make do and mend for tougher times

paidinchickens

grandma247 wrote: »

Pic you will never get bread like the stuff in the supermarket, they use special methods which give them more loaves per pound of dough. You could try putting a tray of hot water in the oven with your bread or let it rising a little longer but it will never be light as air or like the plastic stuff.

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I'm just glad I haven't done anything wrong.

Popperwell wrote: »

Talking generally now there has been a report today saying 10,000 new claims for HB being made every week now and these are all people who are employed and that mainly thanks to wages remaining static/low and rents increasing drastically in the last 5 years they need help and they reckon it will continue for at least for the next 5-6 years at least and the main two reasons given are greedy private landlords and a shortage of social housing. Also not enough properties to downsize to...

I would just like to point out that the prices for landlords have gone up.

I rent my house out as when I re married I moved in with hubby. As with many other landlords the house is not worth what they paid. I break even with the rent/mortgage until something goes wrong. I have to pay for BG cover so if something goes wrong they can call them straight out. Repairs have gone up, there was a leak a couple of months back and the roofer has put his prices up due to his insurance and fuel going up etc. My fuel/phone running around etc.

This year it has cost me to rent it out so I have had to put the rent up to make it even, I still charge below the market value. All the other landlords I know are of the opinion that they would rather have good clean paying tenants than charge more and end up with problems.

Please don't think all landlords are "greedy private landlords" as there are loads of us that don't want to be and are hardly keeping our heads above water.

I know this sounds harsh but when I was struggling as a single parent with two kids paying a mortgage I got no help with my mortgage, Joe bloggs who was in the same position with the same income got help and only had to find £80 month towards rent. I struggled for years while others (of which there were many) had an easier time. This is the way of things it always ebbs and flows.

Getting off my box now

PiCx

Popperwell

A lot will be guess work for them too...they can mention Bedroom Tax, reduction of Housing Benefit(probably)possibly loss of my help until Mums savings reduce and I come down to a point where I apply for help again(if that help is still available)

The rest no one knows until all the new changes are brought in and most of them don't happen until Oct 13.

And the only real change that worries anyone(quite a few on here)is one benefit that is to be scrapped...replaced, is reduced, harder to obtain and you have to go through an assessment with a company no likes or thinks to be fair, now if that is taken away that's when it could get difficult for many...

So many people who are trying to advise are struggling to make any sense of it all...

Popperwell

paidinchickens wrote: »

I would just like to point out that the prices for landlords have gone up.

Please don't think all landlords are "greedy private landlords" as there are loads of us that don't want to be and are hardly keeping our heads above water.

PiCx

I know that PIC I did not say it!

There are many who are decent, this is what the media said and sweeping generalisations/assumptions are made by polticians and media types, sometimes the public just as they do about just about all sections of society...all on benefits are scoungers(usually supported with anecdotal evidence)the unemployed who are often trying to get back into work and have worked most of their lives and wrongly even those who have to go down the bankrupt route are often condemed. But when talked to on the radio they often have been having a really stressful time.

And a LL has to try and charge enough to cover costs/repairs and probably some kind of insurance and may have to pay tax on income from renting out but hopefully enough to make it worth while...other wise why do it? And invest in the property before they can even offer it for rental/letting.

So I see your point totally...You only hear of the worst scenarios...To some extent private landlords have filled the gap in housing...and more people are having to rent as buying a house is out of the question for many...

VJsmum

paidinchickens wrote: »

I'm just glad I haven't done anything wrong.



I would just like to point out that the prices for landlords have gone up.

I rent my house out as when I re married I moved in with hubby. As with many other landlords the house is not worth what they paid. I break even with the rent/mortgage until something goes wrong. I have to pay for BG cover so if something goes wrong they can call them straight out. Repairs have gone up, there was a leak a couple of months back and the roofer has put his prices up due to his insurance and fuel going up etc. My fuel/phone running around etc.

This year it has cost me to rent it out so I have had to put the rent up to make it even, I still charge below the market value. All the other landlords I know are of the opinion that they would rather have good clean paying tenants than charge more and end up with problems.

Please don't think all landlords are "greedy private landlords" as there are loads of us that don't want to be and are hardly keeping our heads above water.

