E-post til the Landlord. (In Norwegian)

Erik Ribsskog <eribsskog@gmail.com>

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Called the Council/Fwd:

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Erik Ribsskog <eribsskog@gmail.com>	Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 1:42 PM
To: Lorna Murphy <lornamurphy@tjthomas.co.uk>
Hi Lorna, I called the Council now. They told me that I need to give them a contract/tenancy agreement, which is newer than my current tenancy agreement. Since that's to old. Then I am to deliver that document to the One Stop Shop, and then they'll sort it with the Housing-benefit. This document should also explain the date of the last increase of the rent, the Council said on the phone now. Thanks again for the help! Yours sincerely, Erik Ribsskog ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Erik Ribsskog <eribsskog@gmail.com> Date: Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 1:30 PM Subject: Re: To: Lorna Murphy <LornaMurphy@tjthomas.co.uk> Hi Lorna, I have to contact Donna at the Council, since they are late with sending me a form. I'm going to go to your office then, when I recieve the form. Sorry about the delay! Yours sincerely, Erik Ribsskog On Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 1:28 PM, Lorna Murphy <LornaMurphy@tjthomas.co.uk> wrote: as i have told you before i do not deal with the maintainance i have asked the girl who does and she is un aware of a recent job however she will ask the workman to call send me your phone number and they will call you, And for the record I am the Manager but i will pass your comments on, have they granted the houseing benefit calim From: Erik Ribsskog [mailto:eribsskog@gmail.com] Sent: 28 April 2009 13:18 To: Lorna Murphy Subject: Re: Hi, I don't have the money now. I have to conact the tenancy assosiation and the Council and the Home Office. Sorry if I said something wrong and sorry about the delay! You also haven't fixed the boiler, so I haven't had hot-water for more than a year, and the tenancy-agreement is to old, and you don't fix the washing-machine. I think I have to speak to your manager about this, you see, because of all these problems. Have a nice day! Yours sincerely, Erik Ribsskog On Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 1:06 PM, Lorna Murphy <LornaMurphy@tjthomas.co.uk> wrote: im sorry i dont take kindly to your comments! on your last email dated the 7th April i would like you to read it no where do i say you cant come in if you have deleted it let me no and i will send a copy. you said you would come in and pay on the 20th so bring your rent up. Lorna From: Erik Ribsskog [mailto:eribsskog@gmail.com] Sent: 28 April 2009 13:02 To: Lorna Murphy Subject: Re: Hi, I was only joking Lorna. I'll contact the tenancy-assosiation now, and get some adivce, and then I'll contact you back. :) Have a nice day! Yours sincerely, Erik Ribsskog On Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 12:41 PM, Lorna Murphy <LornaMurphy@tjthomas.co.uk> wrote: i will treat your sarcastic comments with the contempt they deserve!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pay your rent in advance or I will issue a NOTICE TO QUIT you have had long enough now and I have been more that fair in waiting. From: Erik Ribsskog [mailto:eribsskog@gmail.com] Sent: 28 April 2009 12:28 To: Lorna Murphy Subject: Re: Yes, but I think it's something funny going on. Why can I only pay when you're not on holiday? Why don't you fix the boiler and the washing machine? Why does the Council tell me that the tenancy agreement is to old? I think there's something wrong. Are you sure that you aren't using my money to go on holiday? Erik On Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 12:25 PM, Lorna Murphy <LornaMurphy@tjthomas.co.uk> wrote: no sorry eric thats not good enough you told me on your earlier email you would be in to pay last week From: Erik Ribsskog [mailto:eribsskog@gmail.com] Sent: 28 April 2009 12:20 To: Lorna Murphy Subject: Re: Hi lorma, I'm contacting the Council again now, about the form. And I'm going to the Home Office this week. Then I'll contact you back, I thought you were on holiday eric On Tue, Apr 28, 2009 at 11:40 AM, Lorna Murphy <LornaMurphy@tjthomas.co.uk> wrote: eric Wheres my rent

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Mer fra Liverpool ONE, det nye kjøpesenteret i Liverpool, mm. (In Norwegian)

PS.

Liverpool ONE, er eiet av et firma som heter Grosvenor.

Og det er en sånn adelig eller noe, fra England, som er Englands, eller Storbritannias, tredje rikeste person, etter han som eier Chelsea, og en kjent indisk milliardær, hvis jeg forstod det riktig.

Jeg skal finne en link til Grosvenor på Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grosvenor_Group

Det som er med Liverpool ONE og Grosvenor da, som jeg leste om i Liverpool Echo, på nettet tror jeg, eller IC Liverpool, eller noe, heter det vel på nettet.

Men men.

Men det jeg leste, var at dette senteret, det er jo ikke innendørs, som det nok kanskje ville ha vært i Norge.

Neida, det er noe som nesten ligner på vanlige gater, mellom butikkene, som omfatter mange kvartaler, og som vel er et av Nord-Europas største kjøpesentre, tror jeg.

Noe sånt.

Men, disse 'gatene', er da eiet av Grosvenor.

Og Grosvenor har en avtale, med politiet, eller nei.

De har en avtale med Liverpool City Council.

Som gjør at Grosvenor-vaktene, (som man kan se i den forrige bloggposten jeg skrev, tidligere idag, med bilder fra Liverpool, gjemt bak et nettinggjerde, med rød jakke eller genser).

Disse Grosvenor-vaktene, de har omtrent politimyndighet, i disse Grosvenor-eide 'gatene' da.

Så hvis det dukker opp en tigger, f.eks., i disse gatene, så er det nok ikke noe nåde for de.

Neida, de må gå til de offentlig eide gatene, vil jeg tro.

Det samme med narkomane, men jeg har ikke sett sprøytenarkomane i Liverpool, enda jeg har bodd her i over tre år.

Men men.

Det er jo mange fine og flotte butikker, og det virker ikke som at det er noe tull, i de gatene.

Og med min kjennskap til Merseyside-politiet, så er det kanskje like greit om Grosvenor-vaktene, har mer av ansvaret(?)

