In message e.net, at
07:45:12 on Tue, 22 Jul 2008, Mark Goodge
remarked:
I'm just pointing out that it's not unreasonable for a tenant to
be happy for someone to fix a problem as soon as possible rather than
wait for a time when an appointment can be arranged.

It can be a huge PITA. I spent three weeks one February waiting in
almost every day as a series of British Gas fitters (it had a
maintenance contract) failed to fix the central heating boiler.

(The fix was eventually achieved by a fitter from the manufacturers).

As luck would have it (if that's the correct expression) I was also off
sick, so staying in wasn't a huge inconvenience, but what if I'd been
going out to work every day?

About two weeks into this fiasco we discovered that the landlord knew
the boiler was defective, but had failed to turn up on two occasions to
meet BG by appointment in the month before we moved in. He then moved
overseas, and the rental agents were the most unhelpful I have ever
encountered (they failed several times to deliver on a promise of
delivering an electric heater to give us some hot water to wash in). So
if someone suggests "the agents should meet the fitters and chaperone
them", then I'd just laugh.
--
Roland Perry