The House Thread

[Don]

In cunts.

[Spikey M]

You're mostly working from home these days, aren't you?

[Shindig]

Just had my notice served. I've got til October to find a new place. It would've been a much, much tighter turnaround if it wasn't for the pandemic, apparently.

[Raoul Duke]

Just had my notice served. I've got til October to find a new place. It would've been a much, much tighter turnaround if it wasn't for the pandemic, apparently.

I thought they weren't allowed to evict at present?

[Shindig]

The provisions in the Coronavirus Act 2020 have been extended meaning that from 29 August 2020, landlords must provide 6 months’ notice to their tenants in most circumstances.

My tenancy's up in September so I've got an extra month over that.

[Boydy]

I hate this shit. One place I liked and bid on, I got outbid on and thought well that's that. Then the estate agent came back and said thete might be a chance as the seller needed flexibility. Then no, it had gone sale agreed to the higher bidder. Fair enough. Then they came back again and said oh this buyer's being too slow (they'd given them a day and a half for their solicitor to make contact or whatever), are you still interested, the sellers wabt it all done now but then flexibility on completion/moving.

In the meantime I've seen something I liked more which has quickly gone to the current bid that's 13k over what it was listed at and the estate agent said they've had nearly 50 viewings when they expected about 10-12.

[Shindig]

Have you tried threatening them with violence? I might switch my initial plan to look for places on Tyneside because my brother in law texted me and said, "Move up here. I could use someone to drink with." Which actually sounds like a plan.

[Baz]

Definitely take him up on that. Sounds like you’d both benefit.

[SvN]

I hate this shit. One place I liked and bid on, I got outbid on and thought well that's that. Then the estate agent came back and said thete might be a chance as the seller needed flexibility. Then no, it had gone sale agreed to the higher bidder. Fair enough. Then they came back again and said oh this buyer's being too slow (they'd given them a day and a half for their solicitor to make contact or whatever), are you still interested, the sellers wabt it all done now but then flexibility on completion/moving.

In the meantime I've seen something I liked more which has quickly gone to the current bid that's 13k over what it was listed at and the estate agent said they've had nearly 50 viewings when they expected about 10-12.

It's such bollocks, isn't it? We had someone reject/accept/reject/accept our offer on a house over a 2 week period. We told them to get fucked after the last accept.

[Spikey M]

After having our offer accepted, our solicitors have heard absolutely nothing from the sellers. It's been nearly 2 weeks.

I fear we are looking at a similar situation or we're looking at completing in 2023.

Our sale is going fine. Surveyors due tomorrow. Contracts drawn up.

[Lewis]

I rang up today to get any sort of update and they said everyone is pestering them because they're completely swamped.

[Boydy]

I was in two minds about going for something smaller and cheaper that I'd probably want to upgrade from in a few years or just borrowing as much as possible and getting the biggest place I can and all this faffing about is definitely making me want to do the latter. I don't want to have to do this shit again for at least another decade. I've not even got to the chasing solicitors and all that bit yet that everyone moans about.

[Spikey M]

The NI (and I think Scottish?) model of listing a house for the bare minimum in hope of a bidding war sounds like a pain in the arse. Atleast here you know what you're looking at and if it's listed at £300k, then it will go for that or slightly less.

[Boydy]

Surely it just depends on the level of interest in it?

[Spikey M]

I took your initial post to mean that you floor the Scottish model which takes the asking price as an 'offers in excess of'. Here that's not the case. Offering (and accepting) less than the asking price is a given. But obviously demand can change that.

[Boydy]

It seems to differ from house to house. Some say "offers over", some "offers around" and some just say "asking price". I've seen "guide price" as well.

[Spikey M]

Ah, OK. Seems similar to here then.

[wullie]

With our one our buyer's buyer has pulled out as they needed everything to be done within 8 weeks or something equally realistic, but their house is back up and they've had plenty of viewings with the estate agent confident they'll have an offer accepted before the weekend. Fingers crossed as everything our side is all set and luckily the people we're buying from are in no great rush. I can see how this kind of thing drives people mad though if it goes shit.

[Lewis]

I finally got my purchase contract through... And they've put the wrong price on it, as well as incorrect leasehold information. Is this what they've been spending ages on?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I got sent someone else's purchase contract who had a surname alphabetically adjacent to mine. It's a sector made up only of true world class talent.

[SvN]

Our conveyancers gave us login to a portal where we could get updates, upload documents, etc. I found out that if I changed the numeric ID in the URL, I'd be able to see the portal for all of their other clients, including their passport scans, bank statements - everything.

I told them I wasn't uploading anything until they fixed their shit security and I got a call from a frantic IT guy about an hour later.

[Spikey M]

You could have threatened to report that and got everything done for free.

[Boydy]

Our conveyancers gave us login to a portal where we could get updates, upload documents, etc. I found out that if I changed the numeric ID in the URL, I'd be able to see the portal for all of their other clients, including their passport scans, bank statements - everything.

I told them I wasn't uploading anything until they fixed their shit security and I got a call from a frantic IT guy about an hour later.

Jesus christ.

[Shindig]

That is terrifying.

[Manc]

Interested to know which mortgage lenders people have gone with.

[Luke Emia]

Interested to know which mortgage lenders people have gone with.

If you are looking speak to a broker(not one in an estate agents) they will find you the best lender for what you need.

[Andy]

I'm with Nationwide, we just moved on Friday.

My broker went with Nationwide, they were happy to overlook all my adverse credit and took into account my overtime pay and bonus etc.

The only downside was they took absolutely ages to do anything.

[Spikey M]

We're with Halifax but our new Mortgage will be with HSBC.

[SvN]

I went with Nationwide as it was the cheapest, and they've actually been brilliant ever since.

[Boydy]

I hate this shit. One place I liked and bid on, I got outbid on and thought well that's that. Then the estate agent came back and said thete might be a chance as the seller needed flexibility. Then no, it had gone sale agreed to the higher bidder. Fair enough. Then they came back again and said oh this buyer's being too slow (they'd given them a day and a half for their solicitor to make contact or whatever), are you still interested, the sellers wabt it all done now but then flexibility on completion/moving.

In the meantime I've seen something I liked more which has quickly gone to the current bid that's 13k over what it was listed at and the estate agent said they've had nearly 50 viewings when they expected about 10-12.

I've gone sale agreed on the first one. :uhoh:

The second one went too high and the higher bidders on the first one pulled out and the sellers are happy to go with my offer cause I can wait for their moving date.