Hva vet jeg.

Men det er nå alikevel litt snodig da, at et privat firma, skal eie noe som minner veldig om offentlige gater, må man vel si.

Men det ble jo veldig fint, med mange fine, nye butikker.

Og det ser veldig rent og pent og ordentlig ut og sånt.

Så jeg vet ikke helt hva jeg skal tro om det her.

Men det ligner ikke på resten av Liverpool, for å si det sånn.

Det ligner mer på Norge kanskje(?)

Oslo eller Drammen, men med litt kulere butikker.

Noe sånt.

Den nye Tesco-en var ihvertfall kjempefin.

Jeg tror det må være en av de beste butikkene jeg har vært i noen gang, vil jeg si.

Det er omtrent som Maxi eller OBS Triaden på Skårer, i Lørenskog.

Bare at alt koster nesten halv pris.

Og det er i to etasjer, og de har veldig bra utvalg.

Bedre utvalg enn på f.eks. Ultra, i Oslo, vil jeg si.

Uten at jeg har telt varelinjene hverken på Tesco Superstore, eller Ultra Bryn, men jeg tipper at Tesco Superstore slår Ultra lett der.

Og også på prisene.

Halv pris av Ultra, tipper jeg.

Og åpningstidene?

Det er noe sånt som fra 7 til 24, mandag til fredag.

7 til 22 på lørdag.

og 10-11 til 17 på søndag vel.

Noe sånt.

Så Tesco Superstore slår nok Ultra og Meny, på antall varelinjer (ca. dobbelt så mange på Tesco?), priser (ca. halv pris på Tesco?) og åpningstider som nevnt.

Så det er butikken sin, må man si.

Og det er rolige og stille gater, som er ca. fem minutter å gå fra der jeg bor vel.

Omtrent like langt som å gå til den andre Tesco-butikken, (som jeg har skrevet om på bloggen tidligere), som er Tesco Metro, som vel er graden under Tesco Superstore.

Men da må man gå gjennom the High Street, Church St., eller gjennom Williamsons Sq., eller hva det heter igjen.

Og der er det alltid masse folk, så jeg tror det er mer avslappende å gå til den nye butikken.

Og de har også mye mer hylleplass, på den nye Tesco-butikken, så de blir ikke så mye utsolgt.

Omtrent ikke i det hele tatt.

Mens på den andre, så er de ganske ofte utsolgt.

Og, de har mye bedre sortiment, på den nye butikken, siden de har kanskje tre-fire ganger så mye hylleplass, eller noe, så du kan få alle varene i Tesco-sortimentet da.

Og det er ganske bra.

Mens den Tesco Metro-butikken, den har nok problem med, at hylleplassen er en god del for liten, i forhold til omsetningen, (og vel også sortimentet).

Så der har de bytta litt på de varene de har hatt, fra Tesco sortimentet da.

F.eks. de frossenrettene, Chicken in Curry og Spagetti Bolognese, osv., som er fem pakker for fire pund, på et av bildene over.

Sånne microbølge-retter.

De solgte de på Tesco Metro, i 2005 og 2006, husker jeg.

Mens i fjor og i år, så har de ikke solgt dem.

Så det var veldig kult med den nye Tesco-butikken.

For da har de billig mat, midt i byen, og veldig bra sortiment.

Så den slår de fleste andre butikker jeg har vært i, må jeg innrømme.

Jeg tror ikke jeg har vært i en bedre matbutikk, som jeg kan huske, når det gjelder totalinntrykket, etter priser, standard, sortiment osv., noen steder.

Så det var en imponerende butikk, må jeg si.

F.eks., så er det ofte sånn, i matbutikkene i England, at det er 'Brustad-bua'-tendenser, når man handler.

Det er dårlig med plass mellom hyllene.

Mens på den nye Tesco-butikken der, så var det omtrent som å være på OBS eller Ultra, eller noe, i Norge.

Det var nesten som en norsk butikk.

Jeg kan ikke komme på så mange engelske butikker, som har hatt så bra plass mellom hyllene.

Kanskje Sainsburys, eller hvordan det skrives, i Kensington, som også er veldig bra.

Og et supermarked jeg husker i Weymouth.

Men jeg tror faktisk at sortimentet på den Tesco-butikken her, var enda bedre, enn på den Sainsburys butikken, i Kensington.

Selv om den butikken hadde en egen Starbucks-cafe, så tror jeg at jeg holder en knapp på den Tesco-en i Hanover St., eller hva det heter der igjen.

Ettersom jeg ikke drikker kaffe heller så.

Bare noe jeg husker at noen briter skrøyt om, til noen amerikanere, eller noe, at de hadde egen Starbucks på Sainsburys i Kensington, heter det vel der, eller like ved.

Men men.

Så det var nesten som å handle i Norge det.

Bortsett fra når man betalte da, så var det nesten halv pris kanskje.

Jeg hørte også noen som prata norsk der, i 2. etasjen der.

Så viste det seg at det var fire karer fra Norge, som studerte på LIPA.

Så det var noen musikere da.

Jeg treffer nesten aldri folk fra Skandinavia lenger, etter at jeg slutta, eller ble konstruktivt oppsagt fra Arvato.

Men på Tesco, både på den nye butikken her da, og også ofte på den andre, Tesco Metro-butikken, så hender ofte at man hører folk som prater norsk.

Og da hender det at jeg slår av en prat, eller ihvertfall sier fra at jeg skjønner hva dem sier.

(I tilfelle dem skal begynne å prate noe dritt om meg, sånn at jeg hører det, eller noe.

Neida, bare fleiper).

Men jeg fortalte det da, at jeg hadde vært på universitetet i Liverpool idag, angående en arbeidssak mot det firma jeg pleide å jobbe for, og at det var en del studenter osv., som pleide å jobbe der.

Så begynte dem å spørre om fotball-greier, om jeg dreiv med noe med fotball, eller noe.

