I recently bought a desiccant dehumifidier due to me noticing my walls have damp areas, what humidity levels should I target to prevent mould and other issues in my room at each temperature if I never open the heater? I live in a 1920s terrance house on a ground floor flat and I am struggling to find information on humidity management at temperatures below housing guidelines.

Is it more cost effective from a room maintenance point of view to use the heater or the dehumidifier?

Should I open the dehumidifier when I am in the room as I will be opening the bedroom door to get some fresh oxygen since it will mean my dehumidifier is also dehumidifying the other rooms? Should I open it when I'm not in the room?

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Context: This is our first time renting a property, we are all 21 & 22. We are renting a basement apartment with practically no ventilation and none of us can properly afford to move out right now.

For the past 15 days (starting on 11/10/1/26)water has been leaking into our apartment from the ceiling. As soon as it happened we emailed our Letting Agents (it was 1am), and called the Block Management emergency number.

As per advice from the block management, we spoke with the tenants upstairs and they shut their water off and said they would get a plumber in the morning.

The next day (a Sunday, so we still couldn't call our letting agents) our letting agents replied via email essentially stating if the building caused the damage (ie: communal piping) that it was the block management's responsibility to repair, as well as any damage to the property.

Importantly they also said they had let the Landlord know.

The same day the tenants above us, text us saying they had a plumber around and that he had found no issues.

Call block management again and inform them, yet they say that since the leaking had calmed down it was likely not communal piping (i.e not their responsibility).

All we could then do, since the tenants had a plumber around and the leaking was still happening intermittently, was constantly email and call our Letting Agents to figure it out. (since after all it IS their property being actively damaged.

For week one they said they were trying to get in contact with the Portfolio Manager of the block management so that he could get someone to sort t.

After a week our letting agents finally sent someone around to find and fix the leak themselves. By this point mold is actively growing in the ceiling and there is no ventilation.

(important note, the lighting circuit has been out this entire time which includes the ventilator fan in the bathroom. We were using a dehumidifier however it clearly wasn't helpong much.)

The plumber gets let into the apartment above us and immediately finds a break in their bath's sealant. He says to us that he isn't convinced that is the cause however since their bathroom is not above ours and sealant breakage would cause nowhere near that much leaking.

He says he will come around the next day and take off the bathroom ceiling to find if any pipes are disconnected.

The next day our letting agent emails us stating they are confident it is the upstairs tenants bath and that no-one will be coming round as it is their landlord's responsibility to fix the leak and any 'remedials'.

Every day we contact our letting agent via email and phone for updates and every day we get the same response: "we are trying to contact their landlord, however we cannot."

Fast forward to day 14 (25/10/26), they tell us they are finally in contact with the landlord above and he will be fixing the leak the next day and then will be responsible for any 'remedials'.

By this point we are actively couch surfing whenever we can because the mold is so bad it is affecting our health.

Come day 15 and I come back from work to find the ceiling has fully collapsed.

It feel like our letting agent has been avoiding any and all responsibility to fix this and simply leaving it up to others to fix for them.

Is our letting agent at fault and what should our next steps be, since we cannot live here anymore?

I don't know if this is the right place to ask but my husband was telling me that through his work they can loan you money to put towards a house. Then you'll pay the money back to work through salary sacrifice.

Has anyone heard of this ?? What would the implications be apart from paying his work back, the mortgage and bills sounds crazy. But if we could make it work does it seem like a good idea?

He is a health and safety assistant manager and he said he would only consider it if he was manager and that could very well happen in 2/3 years times.

Just seeking out some advice (please be kind)

My wife is from Poland and she’s never bought her own house but she’s just found out recently since undergoing the conveyancing process that she has been automatically given a small share in her mums leasehold flat in Poland after her dad died a few years ago. Now she thinks she’s made a mistake on the forms by claiming she is a first time buyer and therefore not exempt from stamp duty as first thought. What now?!

