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In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving

Got a question about home improvement, DIY or home appliances? This is the place to get help from other MoneySavers.

New style plastic bottle tops - problems opening them
As they title suggests I am having problems with the new style bottle tops. These are the ones where they are "hinged" if you understand. I have narrowly avoided injury as I have had to use a knife to break the seal. Any advice or recommendations for gadgets please.
Churchgate Paint
Hi This stuff is available at Dunelm. Does anyone know if it's any good? Any better or worse than Valspar or Albany? I know I can ask B&Q to mix the colour for me, I just thought I'd ask on here first. Thanks.
wall hung toilet pipe connection problem, help please
Hi, I have a wall hung toilet that has leaked. After taking the pan off the wall I see it has leaked from the pipe that fills/flushes the toilet but not at the pan end but at the other end nearest to the cistern. There is a short stub of pipe maybe 6" with a soft squishy ribbed rubber ring at the pan end and a different…
Appliance Tap lever
Does anyone know what lever will fit this washing machine valve tap?
Is it ethically bad to use a large amount of (recycled) plastic on your land?
At the start I had thought to only use sustainable material like wood or stone which would decompose back to the land. See here: https://www.mudcontrol.co.uk/ (thank you to @FlorayG here who recommended them) They are made from 100% recycled material and claimed to be 'playground safe' and stable plastic which won't leech…
Has anyone used floor-site.com for carpets?
We're looking for a supplier for a Cormar carpet for our dining room, and came across a site called floor-site.com which offers carpets at trade prices (they advertise themselves as a B2B operation). In our case the carpet is being offered at a price around £160 lower than retailers. I was wondering whether anyone had had…
Toilet waste connector
I have just removed an old toilet - probably 50 years old. The toilet waste was cemented into a collar that's around 5-6", which is on the end of what looks like a 4" waste pipe. I have a 4" connector, and I can probably jam that in the 4" pipe, ignoring the collar. Only, there's a problem, as the 4" pipe is curved (the…
Should I replace older Hager fuse box for newer metal kind.
Hi there folks, I have a plastic housing Hager fuse box (trip kind) that was probably put it 15 years or so ago, an electrician when doing something else for me mentioned that the newer kind has a metal housing, I more or less suggested that I would get him to change it when he has time, but on second thoughts I wonder if…
Induction Hob Options
I am planning on replacing a gas hob with an induction hob. The new hob will need to be a similar size as the old or bigger to fit the hole in the work surface. That size is 70 X 52 cms. I'd rather not pay for a special electrical supply, so I'm thinking of getting a 13 Amp model. I don't believe we usually use more than…
Loft Insulation removal
I have has the loft insulation removed in 2024 that was put in in 2023. I was told I can claim my initial payment back but can't find any help how to go about it. Can any one help please.
What is this part on my heating system?
And why is it dripping?
Trivial. Fluff in bathroom.
Have these separate bunches off fluffy collections that gather around all the skirting boards in bathroom and only on one skirting board in bedroom. Nowhere else. Hoover them up now and then and they come back. Just wondering if there is explanation of them. .
Bathroom basin tap pipe question
I am looking to replace a late 1970s sink and its original taps. Clearly, the pipes are as old as the sink! I will likely need to cut them to fit flexi pipes on these. Can anyone tell me what the piece circled is called? I presume it is threaded and will unscrew?
New roof laid - a couple of beams shifted and seem a bit loose
Hi MSE community! I'm in need of your help. Two weeks ago a company finished laying down a new roof at home. The propery was built ~1930 and the roof was a due to be replaced.A couple of days ago, my wife noticed that 2 beams rotated (or twisted/shifted). I'm going to get in touch with the company that did the work but…
Seized secondary hot water return pump
The pump on my secondary hot water return (picture attached) appears to have seized (it had not been used for a very long time as the attached timer had broken and I have only just replaced that). I am tempted to try to fix it myself but I am not entirely sure of all the steps. There are isolators on either side of the…
Electrician has created channels in wall for rewire. What do I fill in these channels with?
Hi all A house I am doing up needs a rewire. We have got a professional, qualified electrician doing the works in 2 stages. He has now completed stage 1 and all wires are in the walls. He told us...Fill your channels in with bonding, get your rooms reskimmed and we will be back when you need us to do 2nd fix. So, when he…
Carpeting above mosaic tiles
My hallway has a fantastic mosaic flooring, problem is that it is so cold I will need to insulate and carpet on top of it. Unfortunately there is no way of insulating underneath the suspended floorboards to insulate from underneath. so the question is how do I go about insulating from above? my guess is that I’ll need some…
New Build Homes + Hold
Hi All, I currently have a new build home that is not really new anymore as its 5yr old. I am looking to get the loft conversion done and was told that i can do it under permittable development. I then emailed my home building company as the arcitect saw in the documents that my home builder dosent allow permitted…
Tree roots impacting the neighbours
Hi MSE folks. We have a number of large cypress trees down the boundary line of our garden with the neighbours. The roots have started to cause damage to the neighbours' garden, patio and wall of their house. It's been building up over a couple of years and I have organised for the trees and roots to be removed at our…
Back boilers
Does anybody know about back boilers. The type behind a gas fire. Mother in law has such a system and needs rads bleeding. How does the system refill? She doesn’t have any gravity fed system. Hot water cylinder present. Is there likely to be a valve to refill the system behind the gas fire as I can’t see one anywhere else?

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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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