Considering voluntary repossession

lessonlearned

I agree some buyers will be put off by window bars, then again some won't. Plenty of investors buy properties that have windows boarded up or where steel shutters are in place. It's not always a big deal.

However security measures can be discrete, they don't have to be quite so "in yer face" as barred windows. I only suggested bars because the poster was so nervous and so obviously upset. It cannot be a pleasant experience to feel fear in your own home. It is the one place that should feel safe and secure.

Rather than full on fixed bars perhaps something on a frame which could be lifted in and out as required. They could just be slotted into place at night. A competent joiner could rustle something up in no time.

My family come from the continent, where most people use something very similar to keep insects out, only with a mozzie net instead of bars. It's just a simple frame which fits into the window embrasure with a series of fixings which hold the frame in place.

Not quite as strong as fixed bars or metal grills of course but it might make the poster feel safer. It would be a reasonable deterrent and would slow an intruder down sufficiently to give someone "escape time" if the worst were to happen.

BTW steel shutters are a common feature in Europe. No-one thinks twice about them. It's just something people have and no-one thinks badly of houses that have them fitted. In fact they are very energy efficient in cold European winters.

My home in Spain had both external roll down shutters and external metal grills to doors and windows. The grills were made of wrought iron and looked very pretty.

Alternatively, internal wooden shutters could be fitted - like the ones you find in period properties. Again these fold back during the day. And again great for energy conservation too. Secondary glazing is also a good security measure.

There are all sorts of options.....

I'm no security expert but there are a lots of simple effective measures such as prickly shrubs, gravel instead of grass, bolts and chains to doors, intruder lighting, alarms, even CCTV is relatively cheap now.

As I said in my last post, I wouldn't advise the OP to spend any money on repairs (unless they compromised safety eg dodgy boiler or similar) but, if a small investment in additional security helps them feel safe so they can ride it out until they can get a buyer, then it would be money well spent.

GM11

we are buying a house between glenluce and kirkcowan, it took us 2 years to find the house we wanted as we had a very specific list of wants that we were after, in the last 4 months i have noticed prices rising in parts of scotland despite zoopla and halifax saying they are dropping. Glasgow shouldnt be hard to sell in, i would doubt very much you would get as much negative equality as you think. When we buy to let we use a specialist auction house that deals with repo's we do this because the price is ROCK BOTTOM! please do try all other avenue's before this route, as for companies that buy, dont be fooled by the patter exspect to be offered way under value, in my experience typically a min of 20% - 30% if your lucky dont worry about doing it up alot of people have my attitude...... i prefer a house that is need of some work i would hate to buy a house that is pristine and needs nothing done because i would like to put my stamp on it so a bit of a waste of money doing that to a house in pristine condition ,

jdogg1976

wwtrend wrote: »

Sorry look at the website, property investors network for details of property meetings. There are others as well which might be property clubs but I know the the property investors network will let you attend the first one free otherwise they are £20 and the other meetings around £15 to £20 a meeting.

Doesn't look like there is anything in glasgow. It says coming soon in Edinburgh but that's a bit out of the way.

jdogg1976

pmlindyloo wrote: »

There is some useful information here:

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/debt_e/debt_mortgage_problems_ew/debt_how_to_sort_out_your_mortgage_problems_e/selling_your_property_to_clear_mortgage_debts.htm

about why it is not a good idea to 'hand back the keys'.

You haven't mentioned mortgage arrears so I am assuming that you are still paying your mortgage.

In view of the fact that you want to move because the house is in disrepair as much as the anti social behaviour then I believe your best option is to find some money to do the obvious repairs -basically the ones that will make selling your house easier (more advice if you give us a list!)

So how to achieve that?

Check that you are receiving all the benefits you're entitled to (use the calculator on www.turn2us.org.uk - click Benefits Search and you will see it)

See if you can up your income in any other way - overtime/2nd job

Reduce your income - lots of help on this website to cut expenditure.

And finally, as an alternative, speak to your mortgage lender, explain the situation and see if they will give you a mortgage holiday so that you can us the mortgage money for the repairs.

Of course you could just default on your mortgage payments and use the money this way.

If you can spend a little money on making the house presentable and put it up at a reasonable price then someone should buy it. You should not have to pay out any money until you sell the house as most expenses can be deducted from any equity. If there turns out to be no equity after the mortgage is repaid then you will have to treat monies owed as non priority debts.

If you are unhappy/not willing/able to do this then just put it up for sale and accept whatever is offered.

Personally I believe you can add thousands to a property by tweaking certain things that do not cost a huge amount of money - as I said give us a list and the DIY experts can help.

Thank you.

Yes I am paying the mortgage. No problems in that respect.

jdogg1976

lessonlearned wrote: »

I agree some buyers will be put off by window bars, then again some won't. Plenty of investors buy properties that have windows boarded up or where steel shutters are in place. It's not always a big deal.

