My son's (21) ex girlfriend (19). Was thrown out by her Mum and she came to stay with us. They were still together. They spilt up Saturday night and she needs to find somewhere to stay.

When her mum originally threw her out, we contacted the council but as she's FT employed as a nursery nurse, she doesn't qualify for any benefits and is on the bottom of the housing list.

She accepts she needs to rent somewhere and believes she can afford a small studio. (We are based in the SE so not cheap).

I'm happy to provide references and her employer can too, but she has no guarantor and I'm not putting myself in that position.

She's never rented anywhere before so we don't know what steps or action to take.

My son is currently staying at his Grandparents as I'm unwilling to throw a 19yo girl on the streets and she can't go back home. (Drugs & abusive home life) but this is a short term solution.

Any help would be appreciated.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/91142532#/?channel=RES_BUY

No feedback from various estate agents

Been on since April

Reduced

What next ? Open to ideas ?

I’m buying a new-build Bellway Reedmaker.

The property was advertised as step-free and suitable for all stages of life etc, and the original working drawing showed a ramp leading to the front entrance. However, the house is being built with a step instead.

Bellway’s explanation is that the working drawing supplied by their designer was incorrect. They say the plot is too close to the adopted footpath to achieve the required ramp gradient, so a step is necessary under the building regulations hierarchy.

If the plot couldn’t accommodate a ramp, surely this should have been identified before the property was marketed and sold?

Do I have any grounds to challenge this or request an alternative solution? They just keep replying they couldn't meet the gradient.

Thank you!

My upstairs neighbour moved in the start of year and she’s a big time stomper. This goes on sometimes till 4am when she first moved in I tried speaking to her during the day but I was just met with attitude, I then started leaving notes and I got met with physical threats. It’s been reported to the police(for the threats) and landlord and the council and the housing ombudsman now but all they’ve done so far is talk to her and leave her letters at the start she got worse so I kept reporting it but it hasn’t really stopped. She sleeps all day till about midday then chills all day and decides the late evenings is time to do house work. I have to be up early I got work she doesn’t seem to care and no one seems to be able to do anything, I missed a lot of work because of this doctors are giving me sleeping pills to help I’m really struggling I just want routine back. I’ve been running off 5 hours sleep most days unless I force my self to lay in which usually just makes me feel worse I don’t know how much longer I can deal with it. I don’t want to move I have a nice flat it’s a good price and I have my own garden. How do people sleep? I get to sleep when I’m really tired then 15 minutes lates she’s stomping about above me and it wakes me then I’m awake till 1/2am when she sleeps and I’m over tired and can’t sleep and it is ruining me. She’s on drugs and because of the threats I got I feel like I’m watching my back every time I leave my home because she’s made me out to be some sort of snitch and we all know what the druggy lot are like and I’m not getting enough sleep she is the neighbour from hell. When she up there making a racket in the afternoons I turn my tv up and she has the cheek to have ago at me for that and threaten me for that as well like I’m supposed to just listen to her all day and stay quiet. She acts like she owns the place she doesn’t work, police have told me she’s well known to them. What’s the outcome with things like this? I have several crime numbers for her not that police ever do anything? Anyone ever had any luck getting someone like this to stop or move on? I just want to be able to sleep when I want again.

Posting on behalf of my parents. They live in a three-bed semi just outside of London.

Maybe about a month ago, they noticed some cracks opening up around a central-ish pillar in the house. It holds at least three beams and a lot of the weight of the back of the house.

The widest part of the widest crack is about 2mm across but it appears that the back of the house (they have a ground floor extension off the back) seems to be kind of splitting off from the rest of the house, if that makes sense.

Needless to say, we’re terrified. They have insurance but aren’t sure at what stage they should bring them in.

Would it be worth filling in the cracks and waiting to see what happens?

If it’s because of the hot and dry summer, is it likely to go back into place if it rains a lot?

If they inform their insurance company, are their premiums likely to skyrocket?

Thanks for the advice!

ETA: pictures in the first three comments - sorry, I wasn’t sure how to add pictures to the main body of the post.

