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Martin Lewis Blog: 'House offer accepted, now they want £20,000 more! What should I do?'
A passer-by stopped Martin in the street recently to ask his opinion on her house buying dilemma. You can check out his view in a video he posted: Martin Lewis: 'House offer accepted, now they want £20,000 more! What should I do?' What would you do? Stand your ground? Walk away? Pay the extra? Negotiate? Tell us your…
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New to the House Buying, Selling & Renting board? Start here
✅ This board is for... * Questions about buying or selling a home * Questions about renting a home * Questions about being a landlord 🚫 This board is not for.. * Debating the state of the economy * Debating house prices in general * Political debates Note: In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place…
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Tenancies in Eng/Wales: Guides for landlords and tenants
post 1 This thread is intended to provide information to both landlords and tenants relating to Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) in England and Wales. Updated April 2020 to include the Coronavirus Act 2020 and July 2020 to include the Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020. Topics covered: Post 2: Repairing…
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EPC downgraded from C to D
We have a EPC carried out in 2020 which we were awarded a C rating. Just had a surveyor to do a EPC, despite us having a valid EPC. She had downgraded our EPC rating from C to D, bang on at 68 points - a C will be 69 points and above. I was wondering if I can get some advice from well versed people here: a.) With a valid…
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Possible Invalid Section 21 Notice – Advice Appreciated
Hi all, I would appreciate some advice regarding a Section 21 notice. I have been renting a studio flat under an AST for a few years and recently received a Section 21 after the landlord had been trying to sell the property for quite a long time. I have always paid rent on time and there have never been any rent arrears or…
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Solicitor held my money for 20 years should I get interest on top of the capital amount
My solicitors who acted in conveyance for me in a sale of my property just contacted me. They found they had accidentally withheld a significant amount of money on my file/account - unbeknown to me. They rang me to ask for my details to pay me the amount. After confirming it was the solicitors and not a scam they took my…
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Social Housng service charge increase
I have just recieved my new rent and estimated service charges. The rent increase seems proportional. The service charge is absurd. It has gone from £34.19 per calander month to £161.67!!! The biggest charge comes under Managing agent costs of £18.51 a week. I live in a small 1 bed flat with no garden. The idea of a £161…
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Empty house insurance
I’ve recently lost my father and have been looking for empty house insurance, I received a quote from a broker today for a thousand pounds. It’s only a three bed terrace house. Does anyone have any advice please, I’m at my wits end and can’t afford that. many thanks
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Checkmate Certificate of Structural Warranty
Anyone with a Checkmate Certificate of Structural Warranty that they could share with me? I have received something for my home that looks unprofessional. Address mistakes, title of document, grammar, format and layout. Happy for all the personal information to be redacted, I just need to know what it looks like. Thank you
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Dilemma: stick with buyer after long delay or remarket?
Selling parent's flat - it was put on the market last May before my parent died as they had moved into a home. Buyer is an older person who was first one the flat was shown to. They loved it, offered asking and parent accepted, then died suddenly about a month later. I then had a very long probate delay, finally getting…
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Stamp Duty or no Stamp Duty?
I have 2 mortgaged properties, one I live in and share with my husband, another I rent out (which I paid stamp duty for). My husband and I are divorcing, I want to stay in the property but cannot afford to stay on the mortgage alone. My sister has stepped in and said she will take his place - but not live in the property.…
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SDLT second home
I sold my main residence >3 years ago, and have been living in my Mum's house, half of which I inherited 20 years ago. I now want to buy a house with my girlfriend, and believe I'm liable for second home SDLT due to the inherited share and >3 years since I sold my main res. She has a small house, no mortgage, which she…
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Selling a house as the attorney (POA).
We are just about to set the wheels in motion to sell my father-in-laws house. Valuation appointments are booked this weekend and then we will appoint a conveyancer from a short list. I know the conveyancer will answer this question but I thought I would ask on here first. We will be selling his house as his attorneys…
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Mortgage clause help damp/timber survey
Offer accepted, mortgage has put clauses on and confused re exactly what they mean, solicitor directed us to estate agent, estate agent confirmed seller not willing to pay anything but is happy for us to... Mortgage clause attached. We are OK with getting builder for work on ceilings between exchange and completion, going…
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New "Have a Look at This" thread
The other one has disappeared and any posts I have made are not listed in either my posts or thanks. This thread is for things like: . Spotting pets in properties . Anything awful - decor, extensions etc . Quirky properties . Timewarp properties . Properties in serious repair and anything which is different and of interest…
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Self Storage renewal price 13% above undiscounted list price. Is it legal?
Screenshot above is what they say the un-discounted, non-new customer price is versus what they're now charging me (13% more). I'm not using their insurance or other extras so is a like-for-like comparison. The price was £58 before and the increase based on "a review of list prices across our stores and unit sizes" but…
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Estate agent problem with EPA
Hi I have an Enduring Power of Attorney for my very elderly mother. This was drawn up in 1998. I have used it to open bank accounts and sign care home contracts. We now have to sell her cottage to pay the home fees and pay back my brother and myself for fees already paid. We put her home in the hands of a local Chancellors…
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Seller refuses Building Regs Regularisation on 2-storey extension. Solicitor says proceed, but I’m w
Hi everyone, I’m currently in the process of buying a house in South England and have hit a major wall regarding Building Regulations. I’m looking for some perspective on whether I’m being too cautious or if the seller is being misleading to avoid an inspection. The house has had several major works over the last 15 years.…
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Advice on unloading Importing windows from Poland
After months of planning we decided to ahead with ordering a full set of windows from Poland. Based on quotes we got here we think we saved around 45% on what it would have cost here. Although the manufacturer is organising the shipping, it's our responsibility to unload the pallets from the wagon. Has anyone had any…
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Estate Agent that states their terms are non negotiable
Hello I found a well regarded estate agent and I asked them to reduce the tie in period from 20 weeks to 12, to change a sole selling rights contract to a sole agency rights contacrt, and their repsonse wes… as a business we are not able to amend …conditions…. to different client preferences…. Are they stringing me along?…
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Making sense of CGT
Hi, trying to figure out our potential liability and going round in circles so would appreciate some help. We're in the fortunate position of being able to buy our next house with an inheritance and thus considering buying before selling our current property. Only considering, as we may decide to just sit tight and wait if…
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When the Managing Agent Controls Everything and Everything Goes Wrong
This is my experience as a cautionary tale about the risks of owning a leasehold flat where lease enforcement and all communications are funnelled through the managing agent. This is a longer post because modern leasehold systems are anything but simple, and the detail matters. TL;DR The agent controlled whether lease…
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Stamp duty - in-laws own 2 houses and want to move, but only planning to swap main residence
My in-laws own 2 houses and are looking to move. They want to sell their main residence where they currently live and purchase a new property. They have owned a second home for many years which their other daughter and her family lives in. The Stamp Duty Calculator seems to show that they won’t be liable for the higher…