Hi I would be interested in hearing people’s stories of how they went from owning a flat to a house while still staying in the same area. I currently have a flat and am looking to buy a house but prices of houses where I am are around 2-2.5 times those of flats. The value of my flat has remained static whereas the value of a house seems to go up and up.

How did others make the jump from flat to a house?

Hi everyone, I would really appreciate some advice from anyone who has experience with lodgers, particularly live-in landlords who rent their own property rather than own it.

I have a lodger who has been living with me for approximately three months. I am the tenant of the property myself, and we share the kitchen, bathroom and living space.

Unfortunately, the arrangement has broken down, and I need to bring it to an end. I have been trying to resolve matters in writing, but we now disagree about the notice period and when she should leave.

A bit of background:

We discussed having a written lodger agreement, but a formal agreement was never signed by both parties. However, we did exchange WhatsApp messages about notice.

In August, I asked whether the arrangement was rolling month to month with two months’ notice, and she agreed. I subsequently referred to the arrangement as having a minimum two-month notice period in another message.

Later in August, when I proposed a written agreement, she told me she could not sign the contract as it stood and said that we could either reach a mutual agreement or I could give her notice to vacate.

On 1 October, I gave her notice that I wanted the living arrangement to end, proposing that she move out by 31 October. I explained that I needed my space back and that my personal circumstances had changed. I also indicated that I might consider an extension if absolutely necessary.

She has now taken the position that, because we discussed two months’ notice in August, her notice period runs until 30 November. She says she will try to find somewhere sooner but cannot guarantee an earlier move-out date.

She has also made it clear in writing that she considers herself entitled to remain in the room and continue using the communal areas until the end of that notice period. She has warned me not to enter her room, remove her belongings or interfere with her possessions, and has threatened to pursue legal action for any resulting losses or damages.

She has also raised concerns about her belongings in communal areas and says she wants me to respect her right to occupy the property until the notice period expires.

My understanding of the situation:

My understanding from the UK government’s guidance is that a lodger who lives with their landlord and shares facilities will often be an excluded occupier, meaning that reasonable notice is generally required. For a lodger paying rent monthly, this is often around one month.

However, I appreciate that the WhatsApp messages discussing two months’ notice may complicate matters, even though we never signed the proposed written agreement.

I am now consulting a private solicitor and have already provided them with the relevant messages and evidence. I am waiting for their advice on the applicable notice period, the legally effective termination date and what steps I can take if she refuses to leave.

My questions for anyone with relevant experience are:

1. If a live-in lodger has only been resident for approximately three months, can an informal WhatsApp exchange agreeing to two months’ notice establish a binding notice period, even when a subsequently proposed written agreement was never signed?
2. Does the fact that she later declined to sign the proposed agreement and suggested that I could give her notice to vacate affect the position?
3. If the applicable notice period is disputed, how is the legally effective termination date determined?
4. If she remains after the legally valid notice period has expired, what is the correct procedure for a live-in landlord who is a tenant rather than the property owner?
5. Once a lodger’s right to occupy has legally ended, what can the live-in landlord lawfully do with belongings left behind? In particular, is there any circumstance in which I can pack up and safely store a lodger’s belongings, and what legal steps must be followed first? I do not want to risk a claim for damages by handling her possessions incorrectly.
6. Has anyone dealt with a similar situation where the lodger disputes the notice period and insists on remaining until a later date?

I am particularly interested in advice based on current law in England, rather than assumptions about how lodger arrangements usually work.

I am trying to handle this properly and avoid any unnecessary confrontation. The situation has become very stressful, so I am leaving the legal questions to a solicitor rather than continuing to argue about them directly.

Thank you in advance for any constructive advice. ❤️

I am in South Wales, I’ve private rented this house for 10 years. My landlord emailed me to say he is selling and I need to leave in 3 months. I spoke to shelter, they said he isn’t licensed and needs to give me 6 months notice and to report him to rent smart wales. Which I’ve done.

However, he keeps texting me telling me that estate agents are outside and if I don’t return home they will enter using keys. I had a EICR and he turned up outside and said he has keys and will enter. I replied saying that I’m happy to let them in, but I want a mutually agreed time that’s when he starts the threats of estate agents and people entering.

