Page 2 | to be fed up with how f-ing difficult everything is?

GrinchyScroogus · 2025-12-15T13:15:48+00:00

Maybe I'm caught in one of those phases where everything goes wrong. I feel like everything is such an f-ing hassle if you interact with any kind of shop or goods or services and I'm fed up with it. I've had a delivery where it was just left in a puddle when it should have been put through a letter box, the box soaked through and the item was damaged - not unusuable but not as ordered. I emailed asking for a partial refund and got sent a £5 gift card. WTF. Never ordered from these people before and had no need for anything else from them. Had another go and eventually they refunded me £20 (about 50%) - so it was worth doing but just hassle. Offering a gift card for something delivered damaged is terrible customer service, so is having to force the customer to raise it again. Another problem where had to try to get info out of a previous company about what work they'd done to give a new company. No one answering the phone on hold forever. Phoned repeatedly and wasted a lot of time and phone bill money. Ordered something from Amazon from a 3rd party. what was delivered was not what was described at all. Actioned return but they expected me to pay postage so needed more emails to sort that out as I was not prepared to pay postage to return something that was there complete misdescription. A (Well known for being incompetent) courier company keep delivering a neighbours parcels to us because they can't read the address apparently (not because they aren't in). Trying to contact them is near impossible. Just one thing after another. Complaining is stressful and I hate all this but if you don't you lose a lot of money. Leaving the courier which is just a pain, the total cost of not trying to sort out all this would have been about £130 - none of this is just shopaholic shopping either, some of it was serious maintenance stuff. It just seems that unless you stay at home and do nothing, every engagement with every shop or service causes problems AND then sorting it out is never easy. Does anyone else have this experience or do most people just suck up the wasted money and let it go? SO FED UP.

CandidLurker · 16/12/2025 13:30

Pinepeak2434 · 16/12/2025 12:59

I ended my broadband contract with BT yesterday - I was out of contract and they had increased my bill, so I called them (which took ages to get through) and they refused to offer me the lower price showing on their website. So after some quick research I cancelled and went with sky , straight afterwards I’m bombarded with emails and texts from BT offering me a lower price! Too late!

Show quote history

Sadly there’s no point me switching at the moment as it’s looking like an open reach issue which will mean I’ll have to the same problem whichever company provides the hub at the front end

Badbadbunny · 16/12/2025 13:26

the80sweregreat · 16/12/2025 13:13

Why can’t these companies keep their existing customers by offering them the lower prices instead of chasing new people ? Admittedly , plus net did with us and it went down 6 pounds a month so we stayed with them. It’s not hard for BT and others to do the same
ive heard that virgin are terrible to deal with, but plus net haven’t been too bad with us tbf.

It's "mug pricing" as they know most people won't bother shopping around and changing. Supermarkets and restaurant chains do it too. I.e. there's always online money off coupons for Bella Italia so only "mugs" pay the menu prices as it's so easy to find the discount codes. Likewise Tesco et al with their "loyalty" cards which basically bring the prices down to what they should be (and down to the price in other supermarkets!), only "mugs" pay the over-inflated "before discount" prices because they can't be bothered to get/use a loyalty card.

The likes of Sky and Virgin know that a customer who moves to the other for a cheaper deal will move back again at the end of the contract when the original one has a cheaper deal than renewal.

the80sweregreat · 16/12/2025 13:13

Why can’t these companies keep their existing customers by offering them the lower prices instead of chasing new people ? Admittedly , plus net did with us and it went down 6 pounds a month so we stayed with them. It’s not hard for BT and others to do the same
ive heard that virgin are terrible to deal with, but plus net haven’t been too bad with us tbf.

Pinepeak2434 · 16/12/2025 12:59

CandidLurker · 15/12/2025 15:20

BT - I’ve been dealing with them for about 3 weeks now over a fault with my broadband and landline. They have actually driven me to the very brink of insanity. I actually cried in frustration yesterday. I have quite literally been on the phone for hours and hours whilst they mess about with things their end and tell me it’s fixed -when it isn’t. They take gaslighting to a whole new level.

I’m sick to death of “virtual assistants” and “ diagnostic bots”.