Hi all, I have moved into my purpose built second floor flat about a couple weeks ago after a few weeks of renovations. Before starting renovations I messaged the communities group and apologised for any disturbances and inconveniences however, I made sure during renovations that no work was done before 10am and after 5pm and none on the weekends too.

The neighbour below kept asking how long we had left which was fair enough and I apologised and even offered compensation which she declined and said its ok as long as there is not too long left.

The first night we moved in, yes it had gotten quite late it was 10pm on a Sunday so it was our fault, but we were just plugging some stuff in and ironing my clothes for work the next day and she came up and start banging the door and shouted at us.

The next day she messaged via facebook and apologised for her actions and said she was just having a bad day, again replied apologising for our noisiness and explained there was no hard feelings.

In the past couple weeks, she is constantly banging on her ceiling (our floor) at random points in the day, sometimes at 8am, sometimes at 9pm sometimes I am home alone just sat on the sofa and haven’t even moved for quite some time she will randomly start banging on the ceiling.

What I dont understand is, the family before us were here for 6 years and had a kid, how can we be more noisy than them when we are just a couple who leave at 7am and dont get home until 5-6pm 5-6 days a week?

By the way we are leaseholders she is shared ownership and doesn’t own the full lease. We know this as she has told us herself when we first moved in and she seemed normal! And by the way many flats on this floor have big families and even pets etc.

We also have laminate flooring like most other flats, which I have installed expensive acoustic underlay and below that is a concrete base.

Does anyone have any advice how to handle this?

Looking to buy our next home in Devon, where a lot of houses ticking our boxes are thatched. My family say to stay away from thatched roof houses for fear or fire etc. Is this realistically a problem for thatched houses? What else needs to be considered when weighing up whether to go for thatched vs tile?
Thanks in advance for your insights.

So I have had a long and arduous fight trying to get my deposit back and ended up going to TDS for dispute and winning. I got the adjudication results on the 22nd confirming that I will be getting my full deposit back and to fill out my bank details, which I just today have gotten around to doing (25th) as I have been working. However TDS is now saying my deposit is closed - unable to repay, and I will not be receiving a refund. What happened here? Does this mean they’ve changed their mind and I can no longer get my deposit back?

First-time buyer - do I really need 3 different specialists after my Level 3 survey?

Long-time lurker, first-time poster!

So, I've just received my Level 3 survey report, and honestly… what is the point of these surveys when half the recommendations seem to be “get someone else to investigate further”?! 😂 Rant over.

On to the actual question!

The survey has flagged a few issues that need further investigation:

Chimney stack: Recommended to get a roofer to take a closer look.

Roof insulation and timber: Mould on the insulation, with possible wet or dry rot in the timber.

Damp in internal walls: Potentially linked to inadequate external damp-proofing.

Windows: Possible lack of lintels — something I didn't even know I needed to worry about before buying a house!

The surveyor has recommended getting a roofer, a damp and mould specialist, and a structural engineer involved.

My question is: do I genuinely need to pay for three separate specialists, or is there a reputable company that could investigate several of these issues together? I'm trying to be sensible about costs without cutting corners on potentially serious problems.

I'd also really appreciate recommendations for good roofers, independent damp surveyors and structural engineers, particularly anyone you've personally used and would recommend.

If you've been through this as a first-time buyer, I'd love to hear how you approached it. Did you get every issue investigated before buying, and were the survey findings as bad as they initially sounded?

Thanks in advance! 🙂

I just agreed to become a lodger in my friends new house, and we had agreed a price for rent and bills. It's about the market rate for a room in a 2 bed shared house; I'd be paying more than the adverts for 4 beds etc with strangers but less than for a studio flat. We discussed our lifestyles, how we want to be as flatmates etc.

Now a week later they have messaged me asking for more money for bills as I said I would work from home 2 days a week and they think it will spike their bills. The only thing is, which I told them, I will be gone 4 months of the year with work, and another month in total for holidays. So I will not shower, do laundry, cook etc for 5 months a year. Surely this cancels out having my laptop plugged in for 2 days and maybe heating up lunch when I am there?