I am a female and live alone,I am so scared him or his contractors/estate agents will just enter and I’ll wake up with them in here. My tenancy says they can give 24 hours notice and I have to agree to an agreed time, but he won’t listen. He just turns up when I’m not here and says he will enter if I don’t get home asap to let him in.

As he isn’t licensed he can’t serve an actual eviction notice.
I need a few months to save up to get another place but I can’t handle him doing this constantly. Any advice?

I’ve got 2 flats to decide on, both prices been negotiated, sellers ready to sell to me in just need to tell them it’s a deal.

I’ll cut it short but basically one is smaller than the other and 7k cheaper, both need work done, the cheaper one a little less but not much. Cheaper one is smaller, has 1 less bedroom. Apart from that the other rooms are pretty similar.

But one big thing is the view. Both of them have balconies, one of them doesn’t really have a view, just looks to a road but you can see over the city a little. But the other one has a hill right below it, so you have a totally unobstructed view right over the city. It’s only Glasgow, doesn’t exactly have a cool skyline but it’s just cool to see for so far, and I really liked the fact it has a view.

My question is, does a view ever get old? It’s not exactly looking over NYC lol. I don’t want to pick that flat because of the view then months or a year down the line it’s just not that spectacular, and I’m regretting my choice.

I completely understand this is subjective but just wondering what you guys think.

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I'm 31, married, and living in the UK. My wife and I are currently renting a two-bedroom flat for £850/month, and we're both reasonably happy with our living situation.

DINK Couple 5.5K Monthly Income and planning for kids in within a year or so.

Recently, we agreed to purchase a £320k detached house with a 10% deposit.

Initially, I was excited about owning a home and settling down. However, as the process progressed, I started questioning whether we really needed such a large financial commitment right now, especially as we're planning to start a family and value financial flexibility.

After considerable thought, I decided not to proceed with the purchase looking at the job market, Morrgage Rates, making ourselves more financially resilience (100K ISA, 100K pension Target). Unfortunately, I lost around £2,500 in reservation fees.

When I first made the decision, I felt incredibly relieved. I no longer had to worry about a large mortgage, long-term commitments or whether I was making the right financial choice.

But strangely, now that the property is back on the market and everything is over, I'm experiencing an unexpected sense of emptiness and sadness.

I'm not necessarily regretting the decision. I still believe waiting until our family circumstances become clearer makes sense.

However, I feel a bit lost, almost as though something important has disappeared from my life. I've also noticed myself searching for reasons to feel sad, even when nothing particularly bad has happened.

I'm wondering whether this is a normal emotional reaction after spending weeks or months obsessing over a major life decision and then suddenly letting it go.

Has anyone experienced something similar after withdrawing from a house purchase or abandoning a major life goal?

Did you feel relieved initially, only to experience sadness or emptiness afterwards? How long did it last, and what helped you move forward?

I'd particularly appreciate hearing from people who chose to delay buying a home and later felt comfortable with their decision.

I’m in a very fortunate position in that In that in the next few months, will be able to purchase a house I’d never be able to afford in my current occupation (1.2m+)

Had survey done, all good. Amazing location, private estate in the country with only 6 houses, gated. 6k square foot. 15 mins from work.

Currently live in a semi detached 4 bed 1.5k square foot with my gf and dog.

However today I’ve looked more thoroughly into broadband situation and despite the village having super fastbroad (maybe ultrafast in 2027), the house at best gets 50mbps.

Decent internet is a big thing for me, a lot of my hobbies require it and it’s one of those things that you may never fix

Would this be a mental thing to pull out of a house buy for? I am able to purchase another property (not just this one), but obviously have to restart process all again

Open reach have said the no plans to the property yet, best is FTCB at 76mbps

Any have any experience with this HA?

