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In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

Archives for May 2007

Faceplate bargains?
Does anybody know where about can I buy high quality but low price faceplates for electrics (light switches, sockets, aerials and phones) ? Thank you
bath ????
Hi i wonder if anyone could help me ? just had a bathroom suite:confused: delivered from B&Q and there are no holes for the taps in the bath, is this usual ??
Central heating boiler efficiency
My Trianco 15/19 oil fired boiler, installed in 1988, gives trouble free performance. At its last service the engineer noted a net combustion efficiency of 87.7%. When I read about condensing boilers, with manufacturer's stated efficiencies of 90% or 95%, does that mean that I would only gain a few percentages of…
Loft Insulation!
I'd been waiting with interest for my mate to have her loft insulation done as I need to get mine done too. Anyhow, it's done and they have done a good job, however she is unable to board it up there now as the insulation is soooo thick. She did ask about it and they said it defeats the object as if you squash it all down…
Exercise Bike accessories
Hi Everyone, I have a Benny sports exercise bike(belt driven) and i found the belt is worn. I want to replace the belt. But i have no clue where can i buy the belt? Your help would be appreciated. Thanks, Syan
Energy saving lightbulbs help
I've recently replaced most of the lightbulbs in my house with energy saving type ones. Unfortunately I have a couple which have worked for about 6 hours then refuse to work anymore. I thought it may be dodgy bulbs but the replacements do the same. Conventional replacements work fine. Can anyone enlighten me of any reason…
bathroom underfloor heating - help needed
I'm hoping someone can give me a rough idea/outline of cost / effort / skill needed to install underfloor hearing in a bathroom. planning on only doing the floor area, after the suites been fitted, not the whole floor (underbath etc) then tilling on top of it so what do i need to think about, can i do it myself (do i need…
Need to buy a strimmer
Hey all What with all the torrential rain, my grass has shot up and I don't want to break my lawnmower trying to cut it! So, I'm looking at strimmers to get most of the length of before I go in with the mower. I have some Nectar points so was thinking of going to Argos. I see they have some cheap ones, but will I regret it…
Anyone recommend me an American Style Fridge??
This is my 1st post - even though I have been a lurker on these wonderful boards for ages now. So, we're doing a big conversion on our house starting Monday and at the moment I'm trying to pick a fridge and wondered if anyone could recommend some brands/models/best places to purchase - its like a minefield! I would like to…
Power/Electric/Mixer Shower?
i'm confused. we're redooing the bathroom and we need to get everything. i'm american and in the US we don't have electric/power showers. we only have mixer showers (b/c the water coming into the house is of high enough pressure due to water towers in most/all towns or pumped well water). we have an electric 9.5v shower at…
New door seal for Jackson Canterbury fan oven
I have an old built-in oven called a 'Jackson Canterbury' (no I'd never heard of them before either, but the oven says 'made in UK' on it, which must be a good thing!) This has a top oven/grill, and a bottom large fan oven. All works fine, but the door seal on the fan oven has started to perish and no longer forms a proper…
Replacement External Door Panel
Our back door is wooden with a frosted glass top half and a wooden panel bottom half. Within the wooden panel there is a cat flap, installed by the preivous owners. Our 1 yr old son has managed to break the plastic but we want to replace the door anyway as we don't have cats! Gonna price up a new UPVC door but we don;t…
where can i get an ipod fixed cheaply?
what's the best place to get my 5th generation ipod fixed? it's out of the warranty period, has just stopped working (sad face syndrome) and apple want to charge me £160 to replace it with a refurbed one with no songs on it!!! surely it can be done cheaper? are there any companies who'll let me send it off to them who'll…
Indemnity Insurance – do I need it?
I'm thinking of doing a little work in the evening, weekends and holidays, it would be gardening and landscaping and I was wondering if I would need indemnity insurance or anything like that. It would just be a little bit of work, not my main income and was just wondering what people's experiences of this were? Thanks Dave
Wooden Vertical Blinds
Has anyone used this online store: http://www.webwoodenblinds.co.uk or this one: http://www.blindsuk.net/ These two companies have the same address but the prices of their products quoted on their websites are very different. Not sure if they are reliable or not. I am looking to buy a wooden vertical blind, any…
My freezer isnt as cold as it should be
I have a 4 year old LEC table-top freezer, 3 star rated. Had problem last summer when it was hot with it not being being cold enough, which was solved by a defrost. Now, have the same problem again, even though it was only defrosted last weekend. Temperature in the freezer is only -8C, even with the thermostat turned to…
Painting external stonework around door and above windows
I have stonework (don't know the technical term) around my front dor and above the windows on th front of my house. At the moment these are painetd black with the detailing in yellow. I want to change this to cream with red detailing. 1) What is the best way to get rid of the black and yelow paint? Do I have to? 2) What is…
Shower running hot then cold ..help?
Hi I have a combi boiler downstairs in kitchen, the shower is upstairs in bathroom and is the mixer tap type (you know ...you pull the thing on the mixer tap and the water comes out the shower head instaed of taps....ok not much hope for me is there???!!!) problem is that while having a shower the water changes from hot to…
Hot water/central heating system
Hi everyone, I wonder whether anyone could help me. I am looking at a house where the central heating and hot water run via separate systems. I think that the central heating runs from an immersion heater and the hot water comes from a large tank in the loft which in turns runs into a cylinder in the first floor bathroom…
New bed
Hi, Can anybody recommend a good place to buy a new double bed from. We have been shopping around but nothing has yet to take our fancy, Without saying it has to be a good price aswell. thanks.

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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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In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

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