Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Whaddya have to do to give furniture away?

So, the Diabetes Association wanted my couch and chair, but its drivers can't come up to my apartment to get it. So I call the Salvation Army, who can come up to get it.
I was told the truck would be here between 8:30 and 3:00 last Tuesday. So I waited all day, not even showering in case I missed them, and they didn't show up. So I rescheduled for yesterday, but when they got here, the elevators were out of order, and they wouldn't walk up to the third floor. The driver told me they had been here last week, but no one was home. I told him that was BS, because I waited all day. So he promised they'd be back first thing this morning. Besides, the woman who rescheduled the appointment checked their list or manifest or whatever the heck you call it, and said "Oh, yeah. They didn't make it to your place." It's now 10:05, and no show yet.

Sheesh.

One more frustration: I signed up for Rogers Home Phone the day I called to have my cable TV and internet service moved to the new place. The nice, obviously gay young guy asked me to call back the day after the phone service was installed, to take care of the transfer. No problem. Well, okay, problem: When I did call back, the guy I talked to said the new building isn't in their system yet, could I wait two days while that situation is rectified? No problem. Well, okay, problem: I actually gave it more than a week, calling yesterday. Guess what? Not in the system yet. I made no bones about expressing my displeasure, cranky old fart that I am (although I feel sorry for the eight bucks-an-hour call centre people who take crap for someone else's screw-up or inaction). This guy said he would flag the request, and someone from Rogers will call me within 48 hours to confirm that everything has been taken care of. Wanna place bets on it?

There. I feel better just for venting. Anyone want to share similar stories?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

ARRRGGGHHH!

They finally showed up at 10:30, but wouldn't take the couch, because the cushions have been re-covered, but trimmed with the same fabric as the rest of the couch. They wanted to take the (matching) chair and the rest of the stuff, but I kicked them out!

Sheesh.

Sean Newbury said...

damned if you do... my friend, damned if you do...

I tried to give 2 winter coats to a homeless shelter back in Dec., and they said they'd only accept them if I included proof of dry-cleaning?!?!?! WTF?!

1) they WERE cleaned, by ME.
2) Sorry I didn't know that I NEEDED a dry-cleaning receipt
and
3) They don't get squat from me any more. I've since started walking down the street when I have something to donate... and just hand items to those in need...
(although I guess that won't help with furniture... )

---

As for similar stories in moving hell... This reply would become a TOME if I were to relate the issues my partner and I have had since moving in on Dec 15th of last year to our new condo... issues with deliveries, instillations, damaged goods (the items delivered, not us), no shows of sub-contracted workers: electrician, plumber, fireplace. Un-scheduled early morning doorbell rings from said plumber and electrician (one at 7:30 am on Christmas-eve morning... a Sunday no less. You wanna bet I was none too pleased and ensured we were not charged the over inflated Sunday/Holiday rate on that one)

The one constant we've discovered is this. Don't expect ANYTHING to go as planned, expect the worst and make sure there are no sharp objects in reach... as much for them as you. Oh, and buy your Gin in BULK.

Hang in there, it can only get better... right?

(fingers crossed, even as I type that last sentence)

Ma Horton said...

Lordy what is the world coming too when you cannot even give away to the needy . I remember one time in the early years ,Tims had an overload of donuts and we called the Lord's kitchen and they declined our offer as well ....guess they had enough desserts that day and our product had to be eaten that day .

JB said...

Similar experiences for me, trying to give away furniture to Goodwill, who told me when I called that they don't pick up, and then were snooty with me when I said I had no way of getting it there, and therefore couldn't donate it to them...as if to say I should be on the hook for the delivery of it as well.

Insofar as telephone nightmares are concerned, Rogers have been very good to me regarding cable, internet and home phone, but Telus...well THAT's another story. I have a contract with Telus that I initiated when I was in Hamilton, and then moved to Brantford, where I can't even get service in my subdivision...had a Telus guy admit to me that I had 'mobile service' at best in the area, and that unless there were a LOT of other Telus customers in the new subdivision, they probably weren't going to be upgrading their service to the area anytime soon...yet, even though I'm only 25 minutes up the road from where I initially signed on for the service, they won't let me out of my contract without a 400 dollar penalty. I like to try to tell this story to everyone I meet to keep them from signing on with Telus, so I'm glad I had the chance to vent here. Thanks, NGB.

Bob said...

Anytime, JB, my brother from another mother.

I just came back from a visit to the new place. OH MY GAWD it is going to be Bee-yoo-tee-FULL! I'm like a kid before Christmas, I can't wait to move in there. The hardwood isn't in yet, but it is almost done in the unit next door. It's bamboo. The contractor tells me that it's "friendly" for various reasons: It only takes six months to grow bamboo for flooring, while traditional hardwoods take 100+ years; bamboo is tougher, and stands up to traffic, etc. better than traditional hardwood. It sure looks nice.

I measured for blinds while I was there, then promptly went to Home Depot to place my order. I got verticals from there for my last two apartments, and love them, so why not again? Only thing is I have to go back tomorrow to actually place the order, because a 15% discount only takes effect tomorrow. Sigh... alright, then.

From what I can see, besides the hardwood, all that's left to put into my place is the kitchen appliances, then me and my stuff.

Excité? Qui? Moi? Je pense que oui!

Oh, and nine more sleeps til Bob's Dominican Adventure begins! WOO HOO!

John Mielke Photography said...

Been there done that with the freaky rules for donating stuff.

Screw it. Ya try to be nice...

Bob, put an ad on www.UsedOttawa.com - someone will want it and be there to pick it up in no time.

I've rid myself of a pile of junk by placing a "free to a good home" ad on there.

Oh, and yes there IS a UsedMontreal.com etc...

Milky

Bob said...

Yeah, but I bet there's not a usedSouthPorcupine.com !!!

Anyhoo, I put a flyer up in the lobby of my building and the other apartment building in this complex this afternoon. As of about 15 minutes ago (10:30pm), the couch, chair, ottoman, 5'x8' area rug, the 20-year-old microwave and the stand it sits on are all gone. A woman in my building is moving into a house on the weekend, and needed some furniture. SHE didn't care about the re-covered couch cushions.
May she get many years of use out of everything.
Meanwhile, my living room and kitchen look kind of bare, but packing just got easier.