How much would a freehold be, compared to the price of the flat above it? Behind us (and attached, terribly complicated, I cannot work out how this building has been divided) are two flats, the lower holds the freehold, the upper the leasehold. I want both.
MaliA wrote:
How much would a freehold be, compared to the price of the flat above it? Behind us (and attached, terribly complicated, I cannot work out how this building has been divided) are two flats, the lower holds the freehold, the upper the leasehold. I want both.
Actually, could I buy the upper flat and just knock through?
The lower may also be leasehold, and someone else owns the freehold. Land ownership is stupid.
Goddess Jasmine wrote:
Cras wrote:
I've been trying to buy a flat for god knows how long, and everything that could go wrong so far has gone wrong. So post January this year as part of the Grenfell fire follow-up there's a new process for lenders to assess risk of issuing mortgages on flats. The valuer conducts a valuation. If the building is taller than 18m or the valuer notes that there are cladding materials that may possibly be combustible then the lender requires that the buyer provide an EWS1 form completed by a fire safety certified chartered surveyor to confirm that the cladding materials will not support combustion.
There are problems with this.
Firstly, the surveyor is not a fire safety certified chartered surveyor, therefore if there is cladding, the valuation will by necessity state that there are cladding materials that may possibly be combustible, triggering the EWS1 process even in low-rise buildings
Secondly, there are nowhere close to enough fire-safety certified surveyors to meet the demand for these forms
Thirdly, insurers are advising the certified surveyors not to fill out and sign the EWS1 forms due to liability risks
It's effectively impossible right now to buy or sell a flat with any cladding of any kind.
There are problems with this.
Firstly, the surveyor is not a fire safety certified chartered surveyor, therefore if there is cladding, the valuation will by necessity state that there are cladding materials that may possibly be combustible, triggering the EWS1 process even in low-rise buildings
Secondly, there are nowhere close to enough fire-safety certified surveyors to meet the demand for these forms
Thirdly, insurers are advising the certified surveyors not to fill out and sign the EWS1 forms due to liability risks
It's effectively impossible right now to buy or sell a flat with any cladding of any kind.
Is this a particular flat, or just any that you have seen?
I understand this in principle, but as with many other things, in practice...
I'm sorry this is causing you issues though.
It's the one I'm currently living in, which is extra frustrating! Means I'm less likely to lose it though
Buying it from your landlord? That’s great as it means you don’t have to move! Hope it goes through ok eventually.
Cras wrote:
Goddess Jasmine wrote:
Cras wrote:
I've been trying to buy a flat for god knows how long, and everything that could go wrong so far has gone wrong. So post January this year as part of the Grenfell fire follow-up there's a new process for lenders to assess risk of issuing mortgages on flats. The valuer conducts a valuation. If the building is taller than 18m or the valuer notes that there are cladding materials that may possibly be combustible then the lender requires that the buyer provide an EWS1 form completed by a fire safety certified chartered surveyor to confirm that the cladding materials will not support combustion.
There are problems with this.
Firstly, the surveyor is not a fire safety certified chartered surveyor, therefore if there is cladding, the valuation will by necessity state that there are cladding materials that may possibly be combustible, triggering the EWS1 process even in low-rise buildings
Secondly, there are nowhere close to enough fire-safety certified surveyors to meet the demand for these forms
Thirdly, insurers are advising the certified surveyors not to fill out and sign the EWS1 forms due to liability risks
It's effectively impossible right now to buy or sell a flat with any cladding of any kind.
There are problems with this.
Firstly, the surveyor is not a fire safety certified chartered surveyor, therefore if there is cladding, the valuation will by necessity state that there are cladding materials that may possibly be combustible, triggering the EWS1 process even in low-rise buildings
Secondly, there are nowhere close to enough fire-safety certified surveyors to meet the demand for these forms
Thirdly, insurers are advising the certified surveyors not to fill out and sign the EWS1 forms due to liability risks
It's effectively impossible right now to buy or sell a flat with any cladding of any kind.
Is this a particular flat, or just any that you have seen?
I understand this in principle, but as with many other things, in practice...
I'm sorry this is causing you issues though.
It's the one I'm currently living in, which is extra frustrating! Means I'm less likely to lose it though
Well that's something at least! I'm glad you're getting it though, I love that view you have over the ocean.
Guess who managed to crack his windscreen when changing his wiper blades?
If you guessed Davpaz, you were correct
If you guessed Davpaz, you were correct
Mr Chonks wrote:
Oof
Indeed.
DavPaz wrote:
Mr Chonks wrote:
Oof
Indeed.
Ouch
£40 for the wipers, £100 for the screen. Pricy goof
That's some going!
£40 wiper blades?!
I've got a crack across the screen on my car that appeared about a week ago. Then when cleaning the interior of the car I managed to hit and break the RV mirror off the windscreen! I will get it all sorted in the next week or so :/
My heart sinks when I get a Co Op router call.
Despite recently revised (but still woefully inadquate) instructions and a message that the installation should take about 20 minutes, I know from experience that it'll be a shit show and I'll be on site for at least two hours. And so it was.
The call briefing was so brief that it didn't say WHY the router was to be installed. Neither did it say that several other engineers had been out to fix an intermittent connectivity problem, all of which failed. Neither did it give the primary/secondary IP addresses I'd need and it took three phone calls to find someone who could supply them.