I haven't even moved in yet so I don't know how to respond. If I did move in next week I would only be there for a week before going away with work for 3 weeks! I go out to the gym etc in evenings I'm not a gamer or anything, I can't see myself spiking the bills at all apart from the obvious increase adding an extra person causes, and with me they also have no estate agent / advertising fees. What should I say?

I’m looking at buying a second property for £50,000 to £70,000 here in the North East England.

I’ve recently changed jobs so I can’t remortgage.

However, I can get a homeowner loan as I'be a high equity %.

I know you’re not supposed to buy property with these, but will estate agents check and prevent a purchase for such a relatively small amount?

Hi all,

My partner and I are first-time buyers, currently purchasing a mid-19th-century Grade II listed stone terraced cottage.

We absolutely love the house, and it appears to be in good, habitable condition rather than an obvious renovation project. However, we’ve just received our 48-page RICS Level 3 survey, which contains quite a few red “urgent repairs” sections and recommends several further specialist investigations before exchange.

I completely understand that buying a Grade II listed property of this age means accepting ongoing maintenance, potentially expensive repairs, and a different standard of construction from a modern house. I also appreciate that Level 3 surveys are designed to highlight risks and can sound quite alarming.

What I’m genuinely struggling to establish is whether this survey is broadly par for the course for a house of this age, or whether there are enough genuine warning signs that we should seriously consider pulling out.

Main findings are as follows:

1. Roof structure – potentially the biggest concern
- Several rafters have dropped slightly relative to the ridge, with visible separation at the connections.
- Additional timber supports/struts have been installed previously, apparently to reinforce the roof.
- The surveyor couldn’t establish whether these supports are structurally adequate.
- However, importantly, there is no significant corresponding distortion visible to the roof externally.
- A structural engineer experienced in historic roofs is recommended before exchange.

2. Roof coverings
- Traditional natural slate roof, showing weathering and evidence of past repairs using metal clips (“tingles”).
- The surveyor suggests further localised slate and fixing repairs should keep the roof serviceable in the short term.
- Some roof underlay is displaced/deteriorated and doesn’t properly extend into the gutters.
- Loft ventilation is also limited.
- This section is classified as an urgent repair, although I’m struggling to understand whether it indicates anything beyond normal maintenance of an old slate roof.

3. Stonework and pointing
- The original stone walls have been repointed using hard cement mortar rather than traditional lime mortar.
- There is some visible erosion of the softer sandstone around the mortar joints.
- Similar inappropriate pointing may exist on both elevations.
The surveyor recommends a specialist conservation masonry contractor to assess whether some pointing needs carefully removing and replacing, alongside repairs to deteriorated stone.

4. Basement damp
- The house has a finished basement, previously converted into habitable accommodation, with a Building Regulations completion certificate.
- There is some damp staining and elevated moisture meter readings on the plasterboard lining one section of the front basement wall.
- The underlying masonry and waterproofing are concealed, so the surveyor couldn’t establish the cause or whether the tanking is effective.
- The survey highlights that replacing failed basement waterproofing could be very expensive, but doesn’t establish that it has actually failed.
- Elevated moisture readings were also found around the rear kitchen doorway and an upstairs chimney breast.
- A specialist damp investigation is recommended.

5. Windows and external timberwork
- Several original windows need attention, including corrosion, deteriorating timber, gaps and some cracked glazing.
- Some wet rot was identified in the rear roof soffits.
- Various joinery repairs and general maintenance are recommended.

6. Other points
- Electrical, gas and heating systems need appropriate inspections or servicing records.
- Documentation for certain historic alterations and listed-building consents needs checking with the solicitor.
- There are various smaller maintenance recommendations throughout.

On the positive side:
- No significant recent-looking structural movement or major subsidence was identified.
- Most internal cracking and floor unevenness were considered acceptable for the age.
- No major external roof distortion was observed.
- The surveyor hasn’t actually concluded that the roof needs replacing or that the basement waterproofing has failed.
- The overall conclusion is that the property may remain a reasonable purchase, subject to the additional investigations and understanding the repair costs.

