Preparedness for when

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

I'm trying to PM you, but your inbox is full.

I am now open again for business!!!


jko... I think when the stress of everything calms down, Ihe might might listen, at the moment he has lost loads of weight with the stress of everything, so I will not pressure him at mo, its normally me that suffers with the stress of things,


my motto at the mo, is don't look back lol

Frugalsod

jk0 wrote: »

Funny you should say that Frugalsod. A new management company recently took over, and will be taking 11.5% commission on the job.

It is a legalised con. If the roof costs are sufficient have you considered asked the other leaseholders to see about bidding for the freehold and making it a common hold?

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Bob, I am banging for the next hour if you want to join me

jk0

Frugalsod wrote: »

It is a legalised con. If the roof costs are sufficient have you considered asked the other leaseholders to see about bidding for the freehold and making it a common hold?

Thanks Frugalsod. It's an idea. Funnily enough, that is exactly what I am doing at another block of only five flats where we had similar nonsense. However, it's costing about £4k each, and our leases have 107 years left.

Most of my fellow lessees at the Housing Association flats are quite poor, so I doubt this would be possible, even if some of us bought the lion's share.

[Deleted User]

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

Bob, I am banging for the next hour if you want to join me

To quote AFF, "I'm available for experimentation".

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

To quote AFF, "I'm available for experimentation".

Oooo I love the bongo solo lol


Back on track

So when do you think the country will officially go back into recession?? Any news on China and knck on effects??

moneyistooshorttomention

jk0 wrote: »

I didn't think I'd be asking tenancy questions on this thread, but I wonder if you guys could have a look at my thread on Landlordzone. No-one seems to know the answer there.

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?70279-Connected-Contractors

The mad thing is that I now think that strictly speaking the freeholder (a housing association) are in the right. Two years ago, (unknown to me) they entered a long term agreement with a national contractor for major building items for their properties.

They now wish to replace the roofs on our blocks, and it seems they don't have to get alternative quotes because their long term agreement was competitively tendered.

Any thoughts?

1. 4 year contract - and they are 2 years into it. How urgent is this roofing work? Could it wait until the remaining 2 years are up before its done? Then they'd have no excuse to "stick with the same".

2. Wonder if there is a legal obligation on these freeholders to be sure that the address they are using for sending stuff to people is the correct one? I would have thought there would be.

3. If they claim to have obtained other quotes - then do you have the legal right to see these other quotes (ie as well as the moral right to do so)? Personally - I would be asking for sight of these other quotes - so I could form my own views on the competitiveness (or otherwise) of the one they have decided to use.

Frugalsod

jk0 wrote: »

Thanks Frugalsod. It's an idea. Funnily enough, that is exactly what I am doing at another block of only five flats where we had similar nonsense. However, it's costing about £4k each, and our leases have 107 years left.

Most of my fellow lessees at the Housing Association flats are quite poor, so I doubt this would be possible, even if some of us bought the lion's share.

Have you considered setting up a company to buy the freehold but structure it in such a way that even if they cannot afford to buy their share now it can be bought at cost at a later date when they are able to afford it. Also mention it would effectively reduce the risks of rent increases for new roofs. Though you probably should set up a sinking fund for maintenance. Housing benefits do not cover one off costs but will for regular sinking funds. If you structure it so that it does not cost them now or penalise them later then they might give you votes to buy the freehold. Also mention that if they leave it too long the freehold will become too expensive to buy and they or more likely their descendants will have to buy their flats back at full price.

[Deleted User]

What we ALL do have is experience, and experience in how to wring 2p worth out of every 1p we have available, experience on how to make a liveable life on half a shoestring maybe not how 'normal' people see a life but a good life nonetheless. Who can in honesty even begin to guess how our future will be? not just us at the less comfortable end of the spectrum but even those who are currently on the rich list. The main thing is to keep learning, keep trying, keep fighting to keep body and soul together. I don't see us as losers in any sense, I see us as an army of hard working gritty determined and able fighters who WILL NOT be quashed and vanquished by ANY set of circumstances we find ourselves in and who will ALWAYS bob to the surface and find the shore and have the guts and means to start again AND make it good!!! You're not losers, you're winners in every sense with the right to hold those heads as high as you can and look the world in the eye as equals with every other member of the human race. Whatever the circumstances and whatever the means available we WILL do more than just survive, we WILL live and enjoy our lives while we have breath in our bodies!!!

Frugalsod

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

Back on track

So when do you think the country will officially go back into recession?? Any news on China and knck on effects??

We will slow down, but whether it will be sufficient to push us into a recession is another matter. China is still collapsing and that will have a significant deflationary effect eventually. Initially it might accelerate the London housing bubble as Chinese millionaires move their money out of China. Though that could end abruptly then reverse as conditions deteriorate there. Things will take months to work their way through the system. Initially it will be deflationary as goods arrive from China, and undercut all other prices. This is partly as they try to raise cash outside China and buy assets outside the country. Though I do not think our economy is particularly strong so I doubt that we will benefit much.

The problem remains excessive private debts and when these start to fail then we will have the next crisis. We may not have to wait long as the US oil frackers are very vulnerable right now, as well as the mining companies like Glencore which is according to CDS rates at 50% likelihood of collapsing. Retailers will be weak and in January expect to see more mass closures after what I expect will be a weak sales period including Christmas.