Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 22nd April 2026.

22nd April, 2026.

It’s officially official: I receive, tomorrow.

Instead of today!

I got my dates mixed up!

At any rate … ?

I’m looking forward to that.

I can do more shopping and bill paying.

~≈£≈~

I can also be quietly saddened.

I’d put in for help from the new crisis loan fund, a few weeks ago … and got the letter with the results, yesterday.

I’ve been refused: apparently, I’m “not in financial shock”.

I can … 

Well, I can do several things … 

But the only effective thing I can do is whinge!

~≈😒≈~

The only other time I do that … ?   Whinge, that is … ?

Is when my building’s communal aerial goes.

And, yes: it’s gone, again!

The last time this happened was in February: the fault got fixed inside of two days.

There’s vulnerable adults in the building, so Clarion, my landlord, prioritised the repair.

This time?   When I phoned in the repair, yesterday?

I was told it could take twenty-eight days.

Twenty-eight days.

You couldn’t make it up.

Without becoming deeply cynical … 

~≈🤨≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 11th May, 2022.

11th May, 2022.

Did I tell you I have problems with my sink … ?

My kitchen sink?

I have problems with my kitchen sink.

There’s — ha! — upsurging!

In other words, every so often, I’m getting water — lovely grey water with bits in — coming up the drain.

With the appropriate glooping noises.

Yes: I’ve tried shoving soda crystals down there.   And yes, I’ve phoned my landlord to fix the problem.

They’re coming on the 27th!

But I don’t think it’s my drains causing the issue.

As far as I know?

The flat upstairs is having some sort of issue with their drains: which has caused into the flat next door to mine: the only one that does’t share a communal entrance with the rest of the building!

And who’s occupier I’ve never actually met … until yesterday.

Lovely to met you, if you’re reading this!

At any rate … ?

The next door neighbour was getting issues as well.

Including water coming through their hallway light fitting, and — you’ve guessed it — water upsurging in their kitchen sink.

Quite what we can do about it … ?

Apart from repeatedly hitting my landlord over the head with it*?

I don’t know!

~≈Â≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 14-12-2021: Would You Like To Fly … ?

14th December, 2021.

Hmmm … 

I think I have a rat problem.   An on-going rat problem.

At least, going by the half eaten apples I’ve found.

To the point I’ve had to contact me landlord, about it.   Again.

As far as I can tell, no-one else in the building is having a problem, this time around: which normally means Clarion would refuse to do anything.

They take the view that if a pest is only affecting my flat, it’s something I have to deal with.

If it’s something affect the communal areas?   They’ll send out a pest controller.

I’ve managed to persuade them the worker they sent out, last time, hadn’t blocked the holes the rats were getting in through.

Hopefully, that shouldn’t take two many visits.

~≈Ê≈~

You notice I say ‘only affecting my flat’ … ?

Under Clarion’s own rules, if the rat is just in my flat, it’s something I’d have to deal with, myself.

Knowing that?   I emailed Essex Country Council, to see if they could send anyone out.

They told me to check with Brentwood Council.

Something it seems at least one neighbour had already tried.

It turns out Brentwood Council no longer have a pest control unit.

What you’re supposed to do if you’re on a low income, and can’t afford a professional rat catcher, or afford the fine for having pests on your property?

Brentwood Council doesn’t say.

Any suggestions … ?   Would be welcome.

~≈Ê≈~