Questions Thread

[HighPeakFox]

1 minute ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

It’s just so one sided IMO

It really isn't, you're just aware of your side and less the other 

[Raj]

14 minutes ago, Samilktray said:

I really am surprised at how bothered by bans and posting restrictions people on here can get sometimes. Really think it’s best not to take it too seriously 

 

4 minutes ago, Torquay Gunner said:

I think it’s only human nature that people want to know what their ban is for.  I am banned from gen news and I can only guess that it might have been a Charlie Kirk related post, which since I bit my tongue on it, was a lot milder than I had in mind.  Ultimately, of course in the grand scheme of things it’s not particularly important.

 

Mostly its because you've been stabbed in the back by someone!!

[Trav Le Bleu]

6 hours ago, Raj said:

 

 

Mostly its because you've been stabbed in the back by someone!!

Is this a dagger I see before me?

[Trav Le Bleu]

6 hours ago, HighPeakFox said:

It really isn't, you're just aware of your side and less the other 

Indeed.

 

I mean, look at @Raj getting banned, and he's the living embodiment of sensibility and impartiality

[Raj]

Just now, Trav Le Bleu said:

Indeed.

 

I mean, look at @Raj getting banned, and he's the living embodiment of sensibility and impartiality

MODS!!!!

[Trav Le Bleu]

17 minutes ago, Raj said:

MODS!!!!

I was only putting what you told me to!

[HighPeakFox]

2 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Indeed.

 

I mean, look at @Raj getting banned, and he's the living embodiment of sensibility and impartiality

Stay in your lane @Trav Le Bleu

 

[Zear0]

10 hours ago, Sampson said:

On another note - trying to cut down on doomscrolling. Are there any devices where you can listen to music/podcasts and get emails or messages but can’t really scroll online so I can leave my phone at home and not tempted by the doom scroll?

 

I wondered if smart watches do this?

I've put some controls on my own router to block the websites that cause brain rot. Can easily turn it off, but sometimes the effort of having to get up to find the password on the router nudges me from not going near Twitter. Very helpful at bedtime. 

[Trav Le Bleu]

1 hour ago, HighPeakFox said:

Stay in your lane @Trav Le Bleu

 

 

[Parafox]

Is it usual for a plumber or other tradesperson to ask for payment for parts before any work has been done?

 

We have a fault with our boiler and contacted an independent heating engineer. He asked me to send photos of the make, model and serial number of the boiler so he could source the correct parts. Then he messaged me a couple of days later when he was at the supplier asking me to send payment for the parts, which I did. He then came out to replace the pressure vessel. Now he needs an additional part and sent me a copy of the quote so I could pay the supplier which again I did.

 

I've never had this experience with other people who have done work for us.

Edited 10 October 2025 by Parafox

[Free Falling Foxes]

20 minutes ago, Parafox said:

Is it usual for a plumber or other tradesperson to ask for payment for parts before any work has been done?

 

We have a fault with our boiler and contacted an independent heating engineer. He asked me to send photos of the make, model and serial number of the boiler so he could source the correct parts. Then he messaged me a couple of days later when he was at the supplier asking me to send payment for the parts, which I did. He then came out to replace the pressure vessel. Now he needs an additional part and sent me a copy of the quote so I could pay the supplier which again I did.

 

I've never had this experience with other people who have done work for us.

I think so these days.

We had a replacement window a couple of years ago and the company asked for a 33% deposit, another 3rd just before the job was started and the rest on completion.

We have just had new internal doors fitted and the firm wanted a 50% deposit, with the rest on completion . 

[Parafox]

58 minutes ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

I think so these days.

We had a replacement window a couple of years ago and the company asked for a 33% deposit, another 3rd just before the job was started and the rest on completion.

We have just had new internal doors fitted and the firm wanted a 50% deposit, with the rest on completion . 

