Daydream thread... without the rose-tinted specs

Itismehonest

Rummer wrote: »

[Itisme I can't even begin to understand your frustration. Why they can't work with you to find a suitable compromise is beyond me. Do many people get caught in this situation?

In areas like mine I think there are probably quite a few. Most of them are probably unaware the problem even exists.

Just poodle along at your own pace. You'll still get things done but with less likelihood of making yourself poorly.

Rummer

You are right itisme I need to take things slowly but I am determined once I have a room sorted out that I will keep on top of it this time. Little and often is the way to go!

It is quite dull here atm and I have been waiting for it to rain all day, I have a daily mental argument about whether to hang the laundry out or not :rotfl: almost guaranteed that I make the wrong decision every time!

Today we have been feasting on plums and black currants from the garden which always lifts my spirits. The plum crop is bumper this year, I am really pleased I used a paint brush to boost the pollination levels

choille

Itismehonest wrote: »

Commercial loans require recent 'books'. We haven't traded for 10 years. Only one 2 bed cottage remains set up for use & we pay CT as a 2nd home on it although it's not allowed to be lived in. The others have been decommissioned in order not to pay 6 lots of CT - over £7K pa when we retired. As it is we pay around £4Kpa now for just the house & 1 cottage.

The Government is pushing to allow places with 'annexes' to be used by extended families & are talking about a reduction in CT for the annexes. Sadly, no use if we cant sell it to anyone who wants to use the cottage for the oldies.

Why pay council tax on it if it can't be lived in?

Itismehonest

choille wrote: »

Why pay council tax on it if it can't be lived in?

Because if you don't pay Business Rates then you have to pay Council Tax.

If I let the property for less than 140 days in the year, am I still liable for a rating assessment?

If the property was available for letting throughout the year but the operator makes a conscious decision to only accept bookings for a total of 139 days (or less), then the property will not be subject to a rating assessment but will be allocated a council tax band.

from http://www.voa.gov.uk/corporate/Publications/holidaycottagesGuide.html

It can't be lived in for more than 2 weeks at a time over a maximum of 10 months per year because of the Planning restriction (so can't actually be lived in) but CT is still payable. As far as the Council are concerned it could be let so they can charge.

The fact that to let it to holidaymakers would mean a 74 year old going back into business full-time (advertising, Public Liability, Landlord Insurance, producing brochures, taking bookings plus everything else involved) doesn't apparently matter.

The only way out is to rip everything out (making it uninhabitable). Then someone comes round to check it can't be used & you don't have to pay.

We left one cottage fully furnished & equipped because we thought it would enable any new owner to have at least one ready to start trading straight away.
If we have no joy then we may rip it out, anyway. Damned if I'm going to keep paying CT & all the insurances on it for much longer.

Rummer

We have decided to finish the bathroom before rumlet arrives Currently we have a new toilet and sink installed and a set of bath taps but we need a new bath, floor (we have part of it) and paint.

lostinrates

The first ever pear from the garden is ripe.

Huge excitement here. We are going to share it for pudding tonight.
Its very beautiful at least. Hope its not an anti climax!

Rummer

lostinrates wrote: »

The first ever pear from the garden is ripe.

Huge excitement here. We are going to share it for pudding tonight.
Its very beautiful at least. Hope its not an anti climax!

How exciting we planted our pear tree 5 years ago and have never had a hint of a pear! I hope you both enjoy it!

I had never realised how many things there were to think about in buying a bath, my head is spinning :eek:

lostinrates

Rummer wrote: »

How exciting we planted our pear tree 5 years ago and have never had a hint of a pear! I hope you both enjoy it!

I had never realised how many things there were to think about in buying a bath, my head is spinning :eek:

Do you have a pollinator for your pear?


What size bath do you need? Ours was a choice of default, it was the only one of its size I liked, but narrower than we wanted really. The architect suggested having one made of fibre glass or whatever here to the exact size we wanted but we decided we were less high maintenance than that. .

choille

Itsme, No way around the removal of CT ie just rip out the loo?

The restriction would have been on it when you bought it, or placed on it when you got Planning?

It's a sore thing, but one that will depend on your area if you can fight it. If not then you will have to work with it & look at all angles & outside the box so to speak - which I'm sure you've done.

Itismehonest

choille wrote: »

Itsme, No way around the removal of CT ie just rip out the loo?

The restriction would have been on it when you bought it, or placed on it when you got Planning?

It's a sore thing, but one that will depend on your area if you can fight it. If not then you will have to work with it & look at all angles & outside the box so to speak - which I'm sure you've done.

For those we stripped out we had to remove the loo, all sinks/basins & all ability to cook including the cooker point.

Yes, the restrictions were placed when the planning was granted in the 80s. What has changed since is the lending policy of the mortgage people. Once upon a time one could get a mortgage to buy "a house with income" but not now if the income involves anywhere people other than those taking out the mortgage can inhabit

I've PMed you.