WHAT ATTRACTED YOUR ATTENTION TODAY?

[chinatyke]

Conveyancing solicitors, they seem to forget that they're being paid to do a job. They're not doing you a favour.

Rant over

Spot on. I hope it goes through smoothly for you. I once did a house exchange in <3 weeks by doing the running around myself instead of leaving it to the solicitor.

[Stanley]

Kev, they were bad enough when being paid peanuts. I hate to think what £50 a letter does for them!

[Big Kev]

Conveyancing solicitors, they seem to forget that they're being paid to do a job. They're not doing you a favour.

Rant over

Spot on. I hope it goes through smoothly for you. I once did a house exchange in <3 weeks by doing the running around myself instead of leaving it to the solicitor.

It should be a relatively quick process for me as there's no chain. I've had a requests from my buyer, and the seller, to 'give my solicitor a budge' as they're all waiting to exchange contracts...

[PanBiker]

A long time ago when I put the deposit on our first house. I trotted up to Craven House from the Yorkshire Bank to see Peter Walker our choice of conveyancer. I was pointed upstairs and on entering his office all I could see on the desk in front of me were folders. Stacked so high that you couldn't actually see him. "Yes, what can I do for you" came the question from behind the pile. He moved a few of the property folders in the middle so I could see him. "Ive come to put a deposit on a house I want to buy", "OK, address and how much are you paying", details exchanged and cash handed over, (£300). "here's your receipt, I'll write to you, good afternoon".

That was it , I knew then that I was in the wrong job. I also came to the view that the procedure was a licence to print money.

[Tizer]

Kev, I hope you haven't used one of the firms run by big business, like the the Co-op's conveyancing service. We tried them once and had to ditch them before the process even started - they were incompetent and couldn't even get the first details right. For many years now we've used a lady conveyancer at a small regional business. She's marvellous, excellent communication and moves things fast. All the estate agents in the area rate her very highly and like working with her. I'd advise anyone intending to buy or sell a house to ask the local independent estate agents who they rate the best solicitor.

Some interesting old photos here...
`Forgotten cache of RNLI pictures 'preserved for posterity' LINK

[Big Kev]

A local firm of solicitors. To be honest I could have probably done the job myself...

[Tizer]

If that's the impression you've got then I suspect they're not doing the job properly. There's an enormous amount of paperwork and checking these days and it requires knowledge of all the latest laws and regulations. What we've seen with our conveyancer we couldn't have done ourselves. I know some people claim they have done it themselves in the past but it was much simpler then. Some will tell you they've done it themselves - but they've just been lucky. It's when something goes wrong or something you don't know about is missed that it becomes a potential disaster. We've had to withdraw from house purchases in the past because the solicitor has found something that we would never have known about. Also, you could do it yourself and think everything is OK. But then 10 years later you come to sell the house and find that you can't because you missed something when you bought it.

[Tripps]

The Chinese translator works very well and just about everyone knows how to use it. Even the predictive text gives sensible suggestions

Yes - I've used google translate to buy a replacement grass box from Germany and it's great, but imagine just speaking normally to A Chinese person, and getting the reply directly to your ear in English. It's the stuff of science fiction.

[Big Kev]

If that's the impression you've got then I suspect they're not doing the job properly. There's an enormous amount of paperwork and checking these days and it requires knowledge of all the latest laws and regulations. What we've seen with our conveyancer we couldn't have done ourselves. I know some people claim they have done it themselves in the past but it was much simpler then. Some will tell you they've done it themselves - but they've just been lucky. It's when something goes wrong or something you don't know about is missed that it becomes a potential disaster. We've had to withdraw from house purchases in the past because the solicitor has found something that we would never have known about. Also, you could do it yourself and think everything is OK. But then 10 years later you come to sell the house and find that you can't because you missed something when you bought it.

My 'do the job myself' comment was made out of frustration
All contracts have now been exchanged, which is a relief.

[Tizer]

All contracts have now been exchanged, which is a relief.

Great, now chill out!

[Big Kev]

All contracts have now been exchanged, which is a relief.

Great, now chill out!

