Its tough, it will get better and guess what its freezing brrrrr!

csarina

We were lucky with our last landlady we got our deposit back before we moved. To move back to Scotlland the bill was just over £1000 plus deposit of one months rent and a months rent in advanve which took care of over £2000........our boiler was checked and serviced this year, but the electrics to my knowledge have never been checked, the board is an old type. Our landlord also made us pay for half a tank of oil he had put in 'to keep the house frost free whilst it was empty' another £250. I argued my case over that one but we ended up paying it.........we have since spent upwards of £1500 replacing the old stove in the sitting room which the manufacturers told us was not fit for purpose. New carpet in the guest bedroom, who wants black carpet in a bedroom??? Blinds for the windows to keep the rooms warmer and heaven knows how much on the garden.......The landlord muttered something about putting the rent up.......I told him just try it!! I'll have you for all the money we have spent on the house since we came into it.......he knows when he is onto a good thing, he has two very good tennents in the two cottages he rents and I know we cannot get anything like the cottage we are in for the same rent, its because its isolated that its cheaper. We will be staying here for at least 5 years to get our money back in the benefits......The oven is carp, does not cook properly on one side, if I replace it, then like the stove in the sitting room it goes with us, I would rather give it away than leave it. Cannot afford it anyway and its going to be at least another 12 months before I can, so will soldier on with the panny micro combi and the Remoska. I only put the big oven on if I am going to be batch cooking. I have to watch it and turn stuff round, it cooks unevenly on one side. I do keep an eye out on freecycle for someone having a kitchen refit, no luck so far though.

It was our choice to live here and we love it......

I read the meter last night it looks like our £24 a month payment will just about cover the bill, I had to go onto the website and hunt around to find the tarriff.

starsandmoon

Talking about renting. I rented a flat in 2007. I paid a months rent as the deposit. I didnt have any furniture as such so moving was fairly easy. It was electric heating and one night the boiler went on fire:eek: Luckily it had a safety cut out. Rang the landlord (who lived in London, I was in Liverpool) and she said get an engineer out and pay and Il reimburse you! Told her no way it was her responsibility. Cheeky mare. It got fixed pretty quick.

Two years later I was able to buy a house so gave my notice sbrubbed the flat from top to bottom, no damage. Waited for my deposit...... and waited......got half so kicked off. In the end I was £70 short and gave up as phone calls were costing a fortune and it was too small an amount to go through small claims.

Anyone renting privately and having problems has my sympathies as Ive been there.

Pitlanepiglet

Morning all....well a cheerful day here. My work situation is resolved which is a huge weight off my shoulders. I resigned last week and they finally put me on Garden Leave at the end of Friday, so I am currently pottering around the house, making soup and looking forward to some free time :j

I have three months notice so they will pay me for the next three months and after that it's "going legal" so I'll have to wait and see.

It's such a relief to be out of it, it was taking so much out of me, knocking my confidence and self esteem. I'm lucky that I have some wonderful friends and family who have reassured me all the way through that this wasn't about me, this was about others....

Plus as I was living away from home all week, it is lovely to be home finally. The dog isn't very sure what's going on - I think she'll pack my bag for me in a few days, she's used to having "her Daddy" all to herself!

Soooooo the dehydrator is ordered so that I can dehydrate veggies etc. for the storecupboard and we need to ramp up the MSE'ness as once my money is finished we have virtually no income :eek: Not thinking about that for now...one challenge at a time, now is the time to rebuild my confidence and get myself "grounded" again.

Thanks for your support, I feel awful that I have not been able to support others but I've been struggling to deal with our own issues and have really not been any use to others

mama67

seasalt wrote: »

ETA Sorry, missed a page somehow. I remember free butter too. And I'm another one who has never quite managed the one meal fits all - although I cook one meal with variations, especially as DDs are vegetarian, but it is easy to provide eg hummus, lentils etc as alternatives if the rest of us are having meat. There are lots of meals I'd like to cook though but don't because I know nobody would eat them and it would all go to waste.

