The Nice People Thread, No.16: A Universe of Niceness.

CKhalvashi

silvercar wrote: »

It is the imbalance in your rights that concerns me, I don't doubt that it is a good deal in terms of the rent for what you are getting.

On an AST you would be safe from eviction for 6 months, thereafter be entitled to 2 months notice. As a lodger or excluded occupier, you could be turfed out with only a week's notice!

To put the size of your deposit in perspective, recent changes in the rules on deposits require that a landlord can only take 5 weeks deposit, yet you are paying months up front.

https://www.tenancydepositscheme.com/depositcap

Agree, however IMO any reputable agent wouldn't hand all that money in one go over to an agent.

It's normal to have to hand over 6 months in advance when dealing with a situation where either income is too low or not provable to LL's satisfaction, and to be honest, I can see both sides of the coin with this one.

Poor_Leno

Feeling very deflated today. Was hoping to make a reservation on a development going up in the centre of town, and had a call from someone from the developers yesterday. TBH, I expected his pre-call text to be a reasonable amount of flannel of how I would be 'treated like a king' and 'being one of the first enquirers we intend to take you on a journey and include you in the building process with various feedback sessions and focus groups',. But I came away from his call not feeling at all positive.

Firstly, the development is not due for completion til December next year, and they want to complete all reservations in January. Which itself set alarm bells off in my head when Barclays will only extend my initial application for a mortgage by 6 further months, meaning I'd literally need to be banking on it being move-in ready in December to avoid having to re-apply.

Secondly, of this block of 50 apartments there are just 27 parking spaces (private entry). Which itself made my mind start ticking over. If half those apartments are two car households then that's 50 spaces needed, plus another 25 for everyone else. So, basically a bun fight for parking since its on an 'unallocated basis'

Now, I asked him what being treated like a king entailed exactly and he starting chortling away. 'We have an interior designer that we can give you exclusive access to and trade prices on any furnishings', 'oh and we will take you over to the owner of the development for a champagne lunch on completion'. I started 'pfffft-ing' down the phone and asked was that it. No discount, not even the chance of an allocated space. No, no. So basically an empty promise.

So at that point I just told him I need to go away and think about things (being polite) as I had major concerns about the parking situation. Which he thinks can be resolved by assuring me they are looking at finding alternative parking "in the area" and that he's aware that 27 spaces might be a problem but 'we're essentially looking for people who are working in the town, retired or who don't drive'. So, basically, not me. I said I might speak to him in the new year, to which he replied that the development launches officially on boxing day so don't leave it too late.

Thing is, I wish people wouldn't make these empty promises cos I was hoping to at least barter for 5k off the price if they wanted to actually do anything since they want this special select group of people to basically do a load of marketing work for them...for what...a champagne lunch and an interior designer flogging furnishings at trade prices. I'd even have come away from that call feeling positive if I could have been given an allocated space.

I dunno what to do now. I was literally ready to throw myself infront of a bus last night, I felt that bad. This is the third property now in the matter of months where I had good vibes about but then it either turning out to be more trouble than its worth, or being told literally as i'm getting in the car to a viewing that its been sold. Its so freaking frustrating. More than that actually with all the work that's involved. Which is multiplied by two when you're on your own doing it.

Thing is, i've no doubt those places will all get reserved by the end of January, but even with all the big plusses (fully fitted kitchen and bathroom with white goods, it being in central location near loads of local amenities and transport links) I just don't think I can get around this parking issue in my head. Not unless I get rid of the car and just get the train or bus to work each day (+1 hour journey time of my life taken away each day if I take the bus).

zagubov

Here's a question. Am I imagining it or do adverts for beds and sofas really get more frequent around now, and if so, why? Nothing to do with Christmas.
Edit: just seen another one based on Aardman animations, for sofas!

Poor_Leno wrote: »

Feeling very deflated today. Was hoping to make a reservation on a development going up in the centre of town, and had a call from someone from the developers yesterday. ......

Thing is, i've no doubt those places will all get reserved by the end of January, but even with all the big plusses (fully fitted kitchen and bathroom with white goods, it being in central location near loads of local amenities and transport links) I just don't think I can get around this parking issue in my head. Not unless I get rid of the car and just get the train or bus to work each day (+1 hour journey time of my life taken away each day if I take the bus).

