florida pet hates

Come on there must be things that drive you nuts. Here's my two.

Enormous kids and by enormous I mean age wise, being crammed into those Disney strollers. We saw loads that were easily 8/9 if they were a day. They must have needed a shoe horn to get them out! A lot of them couldn't even fit their legs in.

The second one an adult reserving a place in a queue then the rest of the group arriving later. Have no problems with leaving a line to take kids to the toilet have done it myself loads of times.[msnembarrased]but I always make sure everyone knows I am doing it.

Workmen who never turn up on time or indeed just never turn up. Getting any work done on your villa is a nightmare as nothing ever happens quickly in Florida.

This is even more frustrating when as an owner, you have guests in the villa who call with a problem and it takes a while to get someone out to attend to the problem. The guests naturally think it's you that is delaying things, but it could not be further from the truth!

Apart from that we LOVE Florida and everything Floridian [msnsmile2]

Have to agree with that JOhn, the laid back approach to life in Florida is great for a holiday but a nightmare if you wnat something urgent doing "yesterday".[msnsmile2]

arriving at the airport! such a long drawn out process always feel drained when thats over! then when findnig car rental get the car and all the airport stuff gets put back away till the day we come home! and thats another thing i hate about florida! having to come home!

I agree, it's a bit like the Spanish "manyana" it never comes!!

Have to agree with LiesaAnna on this one, I completely understand the need for security, but this is the time where we are almost certain to have a 'marital'!!!!:(

will have to add that one to my list as well. By the time we get to the pick up the car queue i have lost the will to live. I always find there is a point on the plane journey when I hit a wall and things start to get a bit fraught.

Having 20% added to our check automatically when there are only 2 of us. Also kids misbehaving in a resturant.

Rain when I want to sunbathe.

Contractors telling us they will come on a certain day, waiting in all day and they don't turn up. The service in general is poor from lots of companies many who promote this "the customer is great attittude". Had too many dealings to know this is not always the case.

However there are a trillion reasons why we love it so can put up with a few not so hot things:D

I love Florida and our home 99.9% (I can even manage the plane journey)! :)

The 0.01%? Tt just infuriates me when people aren't punctual and don't turn up when they're supposed to do so! If I can manage to be there on time, why can't they? [msnsad]

I am married to a bulder I have no problems getting the work done
Although he does moan sometimes
my pet hates first is the big greedy people who go to the eat all you can buffet
Eat and eat just for the sake of it I know its temping and we all will have indulged at times
but some are just down right greedy
Second is the drivers that weave in and out side to side of traffic without signaling :D:D
Barbara

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by floridadreamvilla.co.uk
Workmen who never turn up on time or indeed just never turn up. Getting any work done on your villa is a nightmare as nothing ever happens quickly in Florida.

Apart from that we LOVE Florida and everything Floridian [msnsmile2]
[/quote]

This is a Southern thing! We moved here from Ohio. What an efficient State. The cable guy is on time. The gas guy is on time. If you are left waiting make a call and you'll not only get someone out right away, but they'll reduce your bill.
Florida is just a Southern State. Laid back. Relaxed.
Also, Orlando is a very trancient city. Very high number of people passing through. Therefore no real pride in their jobs.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by luckylady


Second is the drivers that weave in and out side to side of traffic without signaling
Barbara

:D:D
[/quote]

Yeah Barbara that bugs me to! Some of the worst drivers I have seen have been in the US, does not mean they are American so don't all shout at me please:D! One woman last week nearly crashed into us because she could just about see over the wheel, no signals just pulled out!

I never had a workman not turn up on time yet....but I just hate how humid FL gets in the summer........

It would have to be the workman thing for us too !

It's really hard to provide a professional service to guests, by keeping on top of repairs and maintenance, when those you are dealing with don't turn up on time to do the work. It just makes the owners look bad, and as others have said, gives guest's the impression that the owner is uncaring ~ when in reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

We all want guests to have the best time possible in our villas, and the unprofessional approach of many contractors makes an owner's job twice as hard. [msnscared]

Has to be delays getting jobs done. Our MC told us we have a problem with our washer dryer, the washer has a small leak and the drier seems to be taking an age to get stuff dry.

They have been told there is a three week delay on repairs but are making a nuisance of themselves by calling every day in the hope that the company will get fed up of them and send someone sooner. As the machine is still under warranty they have no choice but to use the warranty company.

