make do and mend for tougher times

monnagran

Hiya.

Who was that talking about sun and warm temperatures? Come to the sunny holiday Island, it's damp and dismal here.

Interested in all thsi talk about landlords and things. I have been toying with the idea of sinking what is left of my father's inheritance into a cheap (VERY cheap) one bedroom flat and letting it to someone on benefits cheaply. We get so many through our doors at the Drop-in whose HB no longer covers their rent and they have to top up out of their already pitiful JSA or whatever benefit they are on.
Many of them are in dreadful fear of what will happen if HB is cut further. I thought that if I could let out whatever hovel I can afford (I'm joking, I would make sure that it was in a liveable state) I could rent it out for whatever the HB would cover. However, for reasons I won't go into, I only have my basic state pension to live on, so if major repairs were needed I might not be able to afford them and I would hate to think that any tenant of mine would have the sort of problems Fuddle has faced. It's a puzzle. At the moment the money is just sitting there earning nothing and, if I'm honest, being slowly chipped away if I need to dip into it. I'm sure this is a problem many of you would like to have, but I would like the money to do some good.

That's enough of my meanderings.

My shopping trolley arrived yesterday afternoon (Sunday!) and I can't wait to do the trolley quick-step round the co-op.

Just noticed Grandma's sig about people not noticing old clothes if you wear a big smile.
That's as well then.

All together now ........ CHEEEEEEESE.

X

paidinchickens

As some of you may know from ages ago hubby and I came back from getting married to find the front of my house smashed in as the tenant had fallen out with a family in the next street.

Repair bill came to £500 and hubby spent a week repairing and that was only for materials. That was supposed to be our honeymoon

Unless you in for the really long haul there is no money to be made only heartache and problems.

I have always been on the !!!!!! end of the ebbing and flowing aswell.

The wives of servicemen are worried as if they are made redundant the ones in quarters will have no where to live either, great thank you for service to your country eh?

PiC x

Possession

monnagran wrote: »

Hiya.

Who was that talking about sun and warm temperatures? Come to the sunny holiday Island, it's damp and dismal here.

Interested in all thsi talk about landlords and things. I have been toying with the idea of sinking what is left of my father's inheritance into a cheap (VERY cheap) one bedroom flat and letting it to someone on benefits cheaply. We get so many through our doors at the Drop-in whose HB no longer covers their rent and they have to top up out of their already pitiful JSA or whatever benefit they are on.
Many of them are in dreadful fear of what will happen if HB is cut further. I thought that if I could let out whatever hovel I can afford (I'm joking, I would make sure that it was in a liveable state) I could rent it out for whatever the HB would cover. However, for reasons I won't go into, I only have my basic state pension to live on, so if major repairs were needed I might not be able to afford them and I would hate to think that any tenant of mine would have the sort of problems Fuddle has faced. It's a puzzle. At the moment the money is just sitting there earning nothing and, if I'm honest, being slowly chipped away if I need to dip into it. I'm sure this is a problem many of you would like to have, but I would like the money to do some good.

That's enough of my meanderings.

My shopping trolley arrived yesterday afternoon (Sunday!) and I can't wait to do the trolley quick-step round the co-op.

Just noticed Grandma's sig about people not noticing old clothes if you wear a big smile.
That's as well then.

All together now ........ CHEEEEEEESE.

X

Monnogran make sure you budget for all the LL expenses, there's lots you might not immediately think of such as gas certification, boiler cover etc as well as all kinds of insurance, on top of any repairs. If you're going to use a letting agent their fees are significant, if you aren't then being a LL can be a huge hassle. We got called round once because there were spiders in the house. If you don't do much DIY yourself you'll also be making regular use of a handyman and paying for that too.
I think what I'm trying to say is, it's a laudable plan but go into it with your eyes wide open to all the costs otherwise it could significantly impact on you.

