Tightening the belts for unpaid leave

Blackcats

This is definitely the worst part of buying and selling houses - when you are so close but without certainty that it will conclude.  It sounds promising though and the budget announcements are helpful if you need to re-market the flat.  Fingers crossed you don't.  

I don't know much about depression but I think if your GP had prescribed medication for a physical condition you would probably take it.  Perhaps think about it as a time bound intervention to support the situation you re currently working through.  You do have a lot to contend with at the moment.  Take care of you x 

[Deleted User]

@Blackcats - thank you, another good point.

So, I've bitten the bullet and contacted my old trainer anyway, even though the flat sale hasn't yet gone through - I get my bonus end March and figure it is an investment in my health.  We are using up all of the rubbish food (burgers/chips etc) in the freezer over the course of next week (I do still need to do a shop but the list isn't huge - though it won't be that cheap due to wine and formula) and then we are going to start the healthy eating after that.  I said to my DH this morning that my aim is to be back in my really nice work dresses and heels by the time I return in September.

So, we have to get the carpets cleaned when we move out of here.  The lease says professionally cleaned and to show receipts but DH wants to buy a carpet cleaner instead.  He has a good point in that we will need to also clean the carpets of the other rental we move out of and, when we are in our new house, pointed out that with potty training we may need to do the carpets there.  It's only about £100 so would actually be cheaper than hiring one twice (I think - have contacted a company to ask) or getting someone else to do it (and I'm getting a quote for that also).  I would just hope my "friend" doesn't insist on receipts if she can see the carpets are clean and have been cleaned.  But I don't trust her not to unfortunately.

Still no further forward on the sale than we were yesterday.  Driving me bonkers.  And nothing we like coming on the market.  Bit worried we are going to be priced out but not sure what else we can do.  We're registered with all estate agents, contact them regularly, have put flyers through doors, advertised on our personal pages and local house sale pages on FB and put a notice in the local paper.  I'm just not sure what else we can do.

Sarahwithlove

Could you ask her say you have a carpet cleaner can you do it yourselves. 

[Deleted User]

@Sarahwithlove - I could, but she will probably be difficult and insist.  Whereas if she can see they are clean when we check out I think it's less likely she will ask for receipts.  I just don't think she gets how disruptive (and expensive) it is for us to move.  I wouldn't mind but we offered her an extra £100 a month in rent to stay!  And poor DC1 really struggled to settle last time.  So yet another move is not exactly what he needs right now.  Anyway, now I'm just ranting.

still_hopeful

Hi Rebecca, delurking to say I'm pretty sure it's now illegal for landlords to insist on any sort of professional cleaning, and that any terms to this effect in the lease are now unenforceable. Think it's in the Tenants Fees act. If in doubt, ask on the housing board here.

I would make sure the house and carpets are clean to the standard they were in when you moved in and take photos to show this 

Good luck!

[Deleted User]

@still_hopeful - thank you for this - we are not in uk though so don't think it applies....

So, "big shop" was £76.43 (my contrib £38.21) which wasn't too bad and included formula and 2 bottles wine.  We have decided that as part of our healthkick we are going to cut out the booze for a bit so we got 2 bottles just for this weekend as the fitness starts monday with healthy eating a week after given we need to eat the contents of the freezer (which we want to do before the move also).

Flat sale not too much further forwards.  They had a structural survey yesterday so hoping that went ok.  We've responded to all their outstanding enquiries now (as far as I'm aware as not seen the correspondence) and they completed on their sale on thursday so are in a position to buy if we can just get everything sorted now.

DH is picking up the second hand cot bed this morning but we won't be putting that up until in the new place and will order mattress once in new place.

[Deleted User]

Went for a walk yesterday morning past a house which has come on the market.  It is, however, over budget by some way.  I think we will still look at it, but only once we have exchanged on the flat.  It is also not exactly what we want.  However, the location and privacy is brilliant and it has significant land.  Been on a while so may be open to offers.  We shall see.  It was nice just to get out in the sunshine and clear away the cobwebs.

Was NSD yesterday however, today will not be as the machine which makes DC2's bottles has gone kerputt!  So we are seeing if we can get another today from b**ts and if not, will order online.  However, we do have some cash put aside for emergencies like this, so it will come out of that.  Lunch and dinner from stores today.

Also cannot start running or training as DH cannot find my trainers - he has apparently looked in every box in the house and also in the storage locker we have, but nothing.  So I am going to have to buy some new ones.  I did need some anyway (as I have not bought trainers in YEARS and have been known to use a pair for 20 years or so....) but I just didn't want to have to go and get them yet.  I am still well within budget for the month so will be fine, just annoying.  

DC1 is currently doing the hoovering - he's quite good at it and it saves us a job.  Once we work out if we can get the bottle machine this morning, we are going to go for another walk then to MIL later today.  DC1 starting back at nursery tomorrow which will be a welcome break (plus good for him obvs).

Advertised a load of the DC's old clothes yesterday but as yet, no interest.  Which is annoying as they are immaculate and very very good value bundles.  If they don't sell we will just take them with us to next place and once NCT nearly new sales are allowed again I'll try sell them there.  Guess that's the decision about having a third made then!!!

DH picked cot up yesterday and IT IS HUGE.  OMG bigger than I thought.  Anyway, it is stored under our bed for the moment and the movers will move it and then we will get a mattress when required at end April.  

Wine was delivered to my parents and they were very grateful.  Will keep them going for a little while.

[Deleted User]

DC1 back at nursery today.  Thought that would mean I'd get a bit of a break.  Silly me.  Of course not.  DC2 being a complete and utter nightmare and just will not settle.  

DH has ordered carpet cleaner so my share is £50.  Other than that, should be a NSD.  We do need bread but will probs get tomorrow.

Thoroughly fed up.  I know it is first world problems but I just want to find a house now and make a home for the DC.  Sick of being surrounded by and living out of boxes.  Sick of not having any certainty and sick of not being able to make a home.  It just sucks.  All of it.  I wish we had never sold.  DH sent me some pics of DC1 from a year ago and our house just looks lovely.  There was nothing wrong with it and we should just have stayed put.  That said, we did drive past yesterday and our old neighbour has now put some sort of structure in the shared driveway.  And the shared driveway was really a problem since when they had visitors (ALL THE TIME), they would park so stupidly that we couldn't turn around in our own driveway (we owned the vast majority of it).

[Deleted User]

Ok, so we have decided to view the house anyway.  If only to discount/for comparison purposes.  Looks like tomorrow 1pm, just waiting to hear.  It is super above budget but has been on a while, so if they would take an offer.....

DH has just hoovered the bedroom carpet (ashamed to say first time since we moved in - but we only sleep and dress in there.  LOADS of cat hair.  So there is absolutely no way that the carpets were professionally cleaned since we moved in.  Our cat hasn't been upstairs as we've had a stair gate in the way and his back is b*ggered so he can't jump it.  So we've taken photos/video.

Blackcats

I think viewing the house is a good idea.  Even if it's above budget and even if you don't like it, you are doing something that helps you feel like you are in control of the longer term future.  It's good to look forward and make plans. You will be in a good position when something does come up.  

Funnily enough I saw one of my previous houses on rightm*ve at the weekend.  It looked lovely and I momentarily wondered why I'd moved and that was 15 years ago 🤷‍♀️.  I had to remind myself that selling that house enabled me to buy another house that I loved ..... it's easy with hindsight though isn't it ?  Not so easy for you at the moment but you will get there.