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Help calm me. House buying and selling stress

(996 Posts)
Spice101 Fri 24-Sept-21 13:39:33

Link to first 8 threads

tinyurl.com/4883ywjs

Thread #9

Shandy57 Fri 10-Dec-21 15:06:59

Thanks Yogi, all very shorted lived, last until about 9.30 pm. Rain came pouring in to the recycling bin like I was running a bath, as well as the edge of the kitchen where the extension meets the concrete roof.

I went onto the portal this morning and asked how long my settlement would be, so far my claim is only at 17%. I have just heard back this minute and the settlement figure is being looked at by my surveyor. I'm not going to write about it again, it is so very awful and Christmas is coming!

Yoginimeisje Fri 10-Dec-21 09:40:53

So pleased for you Shandy best of luck flowers The winds were howling last night and it does make you afraid of damage, all's well this morning. No word from the LR, so I'm crossing my fingers and toes that no word from them today, then I can go and buy my Xmas tree grin

I read all the post yesterday morning but didn't have time to reply, early class, sorry if I've missed anyone out, can't read again.

Shandy57 Thu 09-Dec-21 19:43:21

Yogi, have you heard if you are going to exchange tomorrow?

midgey Thu 09-Dec-21 13:44:06

Alleluia Shandy! Progress.
Hope all those moving are progressing……

Shandy57 Thu 09-Dec-21 11:19:15

Hurray! A roofer is coming to make the area watertight, and the drying team are coming too! Not sure how but I'll finally be able to go to bed and stay there smile

Shandy57 Wed 08-Dec-21 19:22:29

The Complex claims handler rang again at 5 pm. No-one is available, all are working flat out, he recommended I find a local roofer and they'll pay them. I could have done this in the first place. My surveyor has offered to ring him tomorrow to try and get me higher on the priority list, so kind of him.

Shandy57 Wed 08-Dec-21 16:01:57

Evening all, I rang the Complex Claims handler at 1 pm as I hadn't heard anything.

He said he would ring the surveyor, and at 2.30 pm I received a message on the Customer portal to say the contractors would be in touch within 7 days (M-F). So no definite date to stop the water coming in.

I'm going to try and relax and start living again, I've been worried to go out in case in rains, but looks like I've got at least another week of this worry before anything will be done.

Off to buy cake!

Shandy57 Wed 08-Dec-21 12:11:52

Hello Josianne, I thought of your marble table when the surveyor was hulking my new huge wooden tv unit into the kitchen!

Glad you weren't affected too badly, I do feel so sad for the 80 year old lady found in the river sad

My surveyor has just emailed and asked if I've heard anything, so nice of him.

I echo Josianne's comment, good luck to all about to exchange/complete.

And if you are buying a property with a flat roof, do over estimate the amount it covers for the insurance - I was very relieved to be able to go back and see my answers, I remembered dithering over 25-30%, but did choose 30-40%. Difficult to know as a layman!

Josianne Wed 08-Dec-21 11:16:31

Today looks quieter and brighter for you Shandy, onwards and upwards!
We weren't badly affected here in the south west, just heavy rain and surface water, but the sea was blood red from the sandstone washed around.
Like you Franbern I have decided the next job will be a new kitchen. I want to get rid of all the wall cupboards which always seem to me to cramp the room.
Good luck to those about to exchange/complete. I enjoy reading the progress reports.

Shandy57 Wed 08-Dec-21 09:22:03

PS I appreciate my neighbour was doing me a good turn this morning, I'm just 'up a height' as my friend used to say.

Shandy57 Wed 08-Dec-21 09:10:09

Morning all, it wasn't as scary but still scary. The wooden fence panels they'd used to secure the tarpaulin were battering up and down. I think I went to sleep about 2 am. I've just been out to look and it's ripped the tarpaulin out on the main roof, so the missing concrete tiles are exposed again, and I can't see the flat roof tarpaulin. I only had to empty the recycling bin three times, the leaks were concentrated in that area last night.

The insurance company said they are coming this morning to make the roof watertight. I didn't get a call yesterday, so I'll just have to wait and see.

Good luck Yogi.

Glad you weren't blown away Franbern, bet your plastic rain cover was flapping a bit!

Franbern Wed 08-Dec-21 08:33:53

Yogi, do think that these last bit of the exchange and completion is the hardest time of all. Everything seems to be right on the edge, yet nothing definite. I know you are saying you would prefer to wait to move after the holidays, but think you would so very relieved once it is all absolutely arranged, whenever that is.

Shandy think your neighour is just trying to be helpful, she must see that state of your property at present and is just trying to do something to help. Thank goodness, these storms have now passed and you can start looking forward. Do try to stay positive, and think how much nicer and warmer and safer it will all be once the insurance has paid for all the repairs. Isn't it fortunate that you DID cancel your arrangements to go away earlier this week. Think how much worse it would have been to return to that devastation. Do you have leccie, warmth & cooking facilities in the rooms you can still use?
Hope everybody else on here came through these storms without any problems. I must admit neither of them really had any effect on me. I had to go out yesterday morning, virtually as it arrived in Weston, as I had (weeks ago) been put on the roster for doing the tea and coffee at the U3A Coffee morning. Not a lot of people actually came!!!! Fortunately, it is less than ten minutes away from where I live on my scooter and I do have a rain cover which goes over me on the scooter, which is very effective.

Yoginimeisje Wed 08-Dec-21 07:20:49

Morning all

How did it go Shandy last night? I thought of you whilst watching the weather yesterday evening. Think they said that's it now, so if you got through it you're now safe, hope you got some sleep.

No I haven't exchanged yet, the EA said we need to exchange by the 10th. to move by the 17th, as my buyers mortgage brokers need one week after the exchange. I hope it doesn't happen till after Xmas now!

