poppy10

James N
My property is inspected monthly by my letting agent. And no, there is no fat fee involved. it's a business. If the tenant doesn't like it, don't sign the contract. I "inspect" the property I live in continually.
There are enough landlords who don't give a damn, and tenants on here whining about that. Where a landlord does want to keep the property in a good way (and the tenant happy), other tenants whine.
Sometimes it seems to me tenants are a whole lot of trouble as a class of people. They don't want any responsibility, want everything their way, but are quick to demand their "rights" when things go wrong.


James N
At the beginning of the month, our tenant informed us by phone he was leaving on the 29th December. No written notice has been given. I am not confident about these tenants, so we have counter-issued a section 21 giving 2 months notice.
If he does leave, how can I be sure he's really gone with nothing in writing. he could pop up again and claim I'd put him out by changing the locks. if i don't secure the house, we could get squatters.
What about utilities, council tax, damage while it's empty (pipes). Apart from the section 21 how else can i protect myself against false claims by him? What about the oral notice, issued at the wrong time of the month. it's a periodic tenancy.


James N
I have just got a new BT card (really MBNA), I really on got it as an emergency card for my son. But they've sent me cheques for using and advise I can use them for balance transfers.
So can I really write a cheque, use their money to open an interest saving account, and then sit back and take their money for a year? I thought you had to nominate another credit card company directly TO them to do this balance transfer thing. So can I write a cheque to just anyone and still get interst free credit?
With no catches? Apart from not using the card now, that is, I understand that.
if so - what account is best to go for?


James N
My car was parked (by another peron) some months ago in a Car Park "managed" by Excel some months ago, and I received a series of increasingly demanding attempts to part me with my money for a 21 minute "overstay". These have now dried up.
On returning to this carpark recently, I noted our car had some close attention from their goon Parking Operative. They have cameras at this site. Are they organised, or am I paranoid?


James N
We are offering on house. The trouble is that the vendor wants over £250,000 and won't budge (He's counter-offered at £260,000) meaning that the higher rate of stamp duty kicks in - a few thousand for him, much more for us.
Is it possible legally to do things like: pay his fees separately, pay for white goods and furniture that would otherwise be taken (e.g I'm not talking about the integral oven, but the freestanding freezers, etc, and the nice sofas), any other separate payment ..... in order to avoid (not evade) payment of the higher stamp duty?


James N
Do I need to consult my lender before undertaking substantial total renovation of a property? I already own it - the energy and the money to do the work I want to do has just become available!


James N
Harrassment and misrepresentation
Why doesn't somone take on the private scamming parking companies for the various laws on misrepresentation, fraud, harrassment etc that they break? A properly won case in a County Court would create "case law" and stop the rest dead, wouldn't it?


James N
It's a Bank Holiday weekend. Yet all out local agents are closed and have been since 1630 Friday. It's impossible to see houses, get information or even book for NEXT weekend. Some of them don't even have effective answering machines and as for emailing them - they seem to have an email address just for show, because you never get a response.
If you phone in the week - always tricky from work, they want to call you back - always tricky when at work - and then pathetically offer you a mid-morning mid-week appointment. They appear surprised that one should want a Saturday viewing (family house, family view, family decision) or an evening viewing. We had a viewing on Saturday where the agent turned up and basically said they could only give us 10 minutes because they were late! Stuff that. I am not taking 10 minutes over the most expensive purchase I have ever made when I booked this 2 weeks ago! Get more staff if you can't cover the demand.
Estate Agencies in the UK are truly awful and seem locked in a down direction. Expensive, poor service, rude and ineffective.