Owning your own home

you might feel differently if the tresspass on your land compromises things i the future.

i dunno, sometimes the threat of legal action is enough

Tell them there's loads of damage, everything will need repainting, etc If they didn't go through the proper party wall route then the onus is on them to prove that they didn't cause the damage (difficult to do retrospectively) rather than you prove that they did do the damage.

Aside from that, I don't think there is much other than seeking an injunction to get them to stop doing the work.

Just been getting ours valued with a view to getting on the market shortly. What a range of valuations...

Buikd a dormer. Knock down their bit that is too big.

Re-dig the fence. With, at the very least, an indiscriminately powerful jackhammer, maybe attached to a digger. If that substantially weakens their wall - ah well...

The act does allow you to cut away protrusions onto your land...

Need to get a load of cardboard boxes for house move. Any recommendations, or anyone recently moved and got some?

you used to be able to pick those up at supermarkets, might be worth an ask if there's any close by

The 3m rule refers to the excavation. The 6m rule takes an intersection at 45 degrees from the bottom of their foundation.

See diagrams on pages 20/21 here:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/523010/Party_Wall_etc__Act_1996_-_Explanatory_Booklet.pdf

I'd be slightly concerned at the advice your surveyors are providing. Are they RICS?

Yeah they are... it's prob me doing something wrong...

Offer accepted on potential Home v2 😬
Fingers crossed

Anyone need to buy a 3 bed house in Greenwich? Excellent transport links (busy road).

Moving to Royal Plumstead Upon Thames?

Not quite that far. Charlton rather than Westcombe Park. Lost my SE10 postcode but swapping it for a quieter road, bit more space, usable garden and a cellar for the bikes.
I'll be pleased if it goes through. And poor.

Anywhere near the lido? I think that's the hidden gem of SE London.

A mile away. The lido is great, generally go a couple of times a week. Reminds me, I need to send Runhead details of the Aquathlon we're running there later this year.
Also Sutcliffe Park athletics track is great and nearby too.

I've had a brief search around, but is the general consensus that smart meters are still an invasion/don't save you money, just the companies and I should decline the offer of an install? 2nd generation I'm assuming.

I’m going to do the ‘survey’ myself we’ll initial viewing

Should be straight forward to look for tale tell signs right. I’m just thinking what the homebuyer report will do I can do

I now have a Brazilian software engineer renting the flat we built on the ground floor. Unfurnished, which was very clear as it was completely empty when he came to view as well as written in both the ad and the contract. Still, he immediately texted me asking about ceiling lights, cutlery etc, lol. Might mean different things here and in Brazil? Anyway, seems like a nice enough guy and the money now means we're back in black monthly finance wise. Time to start thinking about our part of the house, bathroom next probably. Need to install a temporary shower in the laundry room before tearing out the current bathroom. Fun times! (Really)

No ceiling lights seems a little harsh

Unfurnished in the Netherlands seems to mean completely stripped out, including the light bulbs, curtain rails etc. Whereas in UK usually lightbulbs and curtain rails among other things are commonplace to find in place. Mainly because taking them out can make a mess of the wall or just isn't very convenient. I mean taking lightbulbs out in the winter would have to be the last thing you do when you leave otherwise you'd be in the dark. Sometimes unfurnished in UK can mean fittings are included (eg white goods that need to be plumbed in) just no loose furniture. I wouldn't expect it to ever include cutlery though...

Really? I mean there's lights in the bathroom and above the kitchen worktop (which we've just put in as they're more bolted on so to speak, ie need to be waterproof) but I'd expect to get my own for living/bedroom. There are sockets for them but I haven't bought the actual lights.

I'd be pretty surprised to discover that a flat didn't have lights in each room.

The other thing you may want the report for is negotiating on price. You can get more leverage with an official looking report than just saying you've had a look around and think it will cost x to fix.

As in there are no bulbs?!

I think the bigger is that a lot of the ones being installed at the moment still don't play nicely if you swap supplier.

They may save you money if you pay attention to the usage, often build up a heavy credit on your bills, etc

As in there are no bulbs. I haven't ever moved into a flat where there were lightbulbs. A word of warning if any of you ever move to Sweden ;)

Edit: this is what you normally find in a ceiling here

You then connect this to it:

And the lamp of your choice. I like this for instance, but can't afford it: