adrian777uk

Hmm, ok, it just looks like standard 12.5mm plasterboard to me and it's definitely NOT effective! How do you easily add acoustic insulation after the event? As far as I can tell you would have to rip the wall down first.

Hi, Recently bought a new build property. There's a complete lack of insulation between the two bedrooms which doesn't bother me from the thermal point of view but from a soundproofing perspective it's really bad. I got a response from the builders which said - Upon checking construction details with the project manager, it has been made apparent that the standard internal partition wall does not require insulation, as detailed in the specification and the Building Regulations at the time of scheme approval. Therefore it will not be possible for ############# to rectify this raised item. If you still wish to meet to discuss matters further, please forward me the most convenient date you are available. - Does this sound possible to you? As far as I can tell part E soundproofing regs were introduced in 2003. Would be grateful of any facts that would support my case. Regards.

Don't understand a word of that...

They're just hoping to wear you down until you give up. Don't.

Usually these clauses specify hours, eg between 11pm and 8am. Haven't seen a blanket ban like that before.

I agree, the snagging is a pain. I've just bought a newbuild and am currently dealing with it. It just takes persistence to keep on at them until everything is finished as agreed. I prefer new or newish builds personally as they tend to have more bathrooms (at the expense of room-size admitedly), more focus on the kitchen as the heart of the home, double glazing, decent roofs and insulation, and so on. Modern building regulations are the best they've ever been and you'll have a lot more in the way of foundations than an old 100-year old house. All those victorian terraces in London don't even have proper foundations as we understand them now, they have footings. Yes they have solid internal walls, which may be a plus or minus depending on whether you'd like to ever alter anything, but there's a lot of building regs these days (post 2003 I think) regards sound-insulation which means it's not like the old cardboard walls of the 80s. Mineral wool is a FAR more effective sound insulator (and thermal) than brick walls, especially when combined with some of the modern studding (for instance floating ceilings are often required in building regs between flats.)

Quite Agree, that would be a much better option, and a lot cheaper. And you'd make some friends (hopefully) in London.

Do let us know how it turns out please.

To be fair the 70s recession was pretty bad. 3-day working weeks, winter of discontent, etc. Much worse than it's been this time.

Yeah I was thinking the same thing, where the heck are you going to find a 2-bed (even ex-LA) flat in Balham for £200k. That's where the argument falls down I think.

The letting agent is telling porkies, the landlord won't give two hoot unless he's asking to raise the rent which you haven't said he is. It's only the agent that stands to gain. Ignore him as before.

Basically what he was saying is saturday is always the busiest day for the obvious reasons that you've stated - people work for a living. So if you view on a saturday it's not surprising that you will be butting up against other viewings.

So what is the question exactly? You've already taken legal advice from a few sources who have, quite rightly, told you that you don't have to replace the carpet. I don't know what we we can really add to that. But you don't want to avoid confrontation with your landlord. That will depend on the landlord and how reasonable he is. It's your decision if you want to call his bluff and threaten to move out, you know him beter than us. All I can suggest is that you talk on phone / face-to-face as much as possible rather than email. Email tends to get nasty and escalate the situation.

About time. That map system they used before was awful. Slow to load (if at all) and often completely missed off train stations at certain zoom levels.

It's an emergency repair, I don't think he can spend a week or two getting multiple written quotes. I found the following article, don't know how authoritative it is. Go to 'dealing with landlords' section - http://homerenorepair.suite101.com/article.cfm/taking_action_as_a_tenant_emergency_repairs One thing's for sure. Over new year's and a public holiday the EA won't give a flying f__k.

Quite, hardly anywhere you'd want to raise your family. The house is currently let to a group students which is pretty much the ideal use (and probabaly the most common use) for those houses.

