Well, my gast is flabbered!
I need to rant here because the the cat is useless at responding to my outbursts
Here goes - I live a council house.
Before xmas my son was knocking on our front door (he prefers to let me open the door because he worries the dog will run out) and the glass pane he was knocking on shattered and he cut his hand and wrist.
The doctor at the hospital and the GP were extremely concerned that a council would allow non-safety glass to still be in door. I admit it had just never occured to me before although I have often grumbled as the door is so old and flimsy.
I contacted the council housing dept regarding this and they sent a surveyor round. Two surveyors arrived. They both agreed that it would make sense to have a new door, especially as all the other properties in the area have just had new doors and windows (I have no clue as to why I have been missed)
The surveyors said that should it not be possible to get a new door he would arrange for the glass to be repaired with safety glass (tho he admitted this would be false economy in the long run)
So, this morning, I thought hey, I've waited long enough so I phoned them to see what action was going to be taken regarding the door.
They said they can replace the glass with ply-wood
My mouth opened but no words came out. After a pause I asked her to repeat it. They will replace the glass with ply-wood.
Picture a door if you will. A wooden door. the top half has 13 panes of glass in an arch shape. They want to cover this area with PLY-WOOD!!!!
"Are you serious??" I asked She passed me onto someone else - who explained they will 'replace the glass with ply-wood'
- I know i keep repeating this but it just won't sink in
I explained the best I could how this option was an absolute rediculous one... mentioning how terrible it would look, how unsafe it would be, how all the other properties have new doors, how I wouldn't be happy paying rent on a property that has PLY-WOOD on a door etc etc
She said she would arrange for another surveyor to come around, but it would be a month before he could come.
"No no no no" said I. "You are getting even sillier now"
A surveyor will be calling tomorrow
I queried the cost of 2 x surveyor visits. She explained that they need a second opinion. "But it's a door. Surely you can picture a door. It's an ordinary door in an ordinary place and the glass is broken. Surely you don't need to see it again?!"
Yes they do apparently.
She asked if I would be at home tomorrow. I told her that I wouldn't need to be...would I?
"Can the surveyor see it from the outside?"
IT'S A DOOR! OF COURSE HE CAN SEE IT FROM THE OUTSIDE!