Gallygirl's "A journey of 121,226.67 pounds begins with a single penny" diary

gallygirl

AlexLK wrote: »

Clippy is your daughter? :rotfl:

Yes, I know I don't look old enough .

AlexLK wrote: »

And, NOBODY should take financial advice from me.

Right Alex, worked that one out a long time ago :rotfl:.

So,,,,,, btl news:
Condensation/mould much worse than I was expecting
But fairly sure it is just condensation - on North side of building and gets very little sun. Only appeared in bedroom where furniture was against wall.
Bathroom needs replaced
Rest of place looks ok
Decided to keep it
Builder booked for mid-Dec for bathroom
Need to go shopping for tiles and suite
We appear to have a new tenant as current tenant's sister wants it
:think: Do I really want to let to someone who is prepared to accept condensation like that (albeit she knows it will be fixed before she moves in). Will need to insist on regular inspections as from experience tenants just let things get worse and worse before telling us.
Bedroom won't be getting used so no furniture against wall. Will leave dehumidifier with her and if it gets the same next winter can decide to sell then.

AlexLK

gallygirl wrote: »

Yes, I know I don't look old enough .

:rotfl: You said it.

gallygirl wrote: »

Right Alex, worked that one out a long time ago :rotfl:.

I think everyone did. Hopefully, I'm on the way to sorting myself out though, now.

gallygirl wrote: »

So,,,,,, btl news:
Condensation/mould much worse than I was expecting
But fairly sure it is just condensation - on North side of building and gets very little sun. Only appeared in bedroom where furniture was against wall.
Bathroom needs replaced
Rest of place looks ok
Decided to keep it
Builder booked for mid-Dec for bathroom
Need to go shopping for tiles and suite
We appear to have a new tenant as current tenant's sister wants it
:think: Do I really want to let to someone who is prepared to accept condensation like that (albeit she knows it will be fixed before she moves in). Will need to insist on regular inspections as from experience tenants just let things get worse and worse before telling us.
Bedroom won't be getting used so no furniture against wall. Will leave dehumidifier with her and if it gets the same next winter can decide to sell then.

OK, onto your BTL:
Is it worth getting somebody out to check the damp / condensation issue and seeing if something more permanent can be done?

Bathroom shouldn't be too difficult and not too expensive. I reckon if you've got a friendly plumber (as mentioned before) you can get it done for £6-700.

Hmmm, I'm inclined to agree regarding the new tenant. How often do you inspect currently?

gallygirl

AlexLK wrote: »

OK, onto your BTL:
Is it worth getting somebody out to check the damp / condensation issue and seeing if something more permanent can be done?

Bathroom shouldn't be too difficult and not too expensive. I reckon if you've got a friendly plumber (as mentioned before) you can get it done for £6-700.

Hmmm, I'm inclined to agree regarding the new tenant. How often do you inspect currently?

Builder has been out and I know neighbours have similar problems in the North facing external walls. Basically the house are like concrete 'tanks' which don't let moisture in but don't let it out either. There doesn't seem to be a permanent solution but an hoping the dehumidifier will keep it away.

The bathroom suite will be costing a bit more than £600-700 :eek:, I want a reasonable quality one. Whole room needs tiles removed (I'll do that ), retiled, ceiling replastered and extractor fan and shower screen fitted. Will use existing shower. Will measure up for tiles when take dehumidifier round but even normal stock tiles can be as cheap as £10 a m2 so hopefully will get for less as a clearance - just plain tiles with mosaic border, did that in btl2 and it looks smart

Don't do formal inspections (:o) but saw it in summer and was ok then. They'd had a touch last winter they said but moved cupboard and it was fine (so not quite sure why moved bed and massive unit there this autumn :huh:). Will meet prospective tenant and decide. Alternative is to pay a lot of money to find one who may in reality be no better!

AlexLK

gallygirl wrote: »

Builder has been out and I know neighbours have similar problems in the North facing external walls. Basically the house are like concrete 'tanks' which don't let moisture in but don't let it out either. There doesn't seem to be a permanent solution but an hoping the dehumidifier will keep it away.

