The barn behind ours is currently being turned into another home. The new owner has been working on it for about a year.
During all that time he's had no water or electricity. The water people came about two weeks ago, and the necessary pipes do now reach to the edge of his land. All it needs is for his plumber to connect the pipes..... The electricity connection has proved more complex.
The nearest point to connect to is behind our house (above), and the EDF have now been to connect a temporary supply. But rather than connect it to our barn's supply (below left), to which the new owner had already fed his cables (the red tube), they have connected to our supply on the other side of the track (below right); meaning that those cables on the bank will now have to be dug-up, re-positioned, and buried underground in the track.
As I said, this is a temporary connection to a building site. For the actual connection they will have to wait another SIX MONTHS.
Now, I may be a bit dim, but what the hell is the difference between a temporary connection with its own meter etc, and a pukka connection in the same spot, with its own meter etc. All the wires and cables are there, but rules are rules, and when they say six months; that's what they mean!
I don't wish to be rude about the EDF (we've never had any complaints, other than power cuts), but it does seem as if they are very fixed in their ways.
When the men were here yesterday, I asked if they were sure I wasn't going to be paying for the other person's electricity; they assured me that I wouldn't be. When I then asked them if they could fix it so that he would pay for mine; they unfortunately said 'no'.
It now looks as if we'll have that horrible temporary box hanging on a nail from the back of our house until May 2021.
I apologise if the above all sounds rather confusing. It's difficult finding the right words to describe what's going on here. Believe me; the world (and the EDF) works in mysterious ways.
Now, what country are you in? Ah, France.
ReplyDeleteI suspect this probably applies to many countries!
DeleteI hear that Melbourne is now virus-free. Well done to you all.
DeleteVery happy with that.
DeleteYes it is a bit difficult to follow but I suppose if this is how they do it, this is how they do it.
ReplyDeleteTrying to describe exactly what was going on, is almost beyond me. Yet another example of bureaucratic madness.
DeleteIt all sounds like going to the dentist and having a 'temporary filling'.
ReplyDeleteThe pain is much the same too.
DeleteC'est la vie. Qué Sera Sera. You can't buck their system, especially if you're a foreigner. Fureners never understand the system, and never will.
ReplyDeleteSame here. Another 'thing that shall pass'
The owner of the barn (a baker) doesn't seem too bothered. Maybe he's been EDF brainwashed.
DeleteWow. That does seem some convoluted thinking. It also seems like more work: doing the same job twice.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, but I suppose it keeps them in work. You wouldn't believe how many times the water people came to look where they would dig their trench. The actual job took half a day.
DeleteThey don't care do they. Neither EDF nor the developer.
ReplyDeleteOur present house was a total ruin when I bought it, and the first things I did was to have water and electricity installed. How can you do anything without them???
DeleteBugger
ReplyDeleteMore for the neighbour than for us, but he doesn't seem over concerned.
DeleteEDF once managed to smash our fosse pipes when connecting a neighbour's supply. Caused a bit of upset. The VdP mayor came out in the end to arbitrate in our favour.
ReplyDeleteMy charming next-door-neighbour smashed our brand new water meter. He did promise to replace the insulated top, but never did. The men who came to lay the water pipes (above), gave me a new one. I think I'd be waiting for ever for my neighbour to replace it. It's been about 7 years.
DeleteBut it is good to hear that beaurocracy exists in countries other than here.
ReplyDeleteI think it was invented over here.
DeleteSo annoying and frustrating and, such a long wait ! All part of lifes rich pattern, everywhere, it seems. XXXX
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it's not me who has to wait. We've always had our connections done BEFORE we start the work.
DeleteVery inefficient. The mentality seems to be, the longer it takes, the better. My 8 year old oven failed last week, the appliance repair guy ordered a replacement part only to find out it was discontinued. My only option was to buy a new oven and I have done so. Next nobody can install it before Thanksgiving. My solution...install it myself with a friend using a YouTube video. Oven works perfectly.
ReplyDeleteA few years ago we had an oven that stopped working exactly ONE DAY after the guarantee ran out. They refused to fix it for me. We had to buy a new one.
Deletedont even talk to me about VOIP telephone and connections. I give up and I am fed up of contacting sky about it all.
ReplyDelete