RACT insurance. Driver insured with RACT drove into rear of my vehicle while I was stationary. Put in claim weeks ago. Sent follow up email and have heard nothing.
Next step is the insurance ombudsman.

C1153675

P.S. when obtaining quotes for repairs, most bodyworks would not quote for the RACT as they said it was a waste of time as RACT would go to their preferred repairer.

I used hipages to find an electrician who I employed. After that I find I need another one to check the Hydro Heat/Hot water wiring as two Aurora (electricity supplier) bills later I find that the solar system only shows excess when I have the Hydro Heat fuse off at the meter box.
I emailed the previous electrician, no response. I phoned and was told they would have a look in two days. Didn't turn up. Estimated loss of income from solar not exporting is approx. $500 so not a good experience and although I'm not assuming his fault, it would be nice to have some support. So I listed another job on hipages and stated the above and they immediately closed the job. It appears they do not like any negative feedback. This also shows as consumers can only leave positive reviews, not real reviews on hipages.com.au

Approximate cost: $700

On Saturday 19th July I purchased two adult return tickets for cash at a Skybus booth (T31) outside Tullamarine Airport. These were bought at the same time so would be on the same transaction number. If you lose one, you have to purchase another ticket as it appears they have no audit trail and they are unsympathetic to you. Buses are crowded with little leg or body room. Unpleasant to deal with when issues arise. Edit! Found a much cheaper way to get to and from Tullamarine and Melbourne CBD: http://aerohaveno.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/to-melbourne-airport-cheap-arse-way.html

Approximate cost: $78

Most recent HTC mobile phones store data such as photos and videos on a 'NAND' chip on the mother board.

If the phone has a technical issue affecting the mother board, it will be swapped out by the HTC warranty company FoneBiz, with all data including the photos and videos being deleted, even if you inform HTC and FoneBiz that the photos are irreplaceable.

HTC's official service company FoneBiz claim "Accredited since 2004 to repair down to component level", unfortunately doesn't mean they will replace the faulty component or swap the memory chip over to another mother board as it appears swapping the entire mother board is easier than getting the soldering iron.

Just be aware that if your mobile phone manufacturer asks you to send your phone to FoneBiz, expect your data to be deleted even if you ask for the data to be saved.

On the FoneBiz website it claims they are "Accredited since 2004 to repair down to component level" for HTC.

HTC phone stores data such as photos and videos on a 'NAND' chip on the mother board.

Experience a technical issue affecting the mother board and it will be swapped out, resulting in the loss of all data including the photos and videos.

It doesn't matter if you inform HTC and FoneBiz that the photos are irreplaceable. While repairers may state "Accredited since 2004 to repair down to component level" for HTC, it doesn't mean they will swap the faulty component or the memory chip over as it appears swapping the entire mother board is the easier option.

I would suggest using anyone but Tasmanian Perpetual Trustees. Use a solicitor or family as Executor.

Issues in an Estate included:

- not being allowed access to view items even though we had been asked to nominate items we would like until I asked the request be put to management.
- an item of jewelery we notified them of in December was not put to public auction in March, in fact we have no idea what the status is of the wedding ring as they won't answer emails asking about it.
- a letter in December listing two options for the house being sold was sent from the Trustees with all beneficiaries agreeing on one option, then in March the trustees stating it would be auctioned, which wasn't an option in the first letter. Again, they won't respond to emails asking about this.
- requesting access to copy photos and documents was initially allowed, then withdrawn. Once more, emails asking for further access have not been answered.
- neighbours of the estate property have had to collect investment interest letters which have still been addressed to the estate address for the past 9 months. This was bought to the notice of Trustees after the first lot were forwarded, yet continued on for months. A simple address change wasn't and probably still hasn't been done. Where have the interest payments from those investments gone to?

Village Cinemas is one of those businesses that issue Gift Cards with an expiry date. They say gift cards are like cash, so if you lose them or they get stolen, they are gone. But there is a difference. Cash doesn't expire and Village Gift Cards do. Contacted their customer service and they would not extend the expiry - some companies do. Around 35% of Gift Cards are never redeemed so it's obvious why companies that issue them with expiry dates love them but for consumers, they are like losing cash. Gift cards with expiry dates should be outlawed. Any gifts from now on will never be gift cards!

Approximate cost: $40

True Value Solar review: http://truevaluesolarreview.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7qa6TVkoI0

Signed up in late August. Contractors installed solar system on Wednesday 27th November.

Panels were not one of two brands the sales person stated in an email would be used, (ranked 112th compared to a ranking of 3rd in a German study) but that is the least of my concerns.

What started as an exciting project for me has quickly turned into a nightmare. I wish I had never considered going with True Value solar.

Roof truss or rafter?