OK, sorry to hear no permanent solution so far on that one. Dehumidifier should definitely help; we had one for a couple of months in our house when we first moved in and the house is reasonably dry now (for a 150 year old house anyway).

gallygirl wrote: »

The bathroom suite will be costing a bit more than £600-700 :eek:, I want a reasonable quality one. Whole room needs tiles removed (I'll do that ), retiled, ceiling replastered and extractor fan and shower screen fitted. Will use existing shower. Will measure up for tiles when take dehumidifier round but even normal stock tiles can be as cheap as £10 a m2 so hopefully will get for less as a clearance - just plain tiles with mosaic border, did that in btl2 and it looks smart

Sounds far more "posh" than my parents' houses! They buy the cheapest suite possible, use their friendly plumber to fit and tile in white then call the job finished. Tenants sort out having showers (non electric) put in at their own expense or they have a bath. Not sure how much longer parents will be able to do that for and attract decent tenants though. :rotfl: Still, they've ended up with decent taps in some that the tenants have left over the years. :cool:

gallygirl wrote: »

Don't do formal inspections (:o) but saw it in summer and was ok then. They'd had a touch last winter they said but moved cupboard and it was fine (so not quite sure why moved bed and massive unit there this autumn :huh:). Will meet prospective tenant and decide. Alternative is to pay a lot of money to find one who may in reality be no better!

Hmmm, not sure not doing formal inspections is a good idea. My mother goes round all their properties twice a year. However, I suppose it depends on how much you trust the tenants and your own time availability.

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Morning GG, looks like progress on B2L. Good luck with suite shopping.

Have a good week, Tilly x x

gallygirl

Alex, I'm keeping one eye on possibly selling. A very basic job would be ok for rental but I'd prefer to make it look 'nice' for a little extra to add a little value to the property. Also to make it a better home so tenant will hopefully want to stay put. As all of the work needs doing it makes sense to do it above basic level and fitting a decent fan will hopefully save money with the condensation.

Usually I'm going round for the odd little thing so will let them know I'll pop round all rooms while I'm there. I wouldn't have seen this anyway unless furniture was moved. But if necessary will move furniture in future - will be telling them to keep it away from walls anyway!

Tilly - looking forward to bargainous shopping .

It's Monday morning
No pennies to Tilly Tidy
It's raining

I have my health, family and enough money though which is what's really important :T.

AlexLK

gallygirl wrote: »

Alex, I'm keeping one eye on possibly selling. A very basic job would be ok for rental but I'd prefer to make it look 'nice' for a little extra to add a little value to the property. Also to make it a better home so tenant will hopefully want to stay put. As all of the work needs doing it makes sense to do it above basic level and fitting a decent fan will hopefully save money with the condensation.

Certainly agree re. fan and presumed that was already in place. Depending on the house's value in the first place I'd be making sure what you spend on things like bathrooms and kitchens is in line.

gallygirl wrote: »

Usually I'm going round for the odd little thing so will let them know I'll pop round all rooms while I'm there. I wouldn't have seen this anyway unless furniture was moved. But if necessary will move furniture in future - will be telling them to keep it away from walls anyway!

Tilly - looking forward to bargainous shopping .

It's Monday morning
No pennies to Tilly Tidy
It's raining

I have my health, family and enough money though which is what's really important :T.

I see re. the not so formal inspections. Am I right in thinking the current tenant left NO gap at all between furniture and wall? :eek:

muppets

gallygirl wrote: »

PM me your email address and I'll bung it over. Let me know the value of your house and your outstanding mortgage and I'll try to build one the right size :rotfl:.

Hope you don't mind I would like a copy of your house too please, I have sent u a p/m with my email and value of house, Hope that was ok :A

gallygirl

Alex, no fan in place at present. Don't have one in other btls and never been an issue. Spends will be very much line with value, trust me! Kitchen is large and has a lot of units. Old MFI ones which tenant has glossed (with my permission), they were dark oak, now white and much brighter. Due to the quantity and layout it would cost a lot to replace. So won't be doing it . And yes, no gap between furniture and wall .

Just received annual pension statement from ex-employer. Pension has gone up £25 a year :rotfl:. I know every little helps, but even so .

AlexLK

gallygirl wrote: »

Alex, no fan in place at present. Don't have one in other btls and never been an issue. Spends will be very much line with value, trust me! Kitchen is large and has a lot of units. Old MFI ones which tenant has glossed (with my permission), they were dark oak, now white and much brighter. Due to the quantity and layout it would cost a lot to replace. So won't be doing it . And yes, no gap between furniture and wall .

Just received annual pension statement from ex-employer. Pension has gone up £25 a year :rotfl:. I know every little helps, but even so .

Sounds like you've covered your bases!

Some people really do make you wonder :rotfl: re. no gap between furniture and wall.