And then, after the job was done, I had to take the fucker out again as it was worse than the one it was supposed to replace.
Despite recently revised (but still woefully inadquate) instructions and a message that the installation should take about 20 minutes, I know from experience that it'll be a shit show and I'll be on site for at least two hours. And so it was.
The call briefing was so brief that it didn't say WHY the router was to be installed. Neither did it say that several other engineers had been out to fix an intermittent connectivity problem, all of which failed. Neither did it give the primary/secondary IP addresses I'd need and it took three phone calls to find someone who could supply them.
And then, after the job was done, I had to take the fucker out again as it was worse than the one it was supposed to replace.
Work is so rewarding.
Nay! We have a leaking window.
At least I spotted it before it could do major damage. A few floorboards taken up and a drip tray in place for now. Calling roofers tomorrow, it looks like
At least I spotted it before it could do major damage. A few floorboards taken up and a drip tray in place for now. Calling roofers tomorrow, it looks like
You want windowers
Not according to the windowers I've talked to
Windowers can be roofless.
Over the years I've learnt to see right through them.
Finding a good one can be a real pane.
Guys, I'm glazing over here
Zardoz wrote:
Finding a good one can be a real pane.
That depends on how you frame it
You want to find devout ones. They'll help you see the light.
You want to watch out for them, they can latch on to you, even if they are cracking company.
These puns are a pane in the glass.
Shut up
Mr Chonks wrote:
Shut up
Not sure if pun, or just bad morning
Balanced precariously on a ladder, I noticed a sizable hole in the sealant on the outside window sill. An experimental dribble of water on this spot resulted in the same sort of leakage that was happening during the rain. An inelegant blob of frame sealant has plugged the hole for now
DavPaz wrote:
Balanced precariously on a ladder, I noticed a sizable hole in the sealant on the outside window sill. An experimental dribble of water on this spot resulted in the same sort of leakage that was happening during the rain. An inelegant blob of frame sealant has plugged the hole for now
From my experience that's all the professionals will do anyway.
Well, this is the perfect opportunity to get the roofer to look at a few other things that need doing, not least of which is redoing the sealant on all of the windows
I managed to shatter one side of my switch screen on Saturday by accidentally dropping it on the floor.
Yesterday I had to spend several hours fixing a client site that a 3rd party agency managed to break while doing some work on it.
My daughter had another epic meltdown this morning and told me at length about how I'm the worst mother in the world, she hates me and her life, etc etc.
This morning I've somehow managed to pick up a deep scratch in my brand new phone screen despite it only being in my pocket and on my desk.
I am about one more bloody situation away from either a full on breakdown, or fucking off somewhere hot and not coming back. Perhaps both, just for the fun of it.
Yesterday I had to spend several hours fixing a client site that a 3rd party agency managed to break while doing some work on it.
My daughter had another epic meltdown this morning and told me at length about how I'm the worst mother in the world, she hates me and her life, etc etc.
This morning I've somehow managed to pick up a deep scratch in my brand new phone screen despite it only being in my pocket and on my desk.
I am about one more bloody situation away from either a full on breakdown, or fucking off somewhere hot and not coming back. Perhaps both, just for the fun of it.
Well that sounds like a sucky few days. Have a cup of tea, I reckon
Yeah, not a bad idea.
Oh Jem, that does sound like a really crappy day. Can you take some time for yourself and do something that will make you feel better? A run, some baking etc?
Hope you had that cup of tea anyway.
Hope you had that cup of tea anyway.
Once I've fixed the work crap I should be able to take a break
Completely forgot to finish making the cuppa
Completely forgot to finish making the cuppa
Oh no! We'll get one now to power you through the rest of the work. 
Want me to bring a brew round?
Gaz finished making it for me in the end, and I've just had a wispa and now I'm going to play a bit of Animal Crossing so I think I'll be ok
Have you had a brew yet
Coffee number 3
Feckin birb stuck behind the gas fire in our lounge. £60 call-out of an engineer. Booo.
Phoenix!
Fidege freezer no. 1 in our secondary storage facility has died. It's only about 25 years old. Don't people make things to last any more?
Replacement not available for delivery until Thursday!! Don't people provide decent service any more?
Replacement not available for delivery until Thursday!! Don't people provide decent service any more?
Dimrill wrote:
Feckin birb stuck behind the gas fire in our lounge. £60 call-out of an engineer. Booo.
Surely this problem solves itself given enough time...
Jem wrote:
Dimrill wrote:
Feckin birb stuck behind the gas fire in our lounge. £60 call-out of an engineer. Booo.
Surely this problem solves itself given enough time...
A mate had a bricked up fireplace. Birds used to nest in the pot. Each spring, she would hear chirping for a few days. Then silence. When they put an actual fireplace in, she said it was quite the terrifying sight after however many years it has been.
Jem wrote:
Dimrill wrote:
Feckin birb stuck behind the gas fire in our lounge. £60 call-out of an engineer. Booo.
Surely this problem solves itself given enough time...
It would, but it's the smell in the intervening period that would be the problem.
If it was plucked, you'd get the aroma of roast chicken or similar, to begin with, but I think it would still deteriorate over time.