wow… council tax reduction

The local council have just given me a £400 exemption on this years council tax because we didn’t live here for three months when we got flooded.

I just wrote one letter and they did the rest.. nice one LB of Sutton.

third week of building

Monday mornings are not always good for many reasons, today was no exception.  Amazingly though this time I managed to maintain my composure and not throw a fit.

John, our “builder” said he couldn’t fit the oven because a pipe is in the way, although I have been telling him this for a while (and it is there on the wall for all to see) he has decided to ignore this problem until they have to do something about it…. hmm, planning is not a word he understands.

Thankfully one of the actual builders said he had his measurements wrong and that things could fit with a bit of digging into walls – the alternative is to put the water waste from the sink and washing machine into a drain which may only be a soad away, something I would rather check than just do.

Things seemed to have moved on, no-one has been stressed, John has gone for a lie down and I’m here typing, still a little worried over what will happen.

Tried to call the builder that the management company said knows the flats inside out but it appears he is either on hols, Christmas shopping or has his head in stuck under a bath (working) as I got no reply from his mobile.

No rush, it is only Christmas in 2 weeks, might be our first at the Holiday Inn.

another week in holiday inn (atleast)

The builder came today with his damp meter and said that the ceiling is still too wet to work, and so needs to dry out more.

I’m not sure I can stick this much longer – feel like I am going mad with the lack of sleep and ability to do anything you would normally expect in your own home.  I can’t face going in the flat at all right now with the giant de-humidifiers making such a noise.

If the work isn’t started soon it won’t be finished before we go on holiday which is just going to wreck it – I’ll just be worrying that someone is stealling my stuff and won’t be able to see what is being done to the bathroom.

The alternative is do the work that is needed to bring it back to where it would have been before the leak and then get the finishing work done when we return.  Coming back to a home without a bathroom after a 17 hour flight isn’t something I would look forward to though.

ripping up the bathroom

that was the bathroom

as you can see – things are looking how they used to a few weeks ago!

There is mould all over the wood work and the walls are not all dry.  The plasterboard was very damp.  I can only think that more will need replacing that first thought.

Even though it isn’t wasn’t such a big leak it is amazing how far the water reached.

our flat purchase has completed

Just heard from our solicitors that we can get the keys from the estate agents.  Of course I phoned the estate agents and they don’t know anything.  They are worth their weight in fag ash.

nothing goes smoothly

“Hello, I have some bad news for you.” said my solicitor this morning.

The vendors solicitor has gone on holiday without leaving any notes for his locum – we were supposed to exchange and complete today. Fan-bloody-tastic.

On top of this the vendor still hasn’t cleared the furniture from the flat so we will have to wait until 18th to complete now, while he get’s his arse into gear.

This is a pain as this only gives us just over a month to do the work we planned.  So we lose a week prep time, calling gas company to quote and install central heating and schedule the other jobs with our builders – who have their own plans of course.
I’m trying to stay calm as I know that there is nothing I can do about it – I just don’t want to live in a building site, especially with Phoebe running around, she gets into everything.

Later, I called our building society to get a credit card – my first ever. They wanted to confirm my address, which I did.. “Sorry, that’s not the address I have here sir.” After going through every address I have lived at for the last 9 years I found that they had the address of the flat I’m going to move into, as that was taken from my mortgage application. Would you Adam and believe it?

“I can’t proceed with your request as you will have to change your details by going to the branch.” the assistant said. Like hell, “Escalate this now.”

One hour later normal service is resumed.  Apparently the assistant had been looking at the wrong information on the screen. Call centres are just great!

buying flat: completion soon

Solicitor emailed me today to find-out when I want to complete.. asap is the answer. Said that Wednesday would be fine…not as if we have to go far.

Then the hard work starts on sorting out a flat which housed an old couple. We have to stay here in our current flat for a few weeks due to our contract but that gives us time to do the work before we move in. It’s not a great deal (on paper) strip and paint walls, ceilings, new bathroom suite and redecorate, new flooring, and replace one dividing wall (take out a grotty reinforced glass partition – like you get in a school)

Kitchen needs doing a little but it will be fine for the moment as it is really just cosmetic – plus we ain’t millionaires Rodney.

the money is in the post

The money has been transfered and the contract signed and sent back. Not long now until I think we will exchange and have our own flat.

Being first time buyers my wife and I have almost no idea what is going on. Most of the time it seems to be endless repetition and endless cost. Searches for this, that and the other, fees for everyone, and no assurances that this will happen after we have spent so much time and money.

I know people have a lot of thoughts on the proposed Home Information Packs but from my point of view they would seem like a good idea. The arguments against them seem to be mainly from groups with an interest in keeping an arcane system that costs many millions of wasted expense on surveys for property that isn’t suitable. Surely a HIP would mean that it is a level playing field and ensure buyers time isn’t wasted.

A survey always needs to be done, so just have one and be done with it. The searches are a waste of time 99.9% of the time and reveal little that I can see. The only useful bit is to do with planning permission and again that should in this day and age, be something that can be updated on a daily basis through a website.

HIPs would also shorten the sale time too. Having all of the work done up front would mean simply arranging a mortgage and signing contracts.

Oh well, it’s not going to happen now, heaven knows what will happen to all those poor blighters that were going to be employed running the process.