Timeline: British Gas Debacle

March 1, morning: We receive a letter from British Gas saying they will be coming on March 9 to perform a yearly safety inspection on our appliances.

March 1, afternoon: I call BG to let them know I will be out of town on March 9. We reschedule for March 16, 8a-1p.

March 6, morning: Mark returns to the flat to find the boiler is out. No heat.

March 7, morning: Mark works at home and BG comes to fix the boiler. Heat and hot water once again!

March 9 (Thursday), morning: The boiler is broken again. They can't come until Monday to fix it.

March 13, morning: Mark works from home again. BG comes again. Aha! A new part is needed. They will come back on the 15th.

March 13, evening: I tell Mark I will be sleeping on the 15th after returning on an overnight flight from the U.S. Mark reschedules for March 16th, 8a-1p, same time as the appliance safety person is supposed to come.

March 16, 10:30a: Safety check person comes. I tell him that someone is also coming to fix the boiler. He calls into whomever the BG Gods are and says the boiler fixer man is coming later this morning so the other guy can do both jobs. Safety check guy leaves without performing a thing.

March 16, 1p: I call BG and tell them no on has showed up. They say they can't get in touch with the guy who was supposed to be here; they will call me back.

March 16, 3p: I call BG again and tell them no one has shown up still. I get the same response about how they will call me.

March 17, 8a: I call BG and tell them no one ever showed up yesterday and I am starting to get upset. We've already waited 20 hours in two weeks for these people. I tell them I need something smaller than a 5-hour time slot. BG tells me someone will be here by noon (4-hour time slot, what an improvement).

March 17, 12p: BG tells me my call from the morning was not recorded and no one was ever sent to the flat. So I've just waited 4 hours for absolutely nothing and 9 hours total in vain. I tell the BG lady the whole story and she finally agrees to give me a two-hour time slot, Monday, 12-2p. At first she tried to give me Saturday 8a-1p and then Wednesday 12-2p and I fought until I got Monday 12-2p.

This is the best they can do? And our landlord won't replace the boiler? This wouldn't happen in the U.S. I hate this BLEEPING country. To be continued.