u/RunsWithGlueSticks

Original thread here

I wanted to follow up because the original post had a lot of traction, and a number of local news affiliates were reaching out etc.

A couple plumbers responded to berate me for not IMMEDIATELY ringing a plumber. And if you're one of the plumbers who followed up to say oh actually, that's a shitload of water that couldn't possibly have fit through the pipes in that time period, I'm not referring to you. You were helpful. In particular, u/DookieShoez , who definitely has a story behind that name and I'm betting it's work related.

Honestly, at the point of discovering an $85k water bill on my deceased father's house (not even my own, where I have my own bills, thank you!) it was already too late to have any plumber saving the day. I was already underwater, so to speak.

Also there were a few people who objected to the meter reading of 12, in that, they hadn't heard of that sort of number on a reading before. I can't really say much to that; that's the number the technician wrote on the card when he checked it, and that's the number confirmed by the people on the phone.

Anyway.

I posted on a Friday evening. By Saturday, I was contacted by a few local news affiliates. I was busy with other shit related to my father's house and estate so I wasn't keen on that.

By Saturday afternoon, I had a phone call from a guy at FFX Water. They had also seen my reddit post. Presumably they searched for 'residential address with an $85k bill' because I hadn't shared a phone number, obviously. That person told me they would follow up with all relevant departments and I'd have a proper response by Monday, but they agreed with our observations and said that 'almost certainly' it would be an error that could be sorted out.

By Monday I had confirmation from said departments that indeed, the number of 9994 units was the 6 units difference between the estimated meter reading of 18 on the previous billing cycle, and the actual 12 unit usage. Logging negative 6 units clearly was too much for the system. I was told I would receive an adjusted bill.

I waited until I actually received said bill before posting because I know how these things go. The bill has now arrived so I can officially confirm: it's been taken care of, a credit note was drawn for the overestimated usage and I've now paid the more reasonable $40ish bill.

Thanks for all the support and reactions 💐 The thread was a welcome diversion at a difficult time.

FYI you know we don't allow ME codes to be shared here. It's a rule to keep our group safe from ME, because they are always on the lookout for code sharing 'misuse' (crazy because they're literally the only pharmacy who objects so strongly to their codes being shared publicly, but whatever!)

Anyway: be careful about sharing those new links they are promoting. Anywhere, not just this sub where it's against our rules. I believe they're using the link itself to track where it was accessed from, and if they find that you shared it on social media (including reddit, anywhere, not just this forum) they will cancel your credit and potentially cancel your ability to earn credits.

I know this because I stupidly took a chance and shared it elsewhere, someone actually clicked and used it, but now they've removed the credit and reprimanded me for it.

Honestly it's madness given that they're advertising everywhere themselves now, but whatever.

I feel justified in us having the rule in this sub now at least! 😊

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*edited to add a TL;DR * they sent someone to read the meter and is says 12, which is the same as his previous bill. The current bill is claiming the usage is 9994 units, not 12. So I do not understand why the meter reading appears to be irrelevant to the number on the bill?

Not kidding, Bill is $85k. Customer service genuinely telling me to 'see if any toilets have been running' How many toilets would we need to have running to use 1 gallon per second?

My father passed at the end of April. I live overseas (relevant to explain why I don't know the bureaucracy of the local water company, also why I have limited time to sort this out with them) and while I've been back and forth a few times to make inroads on cleaning the place, my visits have definitely not generated that much water use.

I rang FFX water a week ago, they said wow, we will send someone over to read the meter. I left to visit my mother for a few days and came back today. The hangtag on the front door says the meter reading is 12, which is pretty much what I'd expect given that that was his previous meter reading according to the bill.

So I rang back today to follow up, and ask if there will be a new bill to reflect this reading?

No. Apparently reading the meter which shows what the actual water usage was doesn't change the current bill, and I need to download and fill out some forms which will start a process for 'finding a leak.'