Ha, dropped to 499k, maybe they read this thread! Unfortunately I have moved on and lost interest in it, but could be a good buy for someone else (if you're not too bearish).

is it 'very good' because it's bearish?

buy-to-let landlord buying most new developments in london.... http://www.lettingzone.com/landlord-letting-news/1211/london-buy-to-let-property-attracting-overseas-investors

don't think anybody's disputing that (that's why I would be interested in buying one), just the fact that it's valued a hundred grand over other houses in the same development. They haven't even done anything to the house though since they bought it. I recognise the original builder's kitchen and bathroom, and the paving stones look pretty tired and worn.

TBH the 5% figure was just a guess, i've no idea how much professional investors expect and I'm quite willing to concede that it should be higher. As it happens I've been going to look at a few houses lately and it's struck me that the sellers are without fail very surprised that I'm buying it for myself - almost everybody else who viewed their property are buying as an investment, it's just the way things are now. That's why I'm convinced the value of houses going forward will be based on rental yield rather than multiple of income and will unfortunately therefore remain fundamentally a lot more expensive.

Most of what I read here is just a lot of assertions of the way things 'should' be. If you ask me the fundamental mistake made in hpc theory is thinking that things should return to the historical '3.5 x average earnings' ratio. My own conclusion is that the advent of the AST (assured shorthold tenancy) which opened-up and transformed the buy-to-let market around 10-15 years ago (see hpc's own graphs - http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/graphs-buy-to-let.php ) has fundmanentally changed the worth of houses from 'multiple of earnings' to 'return on investment' - in which case any flat/house that has a rental yield of 5% or above is likely to be snapped up by someone regardless of the average earnings in that street/area. And yes it is a 'new paradigm' and yes that means quarter of a million pounds for a crappy flat in south london. Expecting house prices to return to pre buy-to-let market levels is like expecting house prices in prague or france, or any of these other places (even spain) that there is now so much awareness of, to return back to peanuts - it simply aint gonna happen.

I worked in staines the last 5 years, and ocassionally lodge there for a few months at a time and i haven't seen some massive influx of immigrants, i don't know what that person was talking about. I think the big difference between staines and south london is that staines is a hell of a lot safer and that's something to consider depending on what life-stage you're at. It's nice being able to have a drink/meal down by the river as well. I don't think the prices are particularly amazing though. The fast train into waterloo is about 25mins but a monthly travelcard will set you back about £200.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-23684575.html The most any house has ever sold for on that development is £490k in late 2007. From mouseprice..... http://www.mouseprice.com/property-information/land-registry/ref-20577160/19-Brockwell-Park-Row Brockwell Park Row in Lambeth SW2 comprises 35 homes. All these properties are residential. This means that there is no commercial property in Brockwell Park Row. The Brockwell Park Row information displayed below comes from data submitted to us directly by the general public, Mouseprice.com data and data from third-parties. There is a wealth of property market information on Mouseprice.com which you might find useful, including valuation estimates for every property in England and Wales and the data we hold on every postcode district in our area guide section. The most expensive house purchase in Brockwell Park Row is 7, which sold on 25/09/2007 for £498,000. The least expensive recorded transaction in Brockwell Park Row is 17, which sold on 25/05/2001 for £249,950. The most recent transaction to have been recorded in Brockwell Park Row was 19. It sold on 03/10/2008 for £470,000. More information on property transactions is available on the Lambeth area guide on the Mouseprice.com website. I mean what's the point of that asking price? Even if some idiot did put in an offer at, say, £550k, the mortgage valuer would come along, look at exactly the same data I'm looking at, and value it at maybe 475, so the sale would fall through at the first hurdle. There's even another identical house (actually slightly better because it overlooks the park) under offer at £500k (at least the asking price is that, probably under offer for less).

I don't think the 5% high interest bond makes much sense. To qualify you have to invest the other half through their financial advisors which means a 4% initial charge on the investment as opposed to a 1% initial charge if you invest yourself by post or internet. Basically if you believe that investment is a better option to saving (ie will generate more than 4% return) then why not put it all 100% into the world selection investment via the 1% initial charge. And if you don't believe that then don't bother.