That seems reasonable for a big job. You weren't being asked to pay in full for the window or doors

 

Ours was a simple replacement of parts costing under £200. I don't mind paying up front as long as I can trust the individual. It seemed a bit off at the time, as if he hadn't the funds to pay the supplier at the time and then subsequently add it to the final bill. We had to pay it first.

 

Another thing is that since paying for the part today, and asking for a completion time, he hasn't replied.

 

I don't think we're being ripped off because he's replaced the initial parts, but the lack of communication and updates is frustrating.

 

 

 

 

[The Year Of The Fox]

On 10/10/2025 at 19:11, Parafox said:

Is it usual for a plumber or other tradesperson to ask for payment for parts before any work has been done?

 

We have a fault with our boiler and contacted an independent heating engineer. He asked me to send photos of the make, model and serial number of the boiler so he could source the correct parts. Then he messaged me a couple of days later when he was at the supplier asking me to send payment for the parts, which I did. He then came out to replace the pressure vessel. Now he needs an additional part and sent me a copy of the quote so I could pay the supplier which again I did.

 

I've never had this experience with other people who have done work for us.

Probably unusual for 100% payment. That will depend though on equally whether the tradesperson can trust the customer (not saying that’s the case in your instance)

 

He could’ve potentially had his account put on stop which sometimes happens too

[Torquay Gunner]

Are there many people on here, that insist that visitors to their home remove their footwear at the front door? I had a falling out with a now ex employer, who I visited on a zero hours contract, to support their autistic teenage son at home during their absence.  This employer, during some ‘interesting’ requested feedback said that I didn’t remove my footwear and implied that she had to clean up afterwards(she had wooden flooring throughout). The background is that I visited her house on eight occasions and  for the first three visits she never mentioned the subject.  On visit four she asked me to remove my boots which I did, even though they were clean (bear in mind this was over the summer and it hadn’t rained for weeks).  On Visit five I did forget and she reminded me to do so.  The last three occasions I actually remembered to do so, although she wrote me a reminder note and I brought some slippers as I hate going shoeless.  If people were wearing muddy footwear in my house I wouldn’t like it, but otherwise would never insist they remove their footwear as a condition of entry. 
 

 

[FoxesDeb]

2 hours ago, Torquay Gunner said:

Are there many people on here, that insist that visitors to their home remove their footwear at the front door? I had a falling out with a now ex employer, who I visited on a zero hours contract, to support their autistic teenage son at home during their absence.  This employer, during some ‘interesting’ requested feedback said that I didn’t remove my footwear and implied that she had to clean up afterwards(she had wooden flooring throughout). The background is that I visited her house on eight occasions and  for the first three visits she never mentioned the subject.  On visit four she asked me to remove my boots which I did, even though they were clean (bear in mind this was over the summer and it hadn’t rained for weeks).  On Visit five I did forget and she reminded me to do so.  The last three occasions I actually remembered to do so, although she wrote me a reminder note and I brought some slippers as I hate going shoeless.  If people were wearing muddy footwear in my house I wouldn’t like it, but otherwise would never insist they remove their footwear as a condition of entry. 
 

 

No we don't make people take their shoes off either, I wouldn't expect people to walk around with no shoes on on our cold floors and I wouldn't do it either. Obviously if they were really dirty I think people would take them off anyway, especially on carpet. 

[Dr The Singh]

My wife wants to take the whole famiky to central london for a day out.

 

Train tickets are stupid ££££.  I was wondering where can we drive in and catch the local train and tube?

 

Anyone have any options?

[Raj]

21 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

My wife wants to take the whole famiky to central london for a day out.

 

Train tickets are stupid ££££.  I was wondering where can we drive in and catch the local train and tube?

 

Anyone have any options?

Rugby Station and get train or Stanmore and tube it in(make sure theres no concerts on at Wembley though)

Edited 30 October 2025 by Raj

[Samilktray]

Going to Manchester for a concert on Monday at the Mayfield Depot which is opposite Piccadily station apparently. Is there somewhere to park up outside manchester and catch the train in? Or is it easier to park round there. Never been Manchester so not sure what the craic is tbh

[Greg2607]

37 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

My wife wants to take the whole famiky to central london for a day out.