Jeg forklarte at jeg holdt med Everton da, og at dem ikke spilte før på lørdag.

Jeg skjønte ikke helt hva dem mente.

Dem sa at det var kult på studentfestene osv., og det husker jeg jo fra Sunderland, da jeg studerte der, at sånne studentfester, der hendte det ofte at man traff masse folk osv.

Så kanskje jeg skal begynne å studere igjen, selv om jeg er snart 40 år nå.

Vi får se.

Det ser ikke ut som at det er så lett for meg å finne noen ny jobb ihvertfall.

Men dem jeg søker jobb hos, de søker kanskje på Google, og finner ut at jeg har en arbeidssak, mot Bertelsmann/Microsoft osv., og får litt hetta mot å ansette meg, det er mulig.

Men men, men det er bra at man møter noen norske folk på Tesco da, når man ikke har noen norske eller nordiske arbeidskolleger lengre.

Og det er jo sånn, når nordmenn treffes i utlandet, at da slår dem vel gjerne av en prat, eller i det minste sier hei.

Det er vel sånn enda, regner jeg med.

Men det er kult å prate litt norsk noen ganger og, det er sikkert.

Så da er det kult å treffe noen norske på Tesco noen ganger, selv om han ene musikern hadde veldig forseggjort ansiktsskjegg osv.

Så han spilte kanskje for det andre laget, eller hva de sier igjen.

Men sånn er det, alle kan vel ikke spille for det samme laget, eller hva de sier.

Men men, kult å prate norsk uansett, det må man si.

Og den butikken, den kan jeg anbefale hvis noen oppholder seg i Liverpool, og skal kjøpe seg rimelige matvarer, hvis de leier leilighet f.eks.

Så da blir det spennede å se hvordan det funker med Grosvenor-vakter istedet for politi da, etterhvert.

Vi får se.

Med vennlig hilsen

Erik Ribsskog

PS 2.

Her er det mer om at det allerede ifjor, før Liverpool ONE åpnet, var noe konflikter mellom politiet og Grosvenor:

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/src/webroot/ldp2/liverpool-news/regional-news/2007/07/05/liverpool-1-could-be-a-policing-nightmare-64375-19406970/

Men jeg er sannelig ikke sikker på hvem man skal stole på av disse.

Jeg kjenner ikke Grosvenor, fra tidligere.

Det er ikke sånn at jeg har hørt mye om de, fra tidligere, før de begynte å bygge det her senteret da.

Men jeg husker de stengte busstasjonen, som het Paradise St., i 2005 eller 2006 vel.

Så hva jeg skal tro om det Liverpool ONE-prosjektet, det vet jeg ikke enda.

Men det ser veldig imponerende ut, må jeg innrømme.

Men, hva man skal tro om Grosvenor, det vet jeg ikke ennå.

Men jeg får prøve å lese mer om de på nettet eventuelt, kanskje det er mulig å finne noe sted hvor det står mer om hvordan firma det her er.

Vi får se.

PS 3.

Jeg leste litt i den linken i det forrige PS-et igjen.

Og der står det at Grosvenor eies av hertugen av Westminster.

Det høres jo veldig fint ut da.

Jeg vet ikke om man kan stole på det firmaet da, når det har en så fin eier.

Hm.

Tja, jeg får tenke mer på det her.

Vi får se.

Letter from the Local Government Ombudsman

I'm not sure what to do with this complaint now.

It must be something wrong, when they let the cleaning-women, wash the mens changing-room, during opening hours, and there were also a lot of other strange things going on there.

The gym was suddently closed, after I e-mailed the Council about the washing-women, in the mens changing-room.

And there was just a sign, saying 'gym closed', hanging in the enterance-area, of the Millenium-bulding.

I think that, if it was true, like the Council said, that the gym was closed, for a planed refurbishment, then they would have had time, to make a proper sign, to have in the enterance-area, and they would also have had time to inform the users of the gym, properly, about this refurbishment.

Which they didn't.

And also, they shouldn't have withdrawn a full months charge, from the users bank-accounts, for the month they closed early.

(Some weeks into the refurbishment, then they suddently had a very fine sign, so here I think it was something wrong).

Sincerely,

Erik Ribsskog

Someone found my complaint against the Liverpool City Council, and the Local Government Ombudsman, on my blog, and wrote about it on a message-board.

ABH wrote:
Anyone know EriK?
Quote:

Hi, I'm aware of that I'm sending the appeal a bit late. But it was almost like a heated argumentation, between me and the Ombudsman case-worker, so I thought I'd try to calm it a bit down. Anyway, the Ombudsman also did the same error, in the compaint-process, in that they waited much to long, before sending me a reply, last year I think it must have been. So I'm asking you to please accept the appeal anyway, since it's obvious that the Council has acted strange, and that this must be the most important thing to deal with, and not if I answer within three months and six months, also since the Ombudsman did the same mistake in this process.

Yours sincerely,

Erik Ribsskog


http://johncons-mirror.blogspot.com/2009/01/e-mail-to-local-government-ombudsman-in.html


Hi,

I have a tracking-cookie on my blog, so I can see when people link to the blog.

I'm having a bit of problems with, that the Local Government Ombudsman, is 'messing' with me a bit, I think I have to say.

In that I think that the Council should answer my written complaint in writing.

While the Council only offers to meet me, at the gym, (a funny place for a meeting like this, I think), and the Council offers to meet me, regarding a complaint, with a different date, from the one I sent.

So it just seems a bit stupid, I think, what the Council offers.

And I've complained about this, to the Ombudsman.

But the Ombudsman, frees the Council, and don't eg. tell the Council that they have to answer my complaint in writing.

(And the Ombudsman has written answer-letters to late, and things like this.

I almost suspect there is some freemason-activity at the Ombudsman, or something like this).

I've posted about the whole complaint-process, on my blog.

I'll find a link to this.