Fortunately the machine is still usable as we have guests in for 3 weeks who will definately need to use the washer at some point. The MC have explained the problem to our guests and fortunately they are quite happy about it and have said they can manage as there is never a big rush to get things dried. Not sure what my electricity bill is going to be like though :(

Julie

If your dryer is not drying as quickly as it should, it could be a glogged lint filter or a blocked or kinked vent pipe. Your MC should be able to establish if this is the cause within minutes. Might save a bit on the electricity too. :)

How did I guess you were going to say that [msnwink]

You must be the only homeowner in Florida who has not had the problem - it happens all the time to every single owner I know and is really irritating [msnsad]<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
I never had a workman not turn up on time yet.
[/quote]

You can get a brush to clean out where the filter is and the vent.....my gas dryer takes an age to dry and I only noticed it after using my new dryer in FL........

Like so many others, its the difficulty in getting things done -either from this end, or flying around like a headless chicken when we are in Florida, and then with limited time. Very frustrating.We have had a lot of this since the hurricanes,and are still not finished.

Florida bread and t-bags.

Thats it! Chloe

Bread is awful, humidity in the summer is to high, getting through customs can be a nightmare but we we would all put up with a lot more than that just to be in Florida

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by floridadreamvilla.co.uk
How did I guess you were going to say that [msnwink]

You must be the only homeowner in Florida who has not had the problem - it happens all the time to every single owner I know and is really irritating [msnsad]<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
I never had a workman not turn up on time yet.
[/quote]
[/quote]

That makes two of us who have not had problems John. We have always been most impressed with the speedy service when we have had any problems.

Wow - you will have to let me know your contact because after several years of villa ownership very few of the people who promise things actually get them done when they say they will [msnsad]

I wonder if it's because your villa is on the Gulf Coast and they are less laid back there than Orlando?

Chrizzy does not rent out her house (as far as I know) so that may explain her comments as she would not have as much need to call on people to do work at the house etc etc than someone with guests in and out of the villa all the time.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Mo Green
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by floridadreamvilla.co.uk
How did I guess you were going to say that [msnwink]

You must be the only homeowner in Florida who has not had the problem - it happens all the time to every single owner I know and is really irritating [msnsad]<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
I never had a workman not turn up on time yet.
[/quote]
[/quote]

That makes two of us who have not had problems John. We have always been most impressed with the speedy service when we have had any problems.
[/quote]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by floridadreamvilla.co.uk
How did I guess you were going to say that [msnwink]

You must be the only homeowner in Florida who has not had the problem - it happens all the time to every single owner I know and is really irritating [msnsad]<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100
I never had a workman not turn up on time yet.
[/quote]
[/quote]

I have to say it cus its true John......I'm very pleased so far with a few companies we've had to call out...cable being the quickest..we have needed them for something every visit....then the company we now use for our spinklers......the guy who does our A/C....but I lost his card...I just hope we have one in the house.....the power company...who I have to give 10 out 0f 10 for in getting us powered up for our closing over Christmas........local delivers.....one guy going back to the depo and coming out at 9 at night after a mix up in deliviering a unit..not his fault...and he stayed for half an hour because of damage to a box........unwrapping it to make sure we were happy.......RTG have always been first class......my bug company is rubbish at billing....but are very happy to make a second visit if we are at the house to do inside ....maybe they just like my cups of tea and hob nobs who knows.......[msnwink]

We have first hand recent experiences of bad customer service on the last three trips: November, December and March and everytime there have been at least 3 comapnies on each trip who have let us down.
I am learning that this is just the way it is.:(

Chloe,try thr cuban bread,must agree,the white sliced is sweet and nasty

Dealing with mortgage banks,insurance companies and Home Owner Associations who have no sense of urgency whatsoever when trying to set up direct debits etc.
Their first line of communication is is a letter threatening attorney action if you don't make the payment on time (This is the payment you have already made but they haven't accounted for yet !!) [msnsad]

It has to be the spiders and snakes!!! Everything else such as contractors who are a little late is frustrating but I can cope with that. Spiders give me nightmares!!! Probably because I got bitten by one when I lived in Houston!

Otherwise - Florida is fantastic:)
Camilla

Thanks for that Heather. Sometimes in WalMart you can get 'English Toasting' bread. That's not too bad. I will try the Cuban though. Chloe

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by floridadreamvilla.co.uk
Wow - you will have to let me know your contact because after several years of villa ownership very few of the people who promise things actually get them done when they say they will [msnsad]

I wonder if it's because your villa is on the Gulf Coast and they are less laid back there than Orlando?[/quote]

Not sure if they are less laid back John but Rotonda West is a mainly residential area and the tradesmen we use live within a few minutes drive. Maybe they are more grateful for the work than the Orlando tradesmen.

Our guests, who have seen the serivce, have also been impressed. One reported a problem, immediately popped out for 2 hours, then complained next day that no one had been near. He was very embarassed to find the fault had been repaired in his short absence -he had not bothered to check as he did not think people worked that fast.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Mo Green
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by floridadreamvilla.co.uk
Wow - you will have to let me know your contact because after several years of villa ownership very few of the people who promise things actually get them done when they say they will [msnsad]

I wonder if it's because your villa is on the Gulf Coast and they are less laid back there than Orlando?[/quote]

Not sure if they are less laid back John but Rotonda West is a mainly residential area and the tradesmen we use live within a few minutes drive. Maybe they are more grateful for the work than the Orlando tradesmen.

Our guests, who have seen the serivce, have also been impressed. One reported a problem, immediately popped out for 2 hours, then complained next day that no one had been near. He was very embarassed to find the fault had been repaired in his short absence -he had not bothered to check as he did not think people worked that fast.


[/quote]

I don't know if it has anything to do with it.....but I have been asked if my place is a rental.....2 companies I phoned to see to my A/C would not come out to a MC call....maybe in Orlando all the MC are using the same few companies..!..thinking about it..not come out was not what I meant really...it was more that they were unhappy with the idea of no-one being there all day......I talked to a pool heater guy hanging about for a MC....and they can only wait for a little while....it must be hard being a MC and having to hang around for workman....and the same goes for companies going to a house for repairs and having no-one there to let them in......

Pet hate would have to be tea made with water thats not hot enough & not strong enough to get out of the cup!![msnsad]

I used to hate the tea but now we use bottle water for the kettle instead of from the tap.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by TINAPETERS
I used to hate the tea but now we use bottle water for the kettle instead of from the tap.
[/quote]

You can save money by using the filtered water from your fridge.....

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by chrizzy100

Quote:

---

[i]
I don't know if it has anything to do with it.....but I have been asked if my place is a rental.....2 companies I phoned to see to my A/C would not come out to a MC call....maybe in Orlando all the MC are using the same few companies..!..thinking about it..not come out was not what I meant really...it was more that they were unhappy with the idea of no-one being there all day......I talked to a pool heater guy hanging about for a MC....and they can only wait for a little while....it must be hard being a MC and having to hang around for workman....and the same goes for companies going to a house for repairs and having no-one there to let them in......

---

You might have a point there Chrizzy. Rotonda West is built in a circle with the roads crossing to the centre point like spokes. Our MC not only look after several houses in that area but live there themselves so could be back at our villa in 5 minutes.

Not getting updates on progress of build.:(

DOM

Go to Publix bakery and get White Mountain bread or Chicago Italian bread, Both are very good, white crusty loaves, and nothing like the sliced "enriched Bread " sold in the plastic bags. They will slice it for you too. Yummy !

Sprint engineers who don't come when they are booked (and don't tell you they are not coming!!), long queues at MCO and coming home again.[msnsad]

The time it takes to get post from the UK to FL ( last chq took 5 weeks )
Spiders,
and the fact that I am here and not there !!!!

Hate Brits moaning about the place, food, drink, service etc! If they don't like it, go to Clacton!

Any place that has a UK football shirt in it. I will NOT enter!

Never had problems with workmen or timings, Having lived in NY and NJ. I found out the secret. If they mess with you, holler and shout at them at a quick pace!
They get a bit confused, and usually agree with you!

My pet hate has to be reversing out of a car park space and trying to avoid mowing pedestrians down!.[msnscared] This does apply to the UK as well, but more so in Florida as we generally have a larger vehicle (Durango) and trying to keep your eyes peeled in all directions is a nightmare sometimes.[msneek] Why do people insist on walking behind your vehicle when you are clearly pulling out. We do try and wait till the coast is clear but they just seem to appear from nowhere.
(Mind you, it does'nt help when we've been shopping and the car is loaded up and we can'nt see out of the back window[msnwink])

Anna