Oxley Woods Living

Life in an Oxley Woods eco house

 
 

Archive for September, 2009

 

Oxley Woods, where next week means what?

September 25, 2009

Nothing. Apparently.

When Peter from Wood Newton visited last Thursday afternoon, I had to tell him it was not convenient for the painters to attempt to paint the ceilings and walls of our property that same day. The reply came it would have to be “some time next week”. Which seemed fair enough at the time.

Only, here we are, Friday morning of that very “next week”. The painting still having not been addressed.

Have we seen or heard anything of Peter or the painters? Other than when Peter popped by the blog to effectively accuse myself, my wife and mother of being liars on an earlier post? No. Not a word.

So when does “next week” mean?

I’ve asked for clarification from George Wimpey customer care, who also appear to struggle with the concept of time where Wood Newton are concerned, but my request for clarification appear to have fallen on deaf ears.

Neighbours… Everybody needs good neighbours

September 25, 2009

With all the other fiascos I forgot to mention that a short while ago the long-time empty house next door finally received its new occupants. We have next door neighbours!

Really nice to have a family move in next door, we don’t feel quite so much like the last outpost of Oxley Woods any more.

After living in a place that felt like the middle of nowhere for several years previous, we wanted to be in a community, a proper neighbourhood, and it feels like, as the development is progressing and people are moving in, that’s finally what we’re becoming part of.

Nice.

The incredible moving goalposts

September 22, 2009

In late June/early July this year testing was complete on our leaking windows and doors at our Oxley Woods eco house.

A report was compiled, explaining why Wood Newton and George Wimpey believed the house has had such severe water ingress, and remedial work was expected to be carried out quite soon afterwards.

After a while, we were given a date in August. Then a date in September. Then another date in September. As highlighted in a previous post, we simply have not been being told the whole picture, or even the whole truth. It’s a terribly frustrating situation.

Anyway, on Monday morning we received a letter from George Wimpey customer service, compiled on the previous Friday. The letter advises that the tests on our new windows have been completed (not the first time we’d heard this) and had passed on all fronts. I will now quote some of the letter directly…

Having said this I am very mindful that I previously advised you that orders had already been submitted, which was clearly incorrect due to the tests which were requested to be fully completed prior to manufacturing. Now the tests are complete and results (albeit verbally at present are good), I would with your agreement like to set up a meeting with John Green and Nigel Mitchell to go through in detail the results of the tests, the drawings and specification of your replacement windows to put your mind at rest for the pending fitting schedule.

If you are happy for us to arrange said meeting, I would be looking to arrange for week commencing 28th September 2009 onwards, once the full written tests results are in Wood Newton’s hands

May I take this opportunity once again to apologise for any confusion in time frames and indeed hope that if you are agreeable this meeting will benefit you greatly.

OK. So this sounds positive. But, and it seems there’s ALWAYS a but…

I can’t arrange a meeting inside office hours for the week commencing 28th September. I stated as such in an email reply, requesting the meeting be put forward to the previous Friday, or be held outside of office hours so I may attend.

I don’t feel it’s fair to say why, as it’s personal to the third party, but the meeting could not be put forward to this week. The reason given raised serious doubts in my mind about the meeting taking place as assured in the above letter. In fact, I put this in my reply to George Wimpey…

This feels like another pending chapter of our ongoing farce. I truly hope this is not the case.

Well, this afternoon a reply came back from a separate member of George Wimpey customer service, who had been on site today in a meeting with Nigel, and other Wood Newton and George Wimpey management.

Here’s an extract of that email:

…he also thinks it would be better if they could attend the meeting with a copy of the report with regard to the Windows in their possession and they do not expect to receive that for approximately another 14 days

Can you see the discrepancy here?

It’s amazing how many times this is being pushed back, and even when customer service management say sorry, and apparently attempt to put things right, the following afternoon it’s all back again to changing schedules and “confusion in time schedules”.

I seriously don’t know who or what to believe anymore. It’s so confusing. And so, so disheartening.

So proud of my babies…

September 22, 2009

OK, that’s very tongue in cheek, I wanted to clarify that before anyone thinks I have gone completely off my rocker thanks to the stress of the current situation!

The “babies” in question are our Strawberry plantlets which have finally had their runners cut this week, and are doing pretty well so far!

Baby strawberry plants

To be honest, our Strawberries were a bit of a let down this year. No, they were a huge let down. As previously mentioned we had a good crop of blueberries, the corn is middling to poor, tomatoes have been excellent, potatoes still under way, but the strawberry growing was fair from fruitful.

The lack of fruit has been slightly made up for by the number of strong looking plantlets we had come from the runners on the plants. I potted them up a few weeks back, and this week finally cut off the runners, as all the plantlets appeared to be showing signs of fresh growth.

So far, they’re doing well. I know this is small fry to many of the accomplished home-growers on Oxley Woods, but I’m still pleased to see this working out well, hopefully next year we’ll have a bumper crop of juicy red fruit!?

Something in the air?

September 22, 2009

After many residents’ came together in support of one another (and, it has to be said, in support of the George Wimpey site managers to a large degree as well), perhaps something has stirred in people?

Or perhaps people have just had enough of tip-toeing around dog pooh in the park, and it has nothing to do with the new found “blitz spirit” on site.

Sign of the times?

Either way, whoever put these signs up, good on you! We don’t own a dog, but we do have kids, and we do play in the park, and dog mess is an increasingly messy, disgusting problem.