Oh heck

ampersand

Thanks button has moods, atm 'not'.

' I'll write to them about it I think. I need to write and ask permission to have the meters changed anyway. I'll drop the letters into the housing office by hand.' - ask for receipts

Agree with Sue - def, like sound of your advisor, a keeper:-) !

Turn the tenancy date situ on its head, Ames -
Let us say Tenant is pushing Council to advance date. 'We want it NOW'.
Council - 'but there is a gas leak. We can't let you in until [a] it's fixed [ b]the new gas safety certificate is signed. What sort of 'landlord' would we be if we let people move in to a place with a gas leak? Peter Rachman?'

You'll also have an annual gas safety check. It's a legal requirement.

That handyman quote is silly/excessive.
? on the local money-saving Thread for recommendations? -

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/search.php?searchid=157062621

Ames

ampersand wrote: »

Thanks button has moods, atm 'not'.

' I'll write to them about it I think. I need to write and ask permission to have the meters changed anyway. I'll drop the letters into the housing office by hand.' - ask for receipts

Agree with Sue - def, like sound of your advisor, a keeper:-) !

Turn the tenancy date situ on its head, Ames -
Let us say Tenant is pushing Council to advance date. 'We want it NOW'.
Council - 'but there is a gas leak. We can't let you in until [a] it's fixed [ b]the new gas safety certificate is signed. What sort of 'landlord' would we be if we let people move in to a place with a gas leak? Peter Rachman?'

You'll also have an annual gas safety check. It's a legal requirement.

That handyman quote is silly/excessive.
? on the local money-saving Thread for recommendations? -

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/search.php?searchid=157062621

Yes, my advisor is amazing.

It was the annual gas safety check that found the leak.

As for what the council would say, given that I was left with no means of washing for two years, I haven't had heating for five years and I'm living with a serious damp and mould problem, I doubt a small gas leak would bother them!

Errata wrote: »

Agree with you on the time it takes to knock together flatpack furniture.
re the painting - £18/22 to paint one side of a door is bonkers.
IIRC there's a Handywoman service in the Leeds area, sorry haven't got a link.

It's good that you've all said the quote is daft. I asked on the 'is this quote fair' board, but I don't think I explained my question very well. That happens whenever I visit the technical boards, I just don't understand what to them are really obvious and simple questions.

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

As long as you use the work 'complaint', it should be ... However I think it's worth having a list of everything you are complaining about.

I realise you've signed the tenancy agreement, but I don't see how you can move in before the gas leak is sorted. Therefore there's an argument for changing the start date of the tenancy. See if your adviser agrees with you - sounds like you've got a good one there!

Not sure what would happen if I ask to change the date of the agreement, as tenancies have to start on a Monday, so would I have to give the keys back for a week?

Savvy_Sue

Ames wrote: »

Not sure what would happen if I ask to change the date of the agreement, as tenancies have to start on a Monday, so would I have to give the keys back for a week?

Actually, you may not be asking for the date of the tenancy start to be changed, but for you not to have to pay rent for this first week because it is uninhabitable. Giving your keys back might encourage them to get the cleaning properly sorted, but ask your adviser if it's best for you to liaise with gas people etc.

Homeownertobe

If your money comes through in time, it might be worth just paying to have the place professionally cleaned yourself - after decoration, obviously.

You can be sure it's done then and it'll be money well spent and save on an awful lot of stress.

Ames

Having looked at my tenancy handbook I don't think I can complain about the gas check. Loss of hot water or heating doesn't come under the right to repair unless it's between November and March. So as long as the gas is turned off, the flat's not uninhabitable.

Ames

Looks like I'm moving tomorrow. I need to crack on and get curtains sorted. I've never had to buy them before (blinds here, landlord provided them in the last place), and I can't work out what size I need. Following the Dunelm Mill guide, I need two and a half metre wide curtains for a window that's less than one metre wide, which doesn't seem right?

Most of the windows are 1m wide, except the bedroom, which is almost 2m. Could someone help me with the calculations?

Gigervamp

When I get curtains, I buy 1.5 times the width of the window. ie, if the window is 1 metre wide, each curtain should be 1.5 metres wide. This is to allow for fullness. Having said that, it might be a bit more for pencil pleated curtains as the pencil pleats reduce the width of the fabric quite a bit. If you're going for tab tops or curtain rings, the 1.5 times is enough.

For the length, either go for full length, or a bit longer than the length of the window.

bossymoo

I was taught 2.5 times the width for nets to give a very full look, but I think for the proper curtains , it will vary depending on type. For example ring top ones that slot straight onto a pole would be fine at 1.5 times. If you are using a curtain track with a pencil pleat curtain you might want them fuller, maybe 2 times.

Bear in mind you will get a pair of curtains, so for example a 1m wide window with eg a wooden pole and ring top curtains you'd need each panel to be 75cm wide (or a little more).

Hope that makes sense and best of luck for the move. Enjoy your new home.

kelpie35

Also if you get ring top ones it saves you buying hooks to fit on to the curtains.

Also if you want to keep heat in for the winter I would advise lined curtains or thermal ones.

Hope the move goes smoothly for you.

KxMx

With curtains 46in width will (just) fit my window but I get 66in to give a nice bit of gather and not having to worry about gaps. Can't afford any bigger!

Ring top curtains are fine but I suspect Ames like me would struggle to fit/remove without help. I find it much easier to have pencil pleat then I can pop on the step stool and re-fix any rings/hooks as needed.

Don't be tempted by the cheap unlined curtains, even very basic lined curtains are far superior and offer much more privacy.