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Share your England story

We love England! (tea, crumpets, and all that jazz!)

But blimey, we’ve also stumbled into some properly bonkers and maddening moments here that you wouldn’t find anywhere else on the planet. Situations so absurd they make you want to chuck your brolly in frustration or chuckle at the sheer Monty Python-level lunacy of dealing with businesses, government services, or even trying to get a proper pint at the local pub.

When we grumble, the classic British retort online is “if you don’t like it, sod off!”—which, let’s be honest, isn’t exactly the most constructive way to sort things out, is it?

This board is our chance to gather all your tales of woe to prove there’s a peculiar pattern of dodgy service interactions across England, unlike anywhere else in the world.

Hopefully, by rounding up these stories, England can take a gander at them as feedback and spruce things up for foreigners and locals alike—because nobody wants to queue for eternity just to get a soggy sarnie.

POSTS ARE COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS—YOUR EMAIL AND USERNAME STAY SAFER THAN A CROWN JEWEL

Update: We’ll be passing the juiciest stories and gripes to MPs, so your voice will be heard louder than a foghorn at a footy match!

Fully Compliant Tenant and Landlord Rating System in England

While properties are physical assets, tenants are natural persons protected by UK GDPR / Data Protection Act 2018, the Defamation Act 2013, and statutory housing frameworks. A public "Yelp for tenants" or open blacklist violates UK privacy law and would face immediate enforcement from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). However, creating a legal, compliant, reference-style tenant feedback database is possible. Key Differences: Landlords vs. Tenants AspectLandlord / Property System Tenant Rating System Data Identifier UPRN (Unique Property Reference Number) or Land Registry Title. Verified Identity (Name, DOB, National Insurance / Reference ID). Accessibility Public or Semi-Public (linked to property, not individual PII). Strictly Private & Role-Gated (only accessible during active referencing). Legal Risk Commercial reviews, low privacy impact. Severe: UK GDPR breach, Defamation (Libel), ICO fines. Data Nature Subjective reviews & photos permitted. Must be strictly objective, factual, and verifiable. How to Build a Fully Compliant Tenant System in England To make a tenant tracking system legal under English law, you must move away from "star ratings and subjective reviews" toward "verified factual event logging" governed by five structural pillars: 1. Lawful Basis for Processing (UK GDPR Article 6) You cannot rely on tenant consent alone (as consent can be withdrawn at any time). Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f)): The platform must operate under Legitimate Interests. You must complete a formal Legitimate Interests Assessment (LIA) and Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) demonstrating that protecting landlords/agents from financial loss or severe property damage balances fairly against the tenant's privacy rights. Mandatory Application Notice: Tenancy application forms must include explicit transparency wording stating that adverse performance data (e.g., validated arrears, formal court judgments) may be submitted to the database. 2. Objective, Fact-Based Logging (Eliminating Defamation Risk) Allowing free-text subjective notes (e.g., "Tenant was messy and rude") creates massive legal liability under the Defamation Act 2013 and breaches the UK GDPR requirement for data accuracy (Article 5(1)(d)). What is Permitted (Factual & Verifiable): Rent arrears backed by formal accounting records or Court Orders (CCJs). Deposit disputes where a formal adjudication (TDS, DPS, MyDeposits) awarded damages to the landlord for property damage. Served statutory notices (e.g., Section 8 ground-based notices). Mutual formal end-of-tenancy sign-off checks. What is Banned: Free-text opinion boxes or star ratings. Subjective claims about personal cha

