I would appreciate some advice on the following matter, I am in dispute with a glazing company X that fitted my extension bifolding doors at incorrect floor level, end of last year. The doors come from a reputable factory and are of high quality. The cost of the job was not at all small and the balance was paid in full before the issue became apparent. Certificates and guarantees have been provided. When their surveyor turned up to measure, the screed had not been laid down yet in the extension. He argued that the finished floor level had to be provided and requested a sign off as a condition of the contract. This was liaised with the building contractor who provided the final floor level datum with a laser cross level, based on the existing house floors. I have learnt this is not something uncommon in construction due to the stages of work. It is important to note that the company did not refuse to undertake the work, it only set a condition as it was clearly requested the weather track had to be flush with the floors. Company X put everything on email, including heights of the weather track, screed and floor thickness etc providing four digit millimetre precision measurements for signing. Everything was noted with reference to the fixed support lintel of the opening. After double checking this with the building contractor it was signed off in good faith. Eventually the screed and tiles got in place and it became apparent the weather track was offset higher by about 14mm from the agreed floor level. Thus a 4 meter opening is now showing a nearly 20mm lip sticking out from the last tile. I revisited all measurements with high precision from multiple points of reference against the information provided on the order. Company X provided no plans or drawings for the system itself. There is absolutely no doubt from my end that the doors have been fitted higher by at least 14mm against the agreed floor levels on contract. It is also possible the doors were designed shorter. To make the really long story short, I contacted Company X several times and requested they come out to survey their work. They argued everything was fitted as agreed and blamed the builder. Emails and calls were never returned for weeks. I asked them to provide all the measurements for the door system but it was completely ignored. That was about 3 months ago. I expected they would at least come out to check the work, but that never happened which raised a lot of suspicions. To my understanding this is breach of contract, something they in fact requested to sign off. I decided to give the situation a last chance, submitting the case to the GGF of which they are members. I wrote to their conciliation scheme and sent a all the communications with the company, contract details etc. Company X replied in the same tone at first, "we don't understand why you went to the GGF, everything was done right, there was no screed" etc. The GGF allowed their member 21 days to respond, which the company ignored. Once the deadline passed, I complained that no consideration or reply was provided. The member was given a 14 day notice as part of the scheme, that I could not justify. On the last day of the extended period there was a three line response at about 6pm. Again, pointing out that heights were provided to them, there was no screed etc. They even attached the same contract that I had already forwarded to the GGF. On the last line they add they are willing to come out on site and "if the doors can be lowered" they will do this as "good will". All the building damages to be covered on my end! Full of empty words, they are covering up a cock up with a "good will" proposition while suggesting leaving me cover serious damages to a new building. I wrote back asking that the member submits the door plans requested 3 months ago. The GGF, that merely facilitates the communication and not examining the merits of the case replied, "Please be advised that our Member is simply required to satisfy your contract with them as agreed and signed for" This is not acceptable, although we are prepared to consider compensation we cannot accept this as "resolution". The company failed to inspect the work against the agreed heights and I cannot accept additional damages as a result of their negligence. Patience is running thin, the GGF have an arbitration scheme as a next step but I am not confident of their impartiality. I am also not going to let this company walk away, they acted really unprofessionally, they were given the opportunity to check their work and chose to repeatedly ignore it until I had to escalate the matter. I am now considering a two step proposal, a. they either take full responsibility for the work and damages to the building or, b. compensation reflecting the cost of bringing the work to the standard it should be as in the contract or taking to small claims to recover the cost. This will require a surveyor/expert witness involved which will obviously incur costs. Apologies for the long post Any thoughts are welcome!

Hi all, My OD was cut by half recently, which will cause me some hardship, on top of which I also lost my job. I have a meeting coming up in branch to discuss, are there any do's/don'ts so I can hopefully increase my chances of getting my OD back to comfortable levels? Thanks, JB

Firefighters have warned of the dangers of mishandling tools after a man's genitals became trapped in a ring spanner. Crews were called to assist A&E staff with a patient at Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport, south Wales, on Wednesday. They had to use their cutting equipment to remove the steel tool. https://uk.yahoo.com/news/firefighters-free-mans-genitals-spanner-145900336.html

Hi all Nearly 6 months ago my Father in Law was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The Palliative Care team at his Hospital immediately requested that the council fit a level access shower in his council flat. 4 months later, his wife had heard nothing so rang the Council up. Was told that the adjudication Panel had rejected the request! The next day his daughter phoned to plead with them to reconsider. They immediately phoned back to say they had granted the application. No reason was given for the refusal or the reconsideration. She was phoned in August to say they would start work on shower on the following Monday. They never turned up. No reason was given. He passed away mid-September. The shower was never fitted. For the last few months of his life he refused to leave the flat because he was worried that he smelled. This despite his wife washing him frequently using cloths and bowls of soapy water. I have registered a formal complaint and I'm awaiting the response. I have had a phone call from the Director of Adult Social Care who apologised but refused to provide any explanation. He told me to register a formal complaint if I felt his apology wasn't sufficient. I have made FOI request for the minutes of the Panel meetings. However, I am now considering legal action to seek financial compensation for his wife. Would she have a case and if so, how would I go about it?