Even though I’m quite technically competent and knowledgeable I can quite see that as I get older I will just give up with lots of stuff

I ended my broadband contract with BT yesterday - I was out of contract and they had increased my bill, so I called them (which took ages to get through) and they refused to offer me the lower price showing on their website. So after some quick research I cancelled and went with sky , straight afterwards I’m bombarded with emails and texts from BT offering me a lower price! Too late!

isthesolution · 16/12/2025 12:03

Completely agree. None of the systems seem to work. It’s exhausting trying to navigate them

CandidLurker · 16/12/2025 11:31

PlazaAthenee · 16/12/2025 07:54

Openreach. Just typing the word gives me the rage.
They refused to fit full fibre to my house as they couldn't confirm who owned a small 1ft strip of concrete next to my garden. I do, I'm on the land registry as I've paid the mortgage off. The council got arsey with openreach as they said they were fed up with them asking for permission when they'd repeatedly told them to go ahead with all domestic full fibre installations. Apparently openreach asked other people for permission but weren't allowed to tell me who they asked. After an epic saga, two months later, they cancelled my installation and got stroppy when I didn't send the new router back quick enough. Openreach are incompetent idiots.

Oh God I’ve now got to deal with them (via BT) as an engineer visit has confirmed what I already knew which is my constantly dropping connection is not anything to do with the set up in my house

Badbadbunny · 16/12/2025 09:49

Waitingfordoggo · 15/12/2025 15:51

As well as frustration and loss of £ for the customer and loss of work for those working in retail/service industries, this automation of everything is also damaging human connection and communication; community. Granted there have always been people who don’t want to engage with others around them, but for most of us it’s vital. The impact of community on individuals’ mental health and ability to cope with the world. Cohesion with our neighbours. Productivity- because we can all achieve a lot more with support.

The result is more and more individualism. Each person, couple or family spending more and more time in their own homes, never needing to have a conversation or ask a question of a shop worker or bank staff. I think it’s really, deeply sad and worrying.

Worse than that. Of course there were people who found it hard to deal with other people directly, but by actually having to do it, it gets easier and most of such people probably went on to being functional simply due to experience and confidence as they knew they had to do it. Nowadays, it's too easy for that kind of person to stay home and hide behind their keyboard. I'm convinced it's driving the ever increasing numbers of mental health problems and youngsters unable to work etc. Yes, I know there will be extreme people who never could navigate real life in the past, but I think the modern world is driving more people to be introverted and excluded because it's more comfortable for them whereas in the past they'd have to find ways to live a more normal life.

malificent7 · 16/12/2025 08:48

Agree. Bought a rug from Wayfair. Returned said rug....offered us a gift vpucher...no thanks...ill gave the cash.

the80sweregreat · 16/12/2025 08:40

Many websites take down the more negative feedback my old company does this too! Made me laugh how I read something on Facebook about them and within seconds it was taken down if it’s not praise. We knkw their game.
I do struggle with accents on the phone too. I had to phone up the bank and the ladies accent was so strong I really couldn’t understand her that well. She was also having problems understanding me too.
It’s definitely a problem and I think that sometimes people are having more problems actually articulating how to solve the problems as well ( which adds to the frustrations)

Baahbaahmutton · 16/12/2025 08:15

PigeonsandSquirrels · 16/12/2025 08:02

Yep Student Finance England… they don’t have an email. They suggest using their Webchat that hasn’t been available once in 3 months of my issue.

So you have to call them. The options mean sometimes AI decides you don’t need help and hangs up on you. Having figured out how to speak to humans…. 2/3 times the person doesn’t speak good enough English to understand what I need/the issue.

Hours and hours and hours spent on the phone.

Edited

Oh student finance facinates me. I also had someone with very, very weak english and I don't think that's acceptable considering their staff are UK based! I even interviewed couple of years ago for these positions (didn't make it through, but not sour about it since I ended up in different location anyway) so was really taken by surprise and triple checked I called actual SFE number.
And they were absolutely chaotic anyway with emails and statements not coming but obviously had proper contact details as other comms from them were coming to me fine.

Stressedout150 · 16/12/2025 08:06

ASimpleLampoon · 15/12/2025 14:17

I see your goods and services

I raise you - The SEND system.