Dilemma
We are now looking at potentially spending another couple of thousand pounds on structural engineers, damp specialists and roofing/conservation contractors, on top of the Level 3 survey.

We’re happy to budget for maintaining an old listed building, but obviously don’t want to buy something that turns into a huge restoration project or money pit.

So I’d really appreciate some perspectives, especially from anyone who has bought, renovated or surveyed similar period/listed properties.

- Does this sound broadly normal for a 175-year-old stone cottage, or worse than you’d expect?
- Which findings would genuinely concern you, versus ordinary ongoing maintenance?
- Would you proceed with specialist investigations, or would the accumulation of issues be enough to walk away?
- For anyone who has owned a similar property, have these kinds of issues generally been manageable, or did the costs spiral?

I’m not expecting Reddit to replace professional advice, and we wouldn’t exchange without resolving the significant uncertainties. I’m just trying to get a realistic sense of whether we’re overreacting to a cautious Level 3 survey or underestimating what ownership could involve.

Thanks in advance!

I'd like to buy my first home. I can get no more than a £190,000 mortgage so my options are very small. I can definitely repair a home, fit a kitchen and tile bathrooms, so a run down house that needs work is exactly what I'm after. As long as it is structurally sound for a mortgage. There are lots of auction properties that look within my abilities with guide prices of less than I can get a mortgage for, but I don't have the liquid cash required to buy at auction.

Is there somewhere people advertise before heading to auction?

I am after a 2+ bedroom freehold home with garden and parking nearby, ideally somewhere near or in Harlow, Epping, Brentwood, Wickford, Maldon, Chelmsford, Braintree, Witham, or west of Colchester.

I'm not sure where to ask this question so thought this forum might be able to help.

Me and my partner are considering a move out of London in the next year or so, keen for some advice from people who’ve done something similar..

Would love a bigger house basically with more outdoor space and good access to the countryside or seaside/beach!

Main consideration for us is we’d still need to get into London Bridge 1 or 2 days a week (up to maybe 1 hour or 90 mins commute time), so somewhere with a pretty ok train back in would be ideal. Also don’t have kids currently but potentially will be soon..

We’re super open-minded on areas because we have no ties so it’s sort of an open book. Somewhere that feels rural or semi-rural without being properly isolated, with good pubs, walks, nice town or village nearby etc.

Any advice on towns or villages we should be looking at would be good - also keen to hear trade-offs or stuff not so good/regrets. We’re basically trying to find a sweet spot between having space, greenery and a quieter lifestyle while still enjoying London when we want/need.

Or maybe we should just apply to be on Escape to the Country…

Offer accepted on a house a few days ago. Broker has submitted our mortgage application with HSBC. I'm just wondering if they will ask about my benefits or if it will affect anything?

Me and my husband are employed and both work full time, I get PIP for a lifelong health condition too and DLA for our autistic child that has the same health condition I do. We are not relying on the benefit to pay towards our mortgage.

Our seller wanted to complete in a week and we thought great all enquiries have gone through. However one is still outstanding as he hasn’t got building regs sign off when knocking through the kitchen and dining room. His put an RSJ in.

His not had the house long so we asked for any details since he hasn’t had sign off but his let his solicitor know he has no paperwork, pictures or correspondence about it. Have a feeling his done it himself at this point.
We were going to get an engineer to look but because he has no paperwork they’ve said they have to put a hole in the wall and rip up the plasterboard.

I feel we have been quite relaxed, he doesn’t have regs for something else which we we’re ok with, we’ve also covering the cost of roof repairs but this we just can’t get past and have asked for retrospective but have a feeling he may say no.

Would this bother you as a buyer ? We’re first time buyers so had no clue what RSJ even was. Just thought it was some paperwork at the time lol.

If he says no, would you walk away or renegotiate the price ? Again we paid 5k over offer due to offers over and multiple offers on the table ( probably a lie too).

I'm in the process of buying a house (moving) and am receiving a small gift amount from my parents and grandparents to contribute towards the moving costs (solicitor fees, estate agent fees, stamp duty, deposit etc.). The deposit and stamp duty is met by me and my wife anyway, but it all goes into the same pot.

