Any question answered...

Possibly new lock time, but you can order new keys from their website if you have the number on the key.

I've got a plastic tank with some algae in it. What's the best way of cleaning the tank without damaging the plastic?

Most effective is a combination of attacks. I normally go with clean it with a soft cloth and washing up liquid, then descale it so there's no porous layer on the surface for the algae to live in, then sterilise it with Milton or similar bleachy sterilising tablets. If the plastic is right, you can then hit it with boiling water to both further sterilise and clear the bleachy smell. Algae will always come back eventually, but that will make sure it doesn't just happen again quickly.

Should only lube locks with graphite lubricant. Oils attract dirt and accelerate wear. Not sure new keys help as the lock innards wear too.

Cheers, that looks pretty comprehensive.

Is there a simple rule of thumb for budgeting for driving expenses? I'm trying to weigh up two job offers one with no driving and one with a 20 mile commute.

HMRC do 45p a mile which is their view of what the cost would be for all related expenditure.

In reality though a lot is going to depend on what you're driving and, most importantly, whether you already have a car (once you have a car then lots of the extra costs per mile aren't huge).

Oh nice, thank you. 45p a mile will do.

trying to weigh up two job offers one with no driving and one with a 20 mile commute

The time and stress is probably more costly than the actual driving

45p a mile will do

45p is pretty stingy, I've only ever averaged that doing 25-30,000 miles a year, so if you wouldn't have a car if it weren't for the commute, budget for twice that. On the other if, if you'd definitely have a car anyway, the incremental cost could be half the HMRC rate.

Hi all - I've recently become the occupier of some land purchased by a family member - I oversee and manage all aspects of it. Prior to this the previous owner, through particular circumstances, ended up allowing the occupier of the next field whose horses had broken down his fence and used that (now 'my' land for ease of understanding) land pretty much as their own and because the previous owner basically didn't use the land she just needed up allowing (or not stopping him) from basically doing what he wanted with it, without charge or sticking to his promises of maintaining, fixing etc etc. Anyway, I finally managed to catch him in person and he was clearly disgruntled about there being new owners albeit wasn't oppositional. We are seeking (planning going in) to use the land as a secure dog paddock and told him of our plans and that we are not responsible for securing his horses and we need to get work done to clean up the land - not least remove the rubbish, scrap material and rotting vehicle that's currently on it. He says he can't afford to fence it securely (about 130 meters) so is looking for a charity to take the horses and then relayed sob story after sob story before also saying he was mortgage free and wished he'd known the previous owner was selling it as he'd have found the money to buy it. It is his responsibility to fence his land aside from his responsibility to ensure his animals don't pass onto or damage others' land (which they are).
Anyway, the access to both pieces of land is part of my title - he simply has the right to pass over by foot or vehicle - to enter and egress from his land and he insists that a front gate (that sits across my land) is shut and securely locked at all times - interestingly the front gate also has a plaque with the name of his house on it marked X on the plan. Now, call me neurotic and cynical but is it possible he is (well certainly was) seeking to claim adverse possession of what's now my land? I suppose my presence and the fact I'm applying for planning have lots of records and pictures of myself on the land and records of meetings of contractors etc for improvement works evidence that it's mine and i'm using it. It's just unnerving that he is refusing his responsibility of securing his animals and boundary and is trying to give me conditions and asking me to ensure the gate is locked etc. He is also from a well known traveller community and in my experience, many within that community have a 'greater than typical' understanding of issues relating to land possession etc. The previous owner was completely oblivious to any potential risk and as he has now owned the land for 9 years (seemingly just a year short of a potential adverse possession claim). Also he has put two baths for water for the horses (which he pumps from the steam on his side) on my land, literally just the other side of the boundary when there seems no logical reason whatsoever for him to station them there. Anyway - apparently he is going to be clearing his shit, paving stones, tyres, wire, timber and horse box etc off my land at the weekend and I'll be there to help him as he said he had a bad back. It is absolutely our inclination to ensure we manage our land as we wish, never encroach on his and ensure his right to access/exit his own land is in place (although this is subject to him paying 50% of the maintenance upon demand which obviously won't happen). Maybe I'm reading too much into it but he certainly seems deflated when I turned up with a friendly smile and handshake. Any advice greatly appreciated. Here's a simplified plan for context my land in red and his in blue.

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I understand I may well be being neurotic and this new venture is taking its toll a bit but we both need to play by the rules but I understand he's had 9 years of not having to so it takes some adjustment.

If I were you I would ensure your legal position is rock solid, keep smiling and accept that you will be paying for 130m of fencing. Document everything you do.

Think I may have to. I’m going to just see if he shows some willingness to clear his shit off the land and my wife (a horsey person) is going to offer to help him rehome the horses which will give us a bit of an idea as to where we are. One of the main things is to basically remove and undo anything he’s done on my land and I’ll take some before and after pics too and in particular remove completely the gate he’s put on the access to my land and encourage him to do whatever he wishes to in order to secure his. lol forward to fencing his horses off my land and repairing the fence when they damage it!! Cheers for the advice

Ta, @Greenbank & @aggi too... thanks all of you. There's a proper psu I can get, plus as it runs off the AA's I'm using some of those for now.

Just realised his ownership (well, technically his wife’s) has just ticked over to 8 years so it gives a little (well a lot) more leeway for us to show we are very much in possession of our own land and using it for our own purposes- my understanding is that 10 years is the minimum amount of time to be using land as your own essentially to make an adverse possession claim. That said I will still be smiling whilst remaining vigilant and record everything and - in a few months - tell him to put his front gate at the boundary of his own land, not mine

Return his gate and posts to him, don't dispose of it, same goes for his impromptu troughs. You'll probably end up also paying for the skip to remove the rest of his crap. Whatever you do, don't give him an excuse to involve his wider community. Most travellers are fair minded and won't back him up if it's obvious that you have treated him reasonably. The law should be kept in mind, but any attempt to use it against him should be your VERY last resort.

Mention burning the stuff once cleared and how you like to start a bonfire with petrol as that really gets a good fire going, make sure you maintain good eye contact when saying so.
Always good to start off on the right foot and not give a suggestion of acquiescence at a later date.

When do the frozen sausages come into play?

I shall - it’s my nature to be respectful and friendly but I expect the same back so whilst I was genuine in offering help to get stuff moved off my lane and I was also clear that I had plans for the land and wouldn’t be responsible for securing his horses for him to give the message that he has to tow the line and treat me with the same respect. Cheers again

On the back-freezer

The one small problem with that strategy is that you would probably make a lot of new friends rather quickly. A farmer I know always employs some clan heads at reasonable rates when he needs extra hands, he never gets any trouble. In his own words 'barns have been known to burn'.

@gbj_tester, he'd just dig them up and eat them, hedgehogs are getting scarce.

...ye...i havent really looked into the type of lubricant....i am sure i bodged it.... i already used the spare keys and the one i use now works better from one side (keys are double sided) thats why i guess maybe new key could help...but to wait 2/3 months for new ones to arrive is risky... new lock time i guess
https://www.tex-lock.com/en/product/tex-lock-eyelet/

or a padlock with the kryptonite cable... its Switzerland and i never leave the bike alone for long...guess nobody will cut the cable

Of course he was going to adverse possession and you have buggered that up.

That's quite thinly veiled.

@Velocio explicit racism to be dealt with here please