Owning your own home

We did this, was nice getting some measurements so we could keep our eyes open for any good furniture deals over Christmas and January sales. Did feel a bit cheeky but meh, was useful.

internet: FUCKING SAUSAGES

IRL: Would you care for a muffin dear fellow?

When we sold our place in SE23 the buyer came round and spent about 3 hours with a tape measure and a 5 yr old who rampaged round the house bouncing on our beds and shouting "this is MY room" etc. Not best pleased but did I say anything? Of course not.

Insurance question. Life assurance, critical illness and income protection. How much of this am I supposed to have?

My employer covers life assurance, which would cover approx 55% of our joint debt should the worst ever happen. I'm guessing I should take out additional coverage so it would cover the lot?

Critical illness and income protection. Never given these any thought before but the broker wants to sell me some. Are wise people supposed to have all these things? 30 something male with no pre-existings and stable job for 9 years now. Has been known to fall off his bike.

Worked a treat for these two...

My inspirations

Anyone changed a 'normal' internal door to one of those internal 'cavity' sliding doors?

How do I know it's even possible? I presume there's all manner of beams and shit ('scuse the technifuckincalities) that would need to be changed. Does the wall need to be deconstructed first?

Ask my other half about those two the next time you're around.

Intriguing!

My view on those was "do I have enough savings to live off for at least 6 months and possibly longer if I can't work". If the answer to that is no then you probably want to consider some insurance.

No, but I've seen someone who has a 'slider'.

The wall it slides into is massively thick, so I imagine it at least require demolition amd rebuilding of the present wall. If load bearing then I guess its even worse.

If it's an internal stud wall it's probably thick enough to convert to a pocket door. You would need to remove the plasterboard, do a bit of woodwork to create the pocket and fit the hanging slider rail etc, then make good.

We have them but it was done during building work so the house was fucked anyway. However it was just a new stud wall and although there's a rail the doors hang on there was no additional steel work put in to support this and ours are solid wood doors. I really like them money well spent

Thanks guys, seems like it'll be more PITA than my current modus operandi which is punching my current door until it gets the fuck out of my way. I'm very tempted to just unscrew the door I have and find a place to leave it, at least until the next time we have guests stay. Fucking doors, what's that all about.

If I do some major work though, that fucking door is going internal. Thanks.

Initiated RTM just before Xmas. They've now sent all invites to residents and our Freeholder will be getting a nice legal notification that we're taking management off him in the next week. Brilliant.

Major works @ a cost of £3k every three years. Two roof installs in ten years. Fuck you, you corrupt landholding cocksuckers.

Awesome. Do you know who you will appoint as property manager now?

Wow, which firm was that?

https://thepartnershiplimited.com/

they're a bit whitebread - even down to the office dog.

Fantastic stuff!

Interesting because I/we are (there are 8 leaseholders identified now which is about 40% of block) in a similar situation.
Rubbish Management company sent out service charges 2 days before Xmas varying from 3.5k to 10k ( we would normally budget for and expect around £800/6 months).
This extra is to build up funds for extensive refurbishment that was proposed back in 2010 but never happened. Its a too long story to go into here but I have had to go through the Ombudsman Services to kick them into action over an individual issue I had regarding water ingress.
Basically they have mismanaged the 'sinking' funds and what was quoted in 2010 at 100k is now 200k . These 'corrupt landholding cocksuckers' have a history of slimy fobbing off assurances and my dealings with them is well documented.

Buying a flat in a period conversion house. Raised ground floor. Do I need the freeholder's permission to move the soil stack during bathroom renovations?

Depends on the terms of the lease. It'll almost certainly have a covenant against alterations, but whether it would would be possible to do that work with consent, or at all, would depend on the precise wording of the covenant.

Should we move to Plymouth?

We, as in, my family. Not the forum as a whole.

Sooner you than me...