blackout" blinds attached. About 2 years ago, we replaced a small blind in the bathroom because the cord on one side had become frayed.

The blind on a much larger velux window was installed by us about 5 years ago as, when we moved here, the window had no blind at all. The cord on one side of that blind is now also fraying and it is difficult to open and close the blind at the moment. Rather than splash out for a complete blind again, I am wondering if just the cord can be replaced? If so, is it easy to do so and where can I get it? I have just looked at the Velux website and it would seem that I can only get spare parts for the window itself. The blinds aren't cheap so it would be a shame to have to get a new one just because of a frayed cord.

Any helpful suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

^^

Many thanks for the reply.

I will look into that.

Bearing in mind that I am not technical, can someone please advise me on this?

I have been with Vodafone for about 20 years continuously and have always had the same number. I was on PAYG for about 16 years then switched to annual contracts for 3 separate years followed by a sim-only contract for a year. In May this year, via a phone call to Vodafone I took out what I thought was another 12 months sim-only contract with them. When I went back to them after 3 months to increase the internet allowance, they insisted that I have a 2-year sim-only contract and refuse to budge. I have a reasonable deal with them but this has really pee'd me off. I had no intention of taking out a two-year contract as I like to check every year. They have done this without my requesting them to do so.

This has now become a matter of principle for me. If I was to have my phone unlocked and switched to another network, could I retain my old number? Could I just simply cancel the Vodafone monthly DD and walk away from them? I haven't signed anything with them as it has all been done via the phone.

Thanks.

I also went there in May and took an instant dislike to the place.

Apart from the tables being the smallest I have ever encountered in a café and the fact that the food was obviously just microwaved rubbish, I was appalled by the fact that dogs are welcomed in the café.

Our group of 4 was trying to eat the rubbish served up and there was a big dog, although on a lead from a couple at another table, sniffing around us and obviously looking for scraps whilst we ate. I made a polite but discouraging comment to the dog's owner but it was ignored. Dogs are obviously encouraged there because, before the couple's order was taken, the two café owners came out and stroked the dog. I would hope that they washed their hands when they went back into the kitchen.

Have a look at the website page:(http://www.foordschocolates.co.uk/cafe.html#)

The owners are clearly dog lovers. I am not and I think that, although seemingly legal to have dogs in cafes, it is most unhygienic. Perhaps the owners should shut the café and open boarding kennels instead.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Stirling is a good suggestion so I'll read up about it.

My wife and I will be going on holiday via Glasgow airport but, due to the possibility of flight cancellations and because we depart from Glasgow on an early flight, we will be having a full day free before the holiday itself.

As we have old git bus passes, apart from going into Glasgow itself which we have done many times, does anyone have any suggestions of a day out from Glasgow airport (we will be based in a hotel there) by bus services only? It would be good if we could get, to wherever it is suggested, by not more than two buses in each direction.

Thanks !

Thanks for that.

I will be near the Sound school and hall this morning so will see if I can get into the internet using the "guest" password.

I have never heard about APN settings so have copied a link (http://www.geeksquad.co.uk/articles/07-how-to-set-apn-settings-for-the-vodafone-network#Android) to my wife, who is far more technically-minded than me, to look into it.

I will let you know if it works.