I would greatly appriciate, if someone have the chance, to have a look at the complaint-process, and give advice, regarding how I should go forward with an appeal etc., since I'm not so used to dealing with the Government etc., since I've been working in a Norwegian food-shop chain, Rimi, for most of my adult life, so I'm not so into complaints like this, so any advice would be highly appriciated!

I'll see if I can find the link to this on my blog.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Yours sincerely,

Erik Ribsskog

PS.

Here is the link to the LGO complaint-process:

http://johncons-mirror.blogspot.com/search/label/Local%20Government%20Ombudsman

http://www.amv3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1073

PS.

Even if it's maybe a bit strange, that this person writes my name like this: 'EriK', with a capital 'K'.

Appeal to the LGO Ombudsman.

Erik Ribsskog <eribsskog@gmail.com>

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Appeal to the Ombudsman.

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Erik Ribsskog <eribsskog@gmail.com>	Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 11:32 AM
To: advice@lgo.org.uk
Hi, I was wondering if the Local Government Ombudsman in York could have a look at the complaint I have against the Liverpool City Council again please, after the complaint was closed. Because the Council didn't answer my complaint properly. They only offered to meet me at the Sports-center, but that was to do with another complaint it seemed to me. I think they should answer a written complaint in writing. Yours sincerely Erik Ribsskog

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Vaskekoner og rektor i garderoben mens det blir dusja, på 'Council-gym' og kommunal skole. (In Norwegian).

http://www.treningsforum.no/forum/index.php?topic=71692.new#new

Complaint to Lifestyles-gym. (From last year).

