Condemning a property

molerat

aardvaak wrote: »

One other problem is there is years of clutter etc., in the property another thing I am sure would put off estate agents & buyers

True you are not going to attract the average home buyer but there are many out there who will buy almost any property, everything has a value to someone. The "house" may be pretty much worthless but the site and location could be worth a lot.

martinsurrey

if I remember correctly, your council tax bill is £2,500 a year, so it must be a largish house in a not terrible area?

Surely it must still have some value just for the plot, sell and buy something small and liveable.

aardvaak

martinsurrey wrote: »

if I remember correctly, your council tax bill is £2,500 a year, so it must be a largish house in a not terrible area?

Surely it must still have some value just for the plot, sell and buy something small and liveable.

Yes quiet large but in terrible condition - I agree the site could be worth something but would still be very pricey for demolition costs

aardvaak

One thought although in terrible condition would I be able to get equity release or a lifetime mortgage even if money released in stages to enable some repairs to be done

Doozergirl

Is it where you want to stay?

If so, then it might be worth investigating but people almost always underestimate repair costs so just be careful on that front. You don't want to borrow and then find you're still living in less than ideal conditions.

aardvaak

Doozergirl wrote: »

Is it where you want to stay?

If so, then it might be worth investigating but people almost always underestimate repair costs so just be careful on that front. You don't want to borrow and then find you're still living in less than ideal conditions.

Well I think it's a bit like the devil you know - as it has been said ealier if I move away I would almost certainly have to rent as unlikely I could afford to buy - if some repairs were done to this it could possibly be liveable and as some have said this must have a value so some equity in it

rach_k

Why don't you run through the problems with the house so that people can advise as to whether they're likely to be cheap fixes or not?

For example, you say that you don't have a fully usable bathroom. Does that mean you have no bath or sink installed and the loo is wobbling around, or does it mean one of the sink taps is too stiff for you to turn? What's wrong with the kitchen? If you have holes in your roof, is that's what's causing the damp and what has stopped the lights working? If you got a new boiler, would you have heating and hot water as well as less damp?

It could all be disastrous and hideously expensive to fix, or it could be a few things that could be fixed and would solve other problems, so worth writing it down to get it all straight in your head.

aardvaak

rach_k wrote: »

Why don't you run through the problems with the house so that people can advise as to whether they're likely to be cheap fixes or not?

For example, you say that you don't have a fully usable bathroom. Does that mean you have no bath or sink installed and the loo is wobbling around, or does it mean one of the sink taps is too stiff for you to turn? What's wrong with the kitchen? If you have holes in your roof, is that's what's causing the damp and what has stopped the lights working? If you got a new boiler, would you have heating and hot water as well as less damp?




It could all be disastrous and hideously expensive to fix, or it could be a few things that could be fixed and would solve other problems, so worth writing it down to get it all straight in your head.

Thank you. Bare with me for a bit I will compose a list

DaftyDuck

aardvaak wrote: »

Thank you. Bare with me for a bit I will compose a list

Undressing and waiting...

OK, aside from being flippant, don't get too wound up by *everything* wrong with your house...

If you are internally in a bad place, making a small start on some job can have a really significant improvement on your mental wellbeing....

If you make a list six pages long, it may crush you. Start with a few smaller issues. Bet we can fix far more than you'd imagine, and for virtually no cash.

In the meantime, I'm going to put some clothes back on, and wait for your (short to start with) list.

Oh, and mention "Freecycle" first. Look it up if you don't know about it... You will be amazed at the household stuff people want rid of!

tlj7

Sounds like the accumulated clutter you mentioned could be a good place to start. I have worked with many tenants with disabilities who have struggled with built up clutter. It is an emotional and physical barrier which once tackled can be a huge first step. You may be able to access some funding via charities to help get this cleared. Have a look at turn2us.org.uk as they can help search possible connections for you, as well as excellent benefits advice. Slow steps travel the distance - good luck.