Help calm me. House buying and selling stress

Sorry that I posted before completing my list of expenditure. Was interrupted by phone call and did not realise I had actually pressed 'post'

So...
Electrification of garage door and points £1500
Electrical points, etc in kitchen £500
Light on balcony £250
Bathroom plus valves on all rads. etc £6000
Curtains and blinds £2500
New white goods £1500
Fitted wardrobes in two bedrooms £3000
Flooring £4000
Furniture in bedroom & dining room £1500
Patio furniture and pots, etc. £500

Total £21.250

Obviously miscellaneous items and prior to my move I had spent money in getting ready for moving to a flat . So had probably spent another grand or so changing out old items for newer neater ones, such as new tv, tv table, fans, etc. etc.

I now have what I think is a beautiful home, one which will do me for the rest of my days - however long or short that may be. I know that others on here have worked out that they spent somewhere between twenty and thirty grand during that first year in their new home, - so do think this needs to be taken into account.

So great Shandy that you are now at Completion stage, there were times when I am sure you thought this would never happen. And, you are in that fortunate position of having a few days being able to move slowly.
Luckygirl, so happy that you are now also in the final stages. Going to be a great Spring and Summer with all you new movers.

I purchased a new washing machine soon after I after I moved into my house in 2003 (Hotpoint). When I left in 2019 it was still going strong, no repairs, no problems. Did not want to take the chance of moving it, which is why it has been replaced here. Perhaps I am being optimistic in that I expect my new one purchased Dec 2019 to last me out. Went with Hoover this time as they were one of the few that gave me the choice of different size drums AND a 1600 spin cycle. I do have an extended warranty on it - although not really sure if that is worthwhile.

Exchange on Monday sounds good!

Luckygirl fingers crossed for your move.
Shandy it will all work, because it has to work! But don’t kill yourself off with worry, you don’t need to rush with boxes all on one day.

Fingers crossed it lasts Luckygirl.

Well done for jumping through the tenancy hoops, it's not easy is it. I hope you exchange sooner rather than later.

I hope to exchange from this Monday onwards. I've just checked with the EA and will have to go there after completion to collect the keys, I do hope it isn't too late. There is only one set. On completion day I've got to collect the keys, take my dog to kennels, collect the carpet shampooer, and then go to the bungalow take over the dog crate for my elderly cat, as well as many 'fragile' boxes as I can manage. I'm sure it won't be as bad as I'm imagining

I have a very very ancient washing machine which has lasted really well. It leaks a bot, but I am coaxing it on gently to try and make it last till I move.

Signed tenancy agreement this morning for the house I am buying but may need to rent briefly for various technical reasons to do with it being a new build. It is a fall-back document to prevent me being homeless if completion here happens before I can buy.

Now waiting to hear from my buyer about an exchange date.............baited breath for sure.

It is in the glass entrance porch as you walk in Franbern, the porch is sideways on to the house, I think the doorway was made when the house was converted. Not ideal as you say!

I was offering to pay for the Hotpoint engineer as she was so fed up, but if your son's only lasted a year midgey, it seems she has had a bonus few years! Laughable my seller was trying to sell me an 8 year old washing machine for £175!

And I am being careful, I would have paid for the engineer from my monthly pension. I've definitely taken all the costs you've mentioned on board, I know all of you movers have had outgoings and as you know, I won't have very much left over. I'm going to get some arm exercise with the Windowlene as I won't have curtains when I move in.
As soon as the charity shops are open I'll be there!

I'm craving cake again, can't wait to move and get the KitchenAid out!

Oh dear Shandy, the conversation doesn’t sound good. Hotpoint replaced my son’s washing machine after the fire risk fiasco, it has lasted precisely a year! Washers are not what they were!

I think most domestic washing machines are the same height and depth and width. Only different ones would be counter top ones. Are you saying that she,has this plumbed-in in her porch.? Seems 'unusual' place for a washing machine. and to have both drainage and water supply. Unless she means it is more like a Lean-to (conservatory) ion the back of her house.

Shandy not sure why you feel that you need to pay for an engineer to go to her. Do think you should be very aware of how much money you are likely to spend over the next year in your new home. All of us who have successfully moved have found that this can range between £20,00-30,000. I was lying in bed this morning mentally adding up my extra costs here.

Electrification of Garage (door and sockets) £1500
Electrical work - points and light to kitchen, etc £500
Curtains

Just had a horribly awkward conversation with my aunt, she said she was taking her washing down to another neigbbour. Seems her three year old Hotpoint washing machine cannot be repaired according to the reliable man she has used for many years - sounds like the mother board has gone. She refused to allow me to pay for a Hotpoint engineer. Shocking it's only lasted for three years. I suggested going on the Currys website for a look for a new one and she started talking about it not being too high as it's in the porch and she has a shelf there - I've left her to it!