Omg this 100%%% I have just managed to secure an EHCP through Surrey county council after 2 years of fighting- it has been a complete joke from start to finish

Oneofthebest · 16/12/2025 08:04

the80sweregreat · 15/12/2025 20:47

Why can’t we all ‘ rise up’ about how these banks and big companies have managed to make everything just awful and hard and not for anyone’s benefit apart from their own ? Nearly everyone moans about t don’t they, but nothing is ever done about it.

I use TrustPilot as a review site…haha…Trust!

I posted a genuine review of DPD about them saying, repeatedly that they have tried to deliver and never have. They take packages to a drop off, meaning a round trip and with larger items, a real struggle to collect (new toilet).

In the review I included tracking numbers, customer numbers, my email etc only to receive and email saying that unless I provided ‘tracking numbers, customer numbers, my email’ they would consider the review to be fake…i provided everything again but the review was never published.
What is the actual point if only good reviews are accepted.

Etsy was the same. A genuine, poor review about a seller delaying, again and again and sending an extremely rude response when I asked for a refund, was rejected.

PigeonsandSquirrels · 16/12/2025 08:02

Yep Student Finance England… they don’t have an email. They suggest using their Webchat that hasn’t been available once in 3 months of my issue.

So you have to call them. The options mean sometimes AI decides you don’t need help and hangs up on you. Having figured out how to speak to humans…. 2/3 times the person doesn’t speak good enough English to understand what I need/the issue.

Hours and hours and hours spent on the phone.

PlazaAthenee · 16/12/2025 07:54

Openreach. Just typing the word gives me the rage.
They refused to fit full fibre to my house as they couldn't confirm who owned a small 1ft strip of concrete next to my garden. I do, I'm on the land registry as I've paid the mortgage off. The council got arsey with openreach as they said they were fed up with them asking for permission when they'd repeatedly told them to go ahead with all domestic full fibre installations. Apparently openreach asked other people for permission but weren't allowed to tell me who they asked. After an epic saga, two months later, they cancelled my installation and got stroppy when I didn't send the new router back quick enough. Openreach are incompetent idiots.

Oneofthebest · 16/12/2025 07:25

Yep. Customer service standards really are on the floor lately. Poor pay/unsocial hours/nobody wanting to do the jobs…staff not caring? Companies all about shareholder/CEO profiow, cheap ineffective AI .., who knows?

HMRC – I’ve had a tax code change saying that over the last two years I haven’t paid enough tax. How does that even happen? I’m employed in the public sector and I’ve actually reduced my hours and earnings. Yet somehow I now owe thousands?

FRASERS – once a genuinely decent company, now just another Mike Ashley emporium. I read the returns policy, wasn’t thrilled about paying £4.99 but accepted it.
The item arrived, but the packaging was a mess and it’s a gift, so it needs to go back.
Tried to arrange an online return:
“We are aware of technical issues meaning returns arranged by us are not working. Please arrange your own return at your own expense via a courier.”
No phone number. Just a chatbot, then a virtual assistant. A long wait, only to be told:
“You have five minutes left on our waiting list before we end the call as you’ve reached the maximum waiting time.”
It honestly feels like FRASERS is designed to make returns so difficult that people just give up.

NS&I – three days of back-and-forth on Messenger. Every new responder asks me to explain the whole issue again. Please just read the messages above – it’s all there.

Customer service used to be about helping customers. Now it feels like a test of endurance.

The only positive is today I am shopping local, in the independent businesses that provide a service and who care. Maybe a much needed return to the high street will follow.

BarilynBordeaux · 16/12/2025 07:03

Totally agree with pretty much all posts! Apps that don’t work, shitty customer service, outright negligence…it gets worse and worse and no one running anything gives a fuck.

CandidLurker · 16/12/2025 06:57

LemograssLollipop · 16/12/2025 01:51

Can I add banks? It's so ridiculous that they are closing existing branches then trumpeting the news that they are creating hubs with the Post Office to provide access following closure of the hubs 🤦🏾‍♀️ Makes no sense and you can't do much banking in the hubs other than print a statement.
Family member works for a bank with about three branches in the city. I'm horrified by the stories of customers who are shunted between branches for fairly standard tasks because some incompetent can't be bothered to deal with it.

