Thames Water again

This to record another half hour or so on the phone to Thames Water. A half hour enlivened by some particularly irritating music-while-you-wait. Whatever happened to the much less irritating occasional beep just to confirm that the line was still open?

The last such exchange was noticed a couple of weeks ago at reference 1, after which BH declined to spend her quality time getting cross on the phone. We decided instead to wait and see what happened.

What happened on this occasion with another email from Thames Water telling me something was wrong. Something which now appears to include a bill for more than £3,000. But nothing very helpful to be seen online, so I try ringing the number offered, 0800 980 8800. First stop, takes my details and tells me that I want billing. Second stop, takes more details and tells me that I want operations. Third stop, a helpful young lady who tells me along the way that she is sitting in Reading, just up the road. Not in Glasgow or Sunderland or somewhere exotic at all. I tell her all about our leaking water meter - knowledge of which does not seem to have percolated to the part of the Thames Water IT empire that she can see.

She assures me that leak-fixing-people, rather than leak-inspection-people, will be on the case in days.

We shall see!

We shall, no doubt, also have to fix the bill at some point.

PS 1: given the apparent size of the leak, I have been wondering where all the water is going. Is it washing away a large cavern underneath the pavement, a large cavern which might one day collapse? I have heard of such things in the past, from a Thames Water man who used to spend time at TB.

PS 2: BH asked about my birthday, which came up last time around, but not this time. I had forgotten all about it and she had to explain.

PS 3: Friday evening: three further communications. First, a text yesterday evening telling me that they would be here to investigate by 20:24pm (?) on Saturday, that is to say tomorrow. Second, a phone call this evening about making an appointment for them to come and investigate. After a short conversation, the operator thought that she had better go away and look into the matter. Third, a second text message giving me a link on which I can make an appointment. And yet another reference number. After a little while, I got this to work, and I now have a fitting booked for the middle of March, on the first day available. We will see what, if anything, happens tomorrow. In the meantime, the loud hissing from the water intake in our downstairs toilet continues.

PS 4: still later, I find a rather stroppy email headed 'Final Reminder: Trying to get in touch 3' telling me to make an appointment about my water meter. Sent about the same time as the third text message. And as an IT person, I thought they had cracked customer management systems years ago. Maybe I should turn up at 'Clearwater Court, Vastern Road, Reading RG1 8DB' and start waving a stroppy banner outside. Maybe start a Facebook group (or whatever people do now) and take a small herd on a beano to Reading...

References

Reference 1: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2025/01/thames-water-progress.html.

Reference 2: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2024/04/i-give-up.html. Something rather different, from April Fools' Day last year.