make do and mend for tougher times

grandma247

I found this on the cab site
The landlord charges for fuel

There are legal restrictions on the amount a landlord can charge for fuel. This applies whether or not the fuel is supplied through a pre-payment meter.

If a pre-payment meter is set to charge above the legal limits, you are entitled to a rebate when it is emptied.

If you pay the landlord each time a bill is received and you think the amount is too high, s/he should ask to see the bill before paying it.

If fuel is paid for along with the rent, you should check whether there is a written tenancy agreement which specifies how this is assessed. If the rent is registered with the Rent Officer, the amount for fuel may be specified and this cannot be changed without the agreement of the Rent Officer.

For details of the maximum a landlord can charge for gas and electricity, consult the fuel supplier

I don't think his previous landlord overcharged him because bil told me how much he put in a few years ago (he has been there 20 years) and it was very reasonable.

He also gave the landlord some money each week for his tv license and in return the landlord bought it for him outright. That changed once he knew he was going to sell so he got bil to get one of those cards from tv license people so he could pay it himself when he got his pension from the post office. He even bought him a tv when his stopped working and bil paid that weekly so he was an ok guy. He was a friend as well as landlord to him.

kidcat

Grandma there are probably loads of places to access help from as it does appear she is taking advantage, which is definitely a major no, a relative of ours works with people who have LD and is finding the number being ripped off either by LL or family is appalling. Contacting the energy watchdog may be another option. Good luck.

smileyt_2

kidcat wrote: »

Grandma there are probably loads of places to access help from as it does appear she is taking advantage, which is definitely a major no, a relative of ours works with people who have LD and is finding the number being ripped off either by LL or family is appalling. Contacting the energy watchdog may be another option. Good luck.

Kidcat, it stinks, doesn't it? Whatever your own personal financial problems, ripping off someone vulnerable is utterly despicable, the lowest of the low. And for those who are doing this who don't have financial problems, when are they going to learn that you can't take it with you?

Anyway, on that note I'm off to bed, having just realised it's gone midnight. Sleep well, everyone. xxx

Rosanna79

Grandma
Although it is many years ago since I lived in rented accomodation with payment meters, I do remember my landlady used to come to the property whilst someone from the utility ( presumably the electricity Board or gas) emptied the meters. We were always entitled to a cash rebate.

As long as we were there when the meters were emptied she didn't have the legal right to the money so would not take it. If we were absent when meter emptying took place she pocketed the rebate. I guess there have always been greedy landlords- sometimes during my student days that money would help me to eat for the rest of the week.

I know we have many different utility companies nowadays and am unsure of the present legal position. I hope you are able to get the correct info to help your BIl without , as you say making him feel less than able to look after his rights.

Interesting to hear various opinions on letting children play out.

I come from the generation which had very little health & safety awareness, apart from a bit of stranger danger. We seemed to be out playing for hours and to survive very well.

When my late brother and his partner took over the care of her 9 & 10 year old nieces after the untimely death of their mother at the back end of 1998. my brother was quite clear that the rate of child abduction had not gone up appreciably in the preceding 30 years. He insisted the girls were encouraged to find their way to & from school. He was blind and on one occasion the only adult available to mind the two girls and four friends when their school was closed. Everyone was worried but returned to find a crowd of kids happily playing whilst he sat nearby listening to the test match! No child tried it on with my brother. His personality was so strong they listened to his reasoning with them- he made sense.

He taught the girls aged about 12 & 13 to take a bus from the village into Cambridge, to board a train to London, then to cross London, board a train to Brighton & find their way to their father's house. There was uproar among friends & family. What he did , in fact, was to get the girls to take a blind person on that journey- himself. He was an amazing person, one of the best things that ever happened to them. Their self confidence & very wide experience of life is in a large part due to his influence and a lasting tribute to him since he died 5 years ago.

Has anyone got experience of modern weddings & the apparent lack of wedding lists these days?

OH & I are to attend the evening do of my cousin's youngest daughter in the next few weeks. Through unfortunate circumstances my cousin & I were kept apart for 30 years and although the last 20 have seen a great friendship grow between us I only know her 3 daughters as adults. They're nice girls on the whole.

