I mentioned that our fridge was kaput a few blogs back. The story so far is like this. Fridge went pop, no good, kaput, knackered. Luckily with this job we have a fridge / freezer supplied sitting in our garage. No warm beer and wine for us. It’s an inconvenience, so Nikki tells me going out to the garage to get some butter or cheese or ingredients for tea etc so we have a bucket to put it all in instead of juggling with the ingredients and trying to open the door especially if it’s windy and raining.

I contacted a dealer about doing the fridge, this is after I did a lot of research to see if I could find one that fitted in the gap. After chasing them up because I had not got a reply they eventually said it’s not for them. This was a dealer who advertises that they do all repairs etc. Another dealer was contacted and a few emails exchanged and yet again sorry not for us. It seems all they want is easy jobs like changing a fuse or a tap washer and charge over the odds for it.

Where has customer service gone, it is so poor and frustrating. Third time lucky. Contacted Camper U.K. in Lincoln. They are a Burstner dealer and have a very good name. I started my email to them with it says on your website you can do anything because you have a good team etc. Again I had to chase them up but we got there in the end. They gave me three options of fridge which would fit. Luckily I was sat down when I read the email.

Option one would be to have the same Dometic fridge/ freezer/ oven that we have now. I was told this was no longer available. That would have to come from Germany and take 6-8 weeks and would cost £2961 just for the fridge/ freezer/ oven no fitting etc. Option two was another Dometic which was going to also come from Germany and cost £2421 + fitting. Option three was a Thetford fridge/ freezer but with no oven which would be £1545 + fitting, this is the one I found that should fit in the gap where the other one sits.

So it was option three we went for, not because it was the cheapest but after doing a lot of research it was a better unit. So the call was made, yes we will go for the Thetford credit card out and £1545 gone in ten seconds. Thank you, when the fridge arrives in about a week we will check it out and ring you to book you in. No phone call after a week, leave it a couple more days. Nikki rang them, we were just going to ring you, yes of course you were. Fridge is here and all ok. That’s good can we book in to get the job done then please. Yes some one will ring you later today, the job booking in department. Guess what no call. Nikki rang again with a firmer voice and got it sorted.

Trouble is because of Covid and them being shut for months everything is behind and they are so busy we can’t get it done until October 19th. Ok all sorted we think. I find a campsite up near them thinking go up day before, drive from campsite to camper U.K. in morning first thing back to campsite after and home the next day. If only life was that simple. Got a call the next day to say we will need the camper for 2/3 days, bloody hell your staff work slow don’t they was my response. So many departments and no one knows what the others do. So the final thing is.

We go from here to Lincoln on the Sunday, about a five hour drive for us in camper about 200 miles. We stop on the campsite down the road and get camper to them first thing Monday morning. At that point we will be homeless. We book into travel lodge in Lincoln for Monday and Tuesday nights. We spend two day’s roaming around Lincoln like hobos. Lincoln seems a nice city so should be ok. We hopefully get the camper back late on Wednesday and go back to campsite for another night and then back here on the Thursday. It means us having a bit of extra time off work but that’s ok. It has to be done. All we will have to pay for is the labour, fridge already paid for so although it will be bloody expensive it won’t seem as bad if we don’t add up all the costs like, fuel, campsite, travel lodge, Labour for fitting fridge, meals out in Lincoln wear and tear on our shoes wandering around. Pubs to go in if it’s raining etc.

On a brighter note Reliant is getting some colour and starting to look like a proper Robin. Everyday he comes around for some food and feeds off my hand or Nikki’s.

And is getting to be a right little poser.