This sounds like a real headache.

Can you buy a year's parking from the council?
Or, have you considered hiring space in someone's driveway? They can make up to £1k per year without paying tax.

silvercar

Leno, there is a block of flats built near us with a parking nightmare like you describe. All that has happened is that subsequent blocks have been built with a decent amount of parking, severely limiting the desirability of the first block.

GDB2222

I am starting to think that we could manage without a car of our own.

We tend to walk to the local shops. (DW says that carrying shopping is good exercise to ward off osteoporosis.) All the big grocery shopping is delivered, anyway.

There are often pool cars to be hired locally for short runs, and we could do a longer hire for when we go on holidays.

Even though our car is so old that it’s got almost zero depreciation, it costs us around £1200 a year in fixed costs before we drive a single mile, and around 20p a mile in petrol.

This year, we drove 2000 miles, although most years it’s more like 4000, but this year it’s working out that we are paying around 80p per mile driven. And that’s for the privilege of driving ourselves in a thirteen year old car. If a taxi driver turned up in a car as old as ours, I’m not sure I’d get in.

Of course, there’s huge convenience having a car sitting ready on our driveway, but it doesn’t seem to make economic sense. And, if we lived nearer the city centre, I’m not at all sure I’d bother.

SingleSue

I'd be lost without mine, I don't do many miles comparative to what I used to, around 6k now compared to around 10k 10 years ago but without it I would be stuck unable to go anywhere as I cannot get around to the bus stop or train station and a taxi would cost too much week on week for work.

My parents though, I doubt they will even hit the 1k this year....I tend to take them on most of their shopping trips or doctor/hospital appointments. Their car even has moss growing on it! Mum has already said she will stop driving when she is 80 which is less than 3 years away (she's always been a bit of a reluctant driver) and I'm hoping that by then a few more of the grandchildren will have passed their tests to share the load, currently four of them are learning and one has already passed.

silvercar

GDB2222 wrote: »

I am starting to think that we could manage without a car of our own.

We tend to walk to the local shops. (DW says that carrying shopping is good exercise to ward off osteoporosis.) All the big grocery shopping is delivered, anyway.

There are often pool cars to be hired locally for short runs, and we could do a longer hire for when we go on holidays.

Even though our car is so old that it’s got almost zero depreciation, it costs us around £1200 a year in fixed costs before we drive a single mile, and around 20p a mile in petrol.

This year, we drove 2000 miles, although most years it’s more like 4000, but this year it’s working out that we are paying around 80p per mile driven. And that’s for the privilege of driving ourselves in a thirteen year old car. If a taxi driver turned up in a car as old as ours, I’m not sure I’d get in.

Of course, there’s huge convenience having a car sitting ready on our driveway, but it doesn’t seem to make economic sense. And, if we lived nearer the city centre, I’m not at all sure I’d bother.

How often do you make journeys that you wouldn’t be able to do without a car? I’m thinking of times when you pick one another up from the tube station or hospital visits, late night journeys home from local friends, it wouldn’t make sense to hire a pool car.

vivatifosi

GDB, is there a way of reducing your fixed costs? My servicing I have a plan that cost me £319 for two years, tax is £20 pa and my insurance is about £160, but that's not exact as it is part of a household plan. I also have shared breakdown cover for less than £40pa. I don't have to pay for a parking permit or any other extras that I can think of.



I wouldn't give up my car willingly as I need it for my job.

silvercar

silvercar wrote: »

How often do you make journeys that you wouldn’t be able to do without a car? I’m thinking of times when you pick one another up from the tube station or hospital visits, late night journeys home from local friends, it wouldn’t make sense to hire a pool car.

Thinking about this more, I would be conscious of being out with friends and them always offering lifts because of course they are not going to let you walk in the rain/ wait for the bus/ pick up a pool car.

GDB2222

silvercar wrote: »

How often do you make journeys that you wouldn’t be able to do without a car? I’m thinking of times when you pick one another up from the tube station or hospital visits, late night journeys home from local friends, it wouldn’t make sense to hire a pool car.

We could do all those by cab, if we had to. It would cost more than the marginal cost of driving our current car, and we might have to wait for a cab, but it's doable.