It has been a nightmare of a day. The idea was that we get the keys and move in most of the little items (tomorrow we have a van so the main items will be done then- so our first night in the new home should be tomorrow night.... should be)
When we got to the new house it was freezing. There is a gas meter in the garden and we were left £5 on a car by the previous tenant. We tried to put it in- so we could heat the place up. Nothing. We tried again- the display said "Call Help". This was not good. So we phoned the Estate Agent, who tried to contact the gas people. They were told that we would have to be sent a new card, which could take several days. SEVERAL DAYS WITH NO HEATING OR HOT WATER! Bugger. Anyway, the gas people said they were send someone round, because it may just need resetting. So this put us in an irritable mood, and behind schedule. I stayed behind to keep an eye out for the Gas Man, whilst my OH went back to do some more loading. Her friend popped by and I sent sent her away to be with my OH. Twenty minuted later they both appeared... my OH was looking pale. Her friend said "She's done something a bit stupid"
"Have you broken something?"
"Worse than that"
There was only one thing that I culd think of that would be worse... "You've locked the keys in the house". My OH had taken my keys because she had lost her own keys somewhere.
She nodded! Apparently she was getting a bit stressed and cut her hand on one of the boxes. So she put my keys down to deal with it and forgot she didn't have them with her (After all, she now had new keys where keys should be)
So we were locked out- which isn't a bonus when trying to move out.
So we spoke to the Landlord who is back /supposedly// working on the house. He helped us by breaking into the house via the bathroom window!
Now we were a good few hours behind.
Then the gas man came... and said there was nothing he could do except fit a new meter. Which he did. Unfortunately, we need a new card! Which will take a few days to arrive (assuming he's ordered it) He did put an emergency £10 on the meter, so we got the heating to work! Not sure how long £10 will last but at least we got hot water and heat!......... One hour later we found a problem- we checked the meter... £8.82, we had used more than a pound in just over an hour! This will never last until the card comes and we will freeze. The gas man couldn't wok out how to set the heating... the estate agent haven't a clue, and the landlord is in Norway.
So what should we do? let the money run out then freeze until the card arrives? Turn the heating off so that it doesn't run down... then freeze? I really cant believe that gas costs a pound an hour. Over a hundred and fifty quid a week on gas? I cant believe that!
PS at the moment, we have turned it off because we are not there