Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

Just wanted to report an example of really good service.

We've had some problems with our sewage - the drain of our kitchen was always slow this year and then totally blocked. Putting in some "drain jelly" only helped temporarily and today no water would go down the kitchen drain.

So I tried one of these "spirals" but to no avail and at 4 in the afternoon we went to our neighbour in the village and asked him if he knew someone. By half past six he called back: They're coming by seven!

Three guys in a van listened to what my wife told them, got their professional equipment from the van and started putting in that cleaning spiral ...
Half an hour later one said "success", they had an espresso while checking the running water and packed their things again - 10 000 Forint (and a beer and a German chocolate for everybody) changed hands - thank you, and good night ...

In Germany I would have had to pay more than a hundred € for this ...

Re: Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

Great to hear - have to say we have only ever experienced exemplary service in Hungary.

Re: Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

I remember clearly in 2008 summer I had to demolish a very large "A" Frame Cabin over 6 meters High which had been up 20 years or more I had inspected before purchasing but could not find true extent of condition of the Building but suspected sum damage and stated to the Seller reduce the Price and I will purchase the property, when I then got the Place found all supporting legs wear Rotun and Main Framing Twisted and building in a unsafe condition so Demolition so taking piece by piece away became dangers, looky at that Point my Friend next door maid Me Stop, sitting down and wondering watt to do, Next thing a Farmer appeared with his 3 sons and Loads of Wire Ropes and Chains they pulled down and ever since all of us have been best friends, as I sure that if all of them ad not turned up Then I would not be hear TODAY thanks to my Friends, digger47

Re: Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

Not just the private sector, the state sector works as well. My driving licence runs our shortly so a couple of weeks ago I got an email reminding me of this so today I went down to the GP for a medical - no appointment needed, then to the Okmányiroda to get the paperwork done. The whole lot including the GP and travelling took one hour ten mins. I will get an email when my new licence is ready to collect. That's an OK service in my book.

Re: Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

That's impressive even by UK standards! My wife's Hungarian passport runs out around March/April 2018 and she's decided to play it safe and send it off for a renewal beginning of 2018.

Re: Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

If you don't plan to travel outside the EU your wife doesn't need a passport, the ID card will do!

Re: Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

Second that, so many good experiences!

Re: Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

My Hungarian wife doesn't have an ID card courtesy of living in UK or does this mean she can apply for one? Sister-in-law has one. I find it incredible that's all that's needed to fly around EU.

Re: Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

That's partially thanks to Schengen (which now includes Switzerland too) ...
But how will it be after Brexit has become reality?

PS: For passing the borders by car you often don't even have to show the ID.

I just drove from Hungary to Germany and back again - only once did I have to show my ID (German Personalausweis) - when going from Hungary to Austria the Austrian police glanced at it, that was all.
In Germany after the Austrian border cars were just slowed down and police looked in, no IDs were shown. It cost around 15 min compared to the good old times 3 years ago when you passed the "nonexistent border" at 80 km/h.

Re: Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

I have always had similar problems with my kitchen sink but I think the problem in my case is limescale. When I first bought the house that waste would sometimes freeze because it was too close to the surface where it runs under the floor of an outbuilding. One time I dismantled that section of waste pipe and warmed it with a hot air gun. I removed solid rods of ice from each length of pipe and chucked them on the lawn. When the ice melted it left a sort of foam of limescale which retained the cylindrical shape but could be easily crushed. There are a few metres of the same pipe under the concrete patio base and I assume that also has this mesh of limescale. It is a pain because I have a double bowl sink. If I pour away the washing up water too quickly it can find it's way up into the draining sink. I often carry out the washing up bowl to the garden or the bathroom to empty it.

A few times over the last few weeks I've been finding puddles on the kitchen floor and blaming the dog. He does slop a lot of water about when drinking and is also getting prone to "accidents" in his old age. This evening such a puddle appeared between the time I put my food on to cook and when I went back to serve it up. Poor old Charlie was not to blame this time as he had been asleep on his bed the whole time. I felt every plumbing joint but they were all dry. I mopped up the puddle and the floor has stayed dry.:blink:

Re: Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

Don't mention the limescale! :eek:

I've grown used to it but it took a long time and still takes a lot of caring, all machines and appliances which use warm/hot water have to be watched over ...

Re: Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

I don't see why not. Not many Hungarians have passports but they all have IDs

Re: Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

Since we're OT already:
I still remember when the news came in autumn 2008 that Hungary might be accepted into the US Visa Waiver Program. I asked my girlfriend (now my wife ...) whether she was intersted in visiting Florida in November - there were some really good last minute offers. She agreed and then we realised that she needed a passport, went to Hévíz, got the official picture and the new passport and I did the ESTA procedure online - everything went without a hitch.
On November 17th Hungary became a member of the VWP, on the 18th we started from Stuttgart airport to Miami - people there didn't even know that Hungarians were allowed to fly without a visa, had to check first ...

Re: Good service is possible in Hungary!
 

I have wondered what happens if (for example) an airliner develops engine trouble and needs to land at the nearest airport, which happens to be Belgrade or some other non EU location. I suppose those with passports could complete their journey by bus, train, car or whatever but those with only ID cards would not be allowed to leave the airport other than by boarding an EU bound aircraft?