[Spikey M]

Well in Boyd. :cool:

Is there anyone on TTH not currently buying?

[wullie]

We are/were with Skipton but moving to Principality as we've now got nursery fees which a lot of providers won't go near.

[Boydy]

Currently trying to work out if I can fit one of these (https://www.libertygames.co.uk/store/pool_tables/dining_top_pool_tables/) in.

[Spikey M]

:cool:

Do you need a house mate?

[Jimmy Floyd]

'...and are the most efficient installations in some homes.'

The homes in question being those of Efren Reyes and Earl 'the Pearl' Strickland?

[Lewis]

:cool:

Do you need a house mate?

You get a cue with it.

[Boydy]

'...and are the most efficient installations in some homes.'

The homes in question being those of Efren Reyes and Earl 'the Pearl' Strickland?

Do they still play and/or does Sky still show 9 ball? I used to love it.

[Boydy]

You get a cue with it.
:lol:

[Luke Emia]

We are/were with Skipton but moving to Principality as we've now got nursery fees which a lot of providers won't go near.

That’s what I like to hear. Pick a nice random old building society.

[Lofty]

Well in Boyd. :cool:

Is there anyone on TTH not currently buying?

I've bought what feels like enough wood to build a second house for my garden decking project.

[SincereTheRebel]

Ive got a week off work and ive got a few things I would like to get completed such as a shelving unit in the back cupboard and other random stuff. If I start to sweat, im paying a professional.

[Shindig]

Starting to box stuff up this week and make enquiries. I'm royally pissed off the guys next door ripped up all their cardboard.

[Lewis]

I've bought what feels like enough wood to build a second house for my garden decking project.

Fuck off and start a Decking Thread then.

[Spikey M]

We'll be laying patio and artificial grass at our new gaff, so please be inclusive when you start the thread, Loft.

[Baz]

Artificial grass? :harold:

[Spikey M]

Gardening, upto and including mowing the lawn, can fuck right off. Plus, having real grass is a pain in the arse with a dog. The cunt just digs and gets covered in mud.

[wullie]

We're going with turf when we move, it's another new house where the lawn is cheap grass laid over layers of litter and corpses so to maintain it you need to actually enjoy gardening or want to do it. My favourite part of winter is completely ignoring the mowing for a few months.

[Lofty]

Yeah once the decking and flower bed frames are complete it will be soil and turf. Considered seed as a cheaper option but think turf is worth the extra money. This concludes the garden derail conquest :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

We need to do our garden although no idea what we'll actually do.

I'd be more than fine with a large shed and decking though.

[Baz]

Get the lawn and garden thread up.

[Don]

And ban any cretin condoning aritificial grass. Fucking hell.

[Baz]

After a complete reseed of my lawn last spring - I’m sure regular subscribers will remember my scarecrow - the frost has seen it off. Demoralised and generally lazy, the wife has employed a gardener. He’s easily 80, at the very least, and within a minute of meeting him he told me about an operation he had on his groin that means it needs to be regularly drained. Calls himself The Garden Man. I call him Dave. Groin Drain Dave.

Came on Saturday to rake and edge my lawn, deweed the edges and put some weed killer on my patio. While I sat inside and played Pro Evo. :cool:

[Spikey M]

Enjoying disagreeing with Taz on literally every subject right now. :cool:

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

After a complete reseed of my lawn last spring - I’m sure regular subscribers will remember my scarecrow - the frost has seen it off. Demoralised and generally lazy, the wife has employed a gardener. He’s easily 80, at the very least, and within a minute of meeting him he told me about an operation he had on his groin that means it needs to be regularly drained. Calls himself The Garden Man. I call him Dave. Groin Drain Dave.

Came on Saturday to rake and edge my lawn, deweed the edges and put some weed killer on my patio. While I sat inside and played Pro Evo. :cool:

The gardener who did our front garden (plus a few bits in the back including levelling some ground which many others told us would be a tough job) is in his 80s too.

He's an Irish lad who is half deaf who works incredibly hard. He says he still works because people would think he's an alcoholic if he's in the pub too early.

[Boydy]

According to my mortgage broker, the bank I'm applying to want paper copies of my bank statements rather than downloaded pdfs from my online account. I don't get paper statements (does anyone under the age of 50 get these any more ffs?).

Absolute pain in the hole, this.

[Don]

What fucking bank is this? :D

[Andy]

I had to get some special stamped bank statements for my application but they were still PDFs.

[Spikey M]

Halifax did that to us when we were getting our last mortgage. We had to go into the bank to get it printed and they wanted to charge us for having a statement on headed paper too. :moop:

[Boydy]

Tried to request a paper statement to be sent to me from my current account bank and apparently I need to go into a branch. FUCK OFF.

[Boydy]

Also, these cunts asked me for my bank statements last week. Why not fucking state then that they had to be hard copies?

[Manc]

Don't be surprised if the bank try and fob you off. I needed stamped statements for a job application and they looked at me like I'd raped and tortured their families. "You do know there's a global pandemic".

[Luke Emia]

According to my mortgage broker, the bank I'm applying to want paper copies of my bank statements rather than downloaded pdfs from my online account. I don't get paper statements (does anyone under the age of 50 get these any more ffs?).

Absolute pain in the hole, this.

This might not have been worded the best from your broker. Did you just send over an overview of the account and who do you bank with. Most lenders will want the actual proper statement which you should be able to download from your online banking rather than a summary of the account.

[Boydy]

This might not have been worded the best from your broker. Did you just send over an overview of the account and who do you bank with. Most lenders will want the actual proper statement which you should be able to download from your online banking rather than a summary of the account.

I sent the actual proper statement you can download as a pdf. It looks exactly the same as statements I used to get in the post years ago. It even has my address in the top left so presumably it's the same thing they would print out and post to me. Still not good enough apparently.

[Pepe]

Print it yourself and give it to them.

[Boydy]

I don't have a printer. Again, who does these days?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Legal documents are always so.

[Luke Emia]

I sent the actual proper statement you can download as a pdf. It looks exactly the same as statements I used to get in the post years ago. It even has my address in the top left so presumably it's the same thing they would print out and post to me. Still not good enough apparently.

It’s probably your broker being a helmet. I’ve never had a lender turn doing and tell me they can’t do those.

[Boydy]

I'm on the electoral register at this address, I thought they could just check that?

[Boydy]

It’s probably your broker being a helmet. I’ve never had a lender turn doing and tell me they can’t do those.

