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House running tips

EddyBaloch
EddyBaloch Posts: 59 Forumite
edited 5 October 2017 at 10:28PM in House buying, renting & selling
Dear fellow members,

I am awaiting completion on my first house in two weeks. I have always lived in rented flats before so will really appreciate if you can give me some tips on how to run and maintain a house. My biggest concern is what to do if there is a gas leak or a toilet block? Can I take out specific insurance which can allow me to call someone to come and look/repair the fault (similar to breakdown cover for cars?) Or do i need to maintain a network of plumbers, electricians etc? So far all I have got is a building & contents insurance in which I pay extra to have home emergency cover. But I am not sure whether that's sufficient or not.

It is a 1950s semi detached. The property is in need of a lot of modernisation which I am planning on carrying out in piece-meal basis as I save. It has got an old back boiler and the plumbing, guttering, and drains need replacing among other things but everything is in fine working order for now.

Finally, an idea came to my mind to get electrical and gas safety checks carried before I move in. I googled and apparently I can find relevant people from checkatrade.com to carry it out for me. What do you think?

Thanks for reading this and I look forward to your input!

Eddy.
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Comments

  • kinger101
    kinger101 Posts: 6,282 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    The thing with the emergency breakdown cover is that they'll tell you're not covered if you have a boiler problem due to lack of service history/age etc.

    Best just to have a rainy day fund.

    It's best to ask friends for local recommendations for tradesman. Anyone who pays to be on checkatrade or whatever is the sort of person who cannot drum up enough trade from recommendations.
    "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - Confucius
  • elsien
    elsien Posts: 32,727 Forumite
    Name Dropper Photogenic First Anniversary First Post
    If there is a gas leak, turn off the gas and call the emergency number. They will come and check whether there is a leak or not, and where it's come by from. If it's from an appliance they will disconnect it then it's down to you to get it repaired/replaced.
    They don't mind if you make a mistake either, as I found out when the gas leak I called them out for turned out to be a bag of diced swede.(Don't ask.)
    I'd certainly get the boiler checked. It's better to get recommendations from people you know if possible. Word of mouth rather than someone off the Internet.
    All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.

    Pedant alert - it's could have, not could of.
  • Grenage
    Grenage Posts: 2,899 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Get recommendations for tradesmen from people you know. The best advice I can give is to have an emergency fund. Keep it topped up with all the money you didn't spend on unnecessary insurance plans.
  • Robin9
    Robin9 Posts: 12,101 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Name Dropper
    Just be practical - find out where the gas cutoff lever is, the water stopcock, the electrical distribution board.


    Other standard things - read/photo your meters the day you move in and contact existing suppliers. Building and contents insurance. Redirect the post.
    Never pay on an estimated bill
  • Clairabella
    Clairabella Posts: 254 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    I agree recommendations from friends but, if you don't know anyone locally it's not so easy. When my daughter bought her first house in a new area she asked the estate agent, who also do property management, for some recommendations.. They happily told her the electricians and plumbers they use.
  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    Do NOT use one of the commercial trade recommendation websites. They make their money from contractors paying them to be listed. So do you think they'll be keen to remove paying tradesmen who get poor feedback.....???

    Use either your council's Trading Standards trader recommendations, or Which?

    Yes, you can buy insurance against home breakdowns (gas, electtrics, plumbing etc) but I wouldn't bother.

    Put the same amount of cash away in a separate savings account each month, and use that to pay a contractor if you need one. If you never need one, you'll have enough for a holiday after a year or two!
  • jimbog
    jimbog Posts: 2,113 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Most problems in the home are easily covered on Youtube
    Gather ye rosebuds while ye may
  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    When I bought my first property (many years ago) I was given the Readers Digest DIY manual as a moving in present.

    Still have it and it has done me proud over the years.

    Nowadays utube shows you how to fix many problems, but I'd still recommend an (updated!) DIY manual, along with a basic tool set.
  • Ms_Chocaholic
    Ms_Chocaholic Posts: 12,595 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Ask neighbours for recommendations for plumbers/electricians etc.
    Thrifty Till 50 Then Spend Till the End
    You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time but you can never please all of the people all of the time
  • Smodlet
    Smodlet Posts: 6,976 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Ms_Chocaholic wrote: »
    Ask neighbours for recommendations for plumbers/electricians etc.

    Yes, if you have moved to an area you don't know too far away to use tradesmen recommended by family/friends, talk to your neighbours. We moved 70 miles and everyone we now use is the same as those our wonderful next door neighbours use. I would hesitate to use those recommended by your Estate Agent as they may get kickbacks and probably don't care how rubbish the tradesman actually is; we were burned that way. Ask your neighbours and best of luck.
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