Help, calm me. House buying and selling stress

You're right Whiff, it's worth taking notice of any areas highlighted on the surveyor's report before they deteriorate. We've just had all the moss scraped off our roof tiles to prevent it eating into them. It was all done by hand rather than just pointing a pressure washer at them and the company used a bio treatment at the end. A long painstaking job, expensive but worth it.
I was thinking about those of you currently selling, a survey shouldn't just be seen as pointing out problems in a negative scary way, it should be viewed as a helpful report for the new buyer to action. After all no property is perfect when we buy and there always be "jobs" to do.

Oh craftyone, I am so very sorry to read your post, you chose this developer and property so carefully. What a horrible situation to be in. I hope your structs engineer can visit within the 14 day period and this can be sorted to your satisfaction. How much is it going to cost you to employ this person? I tell you with shame that I gave my flat pack bench to the local Arts Centre, I didn't have a clue. You really are so handy at DIY, I wish you lived closer to me!

I went to see the house last night, and the owner was delightful. It's a reluctant sale but he said his kids no longer come, and he has a new job which will involve a lot of international travel. House was a converted pig sty - I know! Lovely as a second home, but not for my forever home, and not worth the money, coastal retreat or not. Big and small bedroom upstairs (was the ensuite) with a very tiny landing, tiny steps up to a high cupboard to the boarded loft, I couldn't go up there. Main stairs were shiny wood and quite steep, and the toilet/showerroom was downstairs. I was prepared to consider it as it is in a village I really like, but on reflection, stairs and lack of garden counted against it and I've said I won't be offering.

Whiff, it's all go at your bungalow! My downstairs loo has broken, I miss it. I remember as a child having to throw a bucket of water down the toilet when the pipes froze. Glad you are having a cowl on the chimney, I've got lots of chimneys and one of my biggest fears is a bird getting trapped. I saw a dreadful horror drama years ago where a woman rented a remote cottage in a scary village, and a monster came down her chimney, haunted me for ages! I think her friend was dead in the wood box. Still gives me the shivers!

I'm not impressed my friend with the storage company has asked to come back to look again before she quotes - hey ho. Yesterday my friend said to take absolutely everything as I need every penny I can get towards my new life, when she comes I'll point out the things I was going to leave.

My son is coming today to get the bikes I hope. I've still not got my car, and my dog doesn't like walking the country lanes. I'm pleased to say my 85 year old friend's dog was found, I was so worried about him.

Have a good day everyone

Well at least you looked mosaicwarts. It’s always worth checking things out! Hope today goes well for everyone.

I am reading all your posts and taking in all the up and down emotions, still with you really I am but my mind is whizzy busy with this at my property

I am still in throes of information finding etc. My own developer is excellent, put very deep footings in with horizontal mesh layers. We need to employ an expert to safeguard our structures ie garages and next door gable wall, all due to sneaky developer wanting to start on his development over the wall. I have been up a ladder today and contacted a structs company, sent all relevant details etc am just waiting to see if he will take it on

The developer will have to pay for this expert advice, in the meantime me and neighbour will go halves. I have said not to worry about cashflow in the interim, I have savings. Small claims court would back us anyway, I know what to do, my husband had to do it once. Trick is to keep all evidence. He was so very good at dealing with developers, surveyors and being expert witness, it was his job. He could mentally take in measurements, plans etc it was much harder for me yesterday. I am tenacious, I know I am, always have been but mostly I have my older nice cosy woman coating on, they will be getting a heck of a shock. I hope building control get back to me

Thinking of you craftyone, this is so very unexpected, I am sorry your peace has been disturbed by it.

Had a phone call from YOPA tonight, telling me about a bungalow. Very sadly I knew who lived there, and it's only for sale because she's passed. We used to see each other dog walking, we both used to pick up dirty owner left in the hedge dog poo bags and have a fun competition to see who had the most (I know it looks odd in writing!). I feel really sad for her daughter.

Just to warn everyone thinking of making Jamie Oliver's veg moussaka - make sure you have about three hours free for the prep. I've been standing all afternoon and it's still not ready to assemble!

I have to admit to overlooking recipes with more than minimum ingredients these days. Thanks for the forewarning mosaics.