 

Train tickets are stupid ££££.  I was wondering where can we drive in and catch the local train and tube?

 

Anyone have any options?

Luton Airport Parkway is another option for you as well.... 

[The Bear]

48 minutes ago, Dr The Singh said:

My wife wants to take the whole famiky to central london for a day out.

 

Train tickets are stupid ££££.  I was wondering where can we drive in and catch the local train and tube?

 

Anyone have any options?

Stanmore is what I have done in the past as that has a nice big car park. How full it is will depend on the time of day though. 

[SpacedX]

1 hour ago, Dr The Singh said:

My wife wants to take the whole famiky to central london for a day out.

 

Train tickets are stupid ££££.  I was wondering where can we drive in and catch the local train and tube?

 

Anyone have any options?

The problem is, these days suburban residential street parking in North London is largely permitted or incurs a fee and very often time limited. It used to be possible to park in Brent, very near the tube station or Golders Green or off the Finchley Road as far down as West Hampstead. I'd suggest somewhere like Hendon, Barnet or Cockfosters, near to the M1, where there is cheap day parking and the underground, or as suggested, Stanmore or anywhere in Harrow within easy reach of the Tube.  Even if you pay to park, combined with the petrol it is still vastly cheaper than taking the family on a train and that really shouldn't be the case. We should be subsidising our rail network to get people off the roads and incentivise public transport. 

[Grebfromgrebland]

Use just park and parking in supermarket car park or some ones driveway for hardly anything 

[Zear0]

5 hours ago, Dr The Singh said:

My wife wants to take the whole famiky to central london for a day out.

 

Train tickets are stupid ££££.  I was wondering where can we drive in and catch the local train and tube?

 

Anyone have any options?

Quite a decent chunk of non-permit residential parking near Bounds Green I tend to use.

[Parafox]

8 hours ago, Torquay Gunner said:

Are there many people on here, that insist that visitors to their home remove their footwear at the front door? I had a falling out with a now ex employer, who I visited on a zero hours contract, to support their autistic teenage son at home during their absence.  This employer, during some ‘interesting’ requested feedback said that I didn’t remove my footwear and implied that she had to clean up afterwards(she had wooden flooring throughout). The background is that I visited her house on eight occasions and  for the first three visits she never mentioned the subject.  On visit four she asked me to remove my boots which I did, even though they were clean (bear in mind this was over the summer and it hadn’t rained for weeks).  On Visit five I did forget and she reminded me to do so.  The last three occasions I actually remembered to do so, although she wrote me a reminder note and I brought some slippers as I hate going shoeless.  If people were wearing muddy footwear in my house I wouldn’t like it, but otherwise would never insist they remove their footwear as a condition of entry. 
 

 

 

If I may ask, what was the cultural background of the employer?

 

When I was working some Muslim and/or Sikh households would ask us to remove our footwear on entry. It was rare as they regarded us as an exception, but we were obliged by service policy to ask about removing boots before entering the house.

 

Slightly different, we got a plumber in (from a local business) to replace a faulty valve on an over the bath shower. He arrived and it had been raining a little during the day and the ground was wet.

 

He came in, boots on. Walked upstairs, boots on. Stood in the bath, boots on. Couldn't fix the shower as he hadn't got the part. He left saying he'd source one. I phoned the company and told them not to bother and explaining why. 

 

We had to clean the bath and buy stuff to clean the stair carpet.

 

Never gonna use them again.

 

 

[09bballer]

5 hours ago, Samilktray said:

Going to Manchester for a concert on Monday at the Mayfield Depot which is opposite Piccadily station apparently. Is there somewhere to park up outside manchester and catch the train in? Or is it easier to park round there. Never been Manchester so not sure what the craic is tbh

You can park after 6pm for free on some roads. Eg Marshall Street.

Or you can use park and ride and get the tram in.