I Could Be Mortgage Free

Popgirl

DH has been in Spain for over 2 weeks renovations are going really well and scheduled to finish early February. Thats my cue to go over and do the nice bits so flights are booked for then. I have decided on the colour scheme, I have chosen to go with Lime Green curtains with green/brown accessories. It doesn't sound that nice I know but as the kitchen, dining room, lounge will be all open plan with a white kitchen brown worktops, White/brown dining table and chairs and brown sofas I think the green will add a bit of colour. I can always change the colour scheme at a later date if I don't like it plus I already have the curtains stored away as we have used them before in our UK home so they haven't cost anything and I will keep the accessories spend to a minimum. We also need a trip to the Spanish Ik@a to buy a wardrobe so I might get some cheap inspirational ideas from there.I have also ordered some lights from Ama@on UK to be delivered to Spain I have never bought anything online to be delivered there before so fingers crossed they arrive! These lights were £300 cheaper then my previous choice and I like them a lot more.


No real big money news just watching and tracking every penny spent now we are down to one wage. My gamble to wait to exchange £ to € for the renovation work has come back to bit me. We are now going to get 12c less per £ then we would have done if I had moved the money to our Spanish account in November. Which means we need to spend £3,000 more eeks!!!! This will reduce our cash fund to a low level for us which worries me a little as we have no real means of building it up again now DH hasn't got an income. Most of our savings each month go into company share schemes or into investment funds which in the long term will make us more money than sitting in a 123/TSB account. I am thinking I will look into getting a 0% CC as a back up. Although I am worried I think using cash we have already is a better option then selling some shares to cover the extra cost unless a miracle happens over night and the euro goes back to 1.42€ then problem solved!!!!


Best Wishes
Popgirl

gallygirl

Popgirl wrote: »

My gamble to wait to exchange £ to € for the renovation work has come back to bit me. We are now going to get 12c less per £ then we would have done if I had moved the money to our Spanish account in November.

I feel your pain , though we're just going to be moving our monthly spends over each month so hopefully it will pick up again in a few months.

I really like lime green with dark wood - wouldn't have considered it in the UK but looks great in the sunshine .

Popgirl

GG - Sunshine what a lovely thought, DH facetimes me everyday and takes great pleasure in scanning his iPad around our roof terrace showing me the sun and blue skies while I sit with the heating on high looking at the snow!!!

Karmacat

I've been watching the exchange rate too, popgirl - even on £2000, I'd lose over E200 now, compared to when I moved some money last year! Really does make you think, I'm sorry its gone against you.

Popgirl

KC - 200€ is a lot nearly a weeks play money for us. Hopefully you don't need to transfer any time soon and can wait for improvement


I have decided to transfer 50% of the money needed on Monday regardless of the rate (unless it rises dramatically tomorrow) then leave the rest for another week, hoping it will get better.

Phew - one light fitting has arrived today, delivery man found the address no problem hooray for Go@gle Maps!!

Popgirl

I have sat and watched the euro exchange rate today for over 2 hours (while working!!!) until I finally pressed the button to buy. The rate I got was 1.298 so a lot less than what I would have got last month but a little more than I would have got last week. Then to make matters worse soon after I pressed the buy button the rate went up!!!! Trying not to dwell on it too much, fingers crossed it keeps going up ready for next week when I need to buy more.

Popgirl

My Payday was Friday so today has been money shuffle day. This is the first month without OH wages plus tenant hasn't paid rent so money is going to be tighter than usual in February. My wages will cover the bills and our living costs and we can still afford to save the normal £1250 but the surplus I like to save as extra will not be available which means we are unable to top up the EF after dipping into it heavily in Jan for renovation costs. I will be in Spain for 2 weeks in February so that will help as our living costs are less when we are there and we have money in our Spanish Account to cover the holiday spends. Best of all OH and I will be together again, I have really missed him.

I find myself becoming increasingly frustrated (boarding on angry) with regard the tenant situation. It just seems so unfair that they can choose not to pay the rent on time and we have to jump through hoops to get what is rightfully ours. I really want to knock on the door and confront them but I have been told by the agent I can't do this as it is counted as harassment even though they won't answer the phone, return calls, ignore letters!!!! The notice we have served states they need to leave by early March so not long now and we can start afresh. I am thinking we won't get any rent between now and then and I am expecting the house to need a good clean and some repairs. The bond won't cover the rent arrears regardless if there is any damage that they are liable for but I am adamant we will take them and the guarantor to court if needed. I would be more sympathetic if they communicated with the agent and offered to pay some of the rent but ignoring us just makes my blood boil. Rant over!


Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone


Popgirl x

Karmacat

That doesn't sound a good situation at all! But I'm glad to see your savings aren't affected, £1250 is a massive amount to save under these new conditions, well done!

Popgirl

Hi KC

Thank you, Yes it is a good amount so I shouldn't moan really but we can only save this amount each month on one wage by cutting back on food shopping, meals out with friends, ( which we do enjoy) and generally being really frugal. Which is why I get frustrated with the tenants because we have to sacrifice more when we don't get the rent. The tenants work, have a good income, but clearly have different priorities, paying the rent isn't one of them!


Glad you have got your tax return sorted sounds as if you have put a lot of hard work into it to get it right.


Best Wishes
Popgirl

Arkers

Hi Popgirl,


Hope you don't mind me dropping by. There is nothing more frustrating then a poor tenant :mad:. I can empathise having been in your situation. I do hope that you follow the non-payment through if necessary to the CCJ stage, as this can prevent the problem for others. I don't know what sort of relationship you have with the estate agent, do they fully manage the property on your behalf? If yes, have they done their job properly? I would ask to look at what they have done and how and not necessarily rely on their word. I have had to take estate agents to the small claims court for professional negligence in the past due to the poor job they did. Check that they have referenced everything correctly, registered the deposit etc. Apologies if you have done this, but sometimes they are very poor, even serving the wrong sub-section of section 21 (or have you gone down the s.8 route?).


I am not sure that one visit by the agent or yourselves would constitute harassment, especially if you attend the property to serve paperwork. It has to be a course of conduct on more then one occasion to constitute harassment, one visit does not constitute harassment so long as you're civil and professional. Your agent should certainly do this if they haven't already, perhaps another question to ask?


I appreciate that your thought processes will be full of the non-payment of rent and the stress that it causes, but follow it through, and hopefully you'll get your money from somewhere.


Good Luck


Arkers x