Inconvenient Annoyances

Coincedentally, I work with a guy who's boiler needs replacing as well. He got a quote from a local guy for about £2500, and wanted a new quote after finding the boiler he was going to get only cost £600.  So he went to British Gas, where they quoted him £5,000 to do the same job!

British Gas will happily rip you off. 

ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Coincedentally, I work with a guy who's boiler needs replacing as well. He got a quote from a local guy for about £2500, and wanted a new quote after finding the boiler he was going to get only cost £600.  So he went to British Gas, where they quoted him £5,000 to do the same job!

British Gas will happily rip you off.

That's terrible. Definitely not using them. We're with a local guy. We compared prices and he's being quite reasonable, thankfully.

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This is the brand we have:  https://www.herschel-infrared.co.uk/  We bought ours as a shop display one on a steep discount, and we're still a long way away from being ready to put in permanent heating, but our plan is to have one mounted to the bedroom ceiling, and two panels on the ceiling of the lounge/dining room.  I'm not sure about the kitchen... it's a small space, and we'll be cooking in there.  Plus, it's open to the lounge/dining area, so if we keep the house a nice ambient temperature, the kitchen shouldn't be able to get too cold.  We're also going to have a wood-burning stove in the fireplace, for aesthetics, and in case of power disruption, since our heating will be electric.  Right now, if we lose electricity, we're pretty much screwed.

I once visited a colleague and saw these panels on the ceiling and wondered what they were. It was during summer so I'm sure they were off.

We have a small conservatory, which is always cold and we never use it during winter. I've shown my husband, and we're going to look into getting a panel. Thanks so much for letting me know about this!

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Another viewing cancelled two hours ahead of time after spending over an hour cleaning top to bottom all because they don’t like where we are located. Do people not do their research or look on google maps anymore before booking a viewing?? Is it just us that do that?? The house needed a clean but it’s just incredibly frustrating. I don’t understand why people are SO nervous about broadmoor! The patients won’t even be in the building closest for long!

I personally don’t want to extend the contract/listing going forward and would rather pull it for the foreseeable future. 


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That's incredibly frustrating. We went through the same 4 years ago. There were times when I raced home to show the house and the people wouldn't show. I found it so strange how it was us who had to show the house even if we're paying an estate agent. It's like you just pay for them to put it on rightmove and/or Zoopla and you do the rest. I tried showing the house by myself, then my husband by myself. Then one day we decided to do it together and be really chatty. Coincidentally with the same couple the guy was a fan of my husband's football team and they talked for a whole hour. That couple ended up buying the house. It's weird.

Sending positive vibes to you!

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That's incredibly frustrating. We went through the same 4 years ago. There were times when I raced home to show the house and the people wouldn't show. I found it so strange how it was us who had to show the house even if we're paying an estate agent. It's like you just pay for them to put it on rightmove and/or Zoopla and you do the rest. I tried showing the house by myself, then my husband by myself. Then one day we decided to do it together and be really chatty. Coincidentally with the same couple the guy was a fan of my husband's football team and they talked for a whole hour. That couple ended up buying the house. It's weird.

Sending positive vibes to you!

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Thanks! Thankfully we aren’t showing it ourselves, it’s just so frustrating and stressful because we want to be able to move into a house we will stay long term in next but I’m sort of just resigning myself to the fact that we aren’t selling anytime soon. The market is crap for sellers and it doesn’t help that people just hear Broadmoor and let it.


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Thanks! Thankfully we aren’t showing it ourselves, it’s just so frustrating and stressful because we want to be able to move into a house we will stay long term in next but I’m sort of just resigning myself to the fact that we aren’t selling anytime soon. The market is crap for sellers and it doesn’t help that people just hear Broadmoor and let it.


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Where's Broadmoor? Why are people "against" getting a house there?

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Where's Broadmoor? Why are people "against" getting a house there?

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Broadmoor is high security hospital that houses criminally insane. People are afraid that prisoners will get out I guess? But I’m not sure why living right across from it makes you less safe than living in the town next door. We are the first houses checked if something did happen (and they probably wouldn’t stick around here for long), but it’s irrelevant as it’s unlikely to happen. Nobody has escaped in decades and the field and wall across from us is great for dog walking and picking fruit but some people just really don’t view it in he same way and I respect that...just wish they would research before booking a viewing. 


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People don't really research the area. I have to admit we didn't as well when we went house shopping. There were a couple houses they were great but had a busy road at the back so we crossed them off the list.