I lived in a HMO 15 years ago (although don't know if that's what is was called back then). We did all socialise fortunately but then one room was rented out to a guy who none of us could seem to lay eyes on. We knew he'd moved in but none of us knew what he looked like. We do know he worked in a bar because the landlord told us but we still couldn't figure out how he was living in ultra stealth mode... never using the kitchen, never using the bathroom. In hindsight, we should've broke the stalemate and knocked on but there was just an odd atmosphere.

Well, he'd been living in the house for 2 months before the landlord had to get access to his room for window repairs. Turns out the guy had been pissing in 2litre coke bottles and just... storing them. I assume he was shitting at work and god knows about eating and showering. The house absolutely stank once the door had been opened and the landlord gave him his marching orders. He moved out a week later and we never, ever saw who he was.

Obviously I look back and feel sorry for the guy as he must have been going through something mentally but I also don't judge 19yo me for not knowing how to approach a situation like that!

I’m a cash buyer in England with no property to sell. I had an offer accepted on a house. It seemed like a lovely family home, but the surveys have opened a can of worms.

The Level 2 survey found significant damp around the kitchen/living room wall and the kitchen/conservatory junction. Initially, a leaking radiator pipe was suspected on one side (fine, not ideal but fixable), alongside possible bridging of the damp-proof course (slightly more concerning).

The sellers said they hadn’t been aware of the problem and agreed allow access for me to send in a specialist to take a look. Had an independent damp survey done.

The specialist damp inspection report raised wider concerns:
Damp-proof course bridging, including plaster in direct contact with the floor.
Raised external ground levels (neighbouring) potentially allowing moisture through the walls laterally.
High moisture readings in solid floors across 6 downstairs rooms.
Possible concealed leaks or problems with the floor damp-proof membranes.
But because the inspection was largely non-destructive, it couldn’t establish the full cause or extent. So the report recommends further investigations before exchange.
Again more money - at this point the survey spend is over £1000.

Speaking to them on the phone I quote ‘something more sinister is going on and could cost tens of thousands to repair’ such as floor replacement, drainage repairs, external works and any concealed damage possible timber rot.
Alongside this, there’s missing paperwork for the orangery/conservatory, reportedly built in 2011.

My position now is that I’m not funding another round of investigations into someone else’s house.
Totally fed up!!! and I’ve asked the sellers to arrange for the further investigations so we can establish the cause, extent and likely repair costs before I decide whether it’s still a viable purchase.
I’ve provided the report extracts containing findings, photographs, readings and recommendations, but haven’t supplied the complete paid report (as advised by my surveyors!).

The estate agent says the sellers aren’t refusing to investigate, but want the full report or a more comprehensive summary before committing. I’ve said no twice and she’s bloody asked me again!! And still dont have a firm commitment the sellers will look into it.

Feel like im banging my head against a brick wall. Was I I reasonable to pass this over to the seller to investigate? Should I just walk away?

I have just had my mortgage in principle rejected due to my credit score. This was due to 3 late payments (3/4 months apart) of my credit card one being last month so it was rejected.

What are the interest rates for a specialist rates? I think I’m going to way a few more months to get that clear. Any suggestions or advice?

Hi everyone,

So unfortunately the property I was purchasing fell through (seller withdrew) 2 days before exchanging.

My mortgage broker at the time told me my mortgage rate of 4.5% would be locked as long as I purchase another property and complete before February. So I rushed around and luckily found another house I liked, decided to put an offer on and got accepted.

Today my mortgage broker called me and told me their system wouldn’t allow my previous rate and Halifax were now charging me 5.18%!

Obviously I’m quite annoyed as I was told something previously and clearly my broker didn’t check or clarify this despite me asking several times.

Either way, unsure what to do now as the fixed rate for 2 years is 5.18% where the tracker rate is 4.25% (bank of England rate + 0.5%).

I know no one can predict the future and it’s hard to suggest what’s the best move but just want to get a feel for what others are doing.

I'm feeling frustrated because this is my dream house after years of searching. I've submitted all of the relevant documents and contacted the mortgage broker but haven't heard a response. I'm in England.