I have a few meals which I now no longer cook as there is only me will eat them, especially ones which I loved eating as a child; I have cooked each a couple of times for dh and then again so the boys could try them but no, not happening.
Annoyingly they are the ideal foods which are cheap to cook and filling as well.

I might just do some and freeze in portions to have for my lunch sometimes.

parsonswife8

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

Morning all....well a cheerful day here. My work situation is resolved which is a huge weight off my shoulders. I resigned last week and they finally put me on Garden Leave at the end of Friday, so I am currently pottering around the house, making soup and looking forward to some free time :j

I have three months notice so they will pay me for the next three months and after that it's "going legal" so I'll have to wait and see.

It's such a relief to be out of it, it was taking so much out of me, knocking my confidence and self esteem. I'm lucky that I have some wonderful friends and family who have reassured me all the way through that this wasn't about me, this was about others....

Plus as I was living away from home all week, it is lovely to be home finally. The dog isn't very sure what's going on - I think she'll pack my bag for me in a few days, she's used to having "her Daddy" all to herself!

Soooooo the dehydrator is ordered so that I can dehydrate veggies etc. for the storecupboard and we need to ramp up the MSE'ness as once my money is finished we have virtually no income :eek: Not thinking about that for now...one challenge at a time, now is the time to rebuild my confidence and get myself "grounded" again.

Thanks for your support, I feel awful that I have not been able to support others but I've been struggling to deal with our own issues and have really not been any use to others

Well done for taking the steps to get out of a bad situation.:T

You need to do what is right for you. Enjoy being at home and take care.:)

rosieben

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

Morning all....well a cheerful day here. My work situation is resolved which is a huge weight off my shoulders. I resigned last week and they finally put me on Garden Leave at the end of Friday, so I am currently pottering around the house, making soup and looking forward to some free time :j ...

I'm glad you've made the decision to walk away, I seem to remember you mentioning this quite a while ago (on the daily?), and when you're constantly under stress it badly affects your health and confidence. Take a few days to just step back from it and enjoy pottering!

Pitlanepiglet

rosieben wrote: »

I'm glad you've made the decision to walk away, I seem to remember you mentioning this quite a while ago (on the daily?), and when you're constantly under stress it badly affects your health and confidence. Take a few days to just step back from it and enjoy pottering!

Thanks Rosieben, I think it was on the original "tough" thread that I first mentioned it, it was incredibly cathartic to say the words "out loud" and I had some fantastic support and advice. It's been over 18 months of problems, so it has effected us all quite badly, we've tried to stay strong but there is no doubt that it's been a problem. Hubby is very glad that I'm back and as is my Dad (who hubby cares for).

T'is a bit odd though, weekends have always flown by and even the odd weeks of holiday go so fast...there is loads to do though but I plan to take it very easy this week.

lilac_lady

As I get older I don't feel like cooking much unless my family or friends are visiting. I don't bake unless my grandchildren are in the kitchen "helping" me.

The problem is that I feel a bit guilty when I buy ready made food after years of cooking. I suppose I'm just MSE-d forever.

Margaret54

NualaBuala What kind words, thank you so much.
I am so sorry to hear about the young girl being fired, from her job. It is disgraceful and I do hope she gets advice from the CAB, as this can't be right. My dd is 30 and she only wears a little makeup if she is going out at night say, as she has lovely clear skin and such a pretty smile too. She always looks fresh and works in a bank so sees a lot of the public and it has never been a problem. Poor girl must be feeling so upset bless her. This really made me cross reading that. I do hope she gets another job very soon.

annie123

Thank you for the support.
She has emailed HR today and had a reply back saying it is not company policy to wear makeup and they are investigating further.

Not that she wants to go back there now and I don't blame her.
Shes going to try and get ANY job for now and go to College full time next September. Her previous college tutor and the manager of her cleaning job have both said they would be happy to give her a reference.
Thats the easy bit, the hard bit was walking round here to see me this morning, I watched her approach, head down, one of my sons hoodies on and scarf so big around the neck, she looked ready for an artic expedition!! The only bit I could see was her nose.
I know its cold today but not that cold here in London.