Erik Ribsskog <eribsskog@gmail.com>

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Complaint

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Erik Ribsskog <eribsskog@gmail.com>	Thu, Jul 12, 2007 at 5:06 AM
To: Richard.Little@liverpool.gov.uk Cc: "Lennon, Linda" <linda.lennon@liverpool.gov.uk>, "Southern, Lesley" <Lesley.Southern@liverpool.gov.uk>
Hi,   I'm refering to phone-call last week (4/7). I know I said I'd send this e-mail no later than Wednesday, but I didn't get to start on it untill late on Wednesday, so it's probably going to be Thursday untill I get to actually send the e-mail, so sorry about that!     Problems with washing women/girls in the mens changing-room during opening hours:   The first thing I wondered about, was regarding the problems described in the e-mail I sent to Linda Lennon on 8/6, about the washing girl/women in the mens changing-room.   I'll copy the text from that e-mail into this e-mail, since I have some questions regarding that episode:   to linda.lennon@liverpool.gov.uk   date Jun 8, 2007 10:58 PM   subject Fwd: Statement   mailed-by gmail.com   Hi,   I just got back from the gym, it closed at 9 pm.   I just had to eat a bit and relax a bit after the work-out, or else I would have sent the email at once.   Because what I'm wondering about with the gym, is:   Is it really right that there should be female washing-staf in the mens wardrobe at 8.45 pm, when the gym closes at 9pm?   This happened again today, and it has also happened once before. I used to workout a bit when I lived in Oslo and Sunderland as well, but they never used to start washing the wardrobe until after the closing hours.   So I think that since the gym is run by the Council, I think that they shouldn't have the washing-routines that includes female staff starting to wash in the mens wardrobe as early as 8.45 pm.   I think they should wait until after closing-hours to wash the mens wardrobe, and that if they have to wash, then they could maybe instead wash the machines in the gym or something else before the gym is closed.   When I went into the mens wardrobe at 8.45 pm then there was a female washing staff washing there, about 40 years maybe with dark hair.   I think she was talking with a colleague in there, it was probably the other washing- woman. I was working out on the tread-mill by the reception untill a bit before 8.45 pm, and then I saw the washing-staff walking around in the reception-area at around 8.40 pm.   And one of the washing-staff looked quite young, maybe 16-17 years. I think it must have been her that the washing-woman with dark hair spoke with in the mens wardrobe at 8.45.   I don't think there should be that young female washing staff in the mens wardrobe at 8.45, when the gym closes at 9.00pm.   It has happened once earlier as well that there were female washing staff in the mens wardrobe at around 8.45, and I just think that this isnt right.   I think that both the staff in the gym and the washing staff should understand by themselves that the female washing staff shouldnt start to wash in the mens wardrobe untill after the closing hours at 9 pm, so thats why I havent complained about this to the staff in the gym or the washing staff. I think that it should be unecessary for me to tell this to them, I think they should have understood this by themselves.   And Im not really sure whos in charge there in the evenings eighter.   There has also been other incidents at the gym that I have thought to complain about, but I havent untill now. But with the washing-staff in the mens wardrobe again today at 8.45 pm, was a bit like the final drop, so since Im not really sure whos in charge there in the evening I thought that I could send you an email about this. And also since one of the washing women was so young, it makes me a bit worried about whats going on in the gym, when they put a washing woman/ girl that looked like she was maybe 16 or 17 in the mens wardrobe at 8.45pm, so therefore I thought I should really just write the email now, because that this is a bit unacceptable for a gym thats run by the Council.   I know its a bit late to send emails at this hour, but it thought that since I think that this way of organising the washing-routines in the gym is a bit unaceptable, I thought that if I sent the email about this right after I got back from the gym, then there would be less possibilites that eg. someone could say that I must have mistaken the time etc,  since now its just a quite short time since I left the gym, so I reckoned that its best to send it right away, while I still have the details at mind so to speak.    So I hope that this is alright!   Sorry that I send the email this late.   Regards,   Erik Ribsskog - Show quoted text -   ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Erik Ribsskog < eribsskog@gmail.com> Date: Jun 8, 2007 3:45 PM Subject: Statement To: linda.lennon@liverpool.gov.uk   Hi,   I refer to the phone-call earlier today, and send the statement from the bank about the duplicate payment with the direct-debit.   Pleare just contact me if there is anything else I should have remembered.   Hope that this is alright!   Regards,   Erik Ribsskog   So my questions regarding this is:   1. How come that there are washing women/girls in the mens changing-room at 8.45 pm, when the gym closes at 9 pm?   2. Is the gym going to change its washing-routine, so that the washing women/girls dont start to wash the mens changing-room untill after the gym is closed. (Because like I explained in the e-mail to Linda Lennon, this with the washing women in the mens changing-room has also happened earlier at the Millenium gym, but I've never seen it in other gyms).     Problems with direct-debit processing errors/duplicate payments:   Also, I have been in contact with Lesley Southern, about some problems regarding processing errors/duplicate direct debits from the gym.   I explained to him that I would also bring up some the issues regarding this with you, so I think its alright if I also copy the contents of that e-mail:       from Erik Ribsskog <eribsskog@gmail.com>     hide details  Jul 10 (2 days ago)    to "Southern, Lesley" <Lesley.Southern@liverpool.gov.uk>     date   Jul 10, 2007 6:18 PM     subject   Re: Earlier e-mails     mailed-by   gmail.com   Hi,   thank you very much for your answer.   I think it was very fine that you had the time to answer me, and I also think that it was very fine that you have taken off my arrears due to the amount of time/inconvinience I have had due to this.   But since there were still some things I was wondering about, I thought I could try to send you an enquiery about this, to try to maybe found out about this.   I've written an explanation below, as comments on your e-mail, since I thought it was easier to explain/answer this way.   To summarize my questions:   1. Shouldn't the gym have asked me first if they wanted to withdraw an extra payment (that they had no mandate for) from my account in June?   2. How come that there were still two payment-requests from the gym waiting to be withdrawn from my account on 27/6, when firstly, the gym only have a mandate to withdraw one monthly payment from my account. Secondly, I had agreed with the staff at the gym, that I would pay the arrears when I recieved the swith-bonus from the bank. And thirdly, I had sent Linda Lennon, Administration Manager at the Council an e-mail about this problem on 8/6, with a copy of the statement from the bank, showing that there was a problem with the gym charging me duplicate payments from my account for the month of June?   3. How come that the gym still wanted to withdraw a (duplicate) payment from my account for the month of July, when the gym was closed for refurbishment for six weeks from 25/6?   I'm also going to contact the Duty Officer at the gym regarding why the gyms members weren't informed about the six weeks closure of the gym and more. So it might be that I'll also ask him about some of the same questions. (Like about why the gym still wanted to charge me even if they were going to be closed etc.)   I hope you have the time to answer me about this questions, since I thought some of these things were a bit strange, so it would be nice to be informed about this. So I hope that you bear over with me if I'm asking many questions!   Thank you very much in advance!   Yours sincerely,   Erik Ribsskog           On 7/3/07, Southern, Lesley <Lesley.Southern@liverpool.gov.uk > wrote: Erik   Your enquiry regarding your direct debit payments has been passed onto myself for further investigation.   Unfortunately we cannot refund a payment to a member that has outstanding arrears, this is for audit purposes as we are required to provide details of all miscellaneous payments made to our members.   