Private rents too dear says MP who helped it get that way

Frank Dobson, part of the previous Labour government who was responsible for the massive rise in provate sector rents (Partly due to the LHA system they introduced) complains he can’t afford to live in a rented property in the private sector.
It’s a Daily Mail story – but interesting because it shows how high rents are damaging for everyone. After all every pound spent on rent is a pound less spent in the rest of the economy.

X marks the spot

complicated map drawUsing rightmove you can put in places or postcodes to centralise the search for your dream home. Sometimes you have to research the area to fine tune this and this is where their map area search comes in. You can draw quite complicated areas using this map to exclude certain estates or parts of town.
You can tweak the map and resave it too if you discover another area or road section you want to exclude. You can make the shape as complicated as you have the patience for. I haven’t found a maximum limit on the number of points yet – if you do please let me know!

Lovely house in Knowle St Giles

Manor Farm, Knowle St Giles, Somerset, TA20This 5 bedroom farm house for sale at a Guide Price of £1,710,000 is called Manor Farm, and it’s in Knowle St Giles, Somerset, TA20.

It’s a really fantastic looking Grade II Listed Manor House with adjoining 2 bedroom cottage, available with up to 103 acres.

The house looks old – you don’t need to me to tell you that! The stone mullion windows are amazing!
In it’s brochure it explains how it’ll be sold – as a whole of in lots – one of which will really appeal to the eco-lovers out there as it says: Former Mill House with planning consent for conversion to residential use and with potential to create a micro-hydropower system.

Stockwell House – lovely house in Silverton

Stockwell HouseStockwell House is a quietly unassuming house – from the front it looks like a very sensibly sized traditionally thatched cottage.
Stockwell House is in Silverton in Exeter.
It’s only when you look through the photos that you realise just how huge and fantastic this house is.
Picture 11 shows the rear of the house and there’s a swimming pool and tennis court making it suitable for my own personal list of favourites! It also has a 2 bedroom cottage. Additionally it also has a 4 bay garage and workshop building and a walled garden with greenhouse! This is really wonderful and everything on my wish list! It’s got a sauna, jacuzzi and swimming pool which is fab!
The price is £2.3 million.
It’s beautifully presented and looks just wonderful. The aga is a dream in the kitchen! The rooms look spacious and light.

Hassage House

hassage houseHassage House looks so pretty! It’s a 6 bedroom house in Faulkland, Somerset, BA3 5XG.
It’s got great gardens too with a spring fed pond with stream on the Northen border that is a haven for wildlife with deer in the valley and many species of birds. Looks very peaceful!

Listed building surveyors

When you’re buying a listed building how can you be sure the owners have not done work without geting the proper permissions?

You can look up on the council’s building control site and see if there’s anything there but there are specialist surveyors who’ll help you.
Two points out of many that this surveyor will take into account when looking at a listed building are:
Historic documentation relevant to the property including the setting of the property
Unlawful alteration works undertaken by current, or previous owners