Grants available for homes improvements & energy efficiency

JimmyTheWig

Any chance of moving back to where you were before, Darren? Sounds like you might have been better off there.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Anyone know if there is any grants to assist with loft conversion or extension?

My SIL has found out she is having twins, however, she only has a 2 bed house & her son (who is just leaving school) obviously has one of the rooms.

She has a mortgage & unfortunatly due to both her and hubby on low wages, cannot afford to move to a bigger property or re-mortagage.

If anyone can offer advice than that would be great.

JimmyTheWig

I don't believe so.
Where was your SIL going to put a single baby? Why not put both there?
Some people keep twins in the same cot for quite a while. Babies are pretty small!

Is the son going to be getting a job? If he can pay his way towards his room, that might help them save up for an extension.

lr1277

Hi

I had a call from somebody at Nationwide something or other offering to get a grant for me to insulate my roof space. They would insulate it upto 10.5 inches. When I said I was a private tenant, it seems this isn't a problem. I also mentioned I am starting on JSA today and again this wasn't a problem.

Is there anything I should be thinking about before letting them into my house?

Is this too good to be true, because it sounds like it?
Does my landlord need to know/approve?
Is this grant for me, or for the property? So if I move into my own property I won't be able to get the grant?

Anything else you can think of would be great.

Many thanks in advance.

Edit: I have now found Nationwide on the internet. It seems as I will be getting contribution based JSA, I or the landlord will have to spend upto £200.
I will speak to the landlord. However seeing as I am not getting it free (as was implied in the phone conversation) I am not sure my landlord will be interested.

colann5

Please can you help us. My husband is 56 years old and has a spinal and leg problem. He is attending the pain management clinic as he has been told there is nothing more can be done to help his condition. As we live in and old converted Victorian flat, we have very high ceilings, and he cannot get up ladders any more to paint ceilings. He is in receipt of incapacity benefit and DLA and i am wondering if there is anyone who could help us with the labour. I am 58 and in ill health myself, so cannot do this myself either. I maybe could paint the walls myself if it does not include getting up ladders, but cannot get up high enough to paint the ceilings. Please i would be obliged if you could suggest any organisations who may be able to help us. We live in the Liverpool area. Thank you.

ormus

age concern have lists of reputable builders/tradesmen in your local area.
local councils sometimes have free schemes (small jobs) for certain age/peeps/benefits.

daviefenton

Can I get some advice please?
Hello Everyone, sorry for posting in here but I couldn't find the right way to do it.

Ok, 5 years ago i had a home improvement grant from a council totaling 18k, this incl kitchen extn, d/g, loft ins etc etc. The amount I had to pay back to council was/is 13k. The grant is interest free for first 5 years (now just up) and I can't currently pay it back (and no, I haven't saved either:-)). The interest now is circa 3.3% - so that's not too bad. Also credit rating and late mortgage payments etc over five years mean I cannot get loan to pay back - which is fine currently.

However, due to a change in my circumstances, (engaged with two kids), i want to know if i am able to officially move in with my fiancee into her housing assocation flat?? There is another child on the way but i have had to officially live at my house with the council grant as i can't let it whilst i have the council charge against property.

Has anyone got any idea's? My house is unsuitable due to size and layout (dangerous stairs etc)..... Can I get a "trusted" lodger in there full time and i visit fleetingly. Can I just leave it empty?? Do I have to sell???

All responses welcome!!

Thank you

Dfenton

harryhound

Why do you want to keep "your" property?

What would you hope to sell for ?

How much is your equity in "your" property?.

How much do you owe to your lender(s)?

What are your arrears in terms of money and months?


Be aware that the Land Registry is a public record.

I was once in the position of viewing an end of terrace former local authority property.
The woman seemed to be selling it and it took me some time to put together what was going on:
She had bought it (probably jointly with her former partner) then it had been transferred to her sole name (probably as part of a divorce settlement) - then she and new partner had bought an joining strip of land growing brambles from the council and built an almost self contained extension (that was for her teenage daughter who probably did not get on too well with new step father and fine new baby).

My suspicion was that the family had run out of cash and credit.
[The loans on the property confirmed my analysis].

But what really "P'd" me off was that they could not sell for another 6 months without having to refund a chunk of the original discount to the council. (I think they had got to the stage where men in steel capped boots were visiting from The Halifax and they needed to be able to say "we have a buyer who has made an offer that will clear the arrears and the rest of the mortgage").

Funny thing nobody mentioned this difficulty at the Estate Agent or at the viewing - bring back the HIP?.

[Did me a favour really, I bought a much better value house, half a mile away from an executor and did a self build for the extension. No hassles]

That was in the days when houses went up in nominal price.

I just wonder how long the mortgage will stay at 3.3% when inflation is more like 5%.

Ab77_2

Hi,
I currently have a problem in my flat. My bedroom has black mould in it, due to a humidity problem and lack of ventilation in the room. I kept cleaning the mould, but it would return. I finally had professionals come in and have a look and they all said I needed a ventilation system. The cheapest estimate I got was £700. Normally, I would just pay this amount, but I'm on a contract and I will be loosing my job at the end of the month!!!
I have asthma and exzema so I'm being affected pretty badly. I have contacted my local authority and a few other agencies, but they've all said I have to be unemployed before they can help.
Does anyone have any suggestions about who else can help me?

Thanks,

harryhound

In the summer open the window?

Where is the moisture coming from? Not just sweaty breath surely?

You might need to draught strip the door into the rest of the property and then keep it shut.

Is someone drying clothes on a radiator or in a so called condensing drier?