The action we have taken to date is to take your 1 month overpayment as your cancellation fee (which is normally 2 months) and we have taken your arrears off your membership record for the inconvenience caused as a result of the error. - Regarding the overpayment, it wasn't actually an overpayment, because when the bank saw that it had been a process error/duplicate payment from the gym, then they transferred the duplicate payment back as a 'interbranch payment' on 6/6.   (Secondly, I think that I shouldn't recieve a cancellation fee, when the gym suddently closes for 6 weeks for refurbishment. I think that then the gym should have first sent its members a letter about this, put up a poster at the gym about this, and also not charged its members for the month that they are closed, but I have to contact the Duty Officer at the gym about something else, so I'll bring this up with him.)     I have checked the Direct Debit report and it seems that the overpayment dates back to a missed January payment which has been allocated to your account on 30 th May.  I will need to speak to our Direct Debit team to determine why a payment for January has been included in June's Direct Debit report. I've been speaking with the staff (including the Manager) at the gym several times about the arrears, and we agreed that I would pay the arrears later, when I recieved some money I was expecting (a switch-bonus from the bank).   This was agreed with Craig at the gym, when we set up the direct-debit agreement in May.   I spoke with Craig about this on 1/6 as well, since I hadn't recieved the switch-bonus yet, and then I was informed that the arrear was £70.50, and we agreed that I would pay this when I recieved the money from the bank.   So my point is, that they should have told me first if they wanted to withdraw an extra payment from my account on 1/6, so that I could have planned this in advance.   Also, this (RBS) bank account was set up in May, so I don't really understand how a missed direct-debit payment to my old (Barclays) account in Januray, could suddently appear on my RBS-account in June?   It seems a bit strange to me that this could happen, when I also had agreed several times with the staff at the gym (in the month of March and then monthly), that I would pay the running bills, and that I'd pay the arrears when I recieved the switch-bonus from RBS.   Also I had been told by the staff at the gym, that there was no hurry at all with the arrears, as long as I paid the running bills.   - Also the bank told me when I called them in the beginning of June, that the gym wasn't allowed to withdraw more than one payment a month from my account, since they only had one mandate.   - Also, when I called the gym on 26/6, to ask if they were open on 26/6, (since they were closed for no apparent reason on 25/6), then I was told that the gym was closed for refurbishment for six weeks.   I then thought that it wasn't right that the gym should charge me for the month of July, when they were closed. (I also thought they should have informed the members about the six weeks closure). So due to this, I called my bank (the RBS customer-support line) on 27/6 to cancel the direct-debit. I was then told that there were still two direct-debits from the gym on my account, both with the same, reference-number (LIFE 800 1561).   - So I was wondering, how come that there were still two payment-requests from the gym waiting to be withdrawn on my account on 27/6, when firstly, the gym only have a mandate to withdraw one monthly payment from my account. Secondly, I had agreed with the staff at the gym, that I would pay the arrears when I recieved the swith-bonus from the bank, and thirdly, I had sent Linda Lennon, Administration Manager at the Council an e-mail about this problem on 8/6, with a copy of the statement from the bank, showing that there was a problem with the gym charging me duplicate payments from my account?       Your account has now been set to expired and no payment was requested in July.   Well, there were actually two payments requested in July (see above So my questions regarding this is:   3. Shouldn't the gym have asked me first if they wanted to withdraw an extra payment (that they had no mandate for) from my account in June?   4. How come that there were still two payment-requests from the gym waiting to be withdrawn from my account on 27/6, when firstly, the gym only have a mandate to withdraw one monthly payment from my account. Secondly, I had agreed with the staff at the gym, that I would pay the arrears when I recieved the swith-bonus from the bank. And thirdly, I had sent Linda Lennon, Administration Manager at the Council an e-mail about this problem on 8/6, with a copy of the statement from the bank, showing that there was a problem with the gym charging me duplicate payments from my account for the month of June?     Problems around the closure of the gym for six weeks from 25/6 due to refurbishment:   5. How come that the gym still wanted to withdraw a (duplicate) payment from my account for the month of July, when the gym was closed for refurbishment for six weeks from 25/6?   6. How come that there were no letters sent to the members of the gym regarding the closure of the gym for six weeks from 25/6 due to refurbishment?   7. How come that there were no poster in the gym informing the users of the gym that the gym would be closed for six weeks from 25/6 due to refurbishment?   8. How come that there was only a makeshift sign on the entrance-door to the millenium- building saying 'gym closed', and nothing more when I went there to work out on the evening on 25/6. (Shouldn't it have been a proper sign, with information about why the gym was closed, how long the gym was closed for, and not just some makeshift sign written with an ink-marker)?   9. How come that there were no information about the fact that the gym was closed, when I went on the lifestyles website:   (www.liverpool.gov.uk/Leisure_and_culture/Sports/Leisure_Centres_and_Pools/Lifestyles_Millennium/index.asp )   on 26/6 (When the gym had been closed since 25/5)?   (I can see that it says that the gym is closed there now, but on 26/6, there was no information about the gym being closed at all. I went there to see if it said anything on the website on 26/6, since the gym was closed for no obvious reason on 25/6, but it didn't say anything about the gym being closed on the website, so I noted down the phone-number to the gym, and called the gym, and they told me that the gym was closed for six weeks due to refurbishment.)   10. How come that members of the gym were charged for the whole month of June, when the gym was closed for refurbishment from 25/6? (Shouldn't the six days from 25/6 to 30/6 have been deducted from the charge?).     Other problems at the gym:   Like I wrote in my e-mail to Linda Lennon on 8/6, there had also been other, earlier incidents at the gym which I had thought to complain about.   But like I also wrote, it wasn't always easy to know who it was that was in charge there after the manager had gone home, and him I only spoke with once, since I most often worked out in the evening.   And that the incident with the washing girls/women in the mens changing room again within the opening hours was the last drop, so to speak.   And then it was easier for me to complain, because then I had her e-mail address from before, since I had sent her a copy of the statement from the bank, to document the problems with the duplicate direct debit/processing error from the gym.   So then it was easier for me to complain.   I'm going to try explain a bit more about the earlier incidents:   Problems with locker:   On 26/4, it says in my note-book, I was at the gym.   I work with office-work, so I try to work out quite often, and I usually use different lockers at the gym, depending on which locker of the lockers that are free etc.   And when one work out 3-5 days a week for some time, and you have a different locker each time, then it could be that one forgets exactly which locker one uses this particular time.   And, since only about half of the key-rings with the keys for the lockers had tag-numbers on them, this could be a bit confusing.   So when I was finished with the work-out, and I went to the area of the changing-room where my locker was, then the locker wouldn't open.   Like I wrote, I use different lockers each time, depending on which lockers that are free, where in the changing-room it is less crowded etc.   So it isn't that easy to be exactly sure if it is that particular locker, especially since the key-ring to the locker (like about half of the other key-rings, i noticed later), lacked a number-tag on it, to specify which locker it belonged to.   I usually dont keep things like my wallet etc. in the locker, since its a big gym, always many people there, and I would get a lot of inconvienience if something happened to my wallet etc., so I didn't keep the most 'valuble' things in the locker.   