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In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

Archives for October 2019

Fitting olf light shade / Help? :)
Sorry, *Fitting of (excuse the title typo) I just bought a mid century ceiling light shade, but do not recognise the fitting. I am probably being naive and inexperienced, but how do I fit this? My light fitting is a standard B22 hanging down from the ceiling on a wire.... This forum won't let me post an image link, so for…
Costs for management and insurances for health and safety for building extension
We are doing a single storey extension to our kitchen and home refurbishments. One of the builders has mentioned in his quote that - "We have not added any costs for management of the scheme, our insurances for health and safety." We asked the builder for clarification for which he said they are going to charge us 10%…
Missed Gas Service Appointment
I booked for a Boiler Service and Gas Safety last weekend for £190. Firm said their engineer would come between 9-10am. I had asked my brother to attend but he had taken a short nap as he works nights and woke up at 9am remembering he needed to get to my place. His phone was off between 9-9.35am. So he leaves around this…
quartz worktop supply and fit recommendations
Looking for advice/recommendations please! Re fitting kitchen and have decided on quartz worktops and are looking at getting a light coloured ones for our kitchen..creamy/whiter. Not overly keen on a massive amount of veiny marbling in them but could live with it. I have heard some stain easily (from China perhaps..cheaper…
how do i find where cold is coming in patio doors
hi folks, got upvc sliding patio doors about 12 yrs old, there is cold air coming from around these doors, I've sealed between the wall and frame with silicone & upvc trim strip I've siliconed between frame and fixed unit I've put foam sponge between the sliding parts using the B&D thermal leak tester with 2 sets of…
In filling a porch and planning permission
I tried to ask my local planning office this question but they wouldn't speak to me, so I'll ask on here. I already have a porch on the front of my house and would like to infill it with one side wall and a new front door. The other side wall is the garage wall. Would I need planning permission for this? I know you can…
Access Self Storage sudden change to Ts and Cs
OH and I both have units at our local Access self storage site with 24 hour access. When you sign up they give you a code you can use to access to the site 24 hours. We use this regularly. This evening we got emails saying they are updating their security with a new app and all existing access codes have been cancelled and…
HELP! Work not completed, can I ask for refund?
I am looking for advice on my position with a landscape gardener who I booked to do work in my back garden. We agreed a price for work and agreed the start date of 5th August and job would take 2 weeks to complete. He said he normally takes a percentage up front for materials to get job started, I expected this so asked…
Sink sizes
I've ordered a new kitchen with a sink unit with drawers - a mock front to cover the sink itself, then a u-shaped drawer to accommodate the waste and a deep drawer underneath. I've been advised the maximum depth of the sink I can use is 235mm, to allow clearance for the top drawer. Surely the clearance is dependent on the…
Dry water mark
I have a mysterious brown water mark on my living room ceiling. It is drectly underneath the bathroom, however it is bone dry. I've checked around the sink, toilet and under the bath and all seems as normal. I've ran the bath, flushed the loo and ran the sink taps and still the mark remains perfectly dry. It doesn't seem…
Acoustic Insulation?
Hello, we are looking to put some acoustic insulation between our noisy kitchen/dining room and bedroom in the ceiling/floor. Has anyone got any recommendations of what to use please??
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Vinyl flooring blistering
Hi all, I live in a rented apartment. I washed the floors on Sunday with cold water. I noticed on Monday a patch of the floor has started to blister. It feels smooth and different to the rest of the floor. Any easy way to get this fixed? In a good mind to just leave it as letting agent couldn't care less.…
Stratus roof lantern
Morning all, Anyone have any experience with a Stratus roof lantern? Seem to be a fair bit cheaper than a Korniche or Atlas, but wanted to know if anyone knows much about the quality as there’s little in the way of online reviews. Parent company Synseal doesn’t have a great rep, especially for bifold doors, but again not…
Combining Secondary and Double Glazing
Hi everyone, We've just moved into a beautiful 1700s house. We love it, but it is very close to a road, and hence looking to do what we can to minimise the noise. There is currently single glazing, with secondary glazing throughout. In the lounge, which is the room closest to the road, this is really effective and we can…
Survey notes spray foam roof.
We’ve just had the results of our survey back and the disappointing news the roof has been insulated with spray foam. Our surveyor has suggested we request relevant documentation from the seller’s, though I am not sure what reassurance this would provide. Solicitor not willing to provide clear-cut advice as to whether we…
Baby gate advice
We are trying to work out the best way to fit a baby gate at the top of the stairs. As it's the top step we've ruled out a pressure fit and are looking for the screw fit types. The only thing is, we've just paid for our bannister to be repainted and I'm concerned with how drilling holes will leave the newel post once we…
60 amp house fuse and EV charging
Hi, My whole house has a single 60 amp fuse. The cable supplying the house is only rated for this amount and cannot be upgraded to 100A. I have had a quote for a 3 phase installation and all in it will set me back 5k at least. Would I be able to have two 7kwH EV chargers put into the garage? These are rated at 32A. Not…
Internal bi-fold door recommendations
I am thinking of fitting a bi-fold door to my box room as it will take up less space. I used to have a bi-fold on a shower room and you could see through the join on the door which obviously is not great. The other doors are all four panel so something that would fit in with those. Any suggestions or recommendations for…
Plumbers Feedback Requested - Baxi Platinum 28HE Under Carport Query
Hi all, Hoping some plumbers can help me work something out. I have a Baxi Platinum 28he installed at home in the kitchen, the flue goes out the side of the house onto the driveway which runs up the side of the house. I am looking at having an open sided carport fitted (open on 3 sides), but not sure what I need to do with…

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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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