Moving

[thirdcrank]

Our mail is delivered by both men and women. And they can still get it wrong even though we've been here since 1975

[Tangled Metal]

We just got our van ved letter with redirection sticker on the front so it's not true now that letters from officialdom don't get forwarded. We moved early march and our car/van details are still at the old address. Licences are changed but not log book details hence the necessary redirect.

BTW always get 12 months redirection. It's not much more than 6 months but it pretty much giants you'll get every possible important letter in that first year after moving. There's always some important letter that comes after 6 months that you are highly likely to have forgotten to change to new address.

Our escapade with the tax office was 2006 so either it's changed or NI is different rules.

Of late NI certainly is special rules Unfortunately.

Aside, republic is fiendish to send commercial packages to. We're forever having to resend items for seemingly minor infractions. At least we've not quite had that issue with NI yet.

[Cowsham]

We just got our van ved letter with redirection sticker on the front so it's not true now that letters from officialdom don't get forwarded. We moved early march and our car/van details are still at the old address. Licences are changed but not log book details hence the necessary redirect.

BTW always get 12 months redirection. It's not much more than 6 months but it pretty much giants you'll get every possible important letter in that first year after moving. There's always some important letter that comes after 6 months that you are highly likely to have forgotten to change to new address.

Our escapade with the tax office was 2006 so either it's changed or NI is different rules.

I think you were possibly unlucky with HMRC. Royal Mail do forward HMRC post so long as it is still within the UK. But they do not redirect benefit correspondence. It will be returned to sender.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Globa ... %20(5).pdf

Definitely not at that time cos they told me directly. They told me car tax is government documents and all government documents are not redirected automatically by a royal mail redirection request unless the relevant departments
are informed to do so by the mover. Then there's a procedure for all that too. At least that was definitely the situation back in 2006 -- of that I am totally sure about.

Hence the first advice I mentioned was to inform each relevant government department especially car tax. ( 2006 NI )

Not only do the post office not redirect government mail ( at that time in NI ) but all vehicle tax reminders are only a courtesy and are not an obligatory requirement of the DVLA.

[al_yrpal]

The surveyor who produced a 60 page report on this new place of ours majored on the leaking roof, the consequent hole in the landing ceiling, the supposed woodworm in the roof, the rising damp in the annexe, the out of date looking kitchen, the dubious Aga, the supposedly inadequate heating system, the leak in the garage roof, the dodgy floor in the living room, lack of pointing here and there etc etc. It put dozens of prospective buyers off.

But, the Aga works fine, the multi fuel stove in the living room is a top of the range job, the roof has been fixed, there are insulating blinds on all the windows, the kitchen has oodles of storage and works exceedingly well, theres a Kwooker, great for a quick cuppa or coffee and preheating water for stuff being cooked on the Aga, the showers are brilliant, the roof leak in the garage is easy to fix from inside. The garden is fantastic with a wonderful pond and a pergola with a vine for shade. We are very happy. 30 second walk to the post office, pub, butchers and bus stop and the dogs love the huge park 2 minutes walk away. It all looked great when we made our offer for it and its now exceeded our high expectations.

Al

[rjb]

Well done. I hope it all works out well. Take your time and don't rush all the work. Enjoy getting out on your bike to explore the area. BTW the letterbox I referred to out your way towards Greenham is at the bottom of Watery Lane something I recall you are now used to in Somerset.

[al_yrpal]

Watery Lane (well named) was our best dog walk. Brilliant views across the fields from the top of the Blackdowns right down to the Wellington Monument. I shall miss it. Some really nice walks here, a gentle long park and green space walk right behind the house for our old collie, and great walks by the river Tone down the hill for the more sprightly Jack Russell.

Lots of riders passing through here, a favourite with all sorts of riders evidently.

Al

[francovendee]

The surveyor who produced a 60 page report on this new place of ours majored on the leaking roof, the consequent hole in the landing ceiling, the supposed woodworm in the roof, the rising damp in the annexe, the out of date looking kitchen, the dubious Aga, the supposedly inadequate heating system, the leak in the garage roof, the dodgy floor in the living room, lack of pointing here and there etc etc. It put dozens of prospective buyers off.

