I agree with the comments about 'compensation', but I would be more impressed if they gave cash instead of bloody tokens. Also, whilst it might seem generous, it's not much compared with the loss of earnings if your other half is, say, a supply teacher and turns down work to stay in for the visitor.
I have to say that, apart from the missed appointments (which seem to come in groups of 3 or 4) they've been pretty good recently.
What always astonishes me is the distance these guys travel to do the work. One electrician came for a routine follow-up appointment (at a secret air base in Bedfordshire) from COVENTRY. He also explained that they'd just changed the rules so they weren't being paid anything for the time travelling between jobs.
Now I must get on with scraping the mould off the bathroom wall, something they won't do anything about (eg fit an extractor fan) as it's not an entitlement (but if we had one, they'd fix it).
Oh and did I tell you about the time DHE installed a fireplace hearth on top of the living-room carpet?
STH