Guest Ptp113 Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 Now then, I have a few minutes to add to this. Thanks again, its good to get the mix of opinions on this "temptation" It is surely an issue that all people have when they leave Australia. Some will pay without a moments thought, others may run for the hills. Not paying for something that you have had is wrong. It's pretty simple. I can't justify taking that option at all. Funnily enough though it has nothing to do with money. Electric companies will allow you to pay things off fortnightly which would be easy enough, it's not about choosing to feed my kids or pay a bill or clearly we would not be about to go on a jolly around Australia. So long as I am married to Mrs Blobby I will pay my bills! It's just tempting to run, and I will explain why (its not a justification, I just want people to understand my thought processes on this!) There are two aspects to this: 1) The billing company. The bills have tripled and we have not increased our usage in as far as how much we think we used (although the meter says otherwise). We can get the meter checked but they even charge for that if they say its correct (whats the chances of them saying its wrong....) We have also been charged for Gas for a year in spite of the fact we have no gas. We do not have a single gas appliciance. At first I paid the small $25 quarterly bills because I thought there must be a gas applicance somewhere. Then we got a bil for $250 so I refused to pay it. I contacted the landlord who assured me there was NO GAS on the property. The agent even came round and checked and found no gas, (a rare kindness). I contacted the supplier, they refunded the Gas paid on to my electric account and I thought that was the end of it...but OH NO, they continue to persue me for this gas we dont have and payment, they have even threatened to cut the non existant supply off! Lets make one thing clear, the power company are either incompetent or just plain crooks, how is OK for them to rob me but wrong for me to not pay? Secondly issue: our house! We are up to date on our rent payments and today I will pay of the balance to the end of the contract. Will we get our bond back? I'm not sure. Somehow I doubt it very much but I will keep you posted. The house is falling down. Now, if things break and the landlord fixes it then that is OK. However, we have reported the following issues on 3 or more occasions and nothing has been done: Broken blinds throughout the house that means we can have permanent light or permanent dark but not a mixture Leaking roof in 4 or 5 places upstairs and 3 downstairs with water coming in when it rains A permanent dripping tap in the bathroom Mould. Mould in the bedroom which appears to have been covered up by the agent. We pointed out a lot of our clothes had gone mouldy and had to be thrown out (Mrs Blobbys wedding dress has been ruined) but other stuff too. The agent stated the house was not MOULDY and quickly got a painter in to paint over all the evidence (and fill holes in the walls with newspaper!) and then declared everything OK. Mrs Blobby has developed swollen glands, a constant sore throat and cough (and various other ailments), I have permanently itchy eyes and a rampant cough that sounds like I smoke 60 woodbines a day. When Grandma came to visit, our eldest son slept in the bedroom with us, he developed a cough within 1 day. We have vacated the bedroom and sleep in the lounge upstairs. Now, our otherwise permanently healthy family may have these health complaints by coinicidence but I somehow doubt it. When we first moved in we had a broken aircon unit. The bloke that fixed it said it was very dodgily wired. He sent a photo to the agent indicating the need for urgent action: nothing has been done. If the house burns down and we all die is that OK? When Mrs Blobby turned the light on upstairs she got a magnificent electric shock, sparks and all!....the landlord was unmoved, he did not even come and look at it, he stated it was a "build up of static, if it happens again, let me know" so if it "happens again" and shoots our two year old across the room to his death is this OK? Will the landlord fix it then? So we cant use those lights, we have taped them off so we dont die. Downstairs in the aforementioned bedroom from hell, when you turn the light on it sizzles and cracks and then goes out. When the painter who had come out to cover up the mould turned it on he exclaimed "woooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh" he went home and brought his own light! Again, it has not been fixed in spite of numerous requests. You may suggest I am being dramtic, but people die in dangerous houses and it's too late to complain then. So I ask you again: Would you pay the electric bill? or would you leave it for the landlord? Not paying is wrong. But so it saving money by collecting rent on a deathtrap with a family (or anyone) inside and stuck in a contract. Caveat emptor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blobby1000 Posted October 17, 2012 Author Share Posted October 17, 2012 Caveat emptor! No idea what this means but I like it, and will endevour to use it more in conversation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted October 17, 2012 Share Posted October 17, 2012 Once I am safely home I am going to put a big thread on our 457 experience. Yes it was negative but it will help others with some of the pitfalls of that particular visa, stuff to watch out for etc.... As long as it's made clear that it's only your experience.................thousands have done quite well via the 457, but personally, we ruled it out as a risk 18 yrs ago. As it turned out, my wife was born here to a British Naval exchange officer, and although only here till 3 months old, we discovered she was classed as an Autralian citizen :shocked: They still took our visa application money though :arghh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach pig Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 hey blobby i wouldnt worry about it mate. if all you are worried about is paying the leccy bill you have no worries, i will be going back with far more debt than a leccy bill .morally is it right probably not.But being out of work for 10 months my priorities are my family and getting them back which we can just afford, this country has broken us financially and mentally in the hope of living the dream, but enough is enough please spare me any lecture like blobby got.I hope none of you end up in our predicament or you will realise why people do a runner. Now if you do a runner when you can afford thats different.but i can understand why blobby would good on him Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noworriesmate Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 please spare me any lecture like blobby got.I hope none of you end up in our predicament or you will realise why people do a runner. Now if you do a runner when you can afford thats different.but i can understand why blobby would good on him No Lecture, but I do want to take issue with the fact that you suggest it's ok to do a runner if you can't afford to pay back your debts but not OK if you can. It's only YOU who has decided that. There are proper channels to work with people who are in debt and although the outcome may be the same (as in the creditors do not get their money) the process is very different. One way is someone saying "stuff the lot of you, I don't think I can pay the debts I built up so I'm off" the