goosey-goosey

I've visited Sardinia but not Corsica. My general impression is that the latter is slightly more upmarket cf. the former. Sardinia is blessed with some magnificent, remote geography - beaches, cliffs, and an empty interior punctuated by a few small towns. You'll probably need a car. The small La Maddalena islands just off the north coast, with what seemed to be tropical beaches and Garibaldi's house (now a museum), were a highlight. Whichever island you choose, have fun.

reams

prism

Guess what? They took lots of convincing, but our insurers finally changed their mind and now agree to reinsure us after initially refusing to do so (along with every other insurer we contacted, I might add). What's more, we are now paying exactly the same premium as before we made a claim and before the subsidence was first noticed (by our neighbours). We're over the moon. Hmmm... maybe I should be a bit more sceptical; I do hope nothing's changed in their terms and conditions that they're not telling us about. I'll have to scrutinize that doc when it turns up. Just goes to show the power of marshalling all your facts, sticking to your guns, and making vague threats about involving the Financial Ombudsman.

I wanted to say thanks for everyone's advice on the insurance angle. If you're interested in subsidence and its impact on neighbours, insurance, etc I recommend the free book that nunhead_man mentions. We bit the bullet and made a claim having taken legal advice from Which? (fab), the Financial Ombudsman (who regulates insurance firms - also v helpful), and the Financial Services Authority (a waste of space and capital letters). We followed this up with a deadening, half-hour slog on the phone to the insurer, which included such exchanges as: Q: "Why did you earlier inform us about the crack but not make a claim at that time?" A: "Err, should we have?" Q: "Why did you say earlier that the tree was Type X but now say it's Type Y?" A: "We relied on an official report that turned out to be wrong. Sorry for not being telepathic." Q: "I can get someone from the complaints department to phone back tomorrow evening. Is that OK?" A: "No. We want an underwriter to overturn (!) the decision to refuse us insurance, not a customer service rep to witter on and on, and then lose our email." I exaggerate, but you get the idea. It was all very galling. Hopefully, the time we spent on the phone tonight will make a difference but I fear we will need to walk away from our current insurers and call on the services of a broker to fight our case. I have the name of an excellent one, if anyone needs a recommendation. Now, watch our premiums soar!

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Our neighbours have had to claim on their buildings insurance as a result of subsidence. This has also affected us (via a party wall) but much less than the poor folk next door, so we may not *need* to make a claim ourselves. We've declared these material facts to our insurer and they are refusing to renew our cover. Inevitably, we're also finding it almost impossible to get cover at a decent price with any other insurer. Here's the interesting bit... Our current cover ends in about two weeks, so we're wondering whether to make a claim now, before the cover runs out, just to feel more... err... "protected" than we do right now. After all, if we do nothing, all that's happened is that our insurer has become aware of some facts but they presumably won't take any action and they'll then drop us like a stone in two weeks' time and run away very fast. But if we lodge a claim with them now, while we still can, aren't they obliged to take active steps to resolve any worsening damage and, hopefully, to continue to insure us, at least until any damage caused by the subsidence is fixed? My question... Would it make sense to establish a claim now? Any ideas? (We feel like we're living in insurance-leper limbo-land :'(.)

I wonder why this thread's been revived. Hopefully, it's because Waitrose is contemplating moving into the area.

Perfectly safe, ChelsH. Transport back to normal now too, it seems.

And just to chip in again on the subject of helping to clean up LL... Apparently this idea is trending on social networking sites across London. So said Today on Radio 4 shortly before 06:30 today. See? Even in times of adversity, East Dulwich leads the way :-).

I think the idea of helping out (or trying to) by meeting up at the Palmerston is a great one. Can't be there tomorrow myself, but go for it! And good on you!!

I tell you what we could all do to help: spend a little bit more time and money on LL in the next few days and weeks. I'm sure the shopkeepers would welcome some extra trade not to mention the show of support.

I think they are ex-offenders, so it's very commendable that they try their hands at something productive like door-to-door selling. But that doesn't excuse rude or, in another case I know of, homophobic language. Hate to tar them all with the same brush, of course. Especially if it's one of the pants brushes they sell...

No, don't do it, maxxi. After all, there is enough limp broccoli in East Dulwich without releasing more into the wild. And anyway, you'd then have to bank at Lloyds and drive a Ford Bandwagon to show your allegiance to those other highly ethical companies...

Twenty new "Little Waitrose" stores to be launched within the M25, says today's Independent. Please, please, please can one of those be in Lordship Lane.

Is this a record? I bought a small bottle of premium orange juice in the store today (23 June). Only when it hissed at me when I opened it did I notice the Use By date was 7 June... In the last few months, I've heard lots of reports of stale food being sold in this dismal store, so it's the last time I'll be shopping there. How long will it be before Waitrose develop a Local or Metro brand, and move into Lordship Lane?