Help calm me. House buying and selling stress

Glad you enjoyed Cornwall Franbern and had good weather. I hope your tongue has recovered from biting it. Look on the bright side, maybe stroppy teenagers are showing strong characters for the future!
Yesterday we received Biden's 4 helicopters at our local airport for him to take to Cornwall. Why 4? I'm wondering if we will get Air Force One down here as we do have a very long runway which Concorde used to use for maintenance.
Good luck to all the movers.

I am still waiting for completion on the purchase of the new-build that the builder has allowed me to rent pro tem.

Months ago I lost the purchase of another new-build in the village because a sale fell through and the builder sold it to someone for cash.

I have just received a bill from the solicitor for over £1500 for work done on the failed sale! The fact that she is the most hopeless of solicitors simply rubs salt in the wound.

Know how you feel Luckygirl. I really resented the money I had to pay to my Solicitor. Seems as if most of the work was done by myself as they kept asking for 'pieces of paper', etc. Thank goodness I did not follow their advice NOT to go ahead with the purchase of my lovely flat - based, entirely, on their false premise that there was no land registration for the garage. (It was there amongst the papers they had sent on to me,but failed to read thoroughly themselves!!!

The cynic in me, feels that conveyancing solicitors really prefer sales/purchases to fail, so they then get paid time and time again. Perhaps, like Estate Agents, they should only get paid for completed Sales/Purchases!!! Might buck their ideas up somewhat.

Oh dear Luckygirl that is annoying. There's nothing you can do but pay, although I might be tempted to say she will have to wait for the money until the current sale reaches completion!

I'm very sorry to read this Luckygirl, it is a lot of money to pay considering the outcome, other posters have suffered similarly.

I hope everyone's house hunting is more enjoyable now there are more houses on the market. My friend recently lost her buyer as her chain isn't complete, she went back onto the market last week. She has been trying to sell since May 2019 and has had three buyers who have withdrawn for one reason or another. No viewings yet, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for her.

I have asked them for a breakdown of the invoice. It seems crazy to charge the same for a completed sale as they do for one that did not complete.

That's a good idea Luckygirl, certain things won't have had to have been paid for, like the BACS transfer fee for the money etc. Is this the solicitor that tried to charge your buyer £200 for your survey without your knowledge?

Indeed so!

Morning all, another scorcher today.

Can I ask if anyone else has ever noticed 'black specks' in their water? I recently noticed them in my bedroom glass of water, and yesterday ran a bath and again saw them. Now I'm on a gas boiler without a water tank I'm wondering if it's the bungalow pipes?

Not ever noticed any black specks in water, Shandy. Have been on a combi-boiler for the past 18 years, so do not think it can be anything to do with that.
I wanted (not needed) some work done in the flat, two new internal doors - one of them to be made a slider, plus some small work around the base of my kitchen units.
As I always like to use local people for such work, telephoned one and he came round same day. Nice young man, but I was rather taken aback at his quotation which was almost double what I was expecting. Even more so, as it seemed he would just do the actual work. I would have to arange and order the new items (doors, hinges, handles, etc. etc.), also pay for all old doors etc to be taken away. Not what I was looking for!!
So, yesterday got another firm to come in -totally different, firstly he came up with some ideas to me, they do everything, make the order, bring it with them, do the work, even the final coat of paint to doors, fit them and take everything away. Be interesting to see their quote. My gut feeling is that it will be closer to what I expected.
Not sure if this other man was looking at my nice flat, in one of the most expensive blocks in the town, and my grey hair and trying to take advantage!!!

Fingers crossed for a good quote.

I have brown hair, but I still think workmen take advantage when they realise I am a woman on my own. I mostly deal in word-of-mouth if I can.

I have'nt found any black specks in tap water Shandy, but when cleaning the bathroom taps I have found bits of black underneath the taps, where the water comes through.
I never had this problem in my previous house and have put it down to the style of taps, which I don't particularly like. I just try to remember to give the taps a good clean every time I clean the bathroom.
I don't have this problem in the kitchen which has a different style of tap.

Thanks for all your replies, looks like it could be the pipes.
The water doesn't taste great either, but I'm in a really built up area. I'll ask the plumber when he comes to service the boiler.

I've been told this morning my neighbour in the house sideways on to the end of my garden has lost her husband - it's my old station neighbour's Dad. He was 82 and had been on dialysis for years. They used to own a gift shop locally, plus he played football for England and when he retired, coached a lot of the young people here. Very popular locally, if it wasn't lockdown I'm sure there would be hundreds and hundreds of people at his funeral. So very sad.

Too hot again today, I don't enjoy these high temperatures.

Just taken delivery of my 80th birthday pressie from the kids. The lovely riser/recliner chair that I ordered early in April. This is a super-duper model with four different motors, so not only lying me back, and lifting me upto standing, but separate controls for the head/neck area and lumbar region. Feel very, very spoilt sitting in this.

Enjoy your lovely present, Franbern. DH has a simpler model but has failed to master the controls so I am not much liberated. Can’t think he will do any better with the stair lift but we will see.

Happy birthday Franbern! I could certainly do with a lift up off this plank of a settee! I hope you have a lovely day with your family x

I've just popped in to say I took a friend for a meal a few weeks ago - indoors - and the restaurant has just had to close down, half of the staff tested positive. We had a lucky escape, methinks.

Splendid birthday present there - sounds a bit complicated to work though! - or is it easy?

Completion on my purchase is........fanfare!..........tomorrow!!!!!!!

Congratulations Luckygirl, at last. So lucky you took the risk, it's paid off and you are where you want to be.

Reported inaccurately before - half of the restaurant staff have to self isolate after NHS Track and Trace alerted them.

Congratulations Lucky ?

Congratulations Luckygirl I am so happy for you !

I won't believe it till it is in the bag!

It has been a long haul............ I started this process before my OH died on 1st February last year - I shall be so glad not to have to speak to my solicitor again - she has tried my patience more than a little.

Congratulations Luckygirl, a fitting end to your many trials and tribulations over your move. Now you are where you want to be in a house chosen to suit you, and a new chapter in life’s story is under way. I am delighted for you.

Luckygirl - congratulations on completion of your purchase.

Lucky so very, very pleased for you. Another story with a happy ending, albeit with so many trials and tribulations along the way.
I have found the controls on this chair very simple, they all have small pictures, so foolproof. Discovered that at night they are also lit up (not too brightly) so can be easily used in the dark. Must say that for the first time since I fractured my spine, nearly two and half years ago, I can sit comfortably without having loads of cushions. This built in lumbar cushions on this, which I can control separately to anything else, are wonderful.
Last night my Alexa would not turn off or on my lights. Tried all the normal switching eveything off and on again - but no use. So, this morning contacted my 'computer specialist' (my local son-in-law), who then told me that the server had gone down las night cauksing mayham on this throughout the country. So .....it was not me. All back to normal now.