A very good nights sleep, my mind is almost at ease again. After hearing about the extremely good quality of the foundations here, I chewed over this, I have been running the response here. I will not need a structs engineer as the structure is as well built as could be but we will need to be safeguarded in a potential `dispute` over the siting distance of the large rainwater drainage excavation on the new site over the wall. I did some more delving yesterday and to my utter surprise, the surveyor I employed previously, who has a company of more surveyors. They do this sort of specialist surveying. So if I can get him on board, then I can offload from my shoulders. I will have to cancel the structs company but they will be used to that. My surveyor was utterly professional and very experienced, what I want

Re the better sleep, I have started taking montmorency concentrated juice twice a day, 1tbs in water. It only arrived yesterday but for a few days I have been eating some sour dried cherries. I slept all through, first time in ages. Could also have been me taking more exercise ie cycle riding with the upside that I am now losing some weight

It is good to look at properties, to start comparing

I am getting the boiler serviced today, I want to go on a summer servicing cycle, I am 3 months too early but no way want to rely on a heating engineer coming out mid winter

Hello craftyone, I so am glad that your surveyor can be of help, what a relief. I am very sorry you are going to have to suffer the noise and disruption of this building work in the future.

Glad your sleep was better, but you are still up with the lark! My neighbour eats a lot of cherries, following a very painful episode of gout in his foot, he really suffered. I need to take myself in hand, I'm still overeating and know my knees will suffer. Bread is my downfall.

Still no sign of my car it's dreadful here without it. My daughter had an appointment yesterday at 3 pm. She had to get the 2 pm bus to get there so arrived 40 minutes early, then I had to get her a taxi home as the bus service stops coming here at 3 pm. I had to ring five taxi firms before I found one not involved with the school run. Another £15 fare.

My son came just before she left, and helped me clear out the store room, it was so marvellous to have some help. As it's downstairs in the garden it's something I've been putting off, I did half of it a few weeks ago. I now have a huge pile of junk lining one half of our horshoe shaped driveway - probably three dump trips when I get the car back. The storeroom is solid sandstone and the stone sheds everywhere, everything was sandy/rusty or mouse eaten. I have all Steve's dart trophies to clean and photograph, then they are going, neither of the kids want to keep them. I've salvaged some wall lights, I'll sell them at the car boot sale.

I am glad the boiler man is finally coming to you. It was so very, very cold here during beast from the east, and my boiler made some terrible noises but luckily kept going. The new boiler man is a very young keen person and took the boiler apart during the service, I hope his company can find these 'baffles' that need replacing before I sell. I always feel anxious about my oil order in case the lorry can't get through to us, so I'll be filling up next month. The aga uses 200L per month, I still need to monitor how much the central heating uses. My tank is 2000L and I've got 1400L left at the moment, it drops 200L every month so when it's full I can see what the heating is using.

So another sunny day, and my dog won't walk in the lanes! Will only go 100 yards before he sits down in protest, he doesn't like it. Won't poo in the garden so do have to take him out. Can't wait to walk on the beach again but it's a mile and a half to walk it from the house, and I'm not strong enough to carry him back.

Have a good day whatever you are doing. I won't be cooking today, moussaka for about a week I think!

I am sorry you don`t have the car yet mosaics, just shows how much we rely on a car these days

You are a whirlwind, I hope everything is as easy as could be possible for you. Just a warning, if you reach the stage of having to employ someone to take rubbish away, make sure to get a bona fide name from your recycling people. Certain people in my county thought they were doing the right thing but their rubbish was dumped and they and not the criminals are having to pay a lot of money to the county for the illegal act of dumping

I have sent another short printed letter to building control today with a scanned bit of the document serving notice on me. I sent it registered because I need a paper trail for my file. I also scanned and e mailed it to the `hopefully` new surveyor who will take it on for me and my neighbour. They have an all day meeting today. I am hoping for a response by tomorrow, which leaves me only 11 days to reply to the document served on me. All blooming legal except the ducking and diving by the other party

Another word, try and not get a house next to a field, many have been bought by the big developers. I never minded 6 more houses over the wall, I do mind that they want an excavation, deeper than my foundations. Once that is finished then I will be cosy in my nest