I use to keep my note-book with my wallet, so I had my note-book still on me, and I thought it was a bit embarresing going to the reception explaining that I coultn't find my locker, so I decided to be 100% sure before I did that. So, I just wrote down the numbers of all the lockers in my note-book, and then I checked each and every locker, and crossed the number for that locker in my note-book. I made sure to check each lock thoroughly.   So, when I had checked each lock in the changing-room, and the key didn't fit in any of them, then I went to the reception to explain.   It was still quite embarresing, but at least now I had the note-book to show that I had tryed all of the locks.   There were about 5 or 6 people sitting in the reception, and the woman in charge, told Neil to help me with this.   I explained to Neil that maybe the smartest thing for me would be to return at closing-time, when all the other users of the gym had gone home, then it would only be one locker left to check.   I was holding my note-book still, so I wrote down that Neil started acting a bit like a sergeant in the army, knocking his fist into the side of the enterance to the changing-room and screaming /comanding: 'come here'.   I thought this behaviour was a bit peculiar, but I went after him into the changing-room, and then he starting to ask if I had been having a few beers. (Since I couldnt remember the number for the locker).   I asked him what his name was, and wrote it down.   Then I showed him that I had tryed all the lockers, and that noone worked, and that there wasnt any number-tag on the key-chain for the locker.   He asked me which locker I thought it was, and I told him that I thought it was the number 156 one. (It says in my note-book).   So he asked me to give him the key, so that he could try the number 156 locker and the surrounding lockers.   But he couldnt manage to open any of them, so he went to find the master-key.   This took a bit of time, but he returned and then opened the locker with the new key.   It was locker 156, and I showed him in my note-book that I had already tryed to open locker 156 with the key, because I had crossed out that number in the note-book.   Neil said that 'the locks often get stuck.', I can see from my note-book.   I found a new locker (since I didnt have the key any longer to the 156 one), and Neil reminded me to remember the key-number.   I told him that I thought that there should be key-tags on the key-rings for the lockers.   Also, the next time I went to the gym, the woman in charge reminded me that I should remember the key-number, and then I told the woman in charge that I thought that there should be key-tags on the key-rings. (But there still wasnt done anything with this problem, and about half of the key-rings were still missing a key-tag for the remainder of the time I was working out at the gym).   So my questions regarding this is:   11. How come there are so much problems with the locks getting stuck in the lockers? I mean, surely the gym bought new lockers when they opened? And its the Millennium building gym, so the building and the gym can't be that old? (Did someone buy used lockers for the gym when it opened)?   12. How come the gym doesn't use oil in the locks for the lockers, if it, like Neil said, is a problem with the 'locks often get stuck'?   13: And why didn't the gym put key-tags on the lockers, when about half of the key- tags were missing, and I had spoken about this problem with both Neil and the woman who was in charge there on the day this incident ocured, I think it was on 26/4?     Problems with the washing of the machines:   When I wrote the e-mail about the problem with the washing women/girls in the mens changing-room in the opening hours, then it came to mind that maybe the washing-should should rather wash the machines, and then wait untill the gym has closed, before they washed the changing-rooms.   The reason I thought about this, is because I remembered an incident from when I was working out, I think it must have been in April or May. Then I was working out at the thread-mill, and this was I seem to remember hours before closing-time.   There were a couple of washing-ladys there, even if it was still a few hours until closing-time.   They were just walking around a bit, seemingly not certain on the routine.   But then one of the washing ladies started to wash the stepping-machine in front of me. But what I thought was a bit strange, was that she only washed the tip of one of the handles of the stepping machine, and then nothing else. This she did twice with a few minuttes inbetween.   Other than that, I couldn't see that eighter she or her collegue washed any of the other machines. (They looked a bit lost there, walking around with their buckets while the gym was still quite crowded, since it was hours till closing-time.)   My question regarding this is: 14: Shouldn't the washing-staff put up a sign near the machines when they wash them during the time of which the gym is open? Couldn't people get hurt if they work out on machines that are slippery from being washed? I seem to remember from other places I've been working etc., that yellow plastic signs are being put on the floor etc., saying that one have to be careful since its newly washed, so shouldn't the washing staff in the gym also do this when they clean the machines within the opening hours?     Problems with staff:   Like I've written, there have been some incedents before that I have wondered if I should complain about, but I'm not always sure whos in charge there, so this makes it a bit more tricky to complain, and I've also had the problem with the arrears on my membership, and the manager let me work out there and pay the arrears later, so there was a threshold before I would complain.   But I wrote down in my note-book a couple of things I reacted on anyway.   I was wondering a bit what was going on there, e.g. on 24/5 Craig and a blond girl sits in the reception.   Only Craig logs in the members, even if there is a long queue. The girl is only watching. (I think maybe she is his girlfriend, since I noticed them sitting very close once when I wanted to log in).   So I was wondering, if there is a long queue, surely both of them could log in the users of the gym, so that they wouldn't have to wait in a line, like if some of the customers are there to sign up for a membership, then still everyone have to wait in one line, even if there are more staff at work. So then I was wondering what is the girl doing there, if she cant log in the customers, and is only sitting watching.   And I think she had been working there a while then, so I dont think she was on training.   So this seemed a bit strange to me, so I thought I could mention it while Im writing this e-mail anyway.   Also, I remember, that one Friday I was working out there, then they annonced the closing of the gym like this:   'The gym will be closing in 60 minutes', 'The gym will be closing in 45 minutes', 'The gym will be closing in 30 minutes', 'The gym will be closing in 15 minutes'. I think it was the same girl, but it seemed like it was Craig that told her to say it.   Normally they only say 'The gym will be closing in 20 minuttes', or something like this, so I thought I could mention this as well, even if its maybe not so important what they say on the calling-system in the Friday evenings? Anyway, I thought I could mention it while I was writing the e-mail anyway.   My question to this is:   15. How come the staff only sits watching while the customers are standing in line?   16. Shouldn't the staff have name-tags, where it said name and title, so that it would be easier for the users of the gym to know who to speak with regarding different problems. (So that they know who are in charge)?   (For instance, on the day when there were washing girls/women in the mens changing room, and they must have been there from around 8.40 pm. or earlier, because I went in there on 8.45 pm, and then they were well into their routine it looked like, before I turned and went home.   On that day (8/6), the staff that were working around closing-time, was Neil, a young girl that wears high-healed shoes and blouse, and a man around 40 years maybe that I think could maybe is the girls father, because I saw him standing very close to the girl once.   I thought maybe the girl was in a kind of responsible position there, since she wear office-clothes, but the guy in his forthies I reckon also could be in charge there, since hes the oldest etc., and also Neil I reckoned could have been in charge, since he has access to the master-keys etc.   So its a bit embarrasing asking about whos in charge, because you wouldn't want to offend anyone, with asking whos in charge, and then its actually that person who is in charge.   I don't say that it is impossible for the customers of the gym to find out whose in charge, but I thought that it could maybe add to the general level of customer-service at the gym if the staff was wearing name-tags.   