Greetings from Somerset !

[Rose]

We are finally here ! Our move didn't quite go as planned... thanks to Barclays online banking system crashing on our move day, we were unable to complete on our purchase although our sale went through ok. We were on the motorway on the way down to Somerset when we found out, and our removal van was just 20 miles from Wells - they had to turn round and go back to Kent and we were left homeless and stranded in Somerset with nothing but the clothes on our backs ! It was the long bank holiday weekend too of course, so we ended up spending 4 nights in a hotel, and we had to go out and buy clothes and toiletries to tide us over. Barclays have admitted liability and will be picking up the tab for everything in due course. To add to the stress of being homeless, my mother in law passed away on the Sunday evening... not altogether unexpected, but not great timing We finally got the keys this Tuesday and moved in on Wednesday. Anyway, the house is fabulous and we are just very happy to be here at last ! I am visiting Mid Somerset Camera Club tomorrow evening and will report back on my experiences with them in due course ! LOL

A regular visitor to our bird feeder... (Canon 5DM3, 100-400 @400mm, taken handheld through a window)

[Mike Farley]

[quote="Rose"
]We are finally here ! Our move didn't quite go as planned... thanks to Barclays online banking system crashing on our move day .....[/quote]
Hi Rose

Good to know that you have settled in, even if Barclays managed a spectacular screw up. It would have been the CHAPS system which went down. While I know that it is not any consolation for all the hassle, the Bank of England takes such failures very seriously as it effects not just customers but all the other banks as well due to the way the payments are settled in real time. I'll spare you the full details, but someone very senior from Barclays would have had to go in person to Threadneedle Street to explain what happened. Barclays will also be expected to take remedial action and will be in the process of writing reports to say what they are doing to prevent a recurrence. I know, because in the past I have been involved in sorting out the aftermath of similar failures at another bank.

Nice shot of the woodpecker. I look forward to seeing more from your new home and hearing more of your news.

[Rose]

Thanks Mike. We were astonished at how long their system was down for, as our solicitor phoned on the Tuesday morning after the bank holiday to say it still wasn't up and running ! All in all it was down from mid-day Friday 29 April until mid-day Tuesday 3 May which I think is inexcusable. Our claim runs into the thousands as it includes penalty fees for breach of contract passed down by our vendors, and effectively double the planned removal costs passed down by the removal firm. Multiply that by the thousands of people who would have been similarly affected...

All we could do in the circumstances, was treat it as an unscheduled holiday between packing and unpacking - but with Bob's mum passing away too, it wasn't the most relaxing break.

[Mike Farley]

Thanks Mike. We were astonished at how long their system was down for, as our solicitor phoned on the Tuesday morning after the bank holiday to say it still wasn't up and running ! All in all it was down from mid-day Friday 29 April until mid-day Tuesday 3 May which I think is inexcusable. Our claim runs into the thousands as it includes penalty fees for breach of contract passed down by our vendors, and effectively double the planned removal costs passed down by the removal firm. Multiply that by the thousands of people who would have been similarly affected...

All we could do in the circumstances, was treat it as an unscheduled holiday between packing and unpacking - but with Bob's mum passing away too, it wasn't the most relaxing break.

Gosh, I have known some severe outages in my time and that is one of the bigger ones. I cannot recall a major payment sytem being down for such an extended period and someone will definitely be going into the headmaster's office with a telephone directory stuffed optimistically down the back of their trousers. These things do happen unfortunately, often caused by the most mundane things, but I am downright amazed that Barclays could not get the system up again ready for start of business on the Tuesday.

As you say, not the best start to life in your new home, especially with the bereavement for which I pass on my condolences. I hope that trhings will improve for you both from now on.

[Iggy]

Hello Rose,
Good to know that you are in your dream house in Somerset after the bank mishap. Condolences on the passing of your mother in law.
Nice steady hand on the woodpecker shot at 400mm. Hopefully there are not too many squirrels around to grab the nuts.
How is the Mid Somerset Camera Club compared to the CCC? Hopefully you will be partaking in their print competitions eventually. Our CCC is on the up with more events geared towards member participation.
Will you be coming down for the Biggin Hill Air Show on the 11 June? Tom & David are going, but I am still considering it as it clashes with something else and it will also depend on the weather!
All the best,
Iggy

PS: been rather busy and only saw your thread today!

[GrahamL]

Hi Rose,

Belated condolences from me too.

And best wishes for a lot of great photography from your new abode's location.

Cheers,

Graham L

[toms]

Hi Rose,

Glad to read that you are settled in to your new home and likewise my condolences.

Are you on the same email address and if so can you please email me asap.

Regards,

Tom