Possibly. They're pissing me off quite a bit as it seems to be a different person from their office emailing me every time. Why not just have one person assigned to my case so they know what documents they have etc?

Tempted to fuck them off and go direct.

Is it less hassle to get a mortgage with the bank you already have your current account with? I assume it is.

Looking at Halifax's mortgage offer, their 2 year fixed rate is 3.14% with a £995 product fee. How much is adding that product fee onto the mortgage instead of paying it up front likely to add to my monthly payments?

[Luke Emia]

Possibly. They're pissing me off quite a bit as it seems to be a different person from their office emailing me every time. Why not just have one person assigned to my case so they know what documents they have etc?

Tempted to fuck them off and go direct.

Is it less hassle to get a mortgage with the bank you already have your current account with? I assume it is.

Looking at Halifax's mortgage offer, their 2 year fixed rate is 3.14% with a £995 product fee. How much is adding that product fee onto the mortgage instead of paying it up front likely to add to my monthly payments?

Are you using L&C or something? In terms of payments you are looking at about a fiver a month.

[Boydy]

Nah, PropertyPal Mortgages in NI. It's the mortgage broker arm of the biggest property website here.

[Lewis]

Going into the actual bank must be the worst chore of modern life. Probably the Post Office second.

[SvN]

I used to go in every 6 months or so when I was a student to get my overdraft extended. Absolutely hated it.

[Don]

Halifax are dons, properly embraced the technology and have their gyals on webcams ready to flick their bean on command whilst also using a single online portals for document exchanges. Real tasty bit of customer service overall.

[Spikey M]

Going into the actual bank must be the worst chore of modern life. Probably the Post Office second.

I worked in a shop as a teenager and it used to be my job to take the takings to the bank over the road everyday. Filling in the shitty little deposit forms and standing behind 12 pensioners that could have used the ATM if they weren't so desperate for the company of the Igor behind the glass.

A genuine ordeal that was.

[Lewis]

The worst part of this entire kung flu period has been the queuing. I'm fine lining up for something if it all moves along in a uniform fashion, but waiting there as people ask questions and fuck about one at a time I'm seething just writing this. Every time I go to the butcher I seem to get caught behind some dickhead either asking what everything is or ordering half the shop.

[niko_cee]

I'll have all of whatever that chap behind me wants.

[Boydy]

I asked the mortgage broker if I need to post the paper statements to them once they've arrived but they said a photo is fine. As if I couldn't fucking fake that.

But now I have to wait 4-5 working days for the post to arrive anyway. Fucking gimps.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Going into the actual bank must be the worst chore of modern life. Probably the Post Office second.

Pharmacy has to be up there too.

[Pen]

What fucking bank is this? :D

The bank of Nigeria, good sir/madam.

[Shindig]

If I'm going into a branch it's for something dead simple. I kind of like standing in a queue knowing the bloke at the window is having some kind of crisis. And has no ID on them. They never have ID on them.

[Boydy]

Mortgage broker just asked me today for ID.

I SENT IT TO YOU A WEEK AGO WHEN YOU FIRST ASKED FOR IT YOU STUPID CUNT.

[niko_cee]

If you think this is bad you want to try opening a business bank account.

[Don]

Boydy, you sound like you need a sauna.

[Boydy]

If you think this is bad you want to try opening a business bank account.

I haven't had to do it thankfully but it was a massive ballache for one of my managers at work back in 2019, yeah.

[Boydy]

Mortgage broker emailed to ask me for my signed contract for my new job today.

Again:

I SENT IT TO YOU A WEEK AGO WHEN YOU FIRST ASKED FOR IT YOU STUPID CUNT.

Over a week ago now.

[Baz]

Employed a window cleaner today. :harold:

[Shindig]

I might take a gamble and buy a place. The North is that cheap and there is something to be said about getting away from landlords. The flat I viewed today was a mixed bag. A lovely massive front room, decent kitchen and bathroom. All of it ruined by what looked like damp in the front room and bedroom. And the previous tenant put their fist through the wall.

[Spikey M]

If it's going to be a project then I would ask for a 2nd viewing and get a builder to come along and cast his eye over it. He'll have a gun to check if it is damp and will spot things you might not.

If he does miss anything, the Survey should pick it up anyway.

If you can buy, I can't see why you wouldn't. Renting is a mugs game.

[Shindig]

Aye, I'm told time won't be a problem. I've got six months to get out of this place so, as long as I don't get Boydy'd, I'd be fine ... right?

[Lewis]

Apparently the average completion time is now twenty weeks, which would explain why I've been waiting three weeks for two bits of paperwork that should be easy enough to find (or replace if they can't be found). :cab:

[Spikey M]

Eugh... fuck me, really? We're only on week 4 or 5.

[Lewis]

It's almost a relief to know that everything is slowed down rather than just thinking I had got the useless bunch.

[mo]

Shinners, have you got £50k lying about for a deposit? If so, this is your place:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/104968019#/

(Watch the video)

[Shindig]

:drool:

I love when it pans back out the view of Low Fell.

[Spikey M]

That freezer has had bodies in it.

[Shindig]

Every room in the house looks like a kill room.

[Lofty]

All that money and they decide to go with a prison/psychiatric ward/sci-fi theme.

[Luke Emia]

I might take a gamble and buy a place. The North is that cheap and there is something to be said about getting away from landlords. The flat I viewed today was a mixed bag. A lovely massive front room, decent kitchen and bathroom. All of it ruined by what looked like damp in the front room and bedroom. And the previous tenant put their fist through the wall.

Normally in a flat they should be relatively easy things to fix. It's surprising how often it will just be a piece of guttering that's knackered or a slipped tile somewhere and once it's sorted it's no hassle at all.

[Boydy]

Luke Emia do you know if any of these building societies with good rates lend in NI? Most of the ones I've seen don't. :moop:

[Shindig]

Normally in a flat they should be relatively easy things to fix. It's surprising how often it will just be a piece of guttering that's knackered or a slipped tile somewhere and once it's sorted it's no hassle at all.

Aye, I've patched stuff like that up myself. It's just dry wall. The more pressing concern was the place kind of stank. It's my Plan F. Not that I've found any plan A's or B's yet.

[Luke Emia]

Luke Emia do you know if any of these building societies with good rates lend in NI? Most of the ones I've seen don't. :moop:

I don’t to be fair. I’ve never dealt with anything in NI. Have you tried Danske Bank though? They always source cheaply if you’ve got good credit.