I wrote down a note of who that was working that day, so that I would know later, since I wrote the e-mail that day with the complaint about the washing-staff in the chaning-room, so I thought I'd write it down, in case it became an issue.)   17. Should they really anounce that the gym is closing in 60 minutes, and that the gym is closing in 45 minutes etc.?       Problems with direct-debit agreement on 13/12/06:   While I was looking for some notes before I started writing this e-mail now, I found a letter from the gym from 8/12/06.   I'll just write what it says:   'Dear Mr. Ribsskog,   RE: Lifestyles Membership No: LDD121346   As a valued Lifestyles member, I was surprised to find that your monthly Lifestyles subscription of £23.50 due earlier this month has not been paid.   You may be aware of this already and have made payment at the Lifestyles centre, if so, please accept my apologies.   If you have not paid these arrears, I would ask that you pay them at your earliest convienience by contacting your nearest Lifestyles Centre. Your membership account can be updated at any of the centres and you can pay either by cash, cheque, credit or debit card.   Please contact Liverpool Direct on 0151 233 3007 for the number of your nearest Lifestye centre.   I regret that until any arrears have been paid, standard admission charges will apply and you will lose the benefits of your membership.   Yours feithfully   Steve Kneale   Business Development Manager'.       (I write quite fast, so I thought I could just write it down, so that it would be easier to understand what I meant.)   There were some problems regarding me switching from a Barclays Cashcard account to a Barclays Current-account at around the end of November/beginning of December 2006.   The problem was that my pay from work was switched to the new current-account, whereas the direct-debits remained connected to the old account.   I was in a busy period with work etc., so I didnt think about this problem before I got a letter from the bank about it. So I went to the bank, and transfered all my direct-debits from my old Barlays cashcard account, and to my new Barclays current/visa account. The clerk in the bank did this for me, it was a quite routine operation it seemed to me.   Exept for the Lifestyles direct-debit for some reason. This direct-debit had been canceled right away, in a way so that the clerk in the bank couldnt transfer it to the new account.   And when I went to the gym on 13/12, I had to pay the charge for Decemeber at the gym, and it wasn't possible for me to just switch the existing direct-debit agreement from my old Barlays Cashcard account to my new Barclays Current account, but I had to fill out a new form all over again to set up the new direct debit agreement on my new account.   I accept that it was my fault with forgetting to transfer the direct-debit to the new account (It was some comunication-problem at work, with me informing work that I had got a new bank-account, but with work not giving me any feedback on that they had changed my account information in the payment system).   But because of the later problem with the direct debits now in June, I thought I could ask a couple of questions regarding this as well, while I'm at it, so to speak.   18: How come that the gym canceled my direct-debit between 1/12 and 8/12, and sent me a letter on 8/12, where it said that I had to go to the gym and pay in cash, when I had never had any payment problems with the gym before  this, and all the other direct-debits were possible to switch (for the clerk at the bank to my new account), except the gyms direct-debit? Shouldn't the gym have tryed to collect the payment from my account again 7-14 days later, like the clerk in the bank told me that the other companies did?   19: Why did I have to write my signature on, and fill out a new form all over again on 13/12, for a new direct-debit. Didn't the gym have all my information from before, have one got to fill out and sign a new form just because one gets a new account-number, when one are still using the same bank?   (The signature of the women I spoke with on the gym on 13/12/06, looks like it says Probert as a last name by the way, in case that makes it any easier to find out about this.   I remember I thought it was strange that I had to fill out the form all over again, just because of the problem of the one payment due to the problems with changing the direct-debits and my pay from work to the new account, in a coordinated way.   Because it didn't seem to be a similiar problem with the other companies that also had direct-debits on my account, so therefore I remember that I thought that this was a bit strange. And now, due to the other problems with the direct-debits again, now in June, I thought I'd just ask about the earlier problems, since they came to mind now.   also this:   How come I got a letter sent 8 days after the missed payment in December, where as later, in January, February and March (with the new direct-debit set up on 13/12), I didn't get a letter at all.   It went on for two or three months, it must have been, before someone reminded me that there were arrears on my membership.   I was quite busy in this time-periode, even if I was unemployed, so I didn't have so much money then, so I should maybe have spoken with the staff about this myself, but I much problems with paying my rent etc., and I was glad to have the oppertunity to work-out, since it was a bit stressing not having a job, and it helped to work-out to relax from the stress.   And also, the staff gave different information to me regarding the arrears. The girl wearing office-wear, and who worked on 8/6, for instance, told me on one occation that it wasn't a hurry paying the arrears at all. (As long as I paid the running bills, which I did).   And other members of staff, Craig for instance, told me that I had to pay the arrears before a certain date, (I spoke with the manager and got an extension, and later I agreed with Craig that I would pay the arrears when I got first the loan I was promised from the bank, and later the switch-bonus I was promised from the bank.)   So the questions regarding this:   20: How come in December I get a letter for not paying after 8 days, where as in the new year, it goes in the region of two or three months without recieving a letter or reminder from the staff, even if I worked out several times a week?   21: How come one member of the staff (the girl with the office-wear who worked on 8/6), says that there is no hurry with the arrears, where as another member of staff (Craig), says that I have to pay before this and this date? How is this really supposed to be, according to the rules?   (I appriciate very much that I was allowed to work out at the gym even if I had arrears, so it's not because I am ungrateful that I ask about these things. It's just that due to the other problems, with the washing-women/girls in the changing room, and the problems with the continuing processing errors and duplicate payments with the direct debits.   And also due to the problems surrounding the unanounced closure of the gym for six weeks due to refurbishment.   Due to these problems, I thought it would be best to mention all the other problems while I was at it. Even if some of these problems aren't maybe that serious in themselves, I anyway thought that they were worth bringing up, because, I think, thay add to a general picture of things at the gym being a bit out of hand, so due to this I'm a bit concerned about whats really going on at the gym, and then I thought it would be best to mentioned all the things that came to mind, because these things, even if it isn't clear to me here and now that there for certain is a problem conected with them, it could be a problem, so I thought it would be the most responsible thing to do, to also add the latter part of the problems, the ones that are mentioned under the title 'other problems'.   So even if it was the first five or ten questions that made me go to the step of complaining. Even so, I hope you have the oppertunity to answer me about the last part of the questions as well.   Sorry again that this e-mail got a bit delayed. I know I said I'd send it no latter than Wednesday, but I reckon that as long as I send it before the office hours on Thursday, then it hopefully should be ok.   I'll also forward this e-mail to Linda Lennon and Lesley Southern, since I've been copying the e-mails I've sent to them earlier, in this e-mail now.    Hope that this is alright, and that you bear over with me if some of the last questions wasn't as well stated as they should have been, due to time problems etc.   Hope that this is alright!   Yours sincerely,   Erik Ribsskog                       -

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