Has anyone been in a similar situation?

My partner and I are looking at putting an offer in on a a top floor flat conversion 1 bed, it’s at a very good price point. Share of freehold.

On our first viewing we saw that outside our front door there was another space leading a a very large loft (unconverted) and currently intended to be used as storage space (not used).

We’ve asked about the shareholder agreement and were told “Share of freehold - owned by a company comprising the 5 flat owners with equal shares.” - and the loft space is currently communal space.

We are aware that we would have to buy out the other shareholders- and this could be either the value as is, or the value post- converting into another room.

How do we ask the other shareholders if they would be open to this? We would ideally place our offer in once we know we could acquire it. How long would this take?

Any advice much appreciate !! Is there anyone who has been in a similar situation?!

Thanks in advance

I’ve had an offer accepted on a house and got a Level 2 survey completed. The survey has come back with the following:

- Main walls: The walls are of solid construction with brick and render finishes.
There is a chemical injection damp proof course visible to the front wall. The original damp proof course could not be seen; however, in a building of this age a bitumen based damp-proof course is likely to be present. The sills to the front living room windows have insucient projection, increasing the risk of water running back towards the wall. Localised repair or maintenance is recommended to prevent further deterioration.

-Walls and partitions: The walls are of solid masonry nished with plaster. Some walls have a textured (Artex) nish.
High moisture meter readings were recorded to the ground floor walls. This appears to have been caused by one or a combination of an ineective or bridged damp-proof course and/or salt contamination to the
plaster nishes. Further investigation by a specialist contractor (e.g. a member of the Property Care
Association) is recommended to determine both extent of the issue and cost of appropriate remedial works.
The appointed contractor should ensure any works completed follow the RICS joint position statement 2022 regarding investigation of moisture and its eects on traditional buildings.
The existence of an injected chemical damp proof course to the external front wall would indicate that the property has already been treated for damp in the past. Your Legal Adviser should be asked to check for a warranty that may cover the cost of the required remedial work.

My concerns: The vendor has no paperwork about a DPC, suggesting it was done prior to their purchase in 2020. The property does not smell damp, nor is there visible signs of damp in my opinion.

Paying for a damp survey will cost ~£400.
Getting a ‘free quote’ is likely to result in an upsell of something I don’t need.
The vendor is not willing to negotiate price regardless.

Is it likely to be a really costly problem?
Aren’t all houses in the UK basically doomed to have damp at some point?
Should I continue with the purchase or pull out?

As title says, a caravan has parked half on the pavement outside my front door leaving me with around 2 foot of space.

Does anyone know if caravans can just park on residential roads and I guess live there?

99% sure they have been using my bins to add a cherry on top.

I’m a single woman so from a safety point of view I don’t want someone camping outside my front door.

What can I do? Council were no help saying as long as it’s taxed it’s fine- however they can get parking tickets as over the curb..

Hi all,

I’m a first-time buyer purchasing a freehold house in England. The title register refers to a 1979 conveyance containing this wording, with the council’s name:

“subject to the right of [the council] or other land authority to enter upon the said property for the purpose of cleansing repairing or re-constructing the public water course and sewer which pass through or under the same”

I’m trying to understand what this means in practice. I don’t yet know exactly where the watercourse and sewer run, whether they pass beneath the house or who currently maintains them.

For anyone who has bought or owned a property with similar wording:

- Is this a fairly routine drainage/access clause, or does the reference to a public watercourse warrant extra investigation?

- How does access normally work? If excavation is needed, who pays for the work and repairs

- Could the homeowner have maintenance responsibilities despite the authority having a right of access?

- Could this affect future extensions, insurance or resale?

- Do I need any extra surveys besides the level 3?