I went into the roof space on the 3rd December to have a look at the workmanship and noticed one of the fastening bolts/screws had caused a split along almost the entire rafter/truss length. Cause: no pre-drilling* before driving in fasteners with a "rattler" power tool

http://oi39.tinypic.com/4uxt8x.jpg
http://oi39.tinypic.com/kb4vgl.jpg
http://oi42.tinypic.com/281r8lt.jpg
http://oi39.tinypic.com/257p341.jpg

On the same truss/rafter, it appears the installer realised the damage caused as that particular truss/rafter is the only one where a fastener wasn't screwed in further along the length, probably knew doing so would cause the entire rafter/truss to collapse.

http://oi43.tinypic.com/xmv2ic.jpg

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* Quick research revealed that hardwood is supposed to be predrilled and 5cm, not 8cm bolts used as a precaution against cracking.

True Value use their own (non SunLock) tile bracket system, however procedure to fix to rafters would be the same across tile bracket manufacturers to protect from hardwood damage.

From the SunLock manual:

To prevent splitting the timber, pre-drill the screw holes at an inward facing angle.
This is especially important for hardwood rafters.

Tile brackets are supplied as standard with 90 mm timber roofing screws, which supply the required 80 mm embedment in softwood rafters.
For hardwood rafters, the embedment can be reduced to 40 mm (i.e. use at least a 50 mm screw, or longer if you have any packers between the tile bracket and the rafter).

Good article from the the National Federation of Roofing Contractors Limited in the UK on fixing solar panels to timber rafters:
http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDMQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.labc.uk.com%2FMedia%2FDefault%2Flibrary%2FNEW%2520Guidance%2520Notes%2FNFRC%2520guide%2520to%2520Fixing%2520Solar%2520Panels%2520to%2520Timber%2520Rafters%2520and%2520Battens%2520%28Pitched%2520Roofs%29.pdf&ei=lc6dUpyhB46IkgXT1oD4Bg&usg=AFQjCNFb65hyWTq36XKNjeEl_JoqDMcx8g&sig2=FdTFEmarx7YgoYeN52MMBA&bvm=bv.57155469,d.dGI&ei=lc6dUpyhB46IkgXT1oD4Bg&usg=AFQjCNFb65hyWTq36XKNjeEl_JoqDMcx8g&sig2=FdTFEmarx7YgoYeN52MMBA&bvm=bv.57155469,d.dGI
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As the trusses/rafters were not predrilled and used the same length fasteners, it's conceivable that more trusses/rafters will crack, ie - if they have been weakened by the fasteners.

I sent True Value Solar photos and an email on the 3rd December to their [email protected] email address and no response from them so far.
However, the contractor didn't turn up or contact me on the 4th December to connect into the mains switchboard as arranged last week.

In addition -

Panels not in alignment:

http://oi39.tinypic.com/2d6qhjb.jpg

Tile brackets not straight:

http://oi43.tinypic.com/2ed1u77.jpg

A true sign of a company is how they deal with issues they have caused. As of the time of submitting this review, True Value themselves have not acknowledged the email I sent, nor started to fix the issues.

Update:

On Friday 6th December the original installer Tony arrived unannounced wishing to commission the system. I attempted to have a discussion about the rafter however Tony was unable to be calm and he stormed off stating he was not going to commission the system. All I want and am entitled to is my roof to be in the same condition it was prior to True Value Solar doing their install.

7th December 2013. Had a different installer and the original offsider (Angus) turn up at 5PM unannounced who wanted to commission the system and fix the rafter with the use of 'no more nails'. Week-end not being convenient, I asked them to come back during the week. Agreed on Monday morning, however after looking at the technical data sheet for no more nails, it states:
"PRECAUTIONS
Not suitable as a structural laminating adhesive or where structural loads are concentrated."

Given TVS contracted installers are apparently electricians, I refer back to my original email to them:

"I would like this rafter replaced at your cost by a qualified builder of your choice to at least the same undamaged condition it was prior to the install, prior to final payment on the install being made."

8th December 2013. Had a look at other rafters and found fastners coming out the side, splitting wood. Found three damaged tiles.

http://oi40.tinypic.com/5yb58o.jpg
http://oi43.tinypic.com/o0dz45.jpg
http://oi41.tinypic.com/1y5swm.jpg
http://oi42.tinypic.com/1zwzw3t.jpg

I'm extremely disappointed that a project that at the outset was exciting has turned into a nightmare, due to incompetence, then a denial of responsibility by Tony the first installer and finally by no response at all or acceptance of responsibility from True Value Solar management, with whom I signed the contract.

9th December 2103. Dear "Business Owner" I have sent numerous emails to your [email protected] system as requested when I phoned. Not one of those emails has even been acknowledged. Your standard "fluffy" response on womo does nothing to get the issues fixed. T118171

Monday morning is now over. No sign of TVS and no call from them.
Turned up at 15:45 with the aim of 'fixing' the truss/rafter however I explained to them that that was not going to occur until I get a response from True Value Solar to my emails.

Approximate cost: $3566