Sorry - I just need to rant and rave to someone!!! (long)

[HappyHollyHulababy]

Hope no one minds.I live in city apartments and pay plenty to do so, including a hefty service charge. WE live on the 5th floor and have a lift which our Owner's Handbook states will be mended within 4 hours of anything goes wrong.

Well, it has not been out of order since early hours of Saturday morning. The lift company has ordered a part from France!!! Chance of it being repaired before Christmas is looking impossible now.

We are supposed to have family over on Boxing Day. But Grandad is disabled with limited mobility. He can't climb 5 stairs let alone five double flights of them.

So it is all ruined and I now have to make last minute plans. They will invlove me having to try and do food at someone else's house, taking 20mo DD away from all her new things, some of which she probably won't have even opened. Can't take them with us - bad enough carrying her and the food downstairs to the carpark, let alone more stuff.

This is the second Christmas this damn management company has spoilt. Last year we should have been in but it was delayed at the last minute. Didn't even get in until the summer.

Feel so down at the moment and just want to cry. Feel like moving - that bad. I know in the scheme of things in the world this isn't a disaster but I feel so let down, useless (can't do anything to make it right) and disappointed again.

Thank you for listening. I promise to cheer up and be full of the Christmas spirit again tomoorw. Best open some alcohol I think.

Oh you poor thing! That must be so disappointing. It's so hard with Christmas when you spend ages planning everything and picturing it and then it all goes wrong. The only thing I can say is that if your dd is anything like mine at that age she'll be much happier with presents spread out over a longer period. Mine just got overwhelmed and tearful if everything happened at once. Not much comfort though, I'm really sorry.
Hugs x

oh hulababy!!
thats awful!
no suggestions but masses of sympathy and hugs!!!!
are you entittled to any compensation from the people in charge of the lift etc???

It does sound like a pain, esp. the grandad bit. You have every reason to be fed up. Is there anything you can do to claim compensation, what does the contract say they will do if they don't honour there promises? I know this is no conselation just now, and your christmas will be complicated. Don't woory about dd's presents though you will be so busy seeing people that she will probably forget about them until the new year. Good luck with sorting it all out

poor you,
France!
Are they having a laugh?

poor you,
France!
Are they having a laugh?

oh HulaBaby you poor thing.
No suggestions just some sympathy and a hug xx

Sorry hulababy, what a total nightmare. Can you not call them and tell them what has happened? They should compensate you for the inconvenience.

I used to live in a city centre apt, 5th floor too and the lift was always breaking down meaning I had to carry a newborn plus an 18 month old up or down 5 flights of stairs at least every other day. The lift company who were contracted to repair our lift were based 60 miles away so already you had a couple of hours before they could get to you. Only time they did shift it was when the lift broke down with me inside 9 months pregnant and due any day. I used to get so stressed out at the thought that the lift might break down the whole city centre apt living turned into a nightmare. We moved out due to work relocation and now have a house. In hindsight, living in an apt with children doesnt work, you come to realise that everything you enjoyed about city living pre children were no longer viable. As you are paying the Management Company a hefty sum to manage the place on your behalf you are within your rights to see the contract for the lift company and can put pressure on them to amend to another lift contractor if you feel the present ones do not come up to scratch.

Thanks guys. Knew I can rely on MN even if no one else. Had a drink now so starting to feel better and had time to think.

Suggested to DH a new plan:

Go over to Doncaster early in morining and spend morning and lunch with his parents and have his grandparents over there (live close).

Afternoon - have my parents, brother and sister still come over to our place, but a bit later than planned. They can stay later then as not as many people here. They are coming ovber from Newcastle so travelling in morning. Don't want to give my mum extra work.

At least then DD gets afternoon to play and we get to see everyone.

RE: France Popsycal - I know; DH said the same to the lift company (rang them himself) and they had no good reason either.

Will be working on the compensation bit after Christmas. We know that they are planning to replace the lift and that it will take between 2 and 8 weeks to do.

TRifle - what a nightmare for you! WE only moved her with a child; not done city living before. I adore everything about it bar this darn lift. It was damaged in a fire accident before we moved in, We thought it had been replaced but it hasn't. It is now supposed to be being done in the new year. Really looking forward to that

Awww HappyHollyHulababy,

You have every right to be disappointed - all your well made plans are disrupted now. However having slept on it, perhaps you'll wake up determined to make the best of things and enjoy the festive period come what may....