Really feeling fed up today as this moving out slowly is getting me down. We are packing up boxes etc and moving it in OHs large car to storage in Devon. I'm living half in our house we're selling and half in our touring caravan that's on a seasonal pitch until February. Result is it will be cheaper to hire a smaller van that OH can drive for the 3 or 4 remaining bits of furniture (bed, chest of drawers etc) but as everything is in 3 different places it's making life hard to find anything. I'm at the caravan atm which is well kitted out so perhaps I need to stay here longer and let OH go to and fro.
Hope we get to move into our new house before winter sets in. Thanks for listening everyone just needed to vent.

oh sazzl, that sounds like bad stress and yes we are listening and anyone can vent, I have often enough and evryone has been so kind and supportive

All I can add is that OH will have more room for more stuff if you stay put

Oh blimey sazzl that is so hard, but the end is in sight! Fingers and toes crossed you are in your new house before the winds and horizontal sleet weather starts. I'm dithering about bringing some wood up, the stone mason hasn't made contact, and I don't want to have to go up and down for it when the weather turns bad. No sign of a survey being asked for yet ... end of week 3 approaching. Sigh!

Have had a sad afternoon washing and photographing my husband's dart trophies. I told the kids I'd take off the engraved plaques showing Steve's name and what he'd won it for, and we would just keep them, so after carefully washing and positioning them on the front steps, photographed them all, then started to remove the plaques on the fronts. Third one - yes, you got it - knife slipped, and I stabbed myself in the thumb. Blood everywhere. I'd put my first aid box in the kitchen drawer rather than the bathroom thinking most cuts occur in the kitchen, bleddy box lid was stuck so drawer wouldn't open. Ruined my best tea towel. Has stopped bleeding but really hurts. All the trophies (40 of them) are in boxes on the lawn ready to go to the dump.

And yes, craftyone, these dodgy blokes that stop and ask to take your rubbish then dump it need shooting. Young girl in the next village got caught like that, she didn't know you should ask them to show their license. She had to pay £400.

Just got a text from my friend's daughter - my friend's grandson is one today and I couldn't get out to get a card so used 'Moon pig' for the first time. I had to look at her daughter's facebook and steal her photos, in the nicest possible way, to put on the card, but she's delighted. My friend is like me, without parents or siblings, and my daughter was so pleased when she sent her a graduation card. Little things can bring big pleasure can't they.

Off to walk the dog again, will see how far I get before he sits down this time.

sazzl judging by the weather we have here in Devon at the moment I think you should spend a few more days chilling at your caravan. I hope you get into your new place soon.

mw that must have been upsetting getting rid of your husband's trophies but if no one in the family wants them it's time to let them go. You have the plaques for memories, despite your wounded hand! Hope you have a good dog walk, our golden has just run for an hour on the moors.

I went through similar mosaics, I got rid of trophys, awards and medals. Once they had gone then they were out of my mind and it helped. I don`t remember my husband for his awards but for who he was and how he was as a person. I do remember long ago stuff, like those parties in 1968 and 69 and 70, the dancing, all that lovely stuff before house owning, responsibilities and babies came along. Those heady days of love and freedom, all too short. I wish they would happen all over again but they are locked in memories and that is much more precious than anything material. It is very hard to let things go and that is why there are hoarders

Thanks for your comforting words friends. They are only 'things', and I'm going to stick the plaques into a scrapbook for the kids along with his golf cards. It was interesting to remember he'd given up darts the year our son was born and restarted after our daughter came along!

My car is finally ready, hurray! Have to get the 10 am bus tomorrow to collect it, back to normal at last.

A local person has suffered a horrible shock. I take my handbag and car keys to bed at night. It seems this person woke up this morning to no handbag, which she kept in the hallway, and she then discovered no car. Someone broke in whilst they were asleep. As soon as Christmas is mentioned it seems theft increases, and as we no longer have a police station here, thieves seem to be bold as brass. As a child we were burgled and I witnessed the burglar attack my father, it brings it all back, I'm so glad I have my noisy doggo.

