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House running tips

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  • Car1980
    Car1980 Posts: 301 Forumite
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    P.S. make sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm
  • glasgowdan
    glasgowdan Posts: 2,967 Forumite
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    Eddy, speak to neighbours, look for trades vans parked at neighbour's houses. Far better to know some local people than to rely on insurance policies and national firms.

    Also, join a couple of local facebook groups and look for recommendations on there (being wary NOT to believe what everyone says as half the recommendations are for people's own family members or pals).
  • csgohan4
    csgohan4 Posts: 10,587 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper Photogenic
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    G_M wrote: »
    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.

    You must be ancient, did the house come with some cakes too?
    "It is prudent when shopping for something important, not to limit yourself to Pound land/Estate Agents"

    G_M/ Bowlhead99 RIP
  • Mutton_Geoff
    Mutton_Geoff Posts: 3,819 Forumite
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    G_M wrote: »
    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.....??


    A good tip. I have spent approaching £1m on work for renovation projects over the last 4 years. They were in 3 different parts of the country so I couldn't bring the tried and trusted trades to each of the new projects so occasionally I dipped into one or two of the "trustedbodger.com" websites for quotes or small jobs. Without exception, the quotes were ludicrous, the work was shoddy and the gut feeling I had about people turning up was bad. Never again.
    Signature on holiday for two weeks
  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977 Forumite
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    csgohan4 wrote: »
    You must be ancient, did the house come with some cakes too?
    Well the sellers did have a percolator going and made me coffee on both the first 2 viewings......

    Yup that old trick!
  • EddyBaloch
    EddyBaloch Posts: 59 Forumite
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    Hello folks! I want to thank each one of you for the invaluable advice. It has certainly made me feel more confident. So here is what I am going to do

    1) Find trusted local tradesmen through recommendation from neighbors. It is a great neighborhood and majority of people I have met have lived there for over 20-30 years.

    2) As the property has been empty for over a year, I am going to get it checked for gas and electric safety. I will also pay for the boiler service. It is an old back boiler.

    3) Not getting any insurance and will make a separate fund for the rainy day. There is an emergency cover included in by building insurance for the first year so I can't do anything about that but will not renew it next year.

    4) Stay away from those tradesmen finding websites.

    5) Install carbon monoxide / fire alarms.

    Cheers,
    Eddy.
  • kinger101
    kinger101 Posts: 6,282 Forumite
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    csgohan4 wrote: »
    You must be ancient, did the house come with some cakes too?

    GM knows Mr Kipling's grandad.
    "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - Confucius
  • Slithery
    Slithery Posts: 6,046 Forumite
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    edited 7 October 2017 at 10:34AM
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    Change all the locks as soon as possible after moving in.
  • glasgowdan
    glasgowdan Posts: 2,967 Forumite
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    You'll always need to have buildings insurance, but boiler c0ver, plumbing, appliance cover etc are all questionable.
  • SuzieSue
    SuzieSue Posts: 4,096 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
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    Go out and check the gutters every few months when it rains to ensure that they aren't overflowing.
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