Owning your own home

Hmm. Bit of a quandry that isn't really a quandry at all.

A contact has just admitted that he sublets his flat in Hackney, but lives in Dubai. He's the kind of person who rams his lifestyle down the throats of anyone who's unfortunate enough to be in earshot. I have a pretty good idea of what his salary is and the two don't really seem to match up very well. I'd always kind of assumed that he was suplmenting his income somehow, but didn't think he'd stoop so low.

What a massive cunt.

How do I go about grassing him up?

Local authority flat?

Yep.

Find the block, find the management company.

He didn't actually let me on to that particular part.

Fuckin' saucy cunt.

Just email the council with his details. Do you know his address? Copy local paper in, and local police email, if you're feeling vindictive.

Hackney introduced photo rent cards cos up to a third of their flats were sub let.

I quite like it. It's a little bigger than my place, much better connected, and has a little outdoor space. If I could swing that a bit cheaper I'd be tempted.

Half a fucking bar? Seriously?!

artificial grass ..

You have changed!

Eurgh. I didn't see that. Deal off.

Anyone have any recommendations for cast iron railings made and fitted?

These guys came out trumps for us for making a made-to-measure set of railings & gate (delivered from midlands to London). I fitted myself, so not sure if they offer a deliver & fit service or could put you in touch with someone suitable.

Gates Railings Direct
Hungary Hill
Stourbridge
West Midlands
DY9 7NH

Landline: 01384 392300
Fax: 01384 372948

email: info@gatesrailingsdirect.co.uk
web: http://www.gatesrailingsdirect.co.uk

Been having some work done. Flooring, skirting, some cabinets made, and then someone else decorating after.
Has overrun. Partly a bit of scope creep (did I just say scope creep on a bike forum?), partly the bloke taking a few too many half days.
Decorator was supposed to arrive a couple of weeks ago. Was put off a few days and then he's gone completely quiet for the last week and a half. Sent an email last week. Phonecall not picked up a few days ago and then a text on Monday, not replied to.

So, do I just assume they've got bored of it all and cba to finish the job? I'm not massively impressed with them so far, but also didn't think they'd just go awol. They still have house keys...

have you paid them?

Have paid for what's been done

Wouldn't have been bothered until you said house keys.

Possibly very busy, if you've given them the strong impression that their work is not impressing you they may have moved onto another job where they feel they're doing better or maybe they're working on exteriors. It is rude of them not to reply but you've not been riding them that hard and they're probably used to getting irate phone calls on an hourly basis!

I wouldn't worry too much about the house keys, most tradesmen can get into a house pretty easily if they wanted to and most are honest. If they don't answer any constant communication then change the easiest lock on a temporary basis until you get the keys back if it makes you feel better.

I hate to say it but tradesmen are easy to piss off, especially crews who chatter like knitting circles. If they've decided you're judging their work harshly they may well be avoiding you. Not fair of course but a cold reality of workmen that you often have to encourage and massage the ego as well as pay.

Ta. I'd not said anything so far. It didn't seem worth the bother.
It's minor stuff - managing to scratch the new floor in a few places (the one he was putting in). Smashed a window - fair enough, he replaced it - but didn't bother to sweep up the smashed glass up inside or outside. Few other things. All minor but just enough to put my back up now that he's gone quiet.

I'll chase up a few more times and see what happens. I didn't get the impression he was dodgy at all so the keys thing isn't really a worry.

I suspect he's as bored of the job as I am. It's a few weeks past when he first thought it would be done so he's probably already well into the next booking.

Could contact the benefit fraud hotline.

If it's a LA flat, contact Hackney Council. Let them know. They'll pick it up and run with it. Alternatively, they'll have placed him there, so will know who the Housing Association are.

They may be able to force him to hand over all the rent he was paid while subletting too.

He won't be able to hand over jack shit - he's been king of the spunkers in Dubai: annual new 911, always instagramming some new on trend cack he's purchased and carries on like he's a trust fund kid instead of some fucking non-entity from Hackney...

He's also probably breaking tax laws as a non resident landlord. Grass him to HMRC too. I have a friend who's just gone to Dubai, would you like me to get him to shit on the bonnet of the 911?

I can get shitting done fairly easily.

When I think of the fucking lengths I've gone to in order to sort my tax affairs out...

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