Guess what I've got for tea? ;)

Thanks for listening everyone. We went to a car boot sale this afternoon which really cheered me up. Was looking for a dog cage to keep the dogs safe when we move but they didn't have any. Ended up buying a small square coffee table. Don't like cages so have never used them but the groomer does so they are used to them. One of my dogs just barks nonstop if she hears the post come through the door or the bell ring so thankfully nobody could break in without us knowing. Don't think she would do anything though apart from make a noise. The other dog doesn't care - much more laid back.
Sorry to hear about your neighbour hope they find the car and arrest the person responsible Mosaic. I'm guessing you had Mousaka for tea. Made it once from scratch took so long. Second time I used the lasagne sauces white and red. Much quicker.
Think I will take everyone's advice and stay here when OH goes back next week. It's a lovely site, my car is here, supermarket just up the road, shop on site too. Have everything I need here, launderette, showers, bath etc plus pots and pans to cook with. One lady here stays all year apart from the summer school holidays when it's busy.
Hope we hear something soon from the solicitors with hopefully a date so I can organise things. All the best everyone xx

Good Sazzl, some battery re-charging coming up for you

Burglars scare the heck out of me, hence me putting a simple bolt below my waist height inside the back gate, just a simple deterrent. Another reason why I bought the house I did and not isolated. One of the worst places to be is the last house on the edge of somewhere or by yourself on a road or lane

I always lift the handle to lock my front door, even if in the house, even during the day and I will never open my door after dark, even with the safety chain on

I have always been a careful person, last house we had a bolt top and bottom inside the back gate to stop anyone opening the gate by reaching over

Welcome home car, mosiacs

Must admit I am fanatical about locking the doors and windows . They are always locked even when I am in. When I lock the doors I always have to jiggle the handle to make sure. I have a burglar alarm here and always put it on when I go out but not at night. Never had one before. That reminds me must get a padlock for the garden gate.

That must have been very frightening to discover you had intruders whilst you slept. Hope they catch whoever it was but they sound as if they were professional burglar which probably make them harder to catch.

Sazzl hope you have a better day and hear from your solicitor. Didn't realise that you don't get your deeds to the house any more just an official copy of register of title. Every thing is computerized. My solicitor sent it to me. Both my children have their deeds as they both own their homes out right . Not bad for a 32 and 36 year old.

I can be upsetting getting rid of things which belonged to your husband . I had to think of it as only things. Memories go anywhere with you and don't need packing.

Mosaicwarts glad you are getting your car back and hopefully you will hear about the survey for your buyer soon.

Craftyone hope everything gets put into place before the deadline. It's an awful experience for you just as you thought the worse was over and settled into your new home.

Homeserve came yesterday and put the camera down the manhole. They got a lot of stones out but not water from the loo is going through. They think the pipe has collapsed . Should hear today when they are going to dig up part of the drive to find and then fix the problem. Luckily I am covered as I have plumbing,drainage and boiler cover . I would cost the earth otherwise. Stayed at my daughter's last night. Roofer coming today to point the chimney, fit a cowl and he is going to remove the satellite dish. I won't be needing it .

Come to the conclusion moving house was the easy part. Ha ha.

I love car boots sazzl, my daughter and I are doing one on Sunday. I'm not allowed to buy anything until we move I'm worried about my cat when and if I move as she's semi feral, I've only got her pet carrier but good idea to get a big cage for her too. I'd hate for her to go off and hide during all the upheaval. Glad you feel happier now you've made a decision, it's so unsettling isn't it. I feel as though I'm going a bit mad with this waiting, but know my buyer travels with work, so will just have to be patient. I normally like to start 'C' preparations now, but feel reluctant as I don't know where I'll be. Hoping you get good news very soon.

I didn't mean to scare anyone telling you about the local person's misfortune. People up here are very relaxed about security and as a Londoner it's always amazed me - car keys left in car, car left unlocked, people actually saying their back door is 'always open'- times are changing, sadly. There are four ways into this house and I make sure all doors are locked and bolted. It's such a big house and I do get nervous if I hear anything, I remember being frightened once because I thought I saw a torch being shone onto the road ... was the moon in a puddle! Saying that, the other morning I woke up and the front door was open - after I'd locked up earlier my daughter had opened it for our cat, and not pushed it hard enough or locked it. Banging in the wind!

Better get dressed and walk my doggie, then stand at the bus stop for the last time this week!

