Five for Friday!

This is my first Five for Friday! Click on the picture to check out other blogs in the link up :)

Monday was my 26th Birthday! I feel old, haha. I know this is going to sound strange but I still think of myself at a 22 year old. I can't believe I am actually 26 now!

I did not get called in for work, I was kind of relieved. I mean, I would have gone in if I was called, but I was looking forward to going out for lunch with my boyfriend. I was treated to Nando's and Churros. All very delicious. This was the 3rd time in 2 weeks that I have been to Nando's. I think I may have a slight addiction, but when the food is this good, can you really blame me?

I worked 4 out of the 5 days this week. I am thrilled! I really didn't expect to pick up so much work straight away. I thought I would have to wait a while. Had a pretty good week. Year 5, Kindy support, Year 1 and then Kindy support. I also got to cover a year 3 class for a few hours and had a bunch of my kiddos from 2012. They're a lot bigger now and spent a lot of the time asking me "Do you remember that time we..." as well as if I can be their teacher again next year. Awwww!

My boyfriend and I have been in a fight with the real estate back in Manchester. We still have not received our deposit back! Their first excuse was that we had apparently stolen a glass table, two dining chairs, a bedside chest and a leather bed from the apartment. Let me just remind you that I live in Australia. For us to have 'stolen' anything, we would have had to have taken it on the plane. The silliest part of this was that some of the furniture in question could be seen in the check out report photos! The chairs and bed we were given were not the same as the ones listed in the inventory. So we had to point this out and they came back and apologised.

Problem solved, right? wrong!

Then they accused us of paying short on a rental payment as well as owing money for extending our contract for two days. So we fired back with receipts to prove that we had paid the required amounts on time. We also corrected them about the date that we had left. They refused to believe us and so we sent the same argument and proof again. Then they started to ignore us, so I wrote a rather firm email which basically sent the proof for a third time and wrote that we would be seeking LEGAL action if they could not resolve this. This time they replied instantly and all their issues with us had just magically disappeared!

Problem solved, right? WRONG!

Minutes after sending us the email confirming that we would get our full deposit back, they sent a new email claiming the landlord had just rang them and wanted us to pay for a blind that didn't close properly and a tiny dent on the back of the door.

By this point we were not really in the mood to play nice about it after being jerked around already. So we fired off an email pointing out that the blind doesn't close properly because of the skirting board and not because it was broken. We also pointed out that the dent was already there and probably caused by moving in furniture, which we did not do as the place was fully furnished. Also, as these two things would be considered 'natural wear and tear' we are not liable for it as wear and tear is not covered by tenants. They took ages to reply but claimed the landlord agreed with us (funny that) and that we just need to provide the banking details.

The problem? they sent it in the middle of the night and now the person dealing with it has conveniently gone away for a week, so we have to wait till they come back. Only I don't think we are settling for that and will be trying to find someone else to return the money asap. I don't think we are being too ridiculous here. They've done everything they can to delay returning the money and their excuses are not valid and inaccurate. Is it really that hard to maintain accurate records?!

Phew! I will be jumping for joy when the money is safely in my account and I never have to see or deal with this company again! I never imagined it would be this difficult.

This week I found out that I get to go and watch the taping of The Voice. I went to one back in Manchester, so it will be interesting to see how it's done over here. I find it interesting seeing how a TV show is filmed and produced.

I am on school holidays now for 2 weeks! It's kind of become a bit of a joke that I just came back from holidays to go back on holidays :P I think this is going to be one the busiest school holidays ever because we will probably still be fighting with the Manchester Real Estate as well as trying to find an apartment over here in Sydney. Busy, busy, busy!

Have a great weekend!