Popperwell

In N.Ireland many who get HB have seen it reduced by half:eek:and I don't know if that is instead of or will be as well as possible bedroom tax and...remember the idea that anyone under 25 should go back and live with their parents? Again something like that has been brought in there and many are being forced into hostels/shared accomodation but not 25 year old's...this is for people up to 35 years old!

I only found out because I watched a current affairs programme on BBC1 from N.Ireland.

shegar

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

Well like you say you do have a mortgage on your rented property so you wont see a profit, I suppose the only way you can look at it is , at least the mortgage is being paid.........Until such time come when property goes up a bit to be worth selling................

My hubby had a 2 bed property 18 years ago, and he rented it out with no profit at all cos of the mortgage had to be paid , ins etc , plus he had a run of bad tenants who would not look after the place, im glad he did eventualy sell it at a loss though , cos the worry of the property was all too much, so I know where you are coming from...........

My son rents a 2 bed cabin it cost him £500 pcm, its owned by the LL in his garden, LL as no mortgage , and in the 2 years he has been there he hasnt once asked his LL to do anything to the place........They also pay CT, water, sewer charges........

So the LL comes very good out of the rental deal.......

Weather, well its been a grey,cloudy,dank,foggy , miserable day:eek:,not cold though cor I dont like this type of weather it gets us all down.......Talk of very cold wintry weather this thurs/fri and into the weekend..........

Cmon January 2013, get this bloody year outta the way.............The news is bleak too,my SAD as cut in badly and Im going to hibernate very soon and come bake January.....................Sheila

2tonsils

savingqueen wrote: »

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:)

Well with it being so humid here we run one upstairs and one down. We bought our first one from the UK (Curry's) and its still going strong after 19 years of being on every day. We run them winter and summer as its humid all the time. Our upstairs one was bought here last year to replace one from the Uk which had given up the ghost and died on us. You will be amazed by how much water they take out of the air in 24 hours.:T

We use the water for the steam iron, topping up the car battery and now and again for rinsing hair as it leaves it lovely and soft compared to the hard water from the house supply. I did hear its good for plants but they did not explain why...:rotfl:

ginnyknit

SQ well done on the fundraising, it takes some dedication to stand a rattle a bucket, I know I did a lot of it when I worked for various charities - and its always cold on the day. Think your family will be happy with a quick meal, I know mine love a beans on toast with a bit of bacon and egg thrown in for good measure

must get my a** into gear and cook some tea for Oh and Ds, the boy is having a tough time at work and the least I can do is make him a nice tea.

Popperwell

More about the report that came out today...

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/workers-benefits-avoid-eviction-082441660.html

Sometimes someone posts as Pops...on the comments...it isn't me...

monnagran

Thanks Possession. This is what I was afraid of. I knew that insurances and inspections and replacing boilers etc would be on top of the usual running repairs and life would be more stressful. Half of me wants the security of a bit of money in the bank but the other, more strident, half thinks that money sitting in the bank is wasted.
Well, no flat that I could afford has come on to the market so perhaps that is telling me something.

x

[Deleted User]

carp day today, so dark and damp through the whole day. Very mild but I would rather have it bright and crisp and cold. Long power cut as well, almost 6 hours and pretty well too dark to knit and I couldn`t be bothered to read. I did light a candle to wish people well, all the people who are having such a tough time. I am often thinking of you

My new freezer came today and it really is a little gem. It`s a beko and is the smallest chest one but holds a surprisingly good amount. I started transferring frozen food this evening and I keep finding items I had forgotten about. It reached temperature very quickly and will work down to an outside temperature of -15

I had cabin fever so went and planted my part grown onion sets, the ground was so very sticky and the job was difficult but I was glad to get them done before the cold. I brought 4 ball cabbages home and dh and I made sauerkraut. It was so easy and very os, not needing any electricity. I processed 7 lb of shredded cabbage and all it needed was 4 heaped tbs of salt and one apple

Oh I must say that I am bored today, I think it is the weather, it sort of dampens the energy