A Year in the Life of...

savingholmes

Smoke alarms save lives. Great investment. A lot of them have a 10 or more year life span these days too so it shouldn't be a bill you face often.

beanielou

I have not done mine yet.
Is it next month it becomes the law @girlatplay?
Some people seem to think it will invalidate the house insurance if they are not done.
I only have one in my hall.

girlatplay

savingholmes said:

Smoke alarms save lives. Great investment. A lot of them have a 10 or more year life span these days too so it shouldn't be a bill you face often.

Yes, it's 10 year batteries in them.  I have one already but the new ones need to be interlinked.  I know it's important.

beanielou said:

I have not done mine yet.
Is it next month it becomes the law @girlatplay?
Some people seem to think it will invalidate the house insurance if they are not done.
I only have one in my hall.

It's by 1st February.  I just have one in my livingroom at the moment.  The kitchen is off the livingroom so it makes sense, plus it's that loud we can hear it from our bedrooms too.  It's just a tiny flat.  I wouldn't have got them as there doesn't seem much point with it being such a wee place but I'm a bit concerned about the insurance part too.  Can you imagine your home burns down and the insurance people tell you you're not covered because your alarms are not to the standard?  I have a bit of a fear of fire too so I'm biting the bullet and just doing what they want.

In further annoying spending news, the council want to put a new door entry system into our block (there is not one at the moment, we have one council property in the block).  It was cancelled last year as there were not enough votes but one of our neighbours is really keen.  I do think it's a good idea so I am in agreement.  Also, the council have agreed to pay the main bulk with each individual flat paying only £150 each which is actually very reasonable, we think.  The neighbour is pushing for it so I told him he could give my name too.  I'll need to make sure I'm careful for the next 2-3 paydays and put aside the cash.  I do have the EF but I don't want to use it if I don't need to.  There is £113 left in the dipping pot so I'll just build on that instead of trying to increase the main EF.

Please don't let there be a third annoying money thing.

astrocytic_kitten

I was really shocked at how expensive the new fire alarms were, but as you say better than dying in a fire. It will be useful for the home report when you sell too GAP. Secure entry also useful. 

savingholmes

Sounds like good planning. Hope you have a good weekend.

boxofpaws

£150 for the door entry system, I guess to make you more secure, that seems okay to me.

EssexHebridean

Your local authority sound a lot more reasonable about the cost of stuff than ours are GAP -  ours will cheerful screw every last penny out of the leaseholders, and we're pretty sure that at various times they've used us to subsidise the council rented properties too which is infuriating but close to impossible to prove! 

I saw something about the smoke alarms when we were up in Scotland - hadn't realised it was becoming law for private homes too though. I wonder if England will follow suit on that one. We've currently got one at each end of the flat but they're just standalone battery ones. Both get tested regularly though and we know the front room one definitely works as it occasionally goes off when we're cooking!  

girlatplay

savingholmes said:

Sounds like good planning. Hope you have a good weekend.

Thank you.  The weekend was quite productive.  Hope you had a good one.

astrocytic_kitten said:

I was really shocked at how expensive the new fire alarms were, but as you say better than dying in a fire. It will be useful for the home report when you sell too GAP. Secure entry also useful. 

boxofpaws said:

£150 for the door entry system, I guess to make you more secure, that seems okay to me.

EssexHebridean said:

Your local authority sound a lot more reasonable about the cost of stuff than ours are GAP -  ours will cheerful screw every last penny out of the leaseholders, and we're pretty sure that at various times they've used us to subsidise the council rented properties too which is infuriating but close to impossible to prove! 

I saw something about the smoke alarms when we were up in Scotland - hadn't realised it was becoming law for private homes too though. I wonder if England will follow suit on that one. We've currently got one at each end of the flat but they're just standalone battery ones. Both get tested regularly though and we know the front room one definitely works as it occasionally goes off when we're cooking!  

EH - the fire alarms have to be interlinked, either hard wired or wireless, and should be in all homes by 1st February.  They won't go around checking every home but I'm doing it for peace of mind as I'm the unlucky person who would have a fire and not get a payout, if I didn't put them in.  I do have one already and it gets tested when we fry halloumi 🤣  My parents' one gets tested when they cook bacon 😆

I'm amazed at the LA.  "Reasonable" is not a word I would normally use to describe them.  The blocks in the street are all ex-council with the council retaining a few flats.  There are 6 flats in our block, 4 owned (2 x owner/occupier, 2 x private rent), 1 HA emergency accommodation and one council.  All properties are freehold.  The council are trying to make all council homes secure (which is a good thing) and this includes stair doors and door entry systems.  This work includes a new front door with fob entry and a new back door.  I don't know how much it would cost to put this in (my new front door alone cost £1,295 (if I remember right) including supply and fit which might be a bit on the dear side but I'm satisfied with what I got) so I think £150 contribution per flat is extremely reasonable.  We will each get a handset inside our flats.  I'm waiting for an update on what is to happen.

girlatplay

Just ticking along quietly to payday (31st).  Not much to report.

We are at the end of the grocery budget and I have started using funds from the slush fund.  I did a quick calculation using what I have written down and I'm
about £20 out although I have £14 too much in the cc account so I'm only really £6 out.  I haven't confirmed final
totals yet but we're about £190 on food and the rest on toiletries/personal hygiene and cleaning.  I've broken it all down so I can see it clearly.  £190 on food can be reduced if I meal plan properly, not just a half-hearted effort.  I've been reading @Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain 's     diary and the cooking and meals are really inspiring me.

One cc cleared, one to clear tomorrow.

February is shaping up to be a busy (for me) social month.  I have a brunch with my sis on 6th (her Christmas present from me - we do this and take each other) so that's already paid for, and a late lunch with my cousin and our partners on 12th.  I have another set of friends who want a catch up meal out although no date set yet so might end up being March.  There is leaving night drinks for a guy at my work on 4th.  He's a great guy and I really want to go but might duck out, or I might go for a couple and get LMG to pick me up so that I have an excuse to leave early.

Right, one more diary to catch up on then I better do some work.

beanielou

All good