Owning your own home

When the market is like it is at the moment, block viewings just piss people off...

Yeah, open houses are really a top-of-the-market tactic and probably don't work in the seller's favour if you can't generate the requisite buyer panic.

I know I've not bothered viewing a house because it was only available to view one specific day.

I walked away from one in November, the place had been on the market for 6 months although had just been reduced in price. The estate agent turned up 20mins late and hadn't informed anyone that it was a block viewing the day-glow, shiny-suited turd. I and quite a few of the others took great pleasure in giving him loads of grief on the way past.

I hate them, mostly because we scared ourselves into overpaying for our current place after one in summer 2014

Love the look and idea of them, want one in the kitchen diner when we get round to doing it up

How do I turn my clay-y claggy no grassy patch into a grassy patch?

Does it have a drainage or shade problem? Too much footfall?
Topsoil, seed, light, water. Not now though, spring or autumn. Or buy turf. Or buy AstroTurf. Please don't buy AstroTurf.

Was until recently too well drained and too shady due to 6 large leylandii on the south side of the garden. They have since been brutally murdered and mulched. Now there is many light and water.

The Royal Horticultural Society to the rescue!

When are the times builders are allowed to work? I think a friend told me a paid builder (professional or cowboy) needs to stop drilling or making any building noise after 7pm, and times are also restricted over the weekend?

Varies from council to council and very rarely enforceable unfortunately unless they're doing it overnight every day.

If it's your neighbour's house then the permitted hours are 09.30 to 16.00.
If it's your own house then it's 06.30 to 22.00.

I like this, a lot! Sadly it's upstairs and the builder has been replacing the floor for like 6 weeks now, the only issue is that he only comes in in the evenings and weekends after 1:30pm... I know he is not in during the day as I work shifts some days... he was working till 8:30 this evening... :-(

You're in Lambeth, right?

"Noisy building and DIY work can take place within these hours:

Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Saturday 8am to 1pm"

https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/community-safety-and-anti-social-behaviour/noise-and-antisocial-behaviour/guide-to-reporting-noise

Lambeth's noise team were really responsive regarding our noisy neighbours when we lived on Coldharbour Lane.

I am indeed. Thanks for the info, all the noise I have heard so far is outside of these hours. It's the Sunday that bothers me the most when I just want to have a quiet day doing fuck all.

That falls under your right to quiet enjoyment of your home. Sunday doesn't have any hours listed so they're not allowed to make noise in such a way that would cause a nuisance.

The builder has just arrived and starting to work now. It's not normal, surly!

What's your relationship like with your neighbours? If it's good, let them know it's not ok.

If it's bad, call the Lambeth noise people at 18:01 as it they will need to come round and witness the disruption and that can take a little while. Keep a record of it all.

Are you sure it's not the householder getting home and starting some diy. If it is a builder he's probably working another job in a team and moonlighting at your neighbours. Don't get too wound up, just go round and start with "I'm sorry to have to ask but,". If you don't let them know it's bothering you they won't have a clue.

It's a builder because I just spoke to the owner yesterday and I asked him if he knows his builder is only working weekends and strange hours, and he said yes and if I see a white van outside, that's his... They weren't sorry at all. As for relationship with them? Him and his wife are the biggest bullies in the world, I have felt sorry for my landlady for having to put up with their fuck up over the years, many times. The latest is that they the freeholders has taken my landlady the leaseholder off their insurance so my landlady isn't insured for the recent break in... not my problem but I do feel sorry for her...

Call the council now but as mentioned they do take a while to respond to calls and send teams out to monitor levels. You can record things yourself but just an example of when they're happening rather than qualitative audio levels that can be measured and deemed a nuisance.

Just realised it's before 6, yep, 18:01 it is. Explain on the phone they've just arrived and just started work and it's been ongoing for some days now.

I went out before 6pm and just got back. As it happens, the builder came out to me when I was locking my front door to explain and told me he hopes he is not causing too much inconvenience. He also told me to let him know if it gets too much. So based on that, I will let it got for another week or 2 then I will have another chat with the landlord.

Thanks for the info, guys!