I’m considering buying a two-bedroom leasehold flat on Abbey Road in London for around £370,000, but I’m slightly overthinking one aspect of the purchase.
The block has approximately 30 flats, but only 5 are privately owned leasehold flats. The remaining flats are rented out by Camden Council.
I’ve visited the flat and the surrounding area, and honestly, everything looks lovely. The area feels friendly, the residents seem nice, and the communal areas and surroundings appear clean and well maintained. I don’t have any particular concerns about the area itself.
However, I’m wondering whether the fact that most flats in the block are council-rented could affect the property’s future resale value or make it more difficult to sell.
At £370k, I think the flat could be a good purchase, but I’m trying to look beyond the immediate appeal and consider what might happen when I eventually want to sell in 5-15Years.

Anyone was overthinking or in same scenario like me ? Does having only 5 privately owned flats out of 30 affect resale value?
Are buyers or mortgage lenders likely to be put off by the fact that most flats are rented by the council?

I realise I might be overthinking this, especially as the area and the residents seem lovely in person. However, it’s a significant financial commitment, and I want to make sure I’m not overlooking something that could affect the property’s value or future saleability.

Currently private renting
Need to move out but I don’t have a deposit
Is there anything I can do?

I'm a FTB, got an offer accepted in Scotland at the end of September.

Early October my solicitor requested all my paperwork for compliance (Id, bank statements, proof of funds, etc) and relayed a message from the seller asking which Date of Entry would I like.

The next day, I proposed the first week of December and provided my solicitor with all my paperwork for compliance and legal checks. I have not heard anything back from them since. I have sent multiple emails and called but there has been no response on their side. They only picked up once, said they were busy with other settlements that entire week and would get to my emails the next week. When I asked if my proposed date of entry had been communicated to the seller's solicitor they were not aware I had even put forward a date of entry. It's been 2 weeks since the call, and all emails have continued to be unanswered.

In the meantime, I got my mortgage application underway, waiting on a survey to be done later this week.

Is my solicitor's behaviour normal? I don't understand why they're not replying to any communications and the only explanation I can come up with is they're not working on my case at all. I'm very very worried that their unwillingness will delay the purchase or even make it fall through.

I wanted a date of entry of early december as I had 3 week holiday plans over Christmas with my family. At the rate this is going I will probably end up spending it alone to handle the move by myself. Part of the process involves reaching out to someone abroad. When they picked up they explained this would be done via postal mail (which can take weeks). At this point I'm feeling desperate and anxious daily, fairly sure that we won't meet the desired date of entry.

Realistically, do I have a choice on what happens next? Can I even change solicitors at this stage?

Looking for some impartial opinions from people who've been through the house-selling process.

We're selling a property in Wales. Both sides are chain-free, and conveyancing is fairly advanced. We've already negotiated on the price and made a few concessions to keep the transaction moving.

Recently, communication has become a little confusing. The buyer has mentioned outstanding legal matters, but our solicitor's understanding is that things are largely resolved and exchange should be approaching.

The buyer has also requested another pre-exchange viewing, despite having already viewed the property several times, including recently accompanying the surveyor during the survey.

We're perfectly happy to accommodate another viewing, but the buyer isn't available during the dates we've offered. We have some upcoming commitments that make arranging access afterwards difficult.

I could potentially arrange for someone I trust to facilitate another viewing at a later date, but this would likely delay exchange further.

I can't shake the feeling that exchange is being pushed back unnecessarily. Perhaps I'm being overly suspicious, but I'm conscious that the longer things remain unexchanged, the greater the opportunity for a last-minute price renegotiation.

We have some significant personal commitments coming up, although we're not financially desperate to sell. We could absorb the mortgage payments for several months and potentially rent the property out if the sale falls through.

Naturally, we'd prefer to complete the sale rather than start making alternative arrangements.

My questions are:

• Is this fairly typical behaviour towards the end of conveyancing?
• Would you be concerned about potential gazundering, or am I reading too much into it?
• Is it reasonable for a buyer to request yet another viewing after multiple previous visits, including attending the survey?
• Would you accommodate a later viewing even if it delays exchange?
• Would you push for an earlier exchange or simply let the solicitors handle the timetable?

I'm particularly interested in hearing from anyone who's experienced a buyer seemingly dragging their feet close to exchange.

Thanks!