subject: Home Emergency Cover – Access Denied! [print this page] Home Emergency Cover Access Denied! Home Emergency Cover Access Denied!
No, we don't mean access to home emergency cover is denied, but we are using a term that most people who spend any time on a PC will recognize. It is a bit like those Sci-Fi films we all love to watch where there is the computer geek who wants to rule the world by hacking into all the worlds' computers! It is a matter of time whilst the hero tries to unravel the myriad of programs and files the perpetrator has laid in his wait. Every time he tries to access a particular part of the program he gets the message "Access Denied"!
What a lot of people do not realise is that on a more serious note, we take for granted access to our belongings as a matter of right. But what would happen if one day you were denied access to your home or vehicle through no fault of your own? How would you deal with that scenario?
This might seem a bit far-fetched, but a very similar thing happened to a friend of mine who had a very elderly aunt who lived alone. She had bought one of those purpose built retirement apartments that were equipped with all the specialised equipment required for the elderly. It even had a type of warden service, but that was mainly a means of checking in residents periodically to ensure that they were still alive!
One of the features of this apartment was its security system. It had state of the art electronics at the heart of everything down to the entry and exit doors of each apartment.
It seems that t my friend had taken it on herself to go round to her aunts apartment each week and take her shopping. On reflection, whether this had anything to do with the fact that her aunt was reputed to have `a few bob` stashed away is a matter of conjecture. However, whichever way you look at it, she was performing a duty on behalf of her family members to look after her elderly relative. It was not easy. Her aunt could be a fractious individual and was also gradually losing her powers of memory. This was not in any way associated with Alzheimer`s Disease, but more just the typical deterioration of someone getting old.
They had been out for the day and had a good time, having lunch in town, before returning to the apartment. Her aunt keyed in the code for the door. Nothing happened! She tried again, but still nothing happened. I asked her for the key number and I tried, but whatever we did, it would not open. We went back to the main door and tried the intercom for the warden, but she did not answer. I suddenly realised that we were locked out. Moreover, if we could not get it sorted out, she might have her aunt at her house for a day or so!
Suddenly, her aunt picked out a little card from her purse. It had a telephone number on it. It was a home emergency cover hotline. We called the number and explained our situation. A locksmith was out in a flash and not just any locksmith, one who understood entry/exit systems for flats and apartments.
It turned out just to be a dirty contact within the keypad next to the door and it was soon fixed and they got in. My friend was so impressed with her aunt's home emergency cover that she went online the very next day and arranged cover for herself.
