AbDabs

Our boiler was installed in the late 80s. Still going strong and shows no signs of giving up.I tend to think that if something has lasted that long then it's simply made of sterner stuff so why risk a new one until you really have to? But it might be worth having it serviced. Red devil makes a good point about the size. If you are going to tile keep a few extra.

Penguin 68 - I am certain you are right. Someone has tried to simplify matters without thinking it through. Nothing devious, just a little sloppy. Common sense will undoubtedly prevail once a few heads have been bashed togather.

I'm certain that Southwark's term 'close' means at the point where there is a dropped kerb*. i.e. the moment there is no drop kerb then it is open season (although high sided vans/lorries parking right up to the end of a drop kerb can cause a sight/access hazard** which would be in breach of the