Party Wall Act

Being personally caught up in a party wall act procedure, I can quite frankly say that it is a load of bunkem! Basically, it appears that our neighbours cannot actually stop our works, instead they can delay things and ensure that our costs go upwards. Surely these things can be included in the building regs, but oh no, that would too straightforward wouldn't it. Instead, lets complicate matters and add to the everyones expense.

And what can we do? Bugger all by all accounts, just take it and smile.

News

According to a study by the Resolution Foundation, families on a lower income cannot afford to privately rent a modest home in a third of the country.

The report states that a combination of low interest rates and an increase in demand for private accommodation has also meant that rents are now more expensive than mortgage repayments in 45% of the country.

More on this can be found at: http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2013/07/renting-unaffordable-for-many-families-think-tank-warns/

I'm a lion

It's hot and I just want to sleep. Maybe it's because I'm a lion, sleeping during the day and hunting at night. Yeah, I'm a lion- a ferocious killing machine, targeting the weak and the young (hmm, that doesn't sound so good) and feasting on their flesh (this is getting worse). 

I'm tired

Mistaken Identity

Twice, not once, but twice I was mistaken for a sales assistant at Primark just now. It happened once last week at WH Smiths as well. Jeez, I'd like to think it was because of my friendly and approachable demeanour but in reality I think that this may not be the case. I guess it time to rethink my wardrobe.

Daughters first performance

Chaos.

Old School

Just did a job for lady whose son is at my old posh school. Feel bad, as I told her that it was a fantastic establishment that made me the man I am today- for the record, my public persona is very refined, well-spoken and respectable, far from the reality of the irresponsible idiot I really am. 

Anyway, back to the school, for me it was nothing more than a cage to bash my rebellious horns against. Generally it was nothing more than a production line for manufacturing drone like creatures who would happily conform to the norm and follow the path that was carefully mapped out for them. 

Ho hum, saying all that it was kinda fun, and despite learning nothing of any particular academic value it did somehow manage to instil the will and the confidence to succeed. Hmm, guess that would make me just another drone then...

Tardiness

Why is it that if we, the contractors are late for an appointment we are admonished beyond contempt and threatened with losing custom, yet if the customer is late it is very rarely acknowledged?

Protesting against tenancy fees

Angry demonstrations against tenancy fees. What can I say? Well, I feel for these tenants and am pleasantly surprised by their coordinated action. Tenants are generally a disparate group of people who have no tangible links to one another, they are simply united by a shared (though isolated) experience.

But from what I have read, and from my own experience these kind of fees do not really help the image of estate agents, especially those larger companies. Quite simply it appears nothing short of greed.

So bankers, estate agents, the unemployed. I say we go for the cobblers next! Bunch of lazy feckers!

Deposits

Always check to make sure that your deposit is protected in a registered scheme. Unfortunately I have first hand experience of a deposit not being protected and I, as a landlord was personally forced to pay back the tenants deposit. 

Rudeness

People can be so rude. So many landlords show such little respect for those working for them.

Although saying that, I recently went on a bit of a courtesy rampage. Firstly, I made an online complaint about a restaurant my family and I recently visited. The establishment claimed to be family friendly, however as it turns out, apparently this only applies if your toddler is a mannequin or devoid of any kind of spirit. How exactly are you supposed to get a 2 year old to stay on their chair?

Anyway, I then made a formal complaint regarding my treatment at the local tennis club (see, these are real problems!) and finally I sent several angry texts to my builder for not returning my calls.

Needless to say this made me feel a lot better, the restaurant will forever be tarred by my bitter comments, the tennis club have made a formal apology and will be discussing the issue at their next meeting, and the builder- well, apparently he had had a heart attack and was recovering in hospital.

So...

So…

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