Still packing stuff in boxes, taking stuff to charity shops and a trip to the tip is planned for Thursday. I've got to go into the office tomorrow for a few hours, I didn't quite have enough leave to get 3 full weeks off

[Stanley]

I'm so pleased for you Kev! The culmination point for me when selling houses was to know that the money was in my account! Good luck in the new house and I hope the move (and unpacking!) goes smoothly.
When I sold King Street, the last house I owned Barclay's bank was very sniffy about giving me the money in notes over the counter so I could walk round to Croft House to put it in a deposit account that paid better interest but I insisted. It was important for me to actually see the physical money. All right, I'm a funny old bugger but it was one of the most satisfying things I ever did! Incidentally, the lady at Croft house understood, she said that she and her husband had done exactly the same thing.
Ian, That was it , I knew then that I was in the wrong job. I also came to the view that the procedure was a licence to print money. I know exactly what you mean and agree with you with one slight proviso. Properly done the system protects the buyer but the problem is that at the back of the solicitor's mind is the fact that time is no object and good for the final bill for fees. I'd like to see some sanction that worked on the customer's behalf and involved a deadline. Fat chance!!

[Tizer]

When I sold King Street, the last house I owned Barclay's bank was very sniffy about giving me the money in notes over the counter so I could walk round to Croft House to put it in a deposit account that paid better interest but I insisted.

You wouldn't be able to do that now. Money laundering laws would have the police and HMRC on to you.

[LizG]

Sadly, there are bush fires raging in almost every state in Australia. Lives lost and many properties destroyed; and it isn't even summer yet.

The weather in Victoria has been very strange for spring. We had the heater running last week (first time ever in November) with top temperatures between 13c and 19c. Yesterday it was 28c and today 35c. Tomorrow we are expecting 17c. Random.

[Marilyn]

Yes, it's not good for a body, is it Liz? Hard work having to change clothes every 5 mins...
After a hot night, the cool change came thru here about 5 am, with a raging wind to accompany. Had the bedroom window open and the curtains almost hit the ceiling. Then today has been a "nothing" day -overcast, no wind, rather boring. Much better than 42C we had yesterday of course!
I found one of our resident baby birds had been blown from its nest. It was only a scrap of a thing, just a little bundle of fluff, sitting on the lawn, but it seemed OK. Febby popped it back in its nest for me and the parents (probably surprised to see it again) have been feeding it. I can just see a little beak opening now and then from my kitchen window.

[Stanley]

Liz, that really is a spread of temperatures. Glad we don't have that. (And the bush fires...)
Maz, lovely story, glad it worked!
Tiz, Is that true? Even your own money? If so, it doesn't surprise me!

[LizG]

Nice result Maz. We have just had your cool change. About 20 now, top of 17 tomorrow. Crazy.

[Stanley]

Back into the vest Liz?

[Marilyn]

I don't know what these birds are called, but our baby bird was one of these. We have hosted 8 or 9 generations from the same nest. The parents are very attentive. Generally 4 babies at a time, and there is always one bigger than the other three. ( we call that large one Buddah in each batch)

[Big Kev]

Tiz, Is that true? Even your own money? If so, it doesn't surprise me!

Large amounts of cash (over £8800) paid into your bank would raise questions and you would be required to provide evidence of how you got it. Regular, smaller amounts, especially if they were 'round figures' would raise suspicion and would be investigated.

[plaques]

Where has Big Kev got to now?
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email joke.JPG

[Stanley]

I have regular deposits like that!
Maz, who cleans the bird muck off that window cill? (Those are regular deposits as well )
Jose Merino getting £8million a year. Really?
Andrew's attempts to keep some parts of his 'empire' open and functioning, including his own private office that is reported to cost Brenda £25,000 a year.

[Tripps]

Jose Merino getting £8million a year. Really?

No surprise to me. I've just taken delivery of an Atletico Madrid football shirt for my grandson's birthday. Eye watering territory price wise - but a promise is a promise.

P1050519.JPG

[Marilyn]

Maz, who cleans the bird muck off that window cill? (Those are regular deposits as well )

That is not our windowsill, Stanley. In fact, we don't have external windowsills, so the birds can't sit on ours. They nest under our back upstairs deck...so the muck down a support post...and hubby cleans it off regularly on his step-ladder ( hot soapy water and a stiff brush).

[Stanley]

I just looked at them on Amazon David. You're right, eye watering!
Maz, so Dave has his uses?
Not a lot yet, I was later up! I shall wake up shortly.