Pete8, already got economy 7. Lyn,we checked free school meals for reception, years one and two,or if you are on UC or have an income of under 7.5 k we don't have fibre in the village here. A few years ago when my old man and I were working, I bought digital alarm clocks,they logged themselves into German time settings, returned them to the store.
I have Economy 10 (under a new name) and no supplier other than the one I'm with (Eon) would even offer a switch: "We don't do that, would you like to change to Economy 7?"
With no gas supply and 8" solid (no cavity) brick walls, it has cost me a fortune to keep this semi heated to bearable levels, even with 60cm of loft insulation and double glazing, and all little-used rooms not heated at all. I'm talking 3-4k a year before these latest price rises.
I think slightly early retirement has just gone out of the window unless I do something about this.
All other forms of heating not powered by electricity are out of the question (would take too long to recover installation costs), and at my age I'm not going to spend the ??k+ and suffer the massive disruption of having effective wall insulation installed, externally or internally.
I think I'm going to get and fit an air-source heat pump myself (likely illegally, but I have the qualifications and experience necessary (fortunate for me, but not the majority.)) I'll also then have the option of using the attached individual room heat exchanger units for cooling in the summer. It still means lifting some floorboards upstairs to fit the copper piping, but I can live with that.
The alternative would be solar heating or PV panels on the roof, but that's a 100 year old clay tile one in delicate condition, and I'm 100% sure it would have to be replaced to bear the load. Again, at my age those costs would never get anywhere close to being recovered.
I suppose I could sell-up, move and leave the problem to the new unfortunate owners. Or even emigrate. While National energy supply is serving private shareholders and not customers, this is never going to get any better. At least our carbon footprint will be reduced as we shiver under the blankets though, once the last penny has been drained out of our bank accounts. Boris will claim this is a win.
Oh, nearly forgot - Good Morning everyone!
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
My late parents had a stone cottage in Cornwall right on the cliff at Pendeen. Foot thick solid stone walls, little open fire,toilet at the bottom of the garden. We were made of sterner stuff. We didn't have central heating till about 16 years ago. Hosta was saying people shouldn't be allowed to buy social housing. We had a council property 30 years ago,Crittal metal single glazed windows, curtains used to blow about. A gas fire in the 25 foot lounge, was the only heating,ice on the inside of the bedroom windows, which then melted and ran down the walls ruining the decoration. Council would only put double glazing, CH if you were on benefits,we took a bank loan,then thought,we were spending thousands on someone else's property,we should buy it.
There’s a housing estate about 7 miles from us, you can drive down the road and know instantly who has bought their houses, They keep them tidy, grass cut, plants, clean windows, the rented ones, well....
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
There’s a housing estate about 7 miles from us, you can drive down the road and know instantly who has bought their houses, They keep them tidy, grass cut, plants, clean windows, the rented ones, well....
This was the case 45 years ago when my parents bought their council house. Very easy to see which ones had been bought, it was a mark of pride to install as soon as possible, some sort of elaborate porchway, very obviously new windows and similar. My parents didn’t, couldnt have afforded much more than the mortgage. I must stress that when they were still paying rent, they hadn’t filled the front garden with old fridges and rusting car parts, and they did keep the weeds under control. There were plenty of council tenants that gave the estate a bad name. Sadly, these same tenants have made their contribution to the lack of inexpensive rental homes. A family member inherited a house and decided to rent it out. Despite misgivings, they accepted a family who really abused the system. No pets, but they agreed to allow the tenants to bring their elderly cat - who somehow morphed into two unhousebroken kittens. During the course of their tenancy ( not the fault of the kittens) the shower tray was broken and replaced twice, two washing machines ruined, broken windows and more. Given notice to vacate, they refused every offer of alternative accommodation from the council, and finally had to be evicted. Needless to say, the house was sold on to an owner occupier, and is no longer in the rental pool, and good and grateful tenants have even fewer available options.
I have to say we looked after,cleared tidied planted every single garden we had, private,council or owned by us.our last house, private houses, Not local authority, the ones each side were so disgusting we had a job selling. These were professional people, just not bothering about the property or garden. You know the saga of where we are now. Thought being detached would solve the problems,it only solves the problem of noisy all night parties. There is several roads next village,LA the odd one owned. Such a shame. The first place I had after being homeless was a Victorian house bring demolished for a petrol station. I had it a year, cleared the garden,made it really nice.
Far from mandating solar panels, they abolish solar tarrifs. And then host COP.
You would think there are levels of shame which a human would cringe to sink below, that the astonishing hypocrisy would eventually become all too much. But apparently not.
I can only imagine the crash as 1000 jaws hit the floor and in the collective in-breath taken as Alexander "Bullingdon" Johnson dares lecture anyone on the perils of narcissism and the need to grow up. Then the silence, as tumbleweed rolls across the floor in the cold wind that blows the doors open. The lights flicker.
Posts
Sadly, these same tenants have made their contribution to the lack of inexpensive rental homes. A family member inherited a house and decided to rent it out. Despite misgivings, they accepted a family who really abused the system. No pets, but they agreed to allow the tenants to bring their elderly cat - who somehow morphed into two unhousebroken kittens. During the course of their tenancy ( not the fault of the kittens) the shower tray was broken and replaced twice, two washing machines ruined, broken windows and more. Given notice to vacate, they refused every offer of alternative accommodation from the council, and finally had to be evicted. Needless to say, the house was sold on to an owner occupier, and is no longer in the rental pool, and good and grateful tenants have even fewer available options.