other way is to seek help, face the situation like a man and work it through with integrity. NWM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GeorgeD Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 Maybe he doesn't have the money to do any of the maintenance work, so he's doing what's best for him and his family. By all accounts, that makes his behaviour all OK. The landlord has a responsibility to maintain a property if he wants to collect the rent. If he cannot afford to maintain it then he should not let it out. I agree with you...the landlord has a responsibility. If he can't maintain it, he shouldn't let it out. What I was highlighting is some comments by other posters (not Blobby) that somehow not paying bills is a good thing and worthy of congratulations,and that nobody should question whether it's right or wrong, because nobody appreciates the predicament an individual is in. (Next question not directed at Blobby, he's said he intends to pay...meant for those who say good on people who do a runner on debt) How come it's a good thing for someone to fleece an electricity company, but it's not Ok for for a landlord to shaft a tenant? Nobody knows the landlord's situation, we're not in their predicament, we shouldn't judge, good on them for doing it, etc, etc, etc. Sound familiar? Not nice when the shoe is on the other foot is it? So why do people congratulate folk who get into so much debt they can't pay it and somebody else has to pay/suffer for it when they leave the country? I'm fortunate that I'm not in that situation...but if I lost my job I easily could be in a very short period of time. I wouldn't really want people congratulating me though. I don't think it's a great thing. Emigrating isn't easy. Even with the best will in the world, some people will find it difficult or even they will just be dealt a tough hand, no matter how much planning and preparation goes into the move. Migrants can face financial, emotional and lots of other kinds of hardship, and yes sometimes there comes a point where enough is enough and you might decide heading back to the Uk is for the best. But why does someone's misfortune and the subsequent cost they pass on to the people they are leaving behind need to be something worthy of congratulations? hey blobby i wouldnt worry about it mate. if all you are worried about is paying the leccy bill you have no worries, i will be going back with far more debt than a leccy bill .morally is it right probably not.But being out of work for 10 months my priorities are my family and getting them back which we can just afford, this country has broken us financially and mentally in the hope of living the dream, but enough is enough please spare me any lecture like blobby got.I hope none of you end up in our predicament or you will realise why people do a runner. Now if you do a runner when you can afford thats different.but i can understand why blobby would good on him I also don't think Blobby got a lecture..he asked for, and took part in, an open and honest discussion and took some of the advice on board (taking action on the issues he has with his rental property) Good on him for trying to sort out those issues. And of course...he has repeatedly said he will more than likely pay the bill, he just wondered what would happen if he didn't (and asked what people thought of that sort of action morally) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 My son has a referral to an allergy specialist to get allergy tests. They initially said February and made an appointment for then and then the other day rang him and said because of a cancellation they can fit him in a few days ago. He forgot to go and today we got an invoice for a 'non cancellation' fee of $50. I said I'm not paying that - that is crap we haven't even had anything done there yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach pig Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 well of course you should pay back your debts if you can afford it nowt wrong with that . i am sick of this holier than thou attitude like everyones sinless theres something in the bible about it not that i am a god botherer or anything(quote)those without sin cast the first stone.any resemblance to anyone. and tell me whats it like to be a man ,i used to be one once but you can only go so far until you lose all confidence in your ability and mental illness is not nice ,how the hell can i pay rent @$335 a week and all the other living costs associated with 3 kids on $840 a fortnight (centrelink)which i am gratefull for. i have never had to beg or borrow money since this last 12 months and being the so called man in the building trade (is what i do) i am off before we are homeless last thing on my mind is bills mate its survival .Now i am going into the garage to dust off my hard hat :cry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 He forgot to go and today we got an invoice for a 'non cancellation' fee of $50. I said I'm not paying that - that is crap we haven't even had anything done there yet. That was standard where I lived in the UK with Dentists etc. If you didnt cancel you got charged a fee as someone else could have had that appointment, so not just in Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 should i pay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted October 18, 2012 Share Posted October 18, 2012 should i pay? I suppose its up to you if you pay or not but they might not give him another appointment if you dont. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy1 Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Speak to them. Often in these cases they will waive the fee if you apologise and cite circumstances etc. If you just leave it and don't pay, then they will merely add it to the bill the next appointment that you receive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickled Pink Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 should i pay? As AJ said, this is the norm for the UK too.... the amount of time that was wasted when I worked in clinics from no shows was astrinomical. This is a hugely crippling factor in the NHS too... trouble us that overheads still need to be paid, and it makes waiting lists stay long for everyone. It really isn't anyone at the clinics fault that you/ your family member forgot.... yet their bills still have to be paid. Also, from a clinicians perspective, you would nt believe the excuses heard for no shows! So forgive them if they don't show too much sympathy, it's usually the case that they've heard it all before... The fact that they arranged the appointment only a few days prior, and so he had a very recent reminder makes it worse really. If you think about it, you took a cancellation to reduce a very long wait for an appointment, which could just as easily been given to someone else... I would pay, as someone else has said, you may not get offered another appointment if not.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 I think we should all refuse to pay back our loans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 I dont think you were ever really going to do a runner you just wanted to stir everyone up a wee bit :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 I dont think you were ever really going to do a runner you just wanted to stir everyone up a wee bit :biggrin: Thats what i think too, i think it was a piss take of the other thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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