Being a single woman in Israel ... or .. customer service a la Israel...

This is the sad story of "Customer Service".. or let me rephrase this.. "the non- existing Customer Service" in Israel

A couple of months ago, I decided to get a second mortgage on my house to finally start renovating the house. What I have been through ever since, well no movie could be "better".

When I first went to the bank, I was pretty sure, this isn't going to be a big thing. My mortgage I have right now, isn't that high and the value of my house is about 10 times my mortgage. Hell was I wrong!!!

The banker (a guy) told me into my face, that being my age and a SINGLE WOMAN will most certainly be a problem. Also taking into account that I have a "normal" job and I am not a super high prayed lawyer or doctor, is most certainly NOT GOOD. Maybe I should consider taking up a second job. (Yes sure... I only do 13 hours every other day but yup, right who needs to sleep and take a shower when I could work 24/7)

After all, I am a SINGLE WOMAN.. therefore I have NO RIGHT to a private life!!! work girl work.

I got really pissy with the guy and when he started on "maybe you should consider marriage"... I started shouting at him. Who the hell is he thinking he is... talking to me like that? And what does marriage got to do with anything. Yes, I do understand that with two incomes, its easier, but that is not a reason to get married. I marry for love, not for money and because "my life might be easier"!!!

So, being turned down for a second mortgage ("no we don't care about the value of your house!!!") I decided to change banks. (Which I should have done at the end.... dumb me). During the Succot Holidays I went to all kind of banks to get an offer. I also decided to go again to my bank to get an offer to "change" the mortgage agreement to a better one.

In the end, I decided to agree upon staying at my bank (BIIIG MISTAKE!!!) and my bank story went from worse to nightmare.

Never mind all the time I had to take off work to run to Tabo and the bank, but the way they talked to me, just too much. Ever since agreeing on the new agreement for my mortgage, I had a woman to deal with. You think the guy was bad behaved... well let me tell you this, as a single woman you don't want to deal with a younger married woman with a child! (don't get me wrong, I don't think there is anything wrong with being married and having kids, I have loads of those kind of friends.. but they also talk to me like a "mensch") Whereas in Israel, in the public eye and obviously at my bank, this is very different. She talked to me as if I have no idea of life, never achieved a single thing and actually I am not even worth being talked to. I felt like dirt.... no like pond life... or even less than pond life!

Now, it's her daily job to deal with mortgages, she should know, what kind of Insurances, official papers and other things I have to bring. You really think she bothered telling me? Of course not. "lets make that girl work for her money" (and we talk here only about my existing mortgage, not a new one!!!) I don't even remember how many times I had to run to the bank during my lunch break just to be told, what a stupid idiot I am, bringing the wrong papers.

Long story short, at the end I figured most of the things out myself. All I had to do (according to the bank) is getting a new Life Insurance for the amount of the mortgage and that's it. I went with all my papers to the bank, just to be told that I am missing the House Insurance. Well last time I asked, she told me, it will be included.. but of course.. my bad.. "you're Hebrew isn't that good, right?" grrrrr

So I got a House Insurance and told the Insurance girl, to fax all the details to the bank asap. That was November 8,2009. I called the bank and as usual, didn't get to any person, machine only. Fine, I left a message, saying, that if there IS a problem, please let me know, and I left my contact details.

I didn't hear anything back from the bank, went to Berlin (had the time of my life) came back and expected to have the new mortgage fees. Well, not in November.. and tata not in December. I got so angry, that I took all the papers I got from the insurance with me and went to the bank yesterday (12/14/09). So the bank person tells me, that there was something wrong with the insurance and they couldn't make the change. She even had the guts to tell me, that actually she needs to charge me again the full amount of "mortgage changing" which was around $300. I looked at her sooo angry, that she changed her mind about that at least.

Today I spent about 50 emails with the Insurance until they finally called and we "solved" the mystery. Now I am waiting for the fax to extend my Life Insurance for an extra year (make that 21 instead of 20) and.. nothing happens.. I wait.... (well it's only 3 hours since she told me that she's going to send a fax)... uffff

Now.. the question is this... the Insurance sent the wrong fax to the bank, so the bank couldn't make the change.. but the bank didn't bother contacting me or the insurance about that mistake.

And now take this.. I HAVE TO PAY EXTRA for their mistakes.....

so.. what exactly is wrong with that picture?????


I'm coming down with a stomach ulcer.....


to be continued..... (unfortunately) ... uffff