The youngest, however, is always short of money and seems to be constantly needing financial bailouts, to the point that her parents are no longer able or willing to keep forking out, as like OH & I they too are retired.

The invitation we received had a poem that basically asked for money towards the honeymoon. I've been attending a patchwork class where the pieces of work I had on display were , on my own admission, a gorgeous lined & quilted tote bag & a patchwork cushion I want to give this lass as part of her wedding present. They are individual, one off pieces as are all of my craft items.

I'd originally planned to give her a £50 cash gift as well but am being told by family (including her own mother) & friends that £25 is more than enough in the circumstances. especially after all the time & effort I've put into the items I've made. In our family I'm the person who makes all sorts of craft items.

Has anyone else faced this sort of dilemma & have any thoughts on this. I'm very fond of the lass but despair of her financial !!!!lessness. Her older sisters seem much more sensible.

Best wishes to all those going through very difficult times at present.

Is anyone else dodging the Olympics?!!

Popperwell

I saw something along the lines you found on the CAB websaite Grandma either on Shelter or the Direct Gov site(they Gov site links to some parts of the CAB/Shelter sites)Interesting when those charities are quite often critical of Government policies...

Popperwell

Interesting post Rosanna...

I have no family remaining and so not sure, I am tempted to say anything given should be gratefully received and especially in these difficult times...

Thanks for the good wishes for those of us having worries about the future, keeping jobs, getting work, trying to keep benefits that we are entitled to through illness etc...and many other scenario's.

I'm doing reasonably ok at this minute, it's the unknowns that are out of my hands...

As to the olympics, yes I am(sorry to anyone looking forward to it)avoiding it totally and that includes the opening and closing ceremonies.

Its no longer(hasn't for years)gt the ideals the event stood for. It's costing the UK government/taxpayer too much(even with the sponsors input. It probably will lose money and will be used to promote a false cosy loveliness to the world of how great everything is in the UK and the PM will be there doing loads of media hype for audiences around the world. No doubt he'll give a big speech tomorrow when they are officially launched.

It's a distraction and to some extent some of the population have been taken in too.

prepareathome

You are not a flake fuddle, you are a very caring mum. You feel deep down ( I think) you have let your children down by losing your home and so you are now going overboard to make it up to them ( again I think) without even realising it. You feel you must do this or that with them all the time as you have to make up for being a bad mum when you are no such thing.

Kids don't care where they live so long as they are with people they love and are fed and have toys to play with and someone to cuddle they are happy. Home can be a tent in a field or a mansion to them its all the same when they are young.

This is what I think is at the root of many of your anxieties - shoot me down if you feel I am wrong its 2am and this just came into my head but you calling yourself a flake has been bothering me since you posted it hours ago I hate to see you put yourself down so much - you feel you let your children down when you didn't. You and your husband are human and you made mistakes, totally human thing to do, but you have learnt from them and you are still giving your children a wonderful life but in a different way from before and they will be all the happier because of it.

Give yourself permission to stand down, to let them play in the garden without you feeling you must be there with them to show them how much you love them and without words telling them you know you were a bad mummy but you will spend the rest of your life making it up to them.

You are a wonderful mum:A

VJsmum

aaaaarrrgggghhhh

Disaster

OH has lost his passport. he is supposed to be flying out on sat but the earliest he can get an appointment for a replacement is next thurs.

we just dont know what else we can do

Popperwell

I missed that post about Fuddle thinking she is a flake...it never crossed my mind...and so should that thought be put out of her mind too...

I may not be into the Olympics but a couple of ideas for those entertaining children who may be

http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/blogs/jo-romero/olympic-inspired-party-recipes-160544331.html?nc

Popperwell

VJsmum wrote: »

aaaaarrrgggghhhh

Disaster

OH has lost his passport. he is supposed to be flying out on sat but the earliest he can get an appointment for a replacement is next thurs.

we just dont know what else we can do

Oh no! If your OH does manage to join you in the States how much time will be lost and how long remains?:(

I hear there is bad weather in the New York area with possible power cuts...an experience but I hope you are safe...