[Boydy]

I don’t to be fair. I’ve never dealt with anything in NI. Have you tried Danske Bank though? They always source cheaply if you’ve got good credit.
Yeah, they're quite a bit more expensive than the other ones I was looking. Other one that do lend in NI, I mean. Mostly national banks.

Emailed my broker today with stuff that arrived in the post they needed and heard nothing back. They're really pissing me off now.

[Boydy]

Got the fixtures and fitting list through from my solicitor. Are the prices on stuff they want to sell normally negotiable? They seem to be taking the piss with the prices they've put on. £400 for your shitty old washer/drier? You could get a brand new one for that.

All the blinds and curtains come to about £400 as well.

[Spikey M]

I've not encountered this. They're trying to add on money for what they're leaving behind?

Aside from anything built in, the expectation would normally be that they're taking everything with them.

Are they trying to sell you the fridge and bog brush or something?

Either way, I'd tell them to take the fucking lot.

[Lewis]

What are they going to do with blinds that are presumably made to fit their current windows? Tell them to fuck off.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Got the fixtures and fitting list through from my solicitor. Are the prices on stuff they want to sell normally negotiable? They seem to be taking the piss with the prices they've put on. £400 for your shitty old washer/drier? You could get a brand new one for that.

All the blinds and curtains come to about £400 as well.

It's usually because people think that you liked the house because of how it was decorated and as such you can have all that for X.

It's always overpriced and they're just hoping you're a sucker so they don't have to bother getting it shifted.

[Luca]

I’ve just bought a house.

Being poor. :(

[Boydy]

What are they going to do with blinds that are presumably made to fit their current windows? Tell them to fuck off.

This is my thinking.

They're moving to a new build so they're hardly going to want to take their old blinds and curtains even if they would fit.

[Spikey M]

Thinking back, I seem to remember the buyers solicitor requesting that we paint our old flat before leaving. :D

I think they just chance their arm with this shit.

[Andy]

Got the fixtures and fitting list through from my solicitor. Are the prices on stuff they want to sell normally negotiable? They seem to be taking the piss with the prices they've put on. £400 for your shitty old washer/drier? You could get a brand new one for that.

All the blinds and curtains come to about £400 as well.

Tell them you're happy for them to leave anything you want but not willing to pay.

We had loads of stuff left for us when we bought our first house but wouldn't pay for anything. Chances are theyd rather leave stuff than pay to get things disconnected or taken down etc.

[wullie]

We're chucking in the washer and fridge because they're approaching their sell by date and the new house has them integrated, but they've agreed to pay for the curtains we'd put up which I wouldn't have even considered as an extra but have since discovered what a money making racket the curtain game is.

[SincereTheRebel]

My dad tried to remove the light bulbs during our house move. He didn't want to leave anything for free to the white boys.

[Lofty]

:D

The guy we bought off left so much stuff here I was sure he would still be asleep in bed upstairs.

[Mike]

My flats gone on the market today, the pictures they’ve took make it look amazing!

[SvN]

That's one of the few things that Purple Bricks did well for us. The house, especially the kitchen, looked incredible in the photos.

[Shindig]

Eurgh, two months in and nowt's really jumping out at me. I might take a viewing for a place across the road just to feel like I'm doing something. I'm still waiting on a call on another place but that's gone quiet.

[Lewis]

This is my thinking.

They're moving to a new build so they're hardly going to want to take their old blinds and curtains even if they would fit.

Every day this week I have walked past a house with rolls of blinds (different colours/sizes) in a 'Free to Take' box and nobody is taking them. I'll get pictures if it helps your case.

[Manc]

Is it standard practice for an estate agent not to disclose the amount of rivalling offers?

[Spikey M]

I don't know about standard but it does happen. When we were moving last time there were 3 of us interested in a property, so rather than doing a normal bidding war the geezer said "right, everyone just put in your maximum offer".

We told him to fuck off.

[Manc]

Bollocks to that.

[Mike]

My flats gone on the market today, the pictures they’ve took make it look amazing!
The other half’s house was in the market for 2 days and got an offer. We’ve found a place we love but they turned down our offer because my flats not had an offer. Got a viewer next week so fingers crossed they’re a fan!

[Spikey M]

One of my wife's friends has just had their seller decide to pull out just as they were about to exchange. They're understandably livid.

It's mental that you can pull out just like that and everyone else in the chain just had to suck up all their wasted time and money.

Obviously if there's a change in circumstances like a redundancy and you can no longer get the mortgage or whatever then fair fucks, but you can seemingly pull out on a whim with no explanation at all and there's nothing anyone can do about it. Seems a bit fucked.

[Boydy]

The sellers have come back being stubborn about the fixtures and fittings. And my solicitor has just told me "ask the estate agent to contact them and thrash it out that way as it may be quicker." What the fuck am I paying you for then?

I hate this whole fucking process.

[Spikey M]

Just tell them to take the lot.

[Shindig]

Viewed a lovely place yesterday and I've made the call. The current tenant's moving in a couple of weeks so it could be a quick turnaround. It's going to be nice to get away from a main road and having nobody above me.

[Lewis]

Apparently the average completion time is now twenty weeks, which would explain why I've been waiting three weeks for two bits of paperwork that should be easy enough to find (or replace if they can't be found). :cab:


It's almost a relief to know that everything is slowed down rather than just thinking I had got the useless bunch.

Sixteen weeks in and they're still accusing each other of not sending/receiving things. And when they do send each other something they take a week to respond because 'we have to work through things as they come in'. Yeah let's see what happens when your bill goes to the bottom of my [imaginary] to-do list you cunts.

[wullie]

Our original buyers had another timewaster buying theirs so we had to put ours back on the market. Someone made an offer the day after a viewing but apparently they were making offers on a few houses and the estate agent said their financial advisors needed a translator so fuck that. Luckily the original lot this time have accepted an offer for theirs but through our estate agent who are a bit more strict on things like dealing with people who can actually afford a house so fingers crossed it's third time lucky. Can't be arsed dealing with new people and having to clear out for viewings again.

[Andy]

It's all worth it when you do finally move.

Moving during the last year was comfortably the most stressful thing ever I've had to do. Will not be moving again.

[Spikey M]

We're all done our end, just waiting for our buyers searches to come back (should be imminent) then hopefully completion if there's not a load of queries.

