Owning your own home

No. It’ll be similar to re pressurising your boiler.

Ideally you should be on standby just in case anyone wonders why.

Need some mortgage advice.

Bought a 2 bed in Enfield 4 years ago. Was self employed at the time so my wife and her sister are named on the mortgage as they were both in permanent jobs.

I no longer live in London and rent the property out. Fixed rate is up in October and neither of us currently have permanent jobs as we decided to come back to Ireland while my wife is pregnant.

I am a shared owner on a property in Ireland and have the option of going back to full time employment at circa £30,000 p.a vs £240,000 outstanding on current mortgage.

I need 2 things to happen. Get my wife's sister off the mortgage and also remortgage to a fixed rate in October. Is buy to let an option for me if I have a good rental income? Can the property in Ireland be used as collateral in negotiating a new deal in October?

Any advice appreciated before I start going to brokers.

If you have tenants, BTL (rather LTB) is fairly painless.

Mortgage lenders are unlikely to consider the property as collateral, although they will adjust your credit worthiness based on ownership of the property.

What you can do is to remortgage the property at a higher LTV to release cash, and use that cash against any other mortgage - this would need to be tweaked to get the best / cheapest deals based on LTV of each property.

Having the BTL / LTB property on an interest only mortgage is also worth considering.

You could also consider selling the London property. The legislation around the money side of things is gradually being tweaked to discourage small private landlords.

Very posh new tap courtesy of my mate in the trade, freeness! Now I can afford to get rid of those fucking tiles...

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So they’ve not grown on you?

I currently have a range cooker but will be looking at integrated oven/hob options. Before I go and create some massive spreadsheet has someone already looked into this.

As the two things that get used most in the kitchen, I'm thinking a gas hob with built in extraction (Elica Tesla) and a steam oven/microwave oven are what I'd been thinking. Anything else I should be considering?

Aren’t they (nice but pricey) induction hobs?

Induction. Wouldn't go back to gas, though I was caught a bit short the other day needing to char some aubergines.

char some aubergines.

in the oven

Yeah I did but it's not the same

I agree but induction benefits outweigh charred aubergines

Induction is the hydraulic brake of cooking.

They do this gas one too

I really don't like induction hobs - other than being more efficient whats the benefit?

Easier to clean? I can't get on with them either.

Amazingly quick boiling power

Power and modulation. Also no pollution indoors.

solid guardian commentary

I’ve just fitted a Bora hob in our new kitchen. Induction having previously only had gas. Very impressed with it for efficiency takes a while to work out what setting are what but combined with the integrated extraction

Taking the cookery<>bike building analogy...

Electric plate/element - gas pipe steel. Cheap. Outdated. Complete pain in the arse. Does the job but it's hard work, and laboured.

Gas - 853 Reynolds Steel. Has feel. Gives a robust performance with vitality of connection between user and equipment. Where the real motherfuckers be at.

Ceramic - Alu. Neither here nor there. Bought by people who don't care about cooking in any way.

Induction - Carbon. Performance at all costs. Looks slick. Requires delicate treatment. Pain in the arse. Fails more than it should. Flash git's choice.

Not too sure where titanium fits in with all of this.

A brazing torch from Screwfix will do the trick. And for peppers & creme brulee.

Did consider using the blowtorch from the shed

Ceramic - Alu. Neither here nor there. Bought by people who don't care about cooking in anyway.

For people with wooden countertops and undermount sinks.

Gas or GTFO.

(Except for ovens, obvs. Which should be electric.)

Not too sure where titanium fits in with all of this.

Oil fired ranges, obvs. Aga, Stanley, Raeburn. Always on, reliable, but overpriced.

All tools should be multi-use. I use my impact driver to grind coffee.