This usage isn't possible. It's 4600 gallons / hr, approximately.

Is there no way to get a hold of someone who understand this? And can couple that information with the meter reading which shows this?

Probably not incidentally, but the 'usage' shown on the bill is 9994 gallons, which appears as if a counter ticked over somewhere.

Anyway, it was close to the end of the day today, so I've asked if I can escalate this and she's told me someone will ring me on Monday. But has anyone had any success with this sort of thing with FFX Water, and if so, how did it go? Any tips? Thanks.

As above, I'm wondering how to go about using the one upgrade I have with my AerClub Platinum status. I have read previous posts (but I'm sometimes unsure if they are applicable, because many people are talking about Avios upgrades, which I'm not doing)

Basically: I have been flying transatlantic a LOT over the last year due to an unwell parent, and now bereavement. I'm on the cusp of Concierge. I would like to use the bonuses which come with AerClub.

I will be booking flights for myself and my son for October half term. He doesn't have status, but if I could upgrade my flight with AerClub then I would be considering paying to upgrade his as well which would be fun for both of us. I assume the upgrades would need to be over the phone.

Is there a specific type of fare I need to book before doing so? I would appreciate if you could include the name of that fare rather than the letter system, because I still have no idea what the letters mean.

Also, is this type of upgrade one I need to wait a long time to hear back about? Or will I know with plenty of time before the flights?

Thank you ☘

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Given the frequency of this happening, I can only assume people have decided it's worth chancing it.

We've changed the response now so there's a 7 day mute the first time, second will be longer. There's other places you can try it on, go there. You'll find most of them have the same restriction though, for the same reason.

ME checks third party forums and social media for code misuse, and I do not feel like having this group getting scrutinised because of a few people. They are far more vigilant on this than other pharmacies.

Thanks.

Basically that.

Also I'd like to stress: I am absolutely going to employ someone/ multiple professional someones to help me, but I need to know exactly what sort of professionals CAN help me. His lawyer is AWOL for her own personal reasons and I'm not sure she's got the foreign trust knowledge I'd need, anyway. I will also seek advice from the UK side regarding inheritance, however I'm currently en route back to the US (second time now; he passed away last month and my head wasn't clear at that time to think about any of this) to start probate at his county court this week.

My father created a trust, based on his own difficult time with his parents' will. If I were still resident in the USA, this wouldn't be the issue that it is, but it is. Now that he has passed, I am told it is now an 'irrevocable trust.'

The problem I have learned: someone? (a court? lawyers? accountants?) need to decide if the trust is now foreign, or domestic. How is this process started?

Also: If they decide that the trust would be foreign if I were the only trustee, how can I go about hiring or appointing someone to be a co-trustee, if needed/ possible? Because as far as I understand, we want it to not be declared foreign.

I do not currently have a lot of money; I am a support worker in my son's former school. I know I need to pay for professional advice but I am asking here so I don't just chuck away what little I've got trying to defend what could eventually be a significant amount of money, assuming I'm not paying to pay half of it in fines just for living overseas!

I am still a US citizen. There are no other family members and no one is going to fight me on anything I decide.

FWIW the one professional I do have involved is his financial advisor. She is doing everything she can to help, including creating an inherited Roth IRA account so she can roll his Roth into it and I can have some money to spend sorting things out for him.

Thanks so much for any guidance you might be able to offer.

Edited to add: I might go quiet as I'm in transit and internet is questionable, but if I do, I will be back later on this evening, or likely early tomorrow morning given the jet lag, to respond to any follow up questions etc

Basically: a family member has passed. I am trying to describe this as impartially as possible but please don't keep reading if the topic is too close to home.

They were in the house several days before they were found. We have had the biohazard cleaners in so the area of the death has been remediated.

However, there is still a smell and I'm sure it's a combination of chemicals and the death itself. Everything has been removed (carpet etc) in that area, but I am thinking I should probably get the floorboards there replaced as well.

I'm giving these details because I don't want to pretend as if this is a normal floorboard replacement.

Does anyone please have any recommendations for a service who would do this?

I've requested a quote from the service who did the initial remediation, but they haven't gotten back to me yet and I'd really like to try to have it done in the next week or two for various reasons.

Thanks so much.

Okay firstly, I appreciate any advice here, but please be kind. This is my first experience with all of this.

I have been flying regularly to the USA to visit my father, pretty much every school half term break, due to his cancer and needing more support.

He has passed away, as of 2 weeks ago.

I had just been there at Easter but I booked again straightaway (with AL, and I did not try to claim anything re: the bereavement, though I have the death certificate now) and was just there for 10 days. I've come back to the UK for now, but was already scheduled to go at the half term at the end of May, as my usual check-in visit.

That visit was scheduled for a week but it would be much useful to be there for 10 days again, given the sheer amount of admin and actual work that needs doing at his house. I am the only family and am currently relying on friends to do a few things there while I'm away.

Is there any chance of AL waving the change fees for the return flight at the end of the month? Or reducing them? I'm booked BC for that flight (definitely not wealthy; this was a flight he'd paid for and if the price was right I'd upgrade to BC because it gives me privacy; visiting him was always hard given his illness) and the fee to change it to 3 days later is almost £700. I'd add, the day I want to change to is a Tuesday and there's almost no one currently booked in BC on that flight...

Anyway, anyone have experience with this? Thanks so much.

*Edited to add 30th April*

Okay, they were vague in the 'tax implications' they were referencing, I know understand the problem and it is not the question I have in the title, unfortunately.

Basically, I am the named trustee of my father's US-based trust. I am a US/UK citizen residing in the UK. The lawyer is concerned because it is the act of being trustee which is the problem: if I am based outside of the USA, the IRS will see it as a foreign-based trust.

I am struggling to get a hold of the estate planning accountant which I've been referred to, but I am still trying, because that appears to be the person I need to get advice from now.

Thank you everyone for trying to help here. I will of course take advice on the UK side regarding the actual inheritance, but I think this first hurdle is what I need to concentrate on at the moment. I am in the US for the next few days, then will be back again at the end of the month so I'm just trying to get my appointments in a row.

Original post:

Tried to keep it brief but basically, my father has passed so I have come back to the US to try to start that process.

I am the sole heir, I am named in his Trust as well as his Will and other paperwork.

I am a US/UK citizen and have lived in the UK for 20 years. My father was a US citizen, resident in the US.

(mentioning that because it seems very relevant to the laws as I understand them.)

I'm unlucky at the moment as his lawyer is going through a bereavement of her own and isn't able to meet with me this week (I will be gone again next week, but will return in a few weeks). His financial advisor is helping me the best she can, but is recommending I hire someone else because she doesn't feel confident advising me as she doesn't know the UK laws with regard to all of this.

So I guess I just want to know: does anyone know if the UK government will be involved in this process? I have done some preliminary reading and they don't sound as if they get involved if the deceased is not resident in the UK.

I will of course be taking the advice being given to me by the professionals in person, but I'd also just like to be prepared if anyone has any comments here.

Basically that.

If you've created an account so that you aren't posting codes from your main account, be aware that the auto filters can tell and if the only thing that account does is post savings, your posts can get caught in the filters. You might think 'hey that guy posted xyz but my post isn't working' and that is often the reason.

Especially if it's a new account.

Also, certain suppliers are 'known' as being ones which spam social media, and if you've shared a link to that supplier, it triggers the filters.

It also helps to not mention specific items by name which people would be purchasing.

These are just some tips. We do try to check the filters but we are also under the same constraints as a sub- if we hit approve on too many posts which the main site disapproves of, it flags us as a spamming group.

So for the benefit of all of us, just try to keep your posts upbeat, helpful (you can review the service as well, for example) and general.

Thanks 😊