Winter is always difficult for selling houses as the British go in a Christmas frenzy (I'm sure you know what I'm talking about!). Nevertheless, I hope you guys are able to sell soon!!

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People don't really research the area. I have to admit we didn't as well when we went house shopping. There were a couple houses they were great but had a busy road at the back so we crossed them off the list.

Winter is always difficult for selling houses as the British go in a Christmas frenzy (I'm sure you know what I'm talking about!). Nevertheless, I hope you guys are able to sell soon!!

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I wouldn't mind them crossing it off the list once they saw it, but they aren't even making it that far. They book a viewing two or three days beforehand, then cancel it 2 hours ahead of showing up. Wish they looked up the area either before booking the viewing OR at least show up to see it in person. At the end of the day, it's better they don't bother if they know it's not what they want. I just can't help but get frustrated after a while even though they aren't doing anything wrong.

Where's Broadmoor? Why are people "against" getting a house there?

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Hee hee.  Ask your husband if he’s heard of it.

I live in the same borough as XoD and we have the Broadmoor sirens every Monday morning at 10am for two minutes. 

Hee hee.  Ask your husband if he’s heard of it.

I live in the same borough as XoD and we have the Broadmoor sirens every Monday morning at 10am for two minutes. 

But we don't actually hear it! That's the thing! I hear it more from my office in Bracknell than I do from my own house literally across the field. It all depends on which siren they are using as well (as there are multiple based in different locations - not just Crowthorne).

At least they cancelled and didn't just "no show."  But that's still gotta be just so frustrating!  Maybe it'll be better in the spring, or whenever it is kids finish school for the year here?

When I was selling my condo in California, the agent would give us a warning phone call 30 minutes in advance. So the house always had to be completely spotless. One day I was at work and the daughter was at home having a pizza for lunch and got the call. So she tidied up and left, but forgot to take her pizza box off the floor in front of the TV. The agent who was showing called our agent and was saying that the house was "a mess" and so our agent phoned me and gave me a ration for leaving the place a mess, and how the hell did I expect to sell it like that. I went straight home and the only thing amiss was the pizza box on the floor. The place was otherwise pristine.

Often times other agents (buyers agents) would just show up with them unannounced, even though the listing said we needed 30 minutes warning and they were supposed to be contacting us first through our agent. (The daughter was working nights, so she slept very late. This caused quite a bit of trouble for us.)  We even had a few show up after we took the place off the market, unannounced, and want to tour the place.   

On one showing, they must have had kids with them because toys and things had been moved around, and someone got into a bag of (unopened) candy we had on a shelf.  We know that the same person came in a few times, because he left a stench of BO in my daughter's bedroom that was unmistakeable.  I used to wince over that, wondering what the hell he'd been up to! (Seriously, same smell.) Probably was the one who gave us the lowball offer. (That we rejected - it wouldn't have even paid off the mortgage.)

At least they cancelled and didn't just "no show."  But that's still gotta be just so frustrating!  Maybe it'll be better in the spring, or whenever it is kids finish school for the year here?

When I was selling my condo in California, the agent would give us a warning phone call 30 minutes in advance. So the house always had to be completely spotless. One day I was at work and the daughter was at home having a pizza for lunch and got the call. So she tidied up and left, but forgot to take her pizza box off the floor in front of the TV. The agent who was showing called our agent and was saying that the house was "a mess" and so our agent phoned me and gave me a ration for leaving the place a mess, and how the hell did I expect to sell it like that. I went straight home and the only thing amiss was the pizza box on the floor. The place was otherwise pristine.

Often times other agents (buyers agents) would just show up with them unannounced, even though the listing said we needed 30 minutes warning and they were supposed to be contacting us first through our agent. (The daughter was working nights, so she slept very late. This caused quite a bit of trouble for us.)  We even had a few show up after we took the place off the market, unannounced, and want to tour the place.   

On one showing, they must have had kids with them because toys and things had been moved around, and someone got into a bag of (unopened) candy we had on a shelf.  We know that the same person came in a few times, because he left a stench of BO in my daughter's bedroom that was unmistakeable.  I used to wince over that, wondering what the hell he'd been up to! (Seriously, same smell.) Probably was the one who gave us the lowball offer. (That we rejected - it wouldn't have even paid off the mortgage.)

We have had no-shows as well but thankfully less common. Always appreciate being told vs just a no-show for sure.

That is mental! Firstly, an estate agent should NEVER be giving you a ration of sh*t. You're the client! That seems crazy to me. Also, one pizza box is definitely not a mess - especially considering you only have a half hour notice.