Thursday Next Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Combined Washer-Dryers are a thing. So it's not so much a space issue. Waste pipes for dryers are a bit of a pain as they tend to be huge, if they weren't installed at the time the house was built / kitchen/laundry room was refitted, then they tend to be too much trouble. Also, as others have stated, second to the fridge/freezer washer-driers are the most energy hungry appliances in the home (UK doesn't go in for home AC obviously) it's not sensible to spend that much when hanging stuff up for a day or two will do the job for free. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomTervo Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Yep, every house I've been in has a washer, and only one has a dryer – my parents, who only got it because they run a catering business on the side and need to dry lots of bedclothes. Same goes for every flat I've ever been in, though quite a few houses have had dryers. There was a great article a while back on how the UK has the worst housing space:cost ratio in all of Europe, and even across much of the world. It's insane. The amount of space we have compared to how much land costs per square foot, tied to the general cost of housing and how small houses are, is insane. IIRC Germany has relatively less space for housing but the cost of land is like 1/5th what it is in the UK. And against less space all the housing is also far cheaper, and there's more of it. I'm fairly certain the same went for France, Spain, Italy, etc. Thanks, Thatcher! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFlyingGerbil Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 It's mad they still want to sell of more council housing - that's what they should be building more of . I'm sure that's at least in part responsible for ridiculous prices. Controlled costs for government not paying private landlords, which means less rented housing which would lower prices at the bottom of the market to make it easier for young/low income people to get on the ladder. And with more people being able to afford to buy it may help reduce the cost of rent for people that can't. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomTervo Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 That's what I meant by 'thanks, Thatcher!', Gerb! She is 100% to blame for the '90s housing bubble, which we're still very much buoyant with today. Was it just recently that the tories announced they're going to sell more council houses, yeah? Total crock of shit, they have no idea what they're doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Well they do know what they're doing. The rich (aka their friends and donators) can buy large amounts of cheap housing, then rent out to everyone else. So you end up paying rent for however many years, and without anything to really show for it. Compared to paying a mortgage off where you at least have it invested in a building you partially, then mostly, then wholly own. They've practically moved the age of adulthood up to 25 anyway, anyone below that is a kid that should live with thier parents. Anywho, this is more for the UK Politics thread. Talking of! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thursday Next Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 It's pretty fucking simple. Compare Gov't built housing line to average house price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SomTervo Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Uh... quote from Dean that isn't showing right: Well they do know what they're doing. The rich (aka their friends and donators) can buy large amounts of cheap housing, then rent out to everyone else. So you end up paying rent for however many years, and without anything to really show for it. Compared to paying a mortgage off where you at least have it invested in a building you partially, then mostly, then wholly own. They've practically moved the age of adulthood up to 25 anyway, anyone below that is a kid that should live with thier parents. Anywho, this is more for the UK Politics thread. Talking of! It's pretty fucking simple. Compare Gov't built housing line to average house price. Yep, immediately after I made that post I thought, 'Hang on... They completely know what they're doing. Fuck it'. Anyway. Housing is a shambles. We all have to shack up with frustrating, problematic or crazy people at some point in our lives. Woohoo! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thursday Next Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 The only solutions I can think of are: 1. Build more houses. Whether that is the government itself building them, or actually forcing house builders to use the land they've bought to build houses on (there's a lot of land that is owned by major house builders, with planning permission granted that is not being built on as a shortage keeps demand, price and profits high). 2. Higher taxes on buy to lets combined with a cap on private rent rates. At the moment there are two main types of house buyers. Those who are buying a place to live, and those how are investing. The ones investing have far more disposable income and have properties already that they are able to use as collateral to get mortgages. They are then able to charge high rents because... there are no houses in the area for sale because they have all been bought to let. The people who are buying a place to live have less capital and no existing property to leverage so they pay high rent, and are unable to save so they have less capital etc... No government will ever do either of these because it would crash the housing market and everyone who had a mortgage would be deep in negative equity. It would pretty much guarantee that they would never get elected again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 You could do the things gradually so that you correct the bubble without crashing it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thursday Next Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 That would require long term planning by a government that's only got a 4 year term. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 5 year term. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed-term_Parliaments_Act_2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thursday Next Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 I thought that as soon as I posted it. Meh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 Went to go do laundry this morning, utility room is behind kitchen. Notice the kitchen is pretty damn warm. Then notice our gas oven is on full blast. Kitchen door was also wide open too (it shuts itself*, so needs jamming on the wall to stay open, it also has a bolt on the hall side since backdoor through kitchen isn't super great, so extra deterrent helps). I'd as usual bolted the door shut last night before I went to bed, which means someone came down around midnight, jammed the door open, put the oven on then went softly to sleep. We could all be fucking dead :/ Here's hoping they don't all just respond with shitty archer gifs again and maybe take it a bit seriously. *which I'm pretty sure makes it a fire door too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 *to burn down While it is a serious mistake but mistakes like that can happen to the best of us. I've done the stuff on the stove bit a few times. Luckily it only resulted in ruined leftovers but still, I could've caught the house on the fire too if it was left on over night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted August 29, 2015 Report Share Posted August 29, 2015 It's not the first time it's been left on, just first time over night (I nearly burnt my hand first week we moved in due to someone leaving a hob on, it burns almost invisibly). I'm pretty sure I know who it is and they've been told plenty times for leaving it on. I had put like a little sign above oven to remind folks to make sure it's off but it lasted all of 2 hrs before being torn down n thrown in the bin. And I'd used my sharpie set to make nice little drawings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFlyingGerbil Posted August 30, 2015 Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 I feel like I may need to keep my eye out on passiveaggressivenotes.com for some of your handiwork. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted August 30, 2015 Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 It literally was "Make sure oven is off when finished" with a little cartoon hob and flame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Heart Posted August 30, 2015 Report Share Posted August 30, 2015 I feel like I may need to keep my eye out on passiveaggressivenotes.com for some of your handiwork. Sending something for that even sounds like too much effort/too complicated for his housemates. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted September 4, 2015 Report Share Posted September 4, 2015 Came home from work to a house stinking of bleach and surprised to see housemate on hands and knees scrubbing, right down to the cupboard handles. Figured it makes a nice change, wondered what might have sparked this, then I remember his family are coming over tomorrow so it's just a one off :/ I imagine the "I [penis drawing] you" will be wiped from the whiteboard too. The bleaching is a major shame, can't stand it and now the kitchen will stink for ages (it's 5pm, so kinda wanting to be prepping tea) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielpholt Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 Bleach? How bad was that place that he had to resort to bleach? You live in one of those advert houses don't you? One of the ones where they film those advert-shows you see on ITV3 at 4am. 'Look how much grime is removed by just one application of Super-Awesome-Bleach. And it gets better, with every purchase of Super-Awesome-Bleach, we'll throw in a free holiday to Tunisia'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted September 5, 2015 Report Share Posted September 5, 2015 It's mainly for mopping the floor. Which gets kinda greasy given they cook a lot of thier food swimming in a bunch of vegetable oil.What does get me is other housemates mum brought over a steam mop thing (hours before the fateful party they dumped me at) which I believe doesn't need any bleach. Also we have some "flash with febreeze" cleaner stuff for the floor too, which we had to use a fair chunk of when we moved in cos the floor was grey not white (or grey not wood in the wooded sections). I don't think he's ever actually mopped in his life either, cos apart from bleaching when we had the "flash with febreeze" stuff there was pools of water all over the place when he was done. It eventually dried but it took hours (and now I look this morning it's not even a very good job. Not a huge surprise, they're the kind of people that just wipe dishes n put on drying rack rather than actually cleaning it. So much cutlery gets put back). Normally I do a bunch of cleaning over the weekends, but no I know he's in this mood while his parents are popping over (his brother is staying for several days too) I think I'll happily kick my feet back for the weekend and enjoy the ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted September 17, 2015 Report Share Posted September 17, 2015 Eurgh, looking at flats and it's either house share (which'd be swapping a known quantity of shitheads for an unknown) or single bed flat in these shiny new complexes with super high rents for basically a single box room. Nice n modern sure, but I'd be loathe to pay nearly doubly my current rent (though does include bills n what not) for a flat that's smaller than my current bedroom even if it's a shiny looking flat. Blargh. Also fuck places that put single bed listings on Zoopla n Rightmove that are houseshares. That's especially infuriating. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielpholt Posted September 22, 2015 Report Share Posted September 22, 2015 Maybe I'm being naive but you'd imagine there'd be a more noticeable different in price between a 2 bed terrace house and a 1 bed flat; nope. I had a flat viewing a few months ago, they wanted £475 P/M for what was essentially a single bedroom and a kitchen/bathroom/living room. Disgusting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faiblesse Des Sens Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 Maybe I'm being naive but you'd imagine there'd be a more noticeable different in price between a 2 bed terrace house and a 1 bed flat; nope. I had a flat viewing a few months ago, they wanted £475 P/M for what was essentially a single bedroom and a kitchen/bathroom/living room. Disgusting. You don't mention location in either case. Why is that? That's a huge determination of pricing in the US. Also, age of the place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMightyEthan Posted September 23, 2015 Report Share Posted September 23, 2015 I figured similar location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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