Only in England3 months ago

Safe Pathways Oldbury – Urgent Safety Infrastructure Intervention

COMPREHENSIVE PROJECT DOCUMENT Project Title: Safe Pathways Oldbury – Urgent Safety Infrastructure Intervention Project Facilitator: A suitable organisation Strategic Safety Partner: Sandwell Crime Prevention Panel (Registered Charity No. 1008754) Target Location: School Boundary / Pathway, Oldbury, Sandwell 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY & PROBLEM STATEMENT This project seeks immediate funding and local authority permission to install public safety infrastructure—specifically high-intensity solar-powered lighting—on the unlit perimeter path bordering a local school in Oldbury. The site is currently a major safeguarding blindspot during hours of darkness. While Sandwell Council has acknowledged the area's risk by deploying a temporary CCTV camera, the lack of lighting severely compromises both natural surveillance and the efficacy of any video monitoring. The area is a proven flashpoint for violent crime, including documented reports of sexual assault and rape. A community petition has mobilized 824 verified local resident signatures demanding immediate structural intervention. By utilizing the project management and bid-writing infrastructure of a suitable organisation alongside the institutional credibility of the Sandwell Crime Prevention Panel, this project bypasses council budget blockages by funding the lighting infrastructure entirely through external grants. 2. THE PARTNERSHIP DELIVERY MODEL To maximize the likelihood of securing grants and overcoming council liability objections, the project operates under a joint-delivery framework: A Suitable Organisation (Project Manager & Fiscal Host): Will act as the technical procurement lead and bid writer. They will handle the administrative backend, project management, and management of the hardware suppliers. Sandwell Crime Prevention Panel (Strategic Lead): Will act as the primary community safety advisor. Their established relationship with West Midlands Police and Sandwell Council allows them to act as the liaison to clear statutory hurdles. They provide the institutional weight required for high-level safety grants. The School & Local Authority (Key Stakeholders): Because the school is situated on council land, they will be engaged for an easement/license to occupy—permitting the installation of the lighting equipment on their boundary line to integrate seamlessly with the council's existing temporary CCTV measures. 3. FUNDING STRATEGY & TARGETED GRANTS Because this project directly addresses violent crime, vulnerability, and a heavily mobilized community, it is highly competitive for specialized safety grants. We will target the following streams: A. West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) – Community Safety Fund Focus Area: Specifically funds community-led initiatives that tackle anti-social behavior, violence against women and girls (VAWG), and localized crime hotspots. The Angle: The application will directly cite the 824 signatures and the prior reports of sexual assault/rape, framing the lighting as an essential requirement to make the council's current temporary CCTV system effective. B. The National Lottery Community Fund (Awards for All) Focus Area: Grants up to £10,000 for community-led projects that improve local spaces and support vulnerable groups (in this case, school children and residents walking in darkness). The Angle: The bid will focus on the community empowerment aspect—proving that 824 residents have shaped this solution to reclaim their local neighborhood. C. The Home Office

Only in Sandwell5 months ago
In Progress

the decline of West Bromwich High Street

Im writing this with a very heavy heart but something has to change. Ive been noticing the decline of West Bromwich High Street for a number of years. It seems that everything that Sandwell council do accelerates the decline. Every penny spent makes it worse rather than better. £4.6m spent on the indoor market and its an embarrassment. The design is rubbish and so is the interior. The "new" high st stalls are a pain to traders - the glass roof makes the place unbearable during hot days. The "play area" in the middle of the high st looks like its been there since the 70s and is not fit for purpose. Who makes the decisions and why are we still allowing this!? How can so many countries around Europe manage to build beautiful and modern structures and we get a slap in the face, for £4.6million! We need to take action. Please comment if youd like to get involved. We need an action group to start pushing the MPs and councillors to do the right thing and stop wasting our money. Im sick of whats happening! Originally posted on Nextdoor: https://nextdoor.co.uk/p/Sm8g7tNR8ctB?utm_source=share&extras=MTc1OTIyMDU4NjQ0NjU%3D&ne_link_preview_links=&utm_campaign=1760445377061&share_action_id=9a52f39f-8ebb-4344-b8c1-6f336b6f0adf

Only in Sandwell1 year ago

It's EASY to open a business. Too easy...?

Companies House in the UK have recently updated theri rules and processes but it’s still very easy to open a limited company and trade under it. I’ve had come accross people opening and closing LTDs regularly to avoid paying suppliers and staff. These companies use purchased post-forwarding addresses for mail or their accountants address. When they stop paying their subcontractors and even when a court case is won (CCJ) it’s impossible to collect the debt. There are not assets at the purchased address and accountants simply confirm the same when bailiffs attend. Something should be done about this.

Only in Sandwell1 year ago

The decline of UK High Streets

I’ve been wandering the high streets of England for years, and it’s breaking my heart to see them crumbling into “ghost towns”. I’m in a town just outside Birmingham. It used to be a buzzing spot with butchers, bakeries, and a lot of shops where you’d bump into half the neighborhood on a Saturday. It seems that most of the shops are now closed with no plans of re-opening. The only businesses to survive are vape shops, barbers, and the occasional pound store and/or a pound bakery clinging on for dear life. There’s loads of ‘to let’ shops in the area but the lease cost, utilities and business rates amounts make it impossible to survive. Any ideas of what we could do to improve this? IMO councils should give tax breaks to small businesses even when they rent properties with value over the Small Business Rates Relief.

Only in England1 year ago

Housing Ombudsman delays

I’ve dealt with the Housing Ombudsman fairly recently and it took over a year for the complaint to be resolved. Many complaints have an effect on the tenant and their family and many people cannot wait over a year for a resolution. The ombudsman should train more people and get on top of the cases as what’s happening right now is damaging to the rental sector.

Only in England1 year ago

WiFi on public transport is UNUSABLE!

Tried using the "free Wi-Fi" on a train from Manchester to Wolverhampton yesterday. I wanted to do some work but… It was like connecting to the internet in dial-up times! What’s the point of advertising FREE WIFI on trains when the speeds dont go above 0.1Mbps? It’s misleading to say the least. Someone should be able to sell Starlink to train operators. I bet the cost pa wouldnt be much more than they’re paying now.

Only in England1 year ago

Test post

Hi! This is a test post made to make sure it's all working as it should. ❤️ Much love 😍

Only in England1 year ago