[Lewis]

Sixteen weeks in and they're still accusing each other of not sending/receiving things. And when they do send each other something they take a week to respond because 'we have to work through things as they come in'. Yeah let's see what happens when your bill goes to the bottom of my [imaginary] to-do list you cunts.

The hold-ups turn out to be: 1) the seller submitting his atrocious hand-written accounts as part of the 'management pack'; 2) the seller thinking that them saying the building isn't tall enough to require any post-Grenfell cladding certification constitutes acceptable proof that it isn't; and 3) my solicitor insisting that they underwrite any service charge liabilities I might inherit, because he doesn't want me paying three-hundred pounds upon moving in (better to pay double that in extra rent whilst they fuck about).

You sometimes read about idiot politicians who were barristers (or idiot online barristers) and you think they can't be idiots if they were barristers; but if all you have to do is rise above these sorts of people then maybe I should have gone into the legal profession.

[Shindig]

The potential landlords want me to provide a work contact for a reference. Would a team leader do?

[Mike]

It seems selling a house is pretty easy at the moment. Annoyingly, selling a flat is proving less simple. Might have to drop the asking price, thankfully we’ve had over asking offered on the house, with a load more people still to come see it, hoping for a bidding war!

[Manc]

A property I'm keen on has reduced it's asking price by 8.5% in what appears to be an act of desperation. How much lower could one go with an offer in this instance?

[Andy]

Guess it depends how expensive the house is and how desperate they are to shift it.

Maybe they need to sell that house ASAP as they can't afford their next house without the stamp duty holiday.

[Mike]

The house has had an offer £11k over asking so we’ve accepted it. It’s enough that we can offer on ones we’ve looked at before selling the flat, which is very useful.

[Spammer]

We're eyeing up a house, it's a friend's parents house and their looking to downsize. They've had it valued at 220k which is more than we thought so it's all a bit in doubt now. Depends how much we can sell ours for I guess.

[SvN]

I wouldn't put much weight in the valuation if it's just coming from an estate agent.

[Spikey M]

A property I'm keen on has reduced it's asking price by 8.5% in what appears to be an act of desperation. How much lower could one go with an offer in this instance?

If they've had to drop the price it was either over-valued to start with or there's something wrong with it. Houses are being snapped up at the moment. The market is mental.

[Manc]

Most definitely over valued in the first instance. I might chance my arm with a further 3%.

[Luke Emia]

A property I'm keen on has reduced it's asking price by 8.5% in what appears to be an act of desperation. How much lower could one go with an offer in this instance?

Your first offer will be rejected regardless of what you offer. How much is it up for? I'd look to be within 10% of the asking price.

[Luke Emia]

If they've had to drop the price it was either over-valued to start with or there's something wrong with it. Houses are being snapped up at the moment. The market is mental.

Would have been over-valued massively. Estate agents are chasing business at the minute so they are all telling people their houses are worth way in excess of what they would have done six months ago. Then when they don't sell the get the seller to reduce the price to actually get it saleable(but after the point where they have locked them into a 20 week contract).

[Lofty]

Yeah someone round the corner from me just sold a carbon copy of the house we bought for £130k in January 2019 for £220k last week, on arguably a worse road (busier traffic, worse parking). Market is totally insane.

[Manc]

Your first offer will be rejected regardless of what you offer. How much is it up for? I'd look to be within 10% of the asking price.

£275k as it stands.

[Shindig]

I'm all clear to move in probably within a fortnight. Fuck, that's soon.

[Luke Emia]

£275k as it stands.

262/263 would be what I’d offer. Then creep up from there. If you start at 265 you’ve lost the chance to buy it for that start a bit under you might get it for that.

[Manc]

£262k knocked back. The estate agent advised the offer isn't a million miles away. A thinker.

[Spikey M]

I'd give them the bank holiday to think about it and return with a follow up offer on Wednesday if they don't get back in touch by then.

[Spikey M]

Our move is pissing me off now. Completely stagnant and both solicitor's playing a top notch game of blaming the other side.

[wullie]

I think ours is all a go now, just waiting for whatever our buyer's buyer is doing but they've got their searches and surveys and mortgage applications in so that's all a relief. Unless there's a miracle the stamp duty holiday will have expired by the time we're done but the extension to it was a surprise anyway so we weren't relying on it.

[Luke Emia]

£262k knocked back. The estate agent advised the offer isn't a million miles away. A thinker.

£265k I would say. But, either right at the end of today or tomorrow so they know you've had to think about it. If they then knock it back ask the agent want they want to get it across the line as then they can have that conversation with the seller.

[Spikey M]

Just phoned around Solicitors and Estate Agents and accomplished more in 30 minutes than they have in 2 weeks.

All the searches are back, we're just waiting for a few queries and we're ready to exchange. Get on with it you cunts.

[Mike]

The house has had an offer £11k over asking so we’ve accepted it. It’s enough that we can offer on ones we’ve looked at before selling the flat, which is very useful.
Had an offer on the flat now, it’s got another viewing on Saturday before I decide what to do.

[SincereTheRebel]

Moving really is a massive headache. Homeless man might be onto something...

[Shindig]

Kinda. I'm still figuring out if I can get away without any extra boxes.

[Mike]

Put an offer in on a house today. The downstairs was huge! Upstairs less so, but the price means we’ll have a fair chunk of change left to extend upstairs (downstairs has already been done) so fingers crossed.
Still got to view some more places tomorrow and Monday too.

[Mike]

Saw another on Monday that we liked even more. Offered and got a call today for our final offer, told them we had already put that in and couldn’t go higher. Got accepted!

Accepted both offers on our two properties too, and had a mortgage offered so think we’re set!

[Manc]

£265k secured the deal. Broker's now on with the decision in principle. 3.02% for 2 fixed years, 3.29% for 5 fixed years. Works out at around £40 difference.

[Luke Emia]

£265k secured the deal. Broker's now on with the decision in principle. 3.02% for 2 fixed years, 3.29% for 5 fixed years. Works out at around £40 difference.

10% deposit. Probably should go 2 years on that at that rate as once you get to 85% LTV your looking at rates around 2.3/2.4% which would make a big difference to your payments in two years time and gives you some flexibility.

[Shindig]

Removals firm booked, Broadband and phone sorted. No need for an engineer to come out and I'm getting a better package in the new post code. Everything's coming up me.

[Manc]

How much on average should I be looking at for solicitor fees and a survey?

[Spikey M]

For our solicitors It's about a grand each for the sale and purchase I think.

With the Survey I think it varies massively depending on what one you have done. From £3-400 for a quick kick of the tyres to over a grand for a proper check know everything.

