I Could Be Mortgage Free

Popgirl

Not been a good day today. For the first time since becoming landlords our tenants have not paid the rent for the month of November. What I am more angry about is the agent who manages the property for us has only told us today. The agent pays us a month in arrears so they have known since the beginning of the month. why o why did they not pick up the phone and let us know there was a problem?? Grrrr. The agent has chased the tenants but no positive response. Tomorrow if they don't pay it will become two months in arrears so we have some powers to take action. I am hoping it doesn't get to that.

Have a lovely evening everyone
Popgirl

Popgirl

Still having problems with tenants November's rent was paid but they haven't paid December's yet. They promised to pay on the 21st Dec that didn't happen so agency is chasing. I do feel a little uncomfortable about the chasing especially as it's Christmas but as DH keeps telling me it's not personal it's business.

DH has 1.5 days left to work before he leaves. He has been so much happier and relaxed since handing in his notice which has confirmed we have made the right decision. He is having a couple of problems with his company share plans due to him leaving which has resulting in us losing some money, he has put in a complaint and it's under investigation. We are hoping that is sorted before he finishes. Someone has made some error's during the process and DH is insisting they put them right. He said he will take it to the FSA if they don't!!!! I can see the headlines now!!!


Money News, continuing with small overpayments and saving £1000 a month into investment bond. I Have £56 tracking in Quidc@ so waiting for the pay out so I can add that to a pot, not sure which pot yet. I sold a few of the shares I hold in the company I work for last month to help pay for renovations on our apartment abroad. I timed the sale well as I sold them just before the latest FTSE dip. I got 50p more per share then I would have if I sold this week, great result. The shares I sold I bought 6 years ago for 61p each sold at £5.01, don't think that was a bad investment. I have sold just enough to be within the CGT allowance for this year. The rest of the money will come from our 123 account. After April if the share price comes back up I might decide to sell some more to add back into the 123 account depending how much I can top it back up from my wages between now and then. It's not all good news the € rate has slipped before we had chance to convert the money so I am taking a little gamble and holding back converting until the last minute. €'s are not needed until Jan. When converting a large amount a 5 cent drop is a lot of ££££'s


Nearly ready for the big day on Friday. All presents are wrapped food shopping part done, just need to pick up M&S order at 7am Christmas Eve, then await the arrival of my parents later in the day. Mulled Wine and cheese will be served that evening, with a sausage roll or two!!! I love savoury pastries!!


Have a wonderful Christmas


Best Wishes
Popgirl

Karmacat

That's excellent, Popgirl! I love timing financial gubbins well - I did that with the Euro/sterling exchange rate earlier this year, it got me E120 extra even compared to where it is now, which is still well up on where it was a year ago

Great idea to pick up your M&S order so early in the day - it certainly gets it out of the way :j

Have a lovely Christmas.

Popgirl

Have a lovely Christmas Karmacat.

A friend picked up her M&S order today and had to queue for 2hours to pay for it. I think I may need to go a lot earlier than first planned!!!

gallygirl

Well done on financial thingymajigs , I think you're right to hold on before buying euros.

Popgirl wrote: »

A friend picked up her M&S order today and had to queue for 2hours to pay for it. I think I may need to go a lot earlier than first planned!!!

There are queues in Spain as well you know - 15 minutes in butchers today to pick up order :rotfl:. They did have a bottle of brandy and free chocs on hand though . Mr GG had waited in car and I was very tempted to knock a few back and go out tipsy but resisted :A.

Popgirl

GG WOW the will power, I wouldn't have been able to resist!

I hope you have a lovely Christmas Day in the sunshine, fingers crossed DH and I will be spending Christmas 2016 in Spain


Best Wishes

Popgirl

I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas. Our Christmas was lovely, had my parents here they have returned home now. My parents were very generous with gifts as normal so we all received some really nice surprises. DH and I received a very large donation of money towards our apartment renovations which was gratefully received but not expected. My Parents do regularly visit our holiday home so they will benefit from the renovations. DS2 spent most of holiday days with us which was lovely. DS1 works in an industry that is at its busiest this time of year so we didn't see him. We did see him in November so we made the most of that time. I am hoping we will see him in February.

DH finished work on Christmas Eve his last day was memorable for all of the wrong reasons, the less I think about it the better but one thing for sure the HR Director has a lovely email waiting for him following his Christmas Break. Considering DH works (worked) in the financial sector responsible for large amounts of money you would have thought the employer would have made sure safe keys/ building keys were handed back securely and signed for instead of telling DH to put them through an employees home letterbox!! DH have covered his back and kept text message and the email with these instructions and the responses he provided saying he wasn't comfortable not following the correct procedures. JFDI was the response!


Now DH is not earning we have updated our monthly income/expenditure spreadsheet.


Our income will drop to £3624 a month bills are £1238 plus £1000 paid into investment account that we want to continue with as long as we can. That leaves £1386 a month in to varies pots for food, petrol, clothes, birthdays, EF, flights/hols etc .From this I would like to continue with small OP of £50 and save another £400. I am going to be on my own for the next 2 months as DH will be in Spain so this is very doable. I think I might be able to save a little bit more but don't want to stretch my goals too much. With the £1000 ,£400 and £450 (I save through work on share plans which I don't see in my wages) our monthly savings will be £1850. I am happy with that amount.


The bad news is we still haven't received rent from Tenant for December. Agent is working on it! Once we receive the rent we will be serving the tenant notice to leave by end of February when this tenancy agreement expires. We won't be renewing it with these tenants I don't want this worry and hassle every month.

Of course our income will be hit if rent isn't paid so extra savings will be hit and pots adjusted due to shortfall. Agency is on to DH now.

Happy New Year


Popgirl

Popgirl

Happy New Year Everyone. Catching up on people's diaries it sounds as if most people had a wonderful time last night. DH and I decided to stay in on our own and make the most of the few days left we have together before DH heads to Spain.The Guarantor paid December's rent on Wednesday to the agent and we received the money on time which was a relief. It means now the agent needs to start the chasing again for January's if it hasn't been paid on their return to work on Monday. Sadly the couple have split up The mother and children are still in the house but it seems her ex partner promised to continue to pay the rent. This arrangement clearly isn't working so it needs addressing. Regardless of the situation DH and I have agreed we are doing the right thing by serving the notice.


DH is currently working through his list of jobs before he jets off. The list will keep him busy until Monday!!!!


Best Wishes
Popgirl x

Goldiegirl

Glad to hear your husband has finished work - that must be a huge relief for him

Popgirl

It is GG he looks healthier and is so much happier now that weight has been lifted from his shoulders. I think people, like yourself, who has worked or do work in that industry understand how difficult it is. IMHO It's the people who are customer facing have the toughest job but receive the lowest pay and don't get rewarded in anyway.