Owning your own home

Is there no window there? Eek.

my gardeners/landscapers didn't have an issue working to my design. of course we had to negotiate on some of the stuff they found fruitier (i.e. they hadn't done before) but by-and-large they've done about 80-90% of what I'd wanted. did take an age to find someone though, then an age until they actually started... was surprised they didn't totally fleece us on the quote tho - gf's mum quoted 7k in swindon for patio only (!); our guy doing full garden landscaping for 4k (!) (including materials/shed but not including plants)

@Velocio I used this (free) software to do the design https://my-garden.gardena.com/uk

This looks like the way to go. Thanks all... I knew you'd all suggest something :)

Is there no window there? Eek

Yeah just behind me, some timber "Yorkshire" sliding sash windows

Currently taped up with a bin bag to stop dust permeating every single crack

Not sure if he's North but @ColinTheBald does some nice work.

So did you get @chrisbmx116 with that?

I suppose you have to keep surprising him.

We get jackdaws on the roof picking through the moss looking for snacks. You always know when one's up there because there's a constant hail of mossy chunks

aprend / apres of my fortress of manly solitude. bigups to Nerijus and the mandems from LG Decorators for doing what i couldn't be arsed to do in a million years but they nailed in a week, including plastering, electrix, a minor plumbing incident and floorboard repair. Not the cheapest, but certainly the best. Carpets are incoming.

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The chap who owns the two garages has just sent me the following email:

Hi Neil,
I managed to talk to my sister the weekend before last regarding the sale of the garages.
She has since spoken to several estate agents in the area none of whom really has any experience in valuing garages but who feel that a guide price would be about 15k each which is roughly in line with the auctioneers opinion based on rental income.
However having discussed it with her at length I feel that a value of 12.5k each is more reasonable.
The garages are now effectively clear and we hope to finish off the doors this week.
As I said I will throw in as much extra Dexion racking as you want to shelve out the second garage .
Are you still interested?
Regards
Garage-man

For context, I hire garage number six, these are garages one and two - so all in the same row.

I pay ~£320/quarter in rent for mine, so ~£1,300 a year.

Sounds like a bargain to me. Save the rent and have an appreciating asset... winner.

Yeah, that's where I am on it. No "gotcha!" waiting in the long grass that anyone can think of?

I guess it all depends on someone qualified and competent looking at the deeds but I can't see anything wrong with the price.

I just spoke to HSBC, if I take a 2 year fixed then the mortgage repayments on the two garages are literally the same as the rent on my current single garage.

win win

Are they freehold or leasehold - can he whack up service charges etc on them or otherwise be a dick about power / access / maintenance?

I'd be considering a conveyancer, just to be sure.

No brainer

Are they freehold or leasehold - can he whack up service charges etc on them or otherwise be a dick about power / access / maintenance?

This is where I run out of knowledge quite fast. The freehold for the entire block/grounds is shared amongst the flats, the garages have a lease from the freeholders (us, but managed by an eternal agent). I think.

Yeah, so best to check what you are buying, it's probably a lease of some type with a duration and conditions on it.

Also, do the garages come with a money pit Volvo?

Needs a full stack, obvs... Otherwise perfect...

if I take a 2 year fixed then the mortgage repayments on the two garages are literally the same as the rent on my current single garage.

If you could remove the deposit obstacle this sums up the housing market for many renters

I think you are suggesting that I buy the two garages but also keep renting my existing garage, and sub-let it as a garage of multiple occupancy for £300/tenant per quarter?

managed by an eternal agent

I'm imagining some sort of celestial being coming round to check the gas meter