[Luke Emia]

How much on average should I be looking at for solicitor fees and a survey?

Solicitors looking at about 1500-2k on that purchase price I would say anything over that you are getting overcharged.

Survey depends what you are looking for. Full structural at that price would be around 1k I would think. A homebuyers about 5-600 quid.

[Lewis]

The seller has had the balls to get into me via the estate agent saying he wants things hurried up, when the reason it didn't go through months ago is because him and the divs who run the freehold don't have things like acceptable accounts and asbestos certificates. My solicitor says they either need to sort a whole load of issues out (which, within reason, I would be prepared to wait for), otherwise nobody will sign it off for a mortgage, so this is clearly not happening.

[Lofty]

Get their mobile number and don them with a fact missile.

[Shindig]

If they want the deposit and first month's rent there before I sign on Monday, they should've let me know before this afternoon :moop: Branch shut and so is the helpline. :D And the branch in the town I'm moving to has been closed indefinitely.

[wullie]

Apparently our buyer's buyer is all set with everything in place, just the searches or surveys to come through this week. All the solicitors are saying that end of June is doable which I find hard to believe, but if it actually happens we'd need to get removals sorted. Is it even possible to sort that with such short notice? I assumed they'd need ages, particularly with the stamp duty window closing and everyone rushing to get sorted

[Spikey M]

You have to sort removals at short notice as they won't take a booking without a confirmed completion date. We got 3 companies round to quote and now we're just waiting for our date so we can book one (if they're not all booked already). It's a pain in the arse.

[Boydy]

If you were really stuck couldn't you just hire a van and do it yourself?

[Shindig]

I sorted my removals firm out with less than a week to spare. You'll be fine.

I've just been given a curveball. I had planned to get some stuff across before tomorrow but the landlord gave me the wrong key. He's convinced he hasn't but I reckon he's given me the back door and locked the front with his set. A theory I'd have loved to test out but the back gate was also locked. He's moving some stuff out this evening so I'm meeting him later to sort it out.

[wullie]

Ah good that sounds reassuring, previous move we booked in a decent amount of time ahead as it was a build completion so less dependant on other factors.

[Spikey M]

Alot of the companies are very flexible too. One of the blokes that came round said he has casual labourers available at a minutes notice and just rents extra vans if they're already booked up and another job comes up.

[wullie]

The people buying ours weren't fussed about the short notice because they're just going to hire a van, move a few bits and otherwise buy everything new and sell all their existing furniture. What the fuck

[Shindig]

I'm still holding out hope the previous tenant's left their fridge freezer and washing machine. By the sounds of it, the previous tenant's only left stuff in the spare bedroom. I should take my washing machine but the movers sound a bit tight on time. With the other flat being refurbed, they've just moved the fridge and washer out of that place. It would save me a few hundred, if it got there in one piece.

[Spikey M]

:cab:

I was going to take my bed, but our removal men look tired so I'll just sleep on the floor.

[Manc]

If you were really stuck couldn't you just hire a van and do it yourself?

One of life's worst experiences.

[Andy]

I saved £800 by doing the move myself. Hired a Luton van which I filled up the night before.

The most expensive removal quote was £1300 for a three bed semi with 4 miles between the two houses and good access both ends.

[Shindig]

:cab:

I was going to take my bed, but our removal men look tired so I'll just sleep on the floor.

I should probably fill you in. I arranged it and then the next day he rang me back as if we hadn't had that conversation. He cottoned on and then re-confirmed he was actually going ahead with it. Today he texted me twice trying to rearrange. Then texted a third time to say, "Uh, sorry. Nevermind." I'll stick the bolts in tonight and see if he takes it. If it makes it, it's a bonus.

To spice things up even further, I had the right key. The lock is a problem. :uhoh:

[Lofty]

Moving house yourself is filth and should be avoided. We did it last time and it was horrible, also been tricked into doing it twice for my brother in law (by which I mean he leaves it for his elderly parents to do for him so we end up helping so neither of them dies doing it). Last time he hired a removal company, told us it was all in hand. Claimed that they just come in and pack up all your stuff deliver it to the new address. Wasn't happy when we pointed out they probably expected him to pack and they just move it, he seemed to think they were going to rock up and start putting his y-fronts into cases for him. Lo and behold my saturday was spent moving him, though whilst he was AWOL and I was left unsupervised I made sure to pack some of his more delicate possessions in a less than delicate fashion.

[Luca]

I close on Monday, and will be preparing the bank draft to go to my lawyer tomorrow. My account is empty :cry:

[Spikey M]

Just received our contract for the purchase and the contract for the sale is apparently being sent to our buyer today.

Finally. Hoping we can complete this week and Exchange next week but may be a bit tight.

[Shindig]

I'm in. All sorted within an hour but couldn't sort the transit bolts in time to take the washer. Aside from that, not bad.

Now I'm there, a few things annoy me. The toilet flush is like, opposite to what I've done all my life. I fell like I'm breaking it by going in the opposite direction. Front rooms a bit clumsy too. TV and phone lines are in opposite corners of the room so finding a setup that works for WFH is going to be tricky.

[wullie]

https://i.imgur.com/5SMaZps.gif

[Shindig]

Oh, the master phone line is in the spare bedroom. I guess that’s my office now. Arse.

[Spikey M]

Our buyers solicitor is being an absolute cunt and we're running the risk of this going south just as we were ready to exchange.

They're asking for the planning permission for the extension (built in 1996) and proof that the management agency were happy for it to be built (they only bought the lease in 2010).

Even if we can get the planning permission from the Council (which is no guarantee after 25 years) it's pointless as even if there was no planning permission they can't do anything about it once it's been up for 10 years anyway.

I'm now trying to get an email from the management company confirming they're happy for the building to be... err... as the building already was when they bought the land.

Fucking solicitors. Lynch the lot of them.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Wolf.

[Boydy]

New role for the next werewolf game.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Special powers: can play the 'tedium' card, forcing no movement in the game for the next 50 nights no matter what the other players try to do.

[Manc]

Got the home buyers report back today and the house is in complete bits. The highlights being moving walls and a woodboring beetle infestation. Back to to the drawing board.

[Shindig]

I'm settled in now. Although sorting the utilities out is proving to be a right cunt since nPower was bought out. I'm signed up for their portal, sent the email out to tell them about the new address. Their response was for the Indian manning the account to say, "Sorry, we can find no records of you. Please go to the website and sign up for the portal that already told you to email me."

So I'm switching. That'll take weeks. So will sorting out the water. And the council tax. Is this just the pandemic effect?

[Don]

Tenner says the Delta is on the cricket forums lolling at the mong he had to deal with at work today.

[Shindig]

Well, some lass called Chloe came back and said, "Aye, we'll send you a final bill." Done. Yesterday some door-to-door twats came around trying to get me to switch again. :D The trainee lass abandoned her sales pitch inside the first sentence. Brought back memories of the one day I did that.

[Lewis]

To resolve the stand-off between the two solicitors I asked a third one for their opinion, and they think my solicitor is wrong (or at least their policy is) and that it should all be good to go, so I asked them to sort it out for me. My now old solicitor is refusing to send stuff over until I pay them (fair enough), but is refusing to itemise my bill[s] beyond the suspiciously rounded five-hundred quid (plus VAT) for 'legal services'. Is it unreasonable of me to want some sort of breakdown, because their service has been shit and most of their correspondence have had incorrect information in, so it would stick in my arse to think I'm getting stung for fifty quid letters that went straight in the bin.

[Lewis]

Case in point, it came to this in part because both me and the estate agents have been unable to speak to them for over a week (too busy with all the work they knew they couldn't cope with), but they have sent me three e-mails/answered the phone when this bill is mentioned.

[Spikey M]

Solicitors act on your say so, right? If you're close to completion could you not tell them to send you the exchange paperwork and you'll sign with their concern duly noted?

[AyDee]

Definitely not unreasonable to ask for a breakdown of costs from solicitors. We regularly give them to clients who ask for them (albeit I don't work in residential conveyancing).

[Lewis]

I did think that. I paid for 'the searches' at the start (via the third party thing), so given that they didn't report anything in their other work, can't I just yolo it and take it at risk?

[SvN]

It's been a challenging few weeks.

My mum met a new bloke in August, who lives in "Assisted Living". From what I can gather, he had a stroke a few years ago and now has "funny turns" every now and then which means he can't work, and needs someone to do shopping, etc. But otherwise is fine.

Since April, she's been staying at his flat, and about a month ago messaged the family WhatsApp group to tell us she'd accepted an offer on her house(!) and was going to start renting a flat in the same Assisted Living facility. Now, my mum isn't that old - she's 65 - but she does suffer from fibromyalgia. But she's never once said anything about the fact that she was struggling, and has seemed fairly fit and healthy for her age whenever I've seen her in the last year. But she's now suddenly adamant that she needs care and the only possible solution is to rent a flat in this place. She doesn't want carers visiting her house (they're all thieves), no other facility is good enough, bungalows are for old people, etc.

Obviously that's mostly bollocks. And the idea of moving to rented accomodation when you have a house - completely mortgage free - is absolutely insane.

So then we (me and my two sisters) asked about the offer on the house - when did it go on the market, why didn't you tell us, how much is the offer for, etc? And suddenly she won't tell us. It's none of our business, apparently. Which is completely unlike her, she's always been open with us, and historically has relied on me for financial advice since my dad died, as she never had a clue about any of that. So to suddenly discover that she's part way through the sale of her house is completely out of character.

I'm sure you can see where this is going.

Eventually, we manage to get out of her that:


She hasn't put the house on the market, or even spoken to an estate agent
This offer is actually from her new bloke's nephew
Who also knows the solicitor "representing" my mum
And the offer is for 40% less than Zoopla's estimation


Everyone can see what's going on here except for my mum. Long story short, she falls out with everyone except me in the family because they're telling her she's being conned. I live about an hour away so was able to see her in person, and over the course of a few visits, manage to convince her to at least see a couple of estate agents to get independant valuations. Fortunately, after she heard about the true value of the house (which they reckon is even higher than we thought), she agreed she couldn't sell it at that price.

She still thinks she's "messed the poor guy" around who wanted to buy it, and seems completely oblivious to the fact that her new boyfriend was probably involved in trying to rip her off. The cheeky cunt even tried to claim he'd spent £4k on "fees" - for an offer that had been accepted less than a fortnight previously - and tried to demand that she reimburse him. Fortunately she actually refused to give him a penny.

Right now I'm in the process of trying to convince her to rent it out if she really must rather than selling it. She's so unbeleivably naive though, and there's no point in trying to get her to see the truth - I'll just end up being frozen out, and then she'd really be in trouble. She's still not talking to my sisters over it.

[Lewis]

Give your head a fresh shave/polish and go fill this nephew in.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Bloody hell. Is she blinded by love or is she normally that naive?

[Spikey M]

Fuck me. Lewis' response really is the only viable one in this case. Can't even go to the police as it's probably not actually a crime.

Nephew and Lover boy both need a stern talking to. Round up the biggest men you know.

[Lofty]

Yeah absolute twats, you need to go nuclear on this now. Put the fear of god into the sick man of europe so he breaks up with your mum and finds some other poor lonely woman to fleece, because they will definitely keep looking for ways to fleece your ma if that was their opening gambit. Pack of cunts.

[Pepe]

Buy the house yourself.

[Pepe]

Who is the one with the van? This definitely calls for the van.

[Andy]

What a pair of cunts, just be glad you found out when you did.

I think I'd be round there with a sledgehammer through the door.

[Manc]

Baby boomers are the fucking worst. Like talking to a brick wall.

[Lewis]

Yeah. YEAH. Me and Andy will come if you're driving up from Southampton.

[Lewis]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEPOOpucC3Q

[Lewis]

Hang on I'm Billy if I've got hair.

[Spikey M]

Andy must have a van so it's a win all round.

Fuck it. I'll come too. I'll handle the disabled one. Keep things evenly matched.

[Boydy]

Fuck me. Lewis' response really is the only viable one in this case. Can't even go to the police as it's probably not actually a crime.

Nephew and Lover boy both need a stern talking to. Round up the biggest men you know.

Definitely sounds like it'd fall under financial abuse. Probably worth speaking to the police about.

[Spikey M]

Definitely sounds like it'd fall under financial abuse. Probably worth speaking to the police about.

Potentially but you'd never prove it in this instance. It's obvious what they're doing but ultimately trying to buy a house for a bargain price isn't illegal. You'd have to prove they were deliberately swindling her and she clearly isn't on board with that idea so there's no chance.

Going to the police would probably just see SvN on the ignore list with his sisters.

No. Sledgehammer it is.