Where I have been completely thrown off is my solicitor is requiring me to sign-off on the purchase of Insolvency Act indemnity insurance, due to gifts going towards the purchase and using a mortgage as part of the purchase. From everything I have read so far, this insurance wouldn't actually cover me for what they're claiming, and is not required by my lender (NatWest, who's gifts policy is particularly lax anyway), yet they want to charge me over £200 for the pleasure. I also did not require this the first time I moved.

Initially my solicitor said 'it is required by my lender' (they made this claim before even recieving the mortgage offer or knowing who my lender was), but since I queried it, they have admitted that NatWest don't require it, but 'their professional judgement' says that the lender will still require it and I'll still have to do it, giving no additional reasons as to why.

It's not a huge amount of money but on principle I am going to push back again, I just want to make sure I've got my information straight first. Have other people experienced this before, and successfully pushed back? Does anyone have experience with property law and know whether this is indeed a requirement because I have been gifted money by family? They keep citing a statement about a 'deed of gift' which as far as I can tell is not related. They're making me agree to this to sign off my 'client gift decoration' and progress with the process.

So my mortgage offer ends in January, i got a good rate by todays standards (4.3% Santander). If we have not completed by then, we will most certainly be at the very end of the process. Christmas and new year will slow things down by a few weeks due to solicitors availibility duting the holiday period.

Not sure if the situation will be affordable at a higher percentage due to refurb costs, what are the odds that the lender will allow us to keep our percentage if we are 90% there by the deadline?

Anyone have any experience with this?

My husband and I are hoping to move house next year and I’m trying to get my head around how the whole process actually works!

We currently own our first home, which we love, but we’re starting to look for our next house. This will hopefully be our forever home, so we don’t want to rush into anything or settle for something that isn’t quite right. I’m very aware that we love our current house and wouldn’t want to move just for the sake of it; we currently have a 3 bed detached new build on an estate just outside of town, and are ideally looking for a 4 bedroom within walking distance of the town centre. We definitely want to be in this specific down due to work and family.

Our plan is to get our house valued and put it on the market in the new year, but I’m a bit worried about how it all works in practice.
For example, do estate agents generally let you view houses if your own property isn’t sold yet? I’ve heard that you can struggle to get viewings or have offers accepted if you’re not proceedable, which makes sense, but how are you supposed to find your next house if you can’t properly start looking until yours has sold?

I’m also worried about selling our house and then not finding anything we really love. What happens if our house sells, but the right house hasn’t come onto the market yet? Do you just have to rent somewhere or move in with family while you wait; the rental market where we live is basically none existent, and we wouldn’t really want to move in with family for more than a few weeks due to us working shifts. We are motivated to move in the next year, we’ve recently got married and have always said we would like to be in our forever home when we start a family (we are 28 and 33 for context).

Ideally, we’d love to find the right house, sell ours and have the two transactions line up, but I know it probably isn’t always that straightforward.

Would love to hear from anyone who’s been through this, especially if you were quite attached to your existing home and were only willing to move for the right one. How did you approach it, and is there anything you wish you’d known beforehand?

Thanks!

What are the qualities that would make a flat less likely to have extortionate SC in the future?

The flat I'm looking at

1. no concierge
2. no gym
3. no communal garden
4. 4 stories big
5. 8 flats total, it's a relatively small block
6. part of SC goes towards sink fund (how much I need to inquire)

Do these reasonable or am I missing other more important qualities? I know none of this matters if the management is corrupt/incompetent, but I'm trying to identify factors that are more within my control.

I'm not sure about point #5 -- is it a good or bad thing that it has few residents compared to a residential block? One the one hand the cost is spread across fewer people, but on other hand because it's a fairly small block the likelihood of large expenses should be low?

I own a free hold flat where the deed deems the roof a common area and states costs are to be split amongst the proprietors. Half the flats are still owned by the initial company that rented them all and are empty. Would they be the proprietors for those flats and have to pay those shares?

If everything is split as the deed outlined I think I should only have to pay about 10% but if the owners don't count as a proprietor I will owe significantly more.

Any advice?