I know this sounds harsh but when I was struggling as a single parent with two kids paying a mortgage I got no help with my mortgage, Joe bloggs who was in the same position with the same income got help and only had to find £80 month towards rent. I struggled for years while others (of which there were many) had an easier time. This is the way of things it always ebbs and flows.

Getting off my box now

PiCx

I am a private landlord too - it is our pension. I pay agents fees, repairs, insurance, the bills of the house and income tax. Generally if our tenants ask for something, they get it. We let to students but don't be fooled into thinking it is like "the Young ones" Students - and their parents - are fussy beggars these days!

I have finally cleaned the kids bathroom :T I am now fit to be visited - it really was a disgrace . One more dissertation to mark, too. Maybe, just maybe, I am getting somewhere!

Byatt

Sometimes PIC, I feel I'm always on the wrong side of the ebbing and flowing. My LL is very good, they leave me alone for the most part, I'm hoping they don't put the rent up but imagine they will. There are no real costs involved with my house as I'm not a bother to them and deal with basic repairs etc. myself. I pay more in rent than the LHA is and all private housing is above the LHA figure, so have no idea where the council gets their figure from.

There are some horrendous landlords, there was a prog on tv about them not so long ago, and I couldn't bear to watch. Of course like anything there are good ones. People must in the main become LL's because there is a profit in it. Or maybe I've watched too many buy to let programmes! I know my LL was complaining (rightly so, it is income after all) that she desperately wanted to let out her other house because she missed the money.

At least with owning a house, albeit with a mortgage, it is yours, whereas all the rent paid in the world doesn't give you that security. And at least you are taking care of your house in the long term when hopefully things will improve selling wise.

edit to add, if anyone wants a perfect tenant, apart from some hoarding which I am addressing, I am perfect! ;):rotfl:

Popperwell

VJsmum wrote: »

I am a private landlord too - it is our pension. I pay agents fees, repairs, insurance, the bills of the house and income tax

I was thinking of you too and I don't know what is paid out as a LL but I did think that you have repairs, insurance and tax to pay. I only missed out the agents fee...and of course if you choose the wrong tennant you may have to repair any damage caused. Each case is different...

Byatt has said it quite well...I would have loved to own my home, circumstances meant that never happened so renting was the best option but as has been said no security.

Then again you do small repairs and take a pride in your home but hopefully at least larger repairs are done by the council, HA or private landlord and to a decent standard. If you own your own property you may have a roof over your head but you still have to find money to pay for perhaps repairs to the roof, replacing a heating system, rewiring and who knows what else...so you get caught either way...

Also even if you buy in a way you are only borrowing the property as if you become ill and need to go into care, it is sold and used for the fees(which is probably only fair)and if I owned this place I would not be able to pay the maintenance so it could fall into disrepair...also no one to pass it on to when I pass away.

There are points both for and against...

Byatt

Larger repairs may be done although as we know with Fuddle, it doesn't always happen, and some repairs are botched jobs. The outside of my house has bits falling off and needs specialist builders, but it's been done just to make do, and not ideal at all for the type of building it is.

Having lived in rented most of my childhood and then having bought my own home, I would choose buying over renting (even with HB), any day of the week. At least when you make sacrifices you know it's for the long term good. All the sacrificing in the world doesn't give me that with renting. I hate it. And I feel like crying now. Sorry.

savingqueen

2tonsils wrote: »

Fuddle...to answer your question.....dehumidifiers are cheap to run and they make a vast difference to damp problems.

On the subject of paint, if you have any problems at all with damp or condensation do not use acrylic or plastic based paint as it will cause the damp to stay in the wall....ask me how I know....we need the whole hall way replastering........


My two-penneth worth - we also have probs with bloomin' condensation and use a dehumififier - cheap to run and highly recommend one. In fact I want to get a 2nd one as fed up lugging up and down stairs and I'm not supposed to lift heavy stuff (but of course have to) - on my wish list when funds allow.

sq:)

savingqueen

glad you're having a good day Pops - make the most of it and I hope many more to come!

sq

rosieben

Possession wrote: »

For those following gluten-free diets there are some great recipes here:

http://pinterest.com/jnystul/gluten-free-goodness/

Possession, that look really useful, I've added the link to the recipe list on the Grocery Challenge