[Lofty]

You don't even need to do something like that and draw a lot of attention. Maybe just engineer a situation where you get a quiet moment alone with the main culprit and just say quietly to him (so no-one else can hear and there are no witnesses) that if he doesn't sling his hook and find someone else he will spend the rest of his time in assisted living in a wheelchair shitting in a bag.

[Lewis]

Alright, freak. Remember he designs websites.

[niko_cee]

You need to get Lofty in the van. Bit of a round trip though.

[Pepe]

Doesn't he get train discounts?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You don't even need to do something like that and draw a lot of attention. Maybe just engineer a situation where you get a quiet moment alone with the main culprit and just say quietly to him (so no-one else can hear and there are no witnesses) that if he doesn't sling his hook and find someone else he will spend the rest of his time in assisted living in a wheelchair shitting in a bag.

That's probably what he's already facing.

[Shindig]

Alright, freak. Remember he designs websites.

I've got good news, then. (https://uniregistry.com/market/domain/badneighbours.com?landerid=badneighbours60cce2ee00 cac5.22215451)

[SincereTheRebel]

That is the second time in 24 hours, ive heard someone with fibromyalgia.

Anyway, I want into the revenge mission. I'll sharpen my Stanley.

[Spikey M]

Looking like we're exchanging today. Solicitor has requested the money from the Mortgage company. Completion on Monday.

Every moving company is fully booked...

[Manc]

Where's the van when you actually need it.

[Baz]

Got a new back door today. Miles better.

New front window next week.

[Spikey M]

Where's the van when you actually need it.

We are getting close to having to rent a van and do it ourselves. Although I only have a basic licence, so I don't even know how big a van I would be allowed to rent. I'm going to assume not big enough.

[Spikey M]

https://parkers-images.bauersecure.com/gallery-image/pagefiles/301796/1752x1168/merc-sprinter-payload.jpg

That's the limit, apparently. That would take 3 trips minimum and we'd have to leave the stuff in the street until we get the keys as well. :face:

[Jimmy Floyd]

I helped my mate move the contents of his flat into his new house once. He only had a Ford Focus, so we used my car, a Skoda Octavia. It took 11 trips.

He bought me a pint afterwards.

[Spikey M]

What are you doing Monday Jim?

[Andy]

https://parkers-images.bauersecure.com/gallery-image/pagefiles/301796/1752x1168/merc-sprinter-payload.jpg

That's the limit, apparently. That would take 3 trips minimum and we'd have to leave the stuff in the street until we get the keys as well. :face:

That's not right, speak to another company. You can hire a Luton van, I did on a normal license in March.

https://www.u-drive.co.uk/car-details/3-5-ton-long-wheel-base-luton-taillift/3-Family/1

They are a Hampshire based where i hired mine but at least will show what you need.

[Spikey M]

That looks more feasible. Would be fun on the Country roads though. :D

Waiting for a call back from a company that MIGHT have availability. Still holding out hope for now.

[Boydy]

How far have you got to go?

[Manc]

Jimmy moonlighting as an Uber driver is unexpected.

[Kikó]

Fake Taxi.

[Jimmy Floyd]

What are you doing Monday Jim?

There's an Essex surcharge of a billion pounds.

[Spikey M]

How far have you got to go?

About 20 miles. Nothing too bad. Got a geezer coming in a bit to give a quote luckily.

His "I'm your only hope surcharge" will probably surpass Jimmy's.

[wullie]

As it was becoming less likely that anything would happen before stamp duty comes back in our buyers asked to come round to have another look and measure up. We'd got paranoid that they were going to try something shifty and reduce their offer to below the threshold and give us the rest directly and other kinds of fraudelent schemes but it turns out they did just want to measure everything and they couldn't give a shit about stamp duty as it's going to cost them £150.

[Andy]

At least on the plus side you've stuck in just before the stamp duty deadline.

@spikey

[SincereTheRebel]

I helped my mate move the contents of his flat into his new house once. He only had a Ford Focus, so we used my car, a Skoda Octavia. It took 11 trips.

He bought me a pint afterwards.

Helping someone move home is a dickhead move. You fell into a sucker trap. Its serious hard labour.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I also painted his ceiling, as he's too short to reach it even with a stepladder. That time he got me a train ticket to Birmingham to say thank you. Do I need a new agent? Possibly.

[Spikey M]

Didn't know you and Taz were mates.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Why didn't he just buy one of those long rollers?

[Manc]

I also painted his ceiling.

I bet you did.

[Mike]

Had a low offer on my flat. Could accept and be ok but hopefully I can push it up a bit.

[Kikó]

I bet you did.

:D
x

[Spikey M]

This has been the most stressful week of my life, but everything is now done, just exchanged and we are finally moving on Monday.

I'm off for a wank.

[Boydy]

Did you get movers sorted?

[Spikey M]

We did.. had to take the risk and just pay the deposit or we'd have stood no chance. Phoning around now trying to find a company for 9am Monday would have been a right laugh.

[Boydy]

Nice one. At least Monday won't be as much of a ballache then.

[Spikey M]

From speaking to the Neighbours, we only got our new house so cheap because the geezer that lived here died and his brother and sister hate each other. They had it on the market at fair value for a couple of months, then dropped just to get rid so they didn't have to talk any more. :D

We're considering converting the loft into another bedroom and selling it as a 4 bed when done. Should grab a decent profit and leave us with a tiny mortgage when we buy another 3 bed.

Has anyone had a loft conversion before? Any idea of likely cost? Google offers a very unhelpful "A loft conversion typically costs between £21,000 – £44,000. You could pay up to £63,000 if you want a particularly large extension."

[Baz]

I’m in the same boat. Lad over the road drives a van for a loft conversion company so I’ll ask him when I’ve saved a bit more money but would be good to have a rough idea.

[Andy]

Depends what sort of loft conversion you want and the age/style of your house.

A hip to gable with dormer extension is the most common around here as we have loads of the 1930s semis which are easily converted.

Depends on the pitch of your roofer it's a newer house and also how the roof is built, if it's a traditionally cut roof it's loads easier than a truss roof.

There are a lot of variables. I could probably give a bit more advise if you have a picture of your roof.

[Lewis]

From speaking to the Neighbours, we only got our new house so cheap because the geezer that lived here died and his brother and sister hate each other. They had it on the market at fair value for a couple of months, then dropped just to get rid so they didn't have to talk any more. :D

My brother got his old house cheap because the couple who had it were getting divorced and somehow living separate lives within it. It's like a sort of living probate.