Thanks maytime2 I'll have a look at that, I don't normally touch my landline but my mobile was flat that day.

Shandy |Have you ever considered using "Say no to 870" to get either an ordinary tel. no. or a free no (0800)
I have got an ordinary number to contact Lloyds Bank and also my M&S credit card co .
I am also with Talk Talk so those calls are free, but noticed a few months ago that I had paid about £6 to talk to a 0345 no.

Glad your credit card company was on the ball Franbern, my friend's boyfriend suffered huge theft on his credit card before it was discovered. An employee at a garage had cloned it, luckily he had CCTV proof and got his money back.

I should have been more courageous and driven to the bank for the CHAPS payment, just seemed like a huge faff, wise in hindsight!

It is good they checked, but if it had been my deposit for exchange I would have missed the cut off. I should have phoned first but was put off because of the phone delays, I used my landline to ring them last time and it cost £8 I waited so long. I'm on Talktalk, 0345 numbers are a high charge. Getting everything wrong at the minute, just a bag of nerves!

I'm really pleased I've managed to hire a carpet shampooer, one more thing off the list!

It is good that Fraud Squads at Banks, etc. are so quick these days to pick up any unusual expenditure. When I went to my daughter to have a takeaway (as m,y way of saying 'Thanks' to the whole family for their assistance during the floor laying), my SiL made the order on his laptop and I gave him my credit card to pay for it.

This payment was refused (not a card used on that laptop previously - and different name - mine). So, I did what we should have done in the first place, he paid, and then I transferred that amount via my phone to him. Within minutes my credit card company had sent me a text
querying that original attempt to pay. However, they included in that query two payments I had made (quite correctly) the previous day. So, my reply to them was ambiguous and they then phoned me. took me a good while to explain what had happened and that there was no fraud, but that last payment now needed to be cancelled, but not the two others made to Amazon. Did get there eventually - and despite the nuisance, it is comforting to know how quick they are to check everything.

Did anyone else start to get spoof texts/emails when they were purchasing their property? Just had another fake text, this time from royal mail saying my parcel was stuck because it was £2.70 short on the postage. So time wasting!

Thanks Franbern, I think there is more to it than she is letting on, I'm going to discreetly liaise with her neighbour. I don't think the neighbour knew how to tell me. She messaged me on fb and said she was sorry to be away from my aunt whilst at her parents, she was popping over to get her Dad's newspaper, and would ask my aunt if she wanted her washing done. Good way of telling me without actually saying 'I'm doing her washing'!

So ...... I've been on the phone for 40 minutes waiting to speak to the fraud squad at my bank, they phoned me while I was at the beach - or rather someone rang me and I didn't recognise the number, so I waited until I got home and looked up the number I normally use.

Seems because of the 'no name match' they hadn't released my payment, they have now. They've made a note of how much I'm transferring and I shouldn't have this problem with future transfers. I feel I should have done the long drive and the CHAPS but there is something sporadically banging underneath my car, I think it's the heat shield again. Can't get into the garage until Monday.

Cake needed!

With regard to carers, she employs them and she decided what she wants them to do. If she does not actually require personal care, then she would probably be better to get somebody in to do some general house/home work for her. They would do washing, ironing, etc. cleaning,

Morning all, yes, I'm envious you have your sons Spice101, I'm glowing green! I hope your husband's op went well and he is home soon, keyhole surgery is so fantastic. Best wishes for his recovery.

Your SIL is lovely Franbern, I've yet to get to know my daughter's boyfriend, not sure if he'll be a future SIL. Having children late in life has its advantages as well as disadvantages.

I've come on to say hello, as well as through relief, I've started transferring my funds, I don't know why I find it so stressful. Started doing it and first of all the 'name' of the account 'didn't match' - I double treble checked I'd got the numbers right and rang the solicitor, it was the right account. I tried again and my solicitor reference went all red, it was too long, 18 characters only and I had to choose which ones to remove. I transferred £10.00 as a tester amount - which was OK'd by phone - then couldn't transfer the whole £25K as I would have been over the daily limit! Got in a flap and transferred £24900 instead of £24990. Never mind, I'll just have to keep a running total, and not let my nerves get the better of me. I could have gone to the bank and organised a one off CHAPS payment, but it's a 40 minute drive, parking is a long walk from the bank, and I couldn't face it.

I spoke to my aunt this morning, and she is considering an independent living home now, as well as staying put and having carers in. She asked me if I thought she should stay put, and I said I did, with carers. Mainly she wants people around her, but I feel the community lounge at the apartment block would be empty most of the time. She said she's heard awful things about carers and I said it's always the bad ones that are spoken about, there are thousands of marvellous ones!
She said part of her frustration is that it is difficult to get furniture into her flat because of the dog leg by the front door - and she wants all new furniture, spending lockdown with it all she needs a change. I'm leaving her to it for the moment, she has a lot to think about.

