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In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

Archives for March 2021

Neighbours extension roof and guttering now over the boundery by 5 inches
My neighbours have had an extension built on the back of there house and according to the plans should have had hidden guttering but it seems the builders built the lip of there garage about 2 inches over the boundery and then added 3-4 inches of guttering against it. They have recently submitted some more plans for some…
Advice about neighbour's garage conversion.
Our estate is a fairly new build, finished in 2014, which is about the time we moved in. Our house is supposed to be a four bedroom detached house, with garden driveway and a single garage. Our garage is attached to the side of our house. The neighbour on one side of use is facing onto the road around the corner and is I…
Basic storage heater
Good evening. Im looking for a basic economy 7 storage heater for my living room (one without a secondary boost function that requires additional wiring as my fuse box cant handle this. Can anyone recommend anything please? Thank you
uPVC windows in conservation area
I would be really grateful if anyone could point me to a place where I can get some reputable, independent(not a glazing company) advice about replacement windows in a conservation area. Please don't suggest the council as it appears covid has rendered my local council completely unavailable according to their auto-reply…
Build over agreement (sewer)
Good evening formers, me again! Hoping to pick your brains, hopefully for the last time (for a while). We had our architect round to survey our building this week for our proposed extension. We have a potential issue in that we have a sewer that crosses behind our house, bends and goes down our alleyway into the street. We…
Kitchen reno - to do or not to do
Hi there! So over a year and a half ago I purchased a flat. It was built back in 2015, so almost 6 years old now (same goes for the kitchen). When I bought the flat in 2019, the kitchen had some water damage, but nothing major. However, the water damage on the cabinet doors near the sink has gotten worse over time, so I am…
Patio cleaner solution - when safe
Hello, I had my patio cleaned last week with some strong bleach solution. It was washed off with a jet wash and it rained for a couple of hours afterwards. I’m worried about how safe it is after all the chemicals they used. Some would have gone on the edge of the lawn and in the bedding plant area. Has anyone got any…
Composite Decking boards
Hi All I am looking to build a new deck, especially sine we are likely to remain in lockdown this spring. I have seen these boards that I like https://ultradecking.co.uk/product-category/exclusive-natural-collection/ I have ordered some samples so that we an choose a colour. Big problem is the price... This stuff is very…
Remove gloss white from internal brick.
As title really.....I have a sunroom with a dwarf rustic brick wall and the previous owner has made a right mess when painting the surrounding woodwork. It's not on every brick but on a number in contact with the wood. How best could I remove this. Thanks, Brian
Repointing with lime
My 1905 house has lime mortar and the front is sorely in need of some TLC. My neighbour repointed his about 20 years ago using a cement mix; it looks good and none of the bricks have suffered, but I'd be more comfortable replacing like for like. I've never repointed so I'll probably practice a little down the side before I…
Where could this damp be from?
I know, this is such a common topic. But I can’t see an obvious cause for this one. I hadn’t noticed a problem until today when I started painting the porch and all the paint in this corner started peeling. There is no visibly damp patch, and although the wall feels.....damper than you’d expect (with paint rubbing off onto…
Silent treatment after poor quartz worktop installation - What now?
Had some quartz installed before the weekend and all looked good but dusty and told to leave for 24 hours. Next day on washing with soapy we found small scratch/gouge plus a number of sticky patches and residual silicon which were not amenable to gentle persuasion. Slightly irked by this we then turned our attention to the…
Builder Never Turns Up. What to Do?
Six weeks ago I asked a builder to come and look at our wetroom/bathroom wall as tiles were cracking and the grout cracking. He had good reviews online so thought he'd be okay. He came and took two tiles off and found there was no waterproofing behind the tiles and water had been getting behind them. Where the wall was…
Interior window shutters
Can anyone recommend a good window shutter company? I did look at diy shutters on "Blinds 2 go" but my Windows are too big for their sizes. Also, can anyone advise the sort of cost for 2 Windows 8 ft wide x 4 ft deep?
Wanting a private driveway off a C classified Road. Please can anyone advise?
Please can anyone with experience in developing private driveways or anyone who has had one developed with parking restrictions on a junction help? East Lancashire. I believe that Planning Permission is needed for a drive that is accessed from a C classified Rd. I have been informed to get a planning consultant/architect…
Indoor sensor light
Hi - apologies if this is a really silly question but it's one of those questions that's really hard to google! We've had a sensor light fitted in our downstairs toilet. The "LUX" setting is set to max but the light doesn't come on until dusk. As it's not in a very well lit position within the house, we'd like it to come…
Bath waste pipe question
Hi Before I install my bathroom subfloor, I need to seal some old bidet connection pipes. The cold on the right I can hopefully take out and the hot I can fit a compression cap. I take it that an unused hot feed is ok to leave and just cap. The bidet waste pipe needs plugging too although there’s not much room to detach…
Thermostat Geofencing
Modern thermostats do geofencing but I decided it was a bad idea. When I leave home I turn off the heating and put the alarm on. With a geofence I would keep checking that it had worked and it would use a bit more fuel because the heating would be turned off later. If I was out for the day in winter and my house was 10…
Best way to fill hole in plasterboard
I recently replaced the thermostats in my house and now I have two square holes in the plasterboard. Can anyone suggest (and link) the most suitable items to do this? Someone has suggested expanding foam then a block of plasterboard cut to size (about 5”x 3”) then finally pollyfilla to fill the gaps sanded down?
Replacing mains lead pipe with MDPE - connecting to the meter / outside stop valve - advice needed
I guess I have to use some adaptor instead of replacing the entire coupler. Correct?If so, at SF I see 25mm x 3/4" male - is it what I need for 25mm pipes? Will it fit the existing brass coupler? FloPlast 492202 MDPE Male Adaptor 25mm x ¾" (14858) Also, I think I need inserts -

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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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