Hi, hopefully this is the right place to put this! today I received a letter from the BTP with a NIP asking for name and address of driver. It states 'This offence can be supported by photographic evidence from an offence detection device. The driver of vehicle *my vehicle* is alleged to have committed an offence contrary to one or more of the following offences under the Road Traffic Act, 1968. Failure to comply with a red traffic light signal at Nutbourne Level Crossing' I was driving with my boyfriend in the car also, as we were approaching the level crossing the light turned orange but it would've been too dangerous to stop (I was driving within the speed limit). We both only saw an orange light and no red light. I have never had any driving convictions etc, am a mental health nurse and points on my licence would not be great for me, especially for something that I do not think is fair as I mentioned, stopping would've been more dangerous. Just looking for any sort of guidance/help with what I should do! Thanks!

Hopefully this is the correct forum, didn't know if it should go here or in the train section. I just got the following email from my work regarding the company car I drive: Background info about crossing: You drive down a small lane to the level crossing, which has white wooden farm style gates across that you have to open the one side, walk across the tracks, open the other side gates, walk back, get in car, drive through both sets of wooden gates, get out, walk over tracks, close far side gate, walk back over tracks, close near side gate, get back in car and drive off. On said date and about that time, I did this. I did not see any signage saying I need to phone anybody. After opening all the gates, I started driving towards going over the track, slowly nosing forward until I could see a train approaching, so I then rolled back into the road again (rolled slowly, not drove as train was far off). Train passed me at about 30-40mph with horn blaring (I assumed as warning he was approaching) and stopped about 100 yards further down the track, with what looked like a red signal light ahead of him in the distance. So now the NIP states I caused the train to brake by crossing the track. How? I crossed the track behind the train. At no time did my car cross the track infront of the train. Also, do not recall the signage, so I'm off in a few hours to take photo's of the crossing, as area is rather overgrown with bushes. Any advice further what to do when I receive the NIP?

I worked in a pub for 3 years and 7 months and I was sacked for misconduct in November 2015 and UC imposed me with a high level 91 day sanction (which I was told by the CAB would be extremely difficult to overturn as a reconsider was refused) I got an advanced Payment from universal credit on 8th December 2015, and I was due my first payment on the 13th January this year until I was given a 82-91 day sanction (so not a penny for 3 months) I was advised by the CAB I may be able to get a hardship payment but only from what was the first payment due date this Wednesday, I just wander what I could do/say to help with getting a hardship? Any questions I'll respond asap Edit: Iv been borrowing money as Iv had no money but there is only so far I can go with that

I was offered a house which was in dilapidated condition from the council. At the time an acquaintance tried to sort me out with a shared private let, rather than move into this house of horrors, but this fell through. The council deemed me intentionally homeless because of this. I was refused access to my housing officer and refused my right to make a complaint about the property, at the time when i had to make a decision. I had a couple of days time frame to make this decision. My appeal failed and i was to be cast onto the streets like a leper, but fortunately luck was on my side. An near impossible feat for an unemployed person in Edinburgh, i found a private let through an x-landlord i was with while i was at university here. So my question is, how long does this unusual punishment last if you are struck of by a council? Is that it for you? are you just left to die on the streets or maybe luckily find a prison cell? https://www.flickr.com/photos/124422960@N08/with/14339100655/ some pictures from a temporary accommodation dwelling courtesy of Edinburgh council and associated partners. A few of my holiday snaps heres the house i refused

Hoping someone can offer some guidance. Am in the processing of a claim for constructive unfair dismissal, and having finally received the respondents response, it is evident that they may falsify documents, i.e. produce letters that have never been sent! If I am right, and they do this, is there any way of proving they've been falsely produced, and were never sent?

Apologies if this has been asked before but I need to send a complaint to Orange PCS Limited that will get some action. Does anyone have a contact name and address for someone that I can write too. Thanks

I had to go to a meeting with a manager due to me exceeding the permitted level of sickness. I have already been given a written warning for this and now I have been told my case has been referred to a decision maker (senior manager) to see if my sickness level can be supported. I have passed the mandatory period of 6 montghs without any sickness, but my employer has what it calls a ''backsliding period'' of 12 months. During this time if I exceed the permitted period of sickness, the next stage comes into play. Which is what has happened to me. I have suffered with depression for the last 7 years and have had several periods of sickleave from work, the most being 6 months. I recently returned to work after 9 weeks off again. I had been told by my line manager that if I didn't return, my case would be referred to a panel, to see if my absence can be supported. This is something I would not be allowed to take part in. The outcome of this would be either demotion or dismissal. Following continuous pressure from my line manager I felt compelled to return to work, even though I wasn't ready to return and against my GP's opinion as well. I have been taking part in regular stress risk assessment meetings to try and help me stay in work, which have worked to a point. I have to be honest and say I find it very difficult to do my job and be in the building. I have told management I put on a mask for the sake of getting through the day, but I am finding it increasingly difficult to go in each day. I have told management I am looking for another job. I have a letter from GP to help me fight my corner but feel work won't take much notice of it. When I explained things to my GP he offered to sign me off again, but I had to refuse it because it would have resulted in me being dismissed. What I want to ask is can I be dismissed due to my level of sickness, even though I have returned to work? If so, what rights do I have? I am finding this whole situation very stressful and it is not helping my depression at all.