But, the Aga works fine, the multi fuel stove in the living room is a top of the range job, the roof has been fixed, there are insulating blinds on all the windows, the kitchen has oodles of storage and works exceedingly well, theres a Kwooker, great for a quick cuppa or coffee and preheating water for stuff being cooked on the Aga, the showers are brilliant, the roof leak in the garage is easy to fix from inside. The garden is fantastic with a wonderful pond and a pergola with a vine for shade. We are very happy. 30 second walk to the post office, pub, butchers and bus stop and the dogs love the huge park 2 minutes walk away. It all looked great when we made our offer for it and its now exceeded our high expectations.

Al

That's the spirit Al, look for the pluses, problems with houses can usually be fixed or you grow to quite like them, we have.
We've embraced the shabby chic look, heavily on the shabby side.
We do have a warm dry home now. When we had our first winter here we had water dripping from the ceiling splashing into the water flowing across the floor. Fixing the roof was the first job and I got it done just before we had snow. It was unusual to have snow here so we were lucky to have it done in time.
Eighteen years on and the house still isn't finished and I doubt I'll ever get it done.
Don't get bogged down with the house, remember to have some fun.
We're happier here than in any of the other 4 houses we've owned. That's what life is about.
Very interested in how you fix a roof from the inside?
With regard to surveys we've never bothered with one other than the one a lender insisted on.
I've always managed to get a builder, to take a look, far cheaper than a surveyor and viewed through the eyes of someone who would do the work. I usually gave the builder £250 in cash.

[al_yrpal]

Franco, the problem with the garage roof here is a great big tear in the roofing felt. A bit of sticky Flashband should fix it. But at some point I will get a roofer in to refelt it and fix the tiles properly. Eileen knows a retired builder so he will be invited over to recommend suitable tradesmen.

The survey was done at the behest of a prospective buyer who then pulled out Another then had a go but they also pulled out. So, we got a free survey and other prospective buyers who saw the survey were also put off.

My attitude is that house should have a good hat and feet and thats what we will spend money on, the rest is just a gradual schedule of improvement.

Al

[francovendee]

Similar priorities, get the house dry and warm and the rest will fall into place as and when.
I've a friend with a second home who hasn't seen it for nearly a year. I keep his grass cut and the house is OK so nothing to worry him.
He's the sort that spends most of his time working on the house and garden so I doubt I'll get him out to the bar when he next gets here. His house is perfect but he just sees things that need doing.

[al_yrpal]

Got my partners 'salt of the earth' builder to come round on Tuesday. Roofers am and rest of trades pm. After being here a couple of weeks in what is an idilic house with an idilic garden in an idilic location we decided to get the chequebook out and get everything done and fixed. Life is too short, particularly at our age to piddle about with DIY. Might do a bit of the kitchen though.

Al

[Oldjohnw]

That will be our approach whenever we complete this move. I do want to spend months or even years at my age and I don’t want to live in chaos.

Not everyone has the choice I’m just grateful we have.

[al_yrpal]

Well, 5 figure sum to fix the roof. Renew the gully with fibreglass, strip and felt one unfelted tiled main slope, tidy up various bits of leadwork and fit a Velux replacing the trap hatch. More than expected but already other items need nothing spent or very little. Like all surveyors much of what was written was buttock covering.
However, exhaustion has now set in. 3 weeks of intense activity and weeks of packing and unpacking has taken its toll on us. We are having a break, not going anywhere just gently chilling for a few days. The saucepan on the stairs is successfully catching the drips from the roof.... The smart meter says the Aga consumes £3 worth of gas a day. Bought a £100 Baby Belling clone for summer cooking but havent used it yet. I have found Aga cooking very simple which surprises me.

Al

[Oldjohnw]

5 figure sum?

£10,000 or £99,000?

Rhetorical question, btw.

[al_yrpal]

Just into the 5 figures + vat of course..

Al

[rjb]

The smart meter says the Aga consumes £3 worth of gas a day. Bought a £100 Baby Belling clone for summer cooking but havent used it yet. I have found Aga cooking very simple which surprises me.

Al

I'm only paying 3 pence for a kWhr of gas from my energy supplier. Your aga must be burning 100 kW per day. the hole in the roof must be there to let the heat out.

Sorry Al.