However security measures can be discrete, they don't have to be quite so "in yer face" as barred windows. I only suggested bars because the poster was so nervous and so obviously upset. It cannot be a pleasant experience to feel fear in your own home. It is the one place that should feel safe and secure.

Rather than full on fixed bars perhaps something on a frame which could be lifted in and out as required. They could just be slotted into place at night. A competent joiner could rustle something up in no time.

My family come from the continent, where most people use something very similar to keep insects out, only with a mozzie net instead of bars. It's just a simple frame which fits into the window embrasure with a series of fixings which hold the frame in place.

Not quite as strong as fixed bars or metal grills of course but it might make the poster feel safer. It would be a reasonable deterrent and would slow an intruder down sufficiently to give someone "escape time" if the worst were to happen.

BTW steel shutters are a common feature in Europe. No-one thinks twice about them. It's just something people have and no-one thinks badly of houses that have them fitted. In fact they are very energy efficient in cold European winters.

My home in Spain had both external roll down shutters and external metal grills to doors and windows. The grills were made of wrought iron and looked very pretty.

Alternatively, internal wooden shutters could be fitted - like the ones you find in period properties. Again these fold back during the day. And again great for energy conservation too. Secondary glazing is also a good security measure.

There are all sorts of options.....

I'm no security expert but there are a lots of simple effective measures such as prickly shrubs, gravel instead of grass, bolts and chains to doors, intruder lighting, alarms, even CCTV is relatively cheap now.

As I said in my last post, I wouldn't advise the OP to spend any money on repairs (unless they compromised safety eg dodgy boiler or similar) but, if a small investment in additional security helps them feel safe so they can ride it out until they can get a buyer, then it would be money well spent.

I have thought about CCTV but someone points out that it might make it look lo,e I've go something of value in the house and may become a target of burglars.

jdogg1976

I have had a quick look into the auction route. Looks promising but I'm thinking that will not be without its up front costs either. May have to pay solicitors and fee to the auctioneer.

jdogg1976

I've contacted an auctioneers in Glasgow and asked for a free auction appraisal.

I'm a bit worried about potential buyers being put off by the shattered window and the damaged lock. If they know its a bad area they might not want to invest.

pixelwife

Your situation sounds desperate and I just wanted you to know I really feel for you. People here are offering great advice about what to do to beef up security etc but from what I've read you don't have the funds to do that, right?

What you could try is heading down to car boots for a few bits to help secure the place. If you don't have the money, take some things to sell and with the money you make buy some bits to improve your security.

There may be people on here in your local area that can help you out with some of the smaller things - fencing, outside lights they're not using etc.

Also have a look at Freecycle as you may get many of the things you want there, for free.

But don't give up and don't get hounded out. Little sods who do things like that are counting on you being bullied out. We here will offer you all the support we can. Lets get your house improved and sold, at good value, so you can rebuild your life somewhere where the locals are nice!

Pixelwife

jdogg1976

pixelwife wrote: »

Your situation sounds desperate and I just wanted you to know I really feel for you. People here are offering great advice about what to do to beef up security etc but from what I've read you don't have the funds to do that, right?

What you could try is heading down to car boots for a few bits to help secure the place. If you don't have the money, take some things to sell and with the money you make buy some bits to improve your security.

There may be people on here in your local area that can help you out with some of the smaller things - fencing, outside lights they're not using etc.

Also have a look at Freecycle as you may get many of the things you want there, for free.

But don't give up and don't get hounded out. Little sods who do things like that are counting on you being bullied out. We here will offer you all the support we can. Lets get your house improved and sold, at good value, so you can rebuild your life somewhere where the locals are nice!

Pixelwife

Thank you for your kind words and advice. I will take your advice on board as well as the other great advise I have received.

It's not just the hooligans, although it mostly is, but we are also just desperate to get out of the house in general. We have not been happy here for years. The people that sold it to us have so obviously done patch up jobs because things have been going wrong with it ever since we got it 12 years ago,

The very day I got the keys I discovered two gas leaks, one at the cooker and one at the boiler. Luckily enough the seller was liable because it was in the first seven days. But ever since it has been one thing after the other. Leaky pipes causing flood below bathroom and causing the kitchen ceiling to fall in, dodgy floor boards, dodgy shower which I was told could have killed me, problems with lights, another gas leak, the boiler going on the blink at least once a year, kitchen cupboards and drawers breaking, door handles coming off, there is. Always something. And that's before you even start on the trouble from the local idiots.

My door number 13 is very appropriate.

It's hard when myself and the wife are working hard and on low incomes and we don't get any help from the government because we earn just above the cut off for working tax credits. This is why I want to get out and rent, so I am not responsible for paying for things when they go wrong.

I admit there is a lot if times where we could have used spare money to do some work but we deserve to have some sort of social life as well, we work hard. The first few years we had the house we had no money to do either, you only have one life and we don't want to spend it sitting staring at 4 walls.

I have had plenty of people telling me I should get my priorities right and they're probably right.

Anyway sorry for waffling and thanks again.