Have a great day

I have such a nervous stomach today, am waiting for a surveyor to ring me, to discuss being our independent surveyor. So important to us, I need this load transferring off my shoulders. It is interferring with my sleep and my daily living. I have no idea when he will ring so am walking around with my phone, I missed his call yesterday morning. Last week I was happily sorting the garden, sitting outside with a coffee, going on exploratory cycle rides. None of that this week

Never been the nervous type. Am not really very good with locking things up. In my old, family house, we lost the keys to the kitchen door at the back many years earlier. After that the door was NEVER locked. Friends and relatives all knew if they came by and I was not in, they could walk down the sideway and let themselves into the kitchen. Often came home to find someone sitting in kitchen with mug of coffee in front of them.
Must admit have always been much more concerned about needing a quick evacuation of property, for something like a fire. So, I DO try to remember to check doors before I go to bed to ensure they are closed properly, but would NEVER double lock a front door, when I am in the property.
No more news for me. Solicitors are the real nightmare in this selling/buying scenario.
Thinking of arranging a second viewing of the flat i wish to buy in a few weeks time. This would be to get some measurements to ascertain where different furniture could go when(??) I move in. Hope I am not being too optimistic!!

Scary standing at the bus stop, honey bees swarming! Have my car back, so marvellous to be mobile again, boring I need to go to the dump several times, bleurgh!

Hope you get your call soon craftyone, I am truly sorry you have to deal with this.

Hope you are feeling better Franbern and your solicitor's contact you with news soon, enjoy measuring up. Do you have a stiff metal tape measure? I took my floppy one, it was useless. My dog is scared of our stiff one, can't use it without him barking hysterically.

My neighbour is my solicitor, - he was fantastic for my probate. I think I am nervy about security due to my childhood experience, I was just starting grammar school, and as I saw the burgular had to go to New Scotland yard to look through the 'books'. As I was looking out of my bedroom window when it happened I only saw the top of his head and his profile as he cycled off. My Dad had a fractured skull as the burgular hit him with the jemmy he was breaking our back door with, it was terrifying.
Fifty one years later I realise I have never discussed this with my Dad, it was an awful time for us.

I feel embarassed to find, having just phoned the agent to view the bungalow, that my dog poo collecting friend was actually my acquaintance's partner, not her mother I'd got my stories mixed up - they moved into the bungalow when her mother died. Ce la vie!

Hot here so doggie to the beach later, so glad to get back into my routine.

I am just having a quick break, where has the morning gone? Paperwork today, all the accumulated paperwork over a year, included changes of address etc. That plus info for tax and I have got to hunt on online accounts for whatever interest was paid. The old days of getting a certificate by post, they have long gone. Pity help anyone losing it mentally, even a bit. You have to have the info to send to an accountant, even if you don`t do it yourself. It means finding all the stuff deep in every bank account and I had several because of moving. I hate doing this

and I am still here, papers on my knee, falling on the floor and papers on my side table and they are now all wanting extra security. Arghh.

Thats it for today,I have a stack for general filing to go into a concertina wallet. I have renewed car assistance which I had forgotten to do and a full list of bank and bs interests. I will collate it all on monday and wonder why on earth I was making a mountain of it

So it all made me think and I have decided to be generous to my 3 dgc with premium bonds and a decent amount too because I don`t spend much on day to day living or holidays. I can access my sippdeal sipp at any time if I need money and what is in there I converted to uber safe gilts almost 2 years ago and they put an income into the sipp. I am cushioned and safe and wanted to pass something to the dgc that I know will give them some excitement every month. I didn`t dither more than a minute, no point in me hanging onto it just because. Ns&i are sending me gift cards so I am not telling anyone until I get them

I have a crafting workshop all day tomorrow, haven`t been for over a year and forgotten much of what I learnt. A nice day out, a nice run for the car and a sainsbury sandwich.

Fantastic grandma that you are, life now is so hard for young people and many are having to pay extortionate rents because they cannot afford to get onto the property ladder. I am sure you dgc will be extremely grateful. No idea what sippdeal sipp is, but it must be good!

Enjoy your craft day tomorrow, hope you are spinning something warm and cosy to wear!