This is a Peabody area
with several Peabody buildings abutting the back garden.. George Peabody was an American philanthropist who invested in modest homes for what we used to call the working class. Over the 25 years I have lived here, the second floor hall light has been left on for weeks at a time. I have counted my blessings ie it isn’t noise but from time to time, as it shines right up the length of my small garden, I gnash my teeth. I have asked the people who live there. Blank. And I have heard other stories about Peabody deaf ears. So I wrote to the CEO on 26 March, offended by the light, the lack of consideration and the conspicuous waste of energy.
On 15 April I received a letter from the so named Executive Enquiries Lead/Customer Experience Team, saying that a repair order was raised 11 April and hoping that by the time I received the letter, the problem would be resolved. Welcome to Planet Peabody. Don’t hold your breath.
Rosie (not her name) has a long, intricate and serious medical history and she was injured 18 months ago in a car crash.
She was briefly and effectively hospitalised, and it was agreed that the injuries she sustained made her existing problems worse. She should claim damages. Since then she has seen the medical specialists designated by the insurance company to assess various aspects of her claim up to and including clinical psychologists. The suggested techniques for treatment included exercises based round rapid eye movement (from which she was ruled out because of advancing neurological illness and existing double vision) and cognitive behavioural therapy
– which is everywhere much praised.
For whatever reasons she is disposed against CBT. She is not against psychotherapy having previously made some effort to find treatment for herself (privately). But she is now being told that she must have 16 sessions of CBT with the designated practitioner or she disqualifies herself from her claim.
So is she to lie and welcome a treatment she is not sure about ? Is she to try it in good faith. saying she is unsure about it and see what happens ? Where is personal choice in all this, not to mention delayed treatment of psychological impairment attributed to the crash ? The appointed solicitors have already changed her representative once without reference or explanation and do not reply to letters, email or phone messages. To whom does she turn ?
While Wal and Howard (not their names) who live in a semi detached property which houses the accrued investments of a lifetime (including jewellery, antiques and furs) for which they pay heavily to have made secure, suddenly couldn’t activate the alarm Wal sets faithfully every night (apart from the timed lights and the locked doors).
Wal rang the well-known US company. Six hours later, the last of several unimpressive operatives opined that he could do nothing, he was working from home. He thought it might be the batteries ? The company is paid £700 a month and is supposed to check/change the batteries every six months. Wal and Howard between them changed the batteries and Wal was so distressed, he was still shaking when he rang. “Nobody cares” he said. “Nobody. We are paying for a service that doesn’t exist. In the past, your last engineer would enter the date that the batteries next had to be checked. Not now. And nobody cares.” I told him about Rosie. “Blackmail” he snorted.
All I know is that, when you get in a jam,
you are very lucky if you can find somebody who will do anything. And nobody talks about why. Part of the problem has to be sheer numbers – the population is staggering and goes on growing, you wonder if the island will sink ? Companies are vast and belief in technology is crippling. (my final account from edf is variously six pence (really), £13.50 or so, and £39 plus: they may trust their machinery, I don’t.) In the past money bought you a kind of immunity. Not any more. The helping agencies are swamped, I have chosen three stories – there are others, and you really don’t know who to turn to hence the title: cries unheard.
Annalog 
It is all so true, but it is utterly shameful that we have to just put up with this, with no recourse. I wrote a complaint to the CEO of HSBC, they had my money and wouldn’t give it back. NO reply but a half baked email from a minion in a call centre SHAMEFUL!!!!
several of these things ring a bell with me. I had similar experiences after a road accident with solicitors, CBT and assessments.
also the company calling a light being left on a reason for repair is ridiculous!
companies just don’t listen to what we’re saying half the time.
Coming at the “nobody is listening” theme from a different angle..
PIP. Personal Independence Payment, for those with disability or illness that prevents work and incurs extra cost to cover everyday expenses.
When applying, one goes through a 15 minute call (with someone who sounds like an automoton), a form can then be requested, either via email or post.
On receipt of the form, it has to be filled out within a certain length of time and returned, usually a month. No return, the claim is automatically dismissed. By post is the preferred choice here.
The first form doesn’t arrive, however DWP reminders do, via text. “We have not yet received your form”..with instruction to get it back in time. They allow 7-10 days for it to arrive (bank holidays/weekends? Anybody’s guess)
Form one doesn’t arrive. Given we had Easter break, one waits. A reminder comes on the same day a call goes into the DWP to say original form is AWOL. Says maybe email would be better? But no, post was chosen first time, so post it must remain. Erm..ok.
Second form is AWOL too. Sent on 26th Apr, it’s now 4th May. The thought of ringing them again fills with complete dread and keeps me awake most of the night, adding to the depression, pain and intrusive thoughts that steal my sleep away. Who to talk to, when one is instantly viewed by so many as a drain on the economy, the NHS and when one feels awful for daring to ask for help this way in the first place – who will believe that not one but two forms from the DWP would go missing?
No. Nobody IS listening.