Shandy57 Tue 07-Dec-21 20:36:00

Thanks midgey, you are probably right, she probably thought she was being helpful.

I've just popped in to say the storm has died down a little, it was raging for five hours. I hope it doesn't start up again during the early hours.

midgey Tue 07-Dec-21 20:17:06

Perhaps your neighbour was trying to be friendly and helpful Shandy, do hope you manage to sleep tonight.

Shandy57 Tue 07-Dec-21 18:57:17

I meant to add that I heard banging this afternoon - someone was repairing my fence.

The neighbour had invited him and told him it was a 'shared' fence. I told him that it was my fence, and I'd have to pay him. Hopefully the bits he managed to put up will still be standing tomorrow - the roofer had used some of the wood to secure the tarpaulin.

I'm quite shocked as I'd already established with her it was my fence when she asked me to fix the fence post in my first few weeks of living here. It doesn't affect her privacy as I never go down the side. I will have to handle it delicately.

Shandy57 Tue 07-Dec-21 15:55:09

Evening all, Storm Barra is almost as bad as Storm Arwen, driving sleety rain and huge gusts of noisy wind. I'm scared it will lift the remaining part of the roof and flood the back bedroom and bathroom - where I had to run with all my books and records. I'll be interested to see what the wind speed is tomorrow.

I'm hiding in the front bedroom and praying the tarpaulin holds. I'm in and out of there like a yoyo, I've only got four leaks at the moment.

Feels better having shared, thanks for posting Elusivebutterfly.

Elusivebutterfly Tue 07-Dec-21 13:06:06

Shandy - well done for chasing and getting an assessor to come out. That must be a relief and hope the next storm is not too bad.

Shandy57 Tue 07-Dec-21 13:01:57

Thanks Yogi. So you have exchanged, and they are now pushing for completion on the 17th?

Yoginimeisje Tue 07-Dec-21 11:05:32

Very well done Shandy on sorting it all out, what a relief for you, let's hope the storm passes you by, fingers & toes crossed for you. xx

Found my doggies collar, pushed right down the back of the settee, sorry GC blush

Spoke to my EA this morning, she is being told the lease is certain to be back this week [how certain is certain?], that would mean moving by the 17th Yiks!! My buyers have said it must not be later than that date as they are booked on a cruise for 1st Jan. Not sure if I believe that, first time they've mentioned it, EA feels the same. So if it is after, not sure what happens; do we all move with them on their cruise, they said they don't want to be paying a mortgage if not in the house, but they will still have to pay their rent, unless they put everything into storage. confused

Shandy57 Tue 07-Dec-21 09:20:37

Morning all, I feel so nervous about Storm Barra I feel sick. The roofer did attach the tarpaulin with wooden battens, but if the wind is 60 mph as predicted, who knows what will happen today. The ridge tiles that were attached to the resin roof came away with it, I could lose more.

Thanks for the empathy midgey and Spice101. I was surprised to get an email from the actual CEO late last night asking if his team had managed to help me, how nice of him. I did write back and thank him - my friend, who is a lot more savvy than me, said I should have kept my praise until the work had been done smile

I'm off to the beach with my dog now, before the storm hits.

Stay safe and warm everyone smile

Spice101 Tue 07-Dec-21 03:46:37

What a nightmare you are living Shandy. Fingers crossed the roof is fixed very soon.
Hopefully the weather will be at least a little kind until you are you are safe and snug for the winter.

midgey Mon 06-Dec-21 21:21:11

Granny how brilliant that you are so happily moved, hope you will be very happy in your new home.
Shandy…..good work on t he emailing front! So pleased you have had a result. Good luck with Barra, perhaps it will stay lower down the country! ?

Shandy57 Mon 06-Dec-21 17:49:02

Good news, the Complex Claims handler arrived with his surveyor, and my surveyor very kindly attended.

The surveyor said a waterproofing team would be here on Wednesday (hoping Storm Barra doesn't do more damage), then another team will come with dehumidifers to dry the place out.

Their roofing team are booked up for twelve weeks so I am going to be awarded a cash payment, my surveyor is going to find someone to do the whole roof, and I will have the new one insulated.

I feel so relieved I've finally been heard and someone is coming to help me. Hopefully this feeling will take me through the nightmare tomorrow could bring with 'Storm Barra'.

I rang Ipmobile today, as I only have 20p credit showing but the customer service person explained the SIM releases the money it as it is used. I hope the £36 does last my aunt the year.

Thanks for all your good wishes smile

Shandy57 Mon 06-Dec-21 12:08:07

Morning nearly afternoon all. Thanks Yogi for your empathy, I'm sure your heart is beating as fast as mine! I hope you managed to find your dog's collar.

I've just popped in to say for anyone that finds themselves in my situation to give emailing the CEO a try.

Late last night I researched the parent company, found the email address of the CEO on this website - www.ceoemail.com/ - and sent an email appealing for my claim to be paid through viewing the photographs and videos I have uploaded. I was just going to bed and thought I'd google again - man had retired! I found out who had been appointed in his place, took a guess at his email prefix, and forwarded my original.

This morning at 8.30 am I had an email from the Complex Claims handler, asking for my phone number. He rang and is coming at 12.30 pm, with a surveyor. Whether they approve the claim or not, at least I've been heard.

And my aunt's phone engineer turned up - remarkably her upstairs flat neighbour - and a cable on the telegraph pole outside had been snapped. She's now back on line, and I can take my time to write her idiot proof guide to using her new mobile phone. I encouraged her again to action her health and welfare POA.

Anxiety and stress is a good way of losing weight isn't it, I've lost 7 lbs this week.

Have a good day everyone smile