Finally have a mortgage now to try and get rid of it asap

egoode

Thanks London18, I'm really hoping it's not too big a problem. I think the main problem at the moment seems to be that it's clearly not in an easily accessible area. The plumber is due to come this afternoon so hopefully it will be good news.

egoode

So the plumber came today and think it's a valve that needs replacing in the shower but will be back on Wednesday to do the work. However the valve apparently costs around the £150 mark and with the time it's likely to take to fix this could be a bit of an expensive bill.

However something good to look forward to is I've booked my first holiday in about 2 years that doesn't involve visiting my family in Australia. I'm going to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Israel and meeting up with and travelling with a really good friend from my hometown in Australia. We don't usually get much time to just hang out in Australia when I'm back visiting so will be really nice to have 2 weeks together and properly catch up!

Coffee_Cup

Your holiday sounds fantastic. Jealous!!

egoode

Well the plumber didn't come today as some other emergency came up he had to deal with but he should be here first thing tomorrow.

However I did end up having a money saving day. I worked from home so I didn't buy lunch like I usually would and made something at home instead, also I had cancelled the cleaner that usually comes today as she generally comes when the plumber was going to be here so saved myself £30 but does mean my flat won't be cleaned until next week (I know I'm still unlikely to do it this week I'm really not a housework person!). Also I saw on a local forum someone giving away an Ikea folding chair I was planning to go and buy this weekend so I got one free chair which has saved me £11, although still need a couple of other chairs and a dining room table.

Overall not a bad day but do hope the plumber doesn't cancel again tomorrow as I really want this leak fixed asap.

egoode

Well the plumber is here fingers crossed it doesn't cost too much!

egoode

So the plumbers just left, there ended up being two of them working on the job. Was starting to get worried about about how much it was going to cost as when he came the first time he mentioned a charge of £65/hr. However I was pleasantly surprised when the total bill was £300 and that included £100 worth of materials.

Hopefully it should now all be fixed and downstairs should no longer be getting water dripping down from my flat!

egoode

Well I feel I've been a little productive today.

I called the mortgage company as I hadn't received any details yet of my offset saving account or how to set up internet banking. So I managed to get my offset account number and will be transferring my savings across asap.

I also managed to pay the arrangement fee and telegraphic transfer fee that had been added to my mortgage which was £820 in total, not sure if it counts as an overpayment but if it does that would be my first one At least it will mean I'm not paying interest on the fees.

Also had a chimney sweep around to sweep the chimneys and check they are in good condition to be used for a fire. The one in the lounge room is ok just need to buy a grate as it's missing although it can be used without it but won't burn as well. However the fireplace in the bedroom needs to be replaced which I had suspected would be the case. At the moment I'm not sure whether to replace it or not as not sure how often I would really use it. Now I just need to find some firewood and remember how to get a fire going!

Need to do a trip to Ikea at some point this weekend to buy a dining table and some chairs. I've got my house warming next weekend and currently have nothing for my guests to sit on except for a futon and very little to put food and drinks on. However I hate shopping so not really looking forward to it, I've looked online at lots of different options and there's an Ikea one I've got my eye that's a reasonable price and fits in my room.

Now I've got to get to my next fun task of going through all the paperwork that's built up in my lounge room and sort it out and if I have time/energy start moving the stuff I stored in the loft room so it's cleared out for when my friend moves in. I can put some of it in the eaves but I think I'll put my books under the bed in my room as I currently don't have a bookcase to put them in. Also need to sell/give away some items that I don't even know why I moved them in the first place as I'm never going to use them again.

London18

Good news on the plumber costs - relief!

If you get your decluttering done can you come and help me out? :rotfl: I found a ring binder in the closet the other day with 7 year bank statements all neatly filed in date order for a whole year. And 2 bags for life stuffed with all sorts of statements and bills some not even opened. ***Sigh**

Oh and best wishes for that trip to Ikea. I avoid the place unless desperate - partly as I always spend too much (ooh a pretty vase and so cheap! Oh a plastic storage box - I really I need one of those for all my old bank statements) I am like a magpie in a shiny shop. And it's worse than the seventh circle of hell trying to get out of the place quickly!

Happy bank hol weekend!

egoode

Not sure I'll be good at helping you with decluttering I have every single bank statement from when I opened the account over 9 years ago! I kept finding I needed a long history of bank statements for all my UK visa applications over the years and they don't like online versions. However I'm now a citizen I could probably throw some of them out but I just can't seem to bring myself to throw them away.

I'm thinking for Ikea I'll get there when they open and hopefully avoid some of the crowds.

Pushkin

Hi Egoode -we're doing 1kea tomorrow as well (will be Southampton one) - just to get 'ideas' for son's new bedroom furniture, really don't intend on spending much - famous last words huh.

Enjoy - personally I love it for the first half hour then it gets somewhat tedious....

OH v much looking forward to the meatballs though - last time we went it was during the horse meat scandal and they had taken them off the menu - our 12 year old reacted more maturely than my DH!