Lorenz

I just seem to remember about people being charged for sewage and extracting water by water boards, even though they were not connected? I do like the idea of being off grid, so if possible and if I would not have to pay or be messed around by another utility, it makes it rather inviting. I did have well water boreholes etc on different properties I had abroad.

Slightly off topic, but do the water board charge you for the use of the water?

Leasehold..... it is a lot bigger now.

There are a lot about if you look for them, Not far from me was a castle with 3 cottages, one house recently renovated and two other building used as offices and apartments, plus a bunch of other buildings and about 20 acres, went for 1.5 I think. Whoever bought it has already sold the recently renovated house for 750k. There was another place similar just outside Lacock that went for the same money with just over 30 acres, needed renovating though. Upper mid level properties are going beyond the top properties it seems.

"Amenity land is usually used for recreational purposes, such as playground etc. This is a common term used in planning, such as section 106 agreements. I hope that helps. Regards Claire Ask Your Own UK Property Law Question'' I know nothing about this, but some friends just bought a piece that I thought was an overgrown allotment and is surrounded by what look like allotments and some of them actually are allotments! They just cleared it of some quite large trees. From reading this thread and looking on the internet, it does look like it is designed to create more work for solicitors, just like conveyancing and the mess that is the Land Registry.

I can imagine something like that here soon, just like they set up the bond companies for rentals, that is not something to look forward to!

Was reminded of this thread, by a video on another.. If we extrapolate current trends in the housing market, the government will have more and more to do with house ownership, and maybe, will become the mortgage company at some point, as the banks become ever more unhappy at lending on property. They already are involved with sometimes 50% of the notional value of a new house in their hands. As council tax continues to rise, it will increasingly devalue the potential rent a property owner can demand, much the same as fuel duty currently. I wonder with rents in parts of London dropping so much, whether the councils there will be allowed to up tax to make up the difference? Looking at it this way, it does look like the state will take control or be forced to, to offset a financial collapse as mooted in aforementioned video?

The place we did it with was built in 1896, we did not change the openings. Some places had containers full. Some we were left over with went up to a restoration in the Orkneys. Just an idea. My wife will be wanting all traditional wood, from experience it lasts a lot longer than the other materials, but takes more maintenance and upfront cost.

I was picking up at an auction house in Chippenham a few weeks back and next door was a window place with a bunch of new windows and doors left outside. I guess they were missed measured. Not saying that would be what you want, but I know from past experience that such companies used to have piles of the things and were only too happy to see the back of them. We managed to do all the windows on one property from such a source, and from another more granite worktop than we could ever manage to use.

I was in Latvia and it seemed that many thought that business was a crime, so if they were in business they behave in a criminal way. It isn't helped by subsidies and grants which just aid this behaviour.

I suppose they figure it is better than them being derelict? How will they pay off the debt?

But if your horsey and lucky, you might find you can buy in some areas where they allow horsey people to buy the agricultural tie places? I believe I have seen several like that well below market price.

Looks like Roman Domus, meets Coronation Street.

It is normally done that way on the Baltic, and narrower stacks, problem is so many have left the countryside to work in the UK, few of what is left are capable of stacking without it collapsing on them. Not sure if he is allowed to sell wet wood? Seems many in the UK keep it in sections then split it before sale. I have a hydrometer and have not had a satisfactory batch from anybody, so really needs buying and storing for a couple of years before ready, even though it is sold as supposedly dry.

I lived in Latvia and for a few years we were in a cottage with a brick type skin, was probably log cabin underneath. 1 log burner in the living room and the other rooms we put in wall mounted french oil filled radiators with thermostats. Gets down to about -30 but was far more comfortable than the house we are in now. The radiators were great. If you have a supply of logs, you owe it to yourself to build a masonry stove, they are about 3000 years in advance of what most people use in the UK Was very cost effective, way way cheaper than the Calor gas system we have where we are or the mains gas system we had before we went there.

Just reminds me of a situation my parents had years ago when replacing a roof with concrete tile and the Planning Officer wanted them to put in steel plates bolted together to strengthen it, but in such a way that it did not look to me to be anything but none-sense. Luckily we were in touch with a Forensic Surveyor and he sent a letter off to the PO and said "if he ever so much as darken your door again I will throw him in court!" Latter found out that the PO's major qualification for the job was that he did woodwork at school! He had major companies end up with roofs that did not match up and so on, seemed quite dangerous to be honest.

But that is the US and we are now an Island again. Lumber importing is controlled, so may not come down, even firewood in the UK is way expensive compared to much of Europe. I remember some years ago seeing how they dealt with asbestos sheeting on one site, they soaked it in water and then threw it on the fire they had made with other materials, it would blow up and be scattered by the wind. Seeing this I kept up wind and was glad I did not live there!

Probably shouldn't say, but I see this term used a lot, do you mean an actual vaulted ceiling as in stone-brick arch or some wooden beams?

Would it help if a group of people from the same village got onto their Parish Council to allow an area for self build. Next to the village I live in, they are building a new estate, but no one in the village wants that type of housing, preferring houses with more space inside and larger gardens, as many have businesses at home, so these small executive homes at double the price of similar sized houses in the village are only going to attract commuters from somewhere else. Add to this the Parish Council objected to them, but were overridden. Surely there is a case for allowing local people to put forward for allowing the kinds of properties families need in the real world?

I did not know about this splay, had seen a place with buildings and planning supposedly, but the entrance-exit is right on a bend and other possible was also quite awkward. Another pitfall to bear in mind, thank you.

I am renting a house with spray foam insulation. It is a concern if we were to buy it, and as has been pointed out, if we could indeed get a mortgage on it. But it is a poorly done thing amongst old oak beams and leaks air like a sieve! Unless a building was outstanding in some way it would put me off buying it, especially the extra cost of any roof works, and it has often been used to cover up rotting timbers and indeed may encourage rot.

We were looking at air source heat pumps, when we lived on the Baltic and knew people who had moved onto them and were happy, did not meet anyone who was happy with ground source, even people selling and fitting them! What about an induction system for hot water?

What maintenance is particularly problematic?

Years ago I was thinking of an oak frame and abroad in Europe it was still possible, but here in the UK I saw a build where they did a double frame, so the frame could still be seen. Do oak frames need to be wrapped or is it still possible to build an exposed oak frame house?

This property does but the buildings are old, we looked but it was nearly 2 million..... agricultural tie. Does not make sense to me and seems just wrong.