Enjoy your day, the tides are strange again here so I can't go to the beach yet, I'm looking forward to clearing my head.

Spice so pleased to hear that you have assistance from your sons. I am so very independent - until it comes to technology. I do use it in the same way as I drive a car - without any knowledge as to how it works. I am so grateful that my Son -in Law, puts up with my problems and panics!!!

Even when I showed him the spare bulb for my Living Room lights, asking him to get Alexa ones for them (all six of them), and he did, and then discovered I had shown him the wrong one!!! Without a word of complaint (at least in my hearing) he has returned those and re-ordered the correct ones!!! He has sorted out my tv and stuff back in my Living room and tidied up all the 'spaghetti' of wires at the back, making it look nice and neat. Set up my hallway light with Alexa - and when he receives the proper bulbs will do so in the Living and Dining room.

Spice, be good when we hear that you OH has returned to him lovely new home.

Lucky girl - very frustrating and we have been misled from day one. However if we dont get a definite exchange /completion date this week they can find someone else to pay full asking price which wont be easy once the Stamp Duty freeze ends.

Morning all, it's a very spring like day, the birds are all singing and I've given the robin the last of my cheese. The bad news is that the grass has started growing so I'm not going to escape mowing the lawn before I go!

Kissngate I am truly sorry to read your situation. I had two buyers that bent the truth to my disadvantage and had to withdraw from the sale, it is appalling. Wishing you the best of luck with it.

Thank you for your post Franbern, I do have to focus on myself for the next few weeks, so much to do although I am on top of my packing now. Enjoy your unpacking! I'm going to leave my aunt to get the estate agents in and will help her after my move. I've realised I don't even know who is executor of her will, or maybe it's stress and I do know!

Enjoy your day everyone

kissngate - it is so frustrating isn't it? YOU simply do not know who to trust - I have had 4 buyers drop out on me on the last year.

Like pen50 we are in the same position and about to pull the plug on our chain. We sold eventually last year and moved into a short term rental in a new area to be nearer to family. We only viewed property where the sellers had no chain and/or prepared to go into alternative accommodation. We found a house with sellers agreeing to a quick completion and prepared to move out as long as we paid full asking price. Six weeks later we found out by chance they were buying a house but said their sellers were going into rented. Guess what ? Yep they are buying too and so the chain has gone on and on. However our rental ends in under three weeks and we aren't finding another. We can move in temporarily with family (all vaccinated) albeit 150 miles away. We informed all parties two weeks ago that time was ticking down but our solicitor said shes heard nothing back. The EA asked our sellers and the next if they would break the chain but both said no. We pull out this week if nothing happens.

Spice
I hope your husband gets back to the new home quickly.

Shandy, that second block does sound to be to the other extreme of price. I would have thought on the IoW those sort of sheltered accommodation flats would be around two and half grand a year maintenance, plus land rent. I looked at a few, but found them all very small, tiny kitchenettes - seem to assume that anyone in such place does not really do more than make a cup of tea and slice of toast. They are usually hedged around with all sorts of rules and regulations and have to obtain permission to carry out any work on the flat - if permitted usually only able to use certain tradespeople. Does the one she is looking at have a balcony for her - and is there a garden there?

I would concentrate on your own move at present - point out to her that you are in the process of that and will need at least three months to settle in. In any case, it is likely to take her a good time to get present house on the market and any sort of offer on it. Offer to visit her (assuming it is permitted then) during the early summer, and then take her around to look retirement properties etc. and discuss any work that would be required on her present house to make it more sellable.
Getting so close now for your move, and you will have enough stress relating to that to deal with.

I took nearly seven weeks for me to pack everything up in my Living room and Hallway ready for furniture to be moved around for the laying of my new floor -on Thursday my family moved all the furniture back into position - I will complete the unpacking today - much more fun unpacking than packing up!!!!

She seems set on this particular block, which has a communal lounge, laundry room, and a manager - not sure of his/her hours as it's not listed, the particulars are very sketchy. The flat for sale that I rang about, in my opinion, is horrible. The kitchen is in the corner by the front door, it is boxed off from the room by an arched doorway cut out of the fake wall. No windows. It's top floor and the bedroom window seems to have the eaves overhanging it - but as she is so short, I think she'd still be able to see out. The other block that she looked at had much higher ground rent at £290 every six months, and a whopping £2800 service charge every six months. She can't decide anything until she finds out what her flat is worth. I wish she'd done this after my move, I'm feeling a bit stressed with my own affairs at the moment. And now my cat has got a sore eye, so vets on Monday too!