It's time for a rant today, a rant about Spain, which I do from time to time, no matter how much I like living here. I haven't been able to blog for a few days because my internet has been down again, something that happens regularly. You can guarantee that there will be a loss of wifi signal at least twice a week, which isn't great when you rely on the internet for part of your income. It is important for me to get articles in on time, if not I lose money, so once again I have lost a wage because my internet supplier can not get its act together. We are in the 21st century; I pay for a service that I am not getting, which also includes super fast broadband; again something I am not supplied. When I went down to their offices in the GA Centre, there were queues of people, also probably complaining, stretching outside the door, with only one person at the desk! There are plenty of other internet suppliers in Gran Alacant and I will be voting with my feet, choosing to take my custom else where, when we move in November.
Rant one over, now time for rant number two. I have been without hot water at home for a week now, waiting for our agent to send an engineer round to fix the problem. It is extremely lucky we are in the middle of summer; water comes out the cold water tap lukewarm and you can just about get away with, not having a working boiler, for short periods. Maintenance jobs seem to take forever in Spain, especially in August, where it seems, no one wants to work. The standards of service you receive, are a lot lower than one would expect in the UK. I can't tell you how frustrated I get sometimes, having to spend most of my time waiting, for one workman or another to arrive, giving no firm time of arrival and not phoning before hand; it is totally infuriating and completely unnecessary. Spain has much to learn where customer service is concerned.
Rant number three is a familiar one; yesterday I spent an hour queuing in the international branch of Banco Sabadell, just to pay in some money. Once again the number of people waiting was ten deep. When I finally got to the counter, where there was only one customer service rep, I was told I couldn't pay anything in, as the system was down. In the UK, even if there was a systems failure, you could still pay cash into your account; the process was a little, slower but you were at least able to do so. No notice was in place explaining the situation and the annoyance on everyone's face, not just mine was palpable. The banks in Spain really do need a shake up. One person dealing with every customer, front of house, while fifteen mill about, at the back is unacceptable. Sabadell really do need to look at their practices.
On to number four; paperwork. Today I have just got back from the Town Hall, after having to replace my 'Padron' paperwork again. The Padron is like the Electoral Roll in the UK. Here in Spain we have to replace the printed sheet of paper, showing our cohabitation, every three months, a ridiculous palaver but a necessary one; showing that myself and Darrell are living together; part of the process, proving we are still a legitimate couple after 23 years. This and similar procedures, will always be a part of our life it seems, more so now, especially with Brexit looming over the horizon. I have a large file of paperwork that one needs on a daily basis, and it's huge. If you are thinking of moving to Spain, then for Gods sake research the documentation you will need, it will save a lot of time and money in the future.
The rules that govern driving a car in Spain; my fifth and final moan today, is a constant source of exasperation. Whilst the ITV system, rather like the UK's MOT is a much more efficient way, of having ones car checked each year, the rest of the formalities involved, is a nightmare. For novices, like myself and Darrell, It is easier to pay someone to do all the necessary administration, transferring ownership of a vehicle. There is no possibility of completing the official paperwork without help. Spain also has some rather funny rules and regulations, you must follow when driving a car; something that amuses me more than anything. You can not drive shirtless, can not wear flip flops and you can not put your hand out of a car window, whilst driving; the list is endless. When you have a beaten up old car like ours, the first thing you want to do is stick your arm out of the car window, whilst moving, in the severe heat of the day. All I can say is, it's a good job I can't drive. The Police are also very keen on issuing on the spot fines, for driving offences. If you don't follow the rules, including speeding and most importantly drink driving, you will be prosecuted and the penalties are huge; 500€ is not uncommon. If I had hair, I would be pulling it out!
RANT OVER! Apart from the above, I am having a wonderful day #stilllovingspain
Rant one over, now time for rant number two. I have been without hot water at home for a week now, waiting for our agent to send an engineer round to fix the problem. It is extremely lucky we are in the middle of summer; water comes out the cold water tap lukewarm and you can just about get away with, not having a working boiler, for short periods. Maintenance jobs seem to take forever in Spain, especially in August, where it seems, no one wants to work. The standards of service you receive, are a lot lower than one would expect in the UK. I can't tell you how frustrated I get sometimes, having to spend most of my time waiting, for one workman or another to arrive, giving no firm time of arrival and not phoning before hand; it is totally infuriating and completely unnecessary. Spain has much to learn where customer service is concerned.
Rant number three is a familiar one; yesterday I spent an hour queuing in the international branch of Banco Sabadell, just to pay in some money. Once again the number of people waiting was ten deep. When I finally got to the counter, where there was only one customer service rep, I was told I couldn't pay anything in, as the system was down. In the UK, even if there was a systems failure, you could still pay cash into your account; the process was a little, slower but you were at least able to do so. No notice was in place explaining the situation and the annoyance on everyone's face, not just mine was palpable. The banks in Spain really do need a shake up. One person dealing with every customer, front of house, while fifteen mill about, at the back is unacceptable. Sabadell really do need to look at their practices.
On to number four; paperwork. Today I have just got back from the Town Hall, after having to replace my 'Padron' paperwork again. The Padron is like the Electoral Roll in the UK. Here in Spain we have to replace the printed sheet of paper, showing our cohabitation, every three months, a ridiculous palaver but a necessary one; showing that myself and Darrell are living together; part of the process, proving we are still a legitimate couple after 23 years. This and similar procedures, will always be a part of our life it seems, more so now, especially with Brexit looming over the horizon. I have a large file of paperwork that one needs on a daily basis, and it's huge. If you are thinking of moving to Spain, then for Gods sake research the documentation you will need, it will save a lot of time and money in the future.
The rules that govern driving a car in Spain; my fifth and final moan today, is a constant source of exasperation. Whilst the ITV system, rather like the UK's MOT is a much more efficient way, of having ones car checked each year, the rest of the formalities involved, is a nightmare. For novices, like myself and Darrell, It is easier to pay someone to do all the necessary administration, transferring ownership of a vehicle. There is no possibility of completing the official paperwork without help. Spain also has some rather funny rules and regulations, you must follow when driving a car; something that amuses me more than anything. You can not drive shirtless, can not wear flip flops and you can not put your hand out of a car window, whilst driving; the list is endless. When you have a beaten up old car like ours, the first thing you want to do is stick your arm out of the car window, whilst moving, in the severe heat of the day. All I can say is, it's a good job I can't drive. The Police are also very keen on issuing on the spot fines, for driving offences. If you don't follow the rules, including speeding and most importantly drink driving, you will be prosecuted and the penalties are huge; 500€ is not uncommon. If I had hair, I would be pulling it out!
RANT OVER! Apart from the above, I am having a wonderful day #stilllovingspain