I started working in retail banking in the 1980’s. I am very sad to see its demise not least because of all the good local jobs that have now disappeared that previously existed in every town. The “hubs” were never going to be able to provide more than a very narrow range of services due to security. The post office counter worker will never be able to view your account. The “hubs” in my local library seem to be more about showing people how to do stuff on the app.

the80sweregreat · 16/12/2025 06:46

The parking app in town was charging more money. It turned out that if you have the notifications on , it’s 70 p more. Didn’t make it clear. How many 70ps is it getting from people who didn’t know ? Apparently you’re meant to know this stuff when all you want is an hour for parking.

BradPittsLeftArmpit · 16/12/2025 02:15

Yes. 100% YES. To EVERY single post on this thread. Modern life is shite

suburberphobe · 16/12/2025 02:04

Brexshit.

Had to pay picking up a parcel from UK. Customs shit.

Never again.

LemograssLollipop · 16/12/2025 01:51

Can I add banks? It's so ridiculous that they are closing existing branches then trumpeting the news that they are creating hubs with the Post Office to provide access following closure of the hubs 🤦🏾‍♀️ Makes no sense and you can't do much banking in the hubs other than print a statement.
Family member works for a bank with about three branches in the city. I'm horrified by the stories of customers who are shunted between branches for fairly standard tasks because some incompetent can't be bothered to deal with it.

suburberphobe · 16/12/2025 01:37

Dare I mention HMRC?

Bunch of thieves.

NewNameforThisPost2025 · 16/12/2025 01:07

I was JUST thinking the same thing yesterday, OP! There are times when everything I touch goes wrong.

Recently, I ordered a whole bunch of things for a party and they arrived in dribs and drabs over two weeks, too late for the party. I needed to do some banking but lost my card device. When I found it I was overjoyed, but its batteries were flat. Then I went to see a production of The Nutcracker that I was really looking forward to and they had dumped the entire first half of the score and replaced it with some really rubbish music. 😡

Then, I have a shipment of items coming home to me that I bought while I was abroad for a while, and they wanted EIGHT different forms, which wasn't easy for me as I have ADHD.

Then, it transpired that my shipment has been picked out for extra inspection and they charged me 120 pounds extra for the privilege! Then, I decided to store the items at the port as I'm not going to be able to receive them for a while due to renovations, and despite me asking THREE times on email for storage, they contacted me to arrange delivery on Saturday!

Yes, everything is so difficult, and I'm so busy dealing with all this nonsense, I don't have time to have any fun between this and a busy job! I woke up to a slew of demands from others this morning. I feel like a dancing monkey.

sleepwouldbenice · 16/12/2025 00:55

Fluffyholeysocks · 15/12/2025 13:38

Dare I mention HMRC? I paid nearly 1500 pounds too much in PAYE tax last year, in July I rang them (on hold for 45 minutes) to confirm they had all my P60's so could they refund the overpayment. A completely disinterested call handler explained that they were waiting on one of my savings providers to report back on how much interest I had earned on one of my savings accounts. I said I had those figures on my app - I'd earned 30 quid. Sorry - they need the bank to inform them. I asked why did I have the figures months ago and not HMRC? I was told not to worry, it would be repaid by November! I have just received my repayment - 9 months after the end of the tax year. Presumably I will be going through the same painful process next year.

God yep hmrc
i found a small pension that I hadn’t claimed tax relief on for few years
sent them the details
all my historical tax records and payments were sorted at this point
some idiot deleted all my other pension tax records over several years and replaced it with the small pension, instead of adding the small pension

i have spent hours and hours calling ( and being cut off) about this. They expect me to re create years of tax records as they messed up

aargh…

and yes countless othe poor customer service

arghh

Butterbean21 · 16/12/2025 00:25

I hate the world now.

British gas is absolutely joke, been calling them every 3 days since April and have an upheld decision by ombudsman that they still cannot put right.

Virgin Money took over Clydesdale and Yorkshire and made redundant all the experienced staff and the branches direct you to the call centre for everything.

I got a new boiler with the hive thing. BT was bought over by EE so had to change WIFI box. Boiler no longer connects to wifi so need to call to speak to a technical team to get it set up but they have no direct number, just a automated system that no one ever calls you back. Life was so much easier when I had a thermostat on the wall and I clicked 1 hour boost and the house was cosy.

The only thing I bought online this year was 3 books that I couldn't source in my city. The cardboard box was promptly dumped in a puddle and left at the front door for hours in the rain and all 3 books were ruined.