how does your repair line work??

flashy · 21-03-2007, 08:41

my under the stairs door is jammed shut and i cant get it open, so someone told me to call the repair line which i did....

man...hello twin valley repair line how can i help you?

me...hello could i report a faulty door in my home that is jammed shut please

man...yes certainly, whats your address?

me...blah blah blah street (i didnt actually say that)

man..yes ok there will be someone there to repair it within the next 7 days

me...could you give me a specific date please?

man...no i'm sorry i can't

me... I BEG YOUR PARDON.(shakes her head in disbelief)..so what if i'm not in sometime within the next 7 days, what happens then?

man...well the joiner will come out and if your not in he will put a card through your door to say the job has been cancelled, then you will have to ring us back and re report it

me...you are joking right?

man...no not at all

me...well thats a bit stupid isnt it?

man..well i'm sorry thats all we can offer you, thankyou for calling twin valley repair line

then he hangs up

i was gobsmacked

looks like i'm waiting in for the next 7 days then, either that or i'll have to wait another 7 days after ive re reported it

pathetic i tell ya

panther · 21-03-2007, 08:46

i know how you feel!! same with mine, i waited in endless times, and half the time they dont bloody show up..." sorry but we have had a an emergency call out, is it all right to come later or another day"....GRRRR
I have this for the last 6 months....for the same bloody job!

my back door gets jammed too if its wood its probably swelled due to the weather, it will shrink again when it gets warmer, or it could be your locks jammed then they should come out earlier

flashy · 21-03-2007, 08:49

nah its the one under mi stairs panther, its that full of junk that i think ive slammed it shut too many times, now it wont open, but i decided the other day to get rid of all the junk n take it to the tip.(only so i can put my bikes in there)...but i cant cos its buggered lol

panther · 21-03-2007, 08:52

the springs probably gone in the handle, get a kniife and wedge it through the catch thats what i do

flashy · 21-03-2007, 08:54

ive tried that lol, had mi dad in the other day, he took t he handle off n allsorts, the catch thing faces the other side of the door(that bit that goes in the hole and moves when you pull the handle) he tried a knife too...didnt work

i told harwood red (who works for twin valley) that i was gonna kick it down...i woulda done too if she hadnt talked me into not doing it lol

panther · 21-03-2007, 08:56

wonder how the repair man will do it then

just hope all ya junk dont fall on him when it opens...lol

Neil · 21-03-2007, 09:01

If it is a turn to open type handle you will have to try and push the latch back into the door. You could try using 2 small screwdriver or knives. push it back a bit with 1 then hold it with the other while you reposition the 1st to push it back some more.
I know it sounds like an old wives tale but you might get it with a credit card. tesco saving card or whatever. You have to try and get it behind the curved part of the latch and pull towards you to push the latch back into the door.

Their is another daft thing it could be, try removing the handle, I have seen it where the square bar has been cut too short and has moved out of one handle into the other one. The door will only open from one side then. If it has done that then put something like a screwdriver into the square hole and turn it. That often happens when people change lever handles for hollow door knobs and use the original square shafts.

flashy · 21-03-2007, 09:03

thanx for that neil but the slopey side to it is on the other side,so i cant get and leverage at all, cant even get a knife in there

tried taking the handle off too

Neil · 21-03-2007, 09:05

Opps you have tried that, look what happens when you write a long post, other post appear before you have finished.

If it was me I would remove the handle and drill out the actuating part. You should be able to pull the latch back after that.

The other way, and don't laugh, it to cut the latch off with a hacksaw blade through the gap in the door frame. It will probably only be soft brass being an inside door. You can use a thin ( 1mm or 1.5mm ) cutting disc in an angle grinder to cut the latch off as well.

flashy · 21-03-2007, 09:06

the latter is exactly what my dad said to do, lol but i cant, it aint my door

Neil · 21-03-2007, 09:10

You wont damage the door, you use the hacksaw blade to cut the bolt off in the gap between door and frame. If there is not much gap then try pushing a large screwdriver or chisel in the gap to make it a little wider. There will be plenty of give in the door/frame without it breaking. When the joiner turns up and only has to fir a new latch he wont be complaining that you made his job easier.

Another daft thought, is your consumer unit/fuse box under the stairs? If so you could always make a breaker trip out so you will then be an emergency

flashy · 21-03-2007, 09:12

lol, no its actually in the kitchen unfortunately

Neil · 21-03-2007, 10:38

Just tell them its under the stairs, when they open the door you can remember where it really is

Anyway whats the point of letting Harwood Red on the forum if she can't help you out?

flashy · 21-03-2007, 11:23

ah bless her she did help me out.....she told me not to kick it down

harwood red · 21-03-2007, 12:29

right enough people!!!!

It is true that at the mo, appts aren't given as the work is allocated on a daily basis to the workmen. However, in next few weeks we have new "repairs" software being installed which will allow appts!

Don't worry if you have to go out, if you come back and there is a card behind door ring me instead!!!

will pm you me work number