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House buying, renting & selling

Archives for March 2010

Property clubs
Has anyone had dealings, good or bad with any of the property clubs that offer discounted properties?
Rental Advice
Hi there, I'm looking for a room in Clapham Junction and have a question about the deposit situation in some of the places that i have viewed. See the below answer i received from the leaving tenant: · The room is available on the 10th, I cant move out before or afford to pay rent after – so only come along if this date is…
Homebuy Direct
I was wondering if anybody has used or knows somebody that has used the Governments Homebuy Direct scheme (100% ownership, 30% equity loan payment free for 5 years...). My boyfriend and I meet the criteria, in terms of earnings and the fact I am a key worker - just looking for some first hand opinions really. It seems like…
Making an offer on a property
Im a first time buyer with a MIP i have recentley viewed a property i would like to make an offer on it has only been on the market for 2 weeks with a guide price £146,500 i just wanted some advice on what sort of percentage i should start off with. I was thinking around 10% - 11% off but dont want to offend the vendors. I…
Mortgage after split.
Hi, me and my partner have recently split and I have moved back to my parents home. Ex is still in our house. we are not married. Me and my ex have agreed to sell the house and use the equity to pay off our existing debts. We have a joint mortgage and a young child. My question is, if she changes her mind and decides she…
Mortgage Refused
Hi everyone, Just a bit of advice. We've actually been offered a mortgage in principle with Nat West for £140,000. But I found a better deal with Santander and phoned them today to get more info and proceed to tie up a mortgage deal with those. The only problem is my partner is on a Fixed Term contract until Feb 2011 with…
Shared access driveway
Hi guys, I'm going to look at a house that ticks all the boxes except one important point, it does not have a garage. This wouldnt put me if I could build one. However, there is only a side path to the back garden where any garage would have to be built. The unusual thing is that when you look at the property and its…
Easter Weekend - quiet for house viewings?
We are trying to sell our house and have an average of one viewer per week (ten or eleven so far). I always thought that Spring/Easter weekend would bring out the buyers but my estate agent reckons it is generally quiet at BH weekends. Might as well go away somewhere.
new gas and electric meters little help..
I am just about to buy a house which has been repossessed There are no gas or electric meters in the house Anyone tell me whether I have to pay to have meters fitted or if there is a way to avoid this. Previous supplier was Southern Electric for both gas and electric?:):):):)
Crimson Kitchens
I called Crimson Kitchens today but the rep seemed very wary and wouldnt tell me if they had a showroom. I urgently need a kitchen and liked their site but they don't make me feel confident. can anyone confirm if they have bought a kitchen from Crimson Kitchens? taa
What to offer!!
Before I ask this question I realise that it's not a black and white scenerio, however, I would like some opinions please. I have had my eye on a flat that's been on the market at 100K for over a year. I know that the flat suffered a flood recently which has required all flooring to be pulled up and not replaced. THe price…
I don't want to interfere but.........
....my parents are buying a property without obtaining a valuation first and i'm not sure this is a good idea. They are cash buyers so don't need it to obtain a mortgage and know the house well. It is 40 years and looks good i must admit but i would personally prefer something in writing to confirm the property was…
Letting agency rip-off reference fees
I need to find a place to rent in Somerset nearish Bristol but I keep finding agencies are charging ridiculous amounts for conducting references. Palmer Snell in particular want £352.5 for refs but when I asked why they admitted it could be negotiable for the right tenant - but no guarantee. One or two places only charge…
Homeless
well here it is, stooping with friend, just lost job, lost house, totally skint, where do i turn now, i am meeting housing office thurs, but without being a pratt, come from very comfortable life to this, help needed, please
Freehold / Leasehold question
Quick question, if you please. We live in a house split into two flats for which we own the freehold to the building. We’re now thinking of selling our flat and my wife is under the impression that we would be obliged to offer the owner of the other flat the opportunity to buy a share of the freehold. Does anyone know if…
Buying into parents house - mortgage for an extension
Hi I posted this on a different board and didn't get a great response, so if it's ok I will try here. I hope that this isn't too complicated but I would appreciate any sound advice please. Basically, myself and my partner live with my Mother in her three bedroomed house. The house is in my mums name and she owns it out…
renting myhome with northern rock??
hi all. this is my first post on the forum.i heard a lot of good things so i thought id give it a go. right my situation. during the economic downturn i had to change my mortgage to interst only to maybe ride out the finacial problems.i want to get my mortgage back onto repayment as im not happy with the interst only…
Conservatory roof needs replacing, not picked up in building survey
Hiya, We bought our house about a year or so ago and the conservatory roof has leaked from day one. We've tried re-sealing it with sealant repeatedly but it never lasts, so we finally got a couple professional roofers to come give us a quote for repairing it. And neither of them were too impressed! When they walked into…
As a seller, have you been given wrong information about HIPs?
Apart from MSE'ers I believe the general public to be misinformed about HIPs. As an EA I believe part of my job is to be informed about any rules and regulations that come into force, therefore, I know the regulations inside out/back to front etc. So why is it acceptable for many EA's to give the public completely wrong…
Leasehold property insurance excess
If the managing agent is telling you to pay the excess on an insurance claim check your lease. We were stopped £500 because the agent had arranged cover with an excess of this amount. The lease said the agent had to arrange cover it said nothing about an excess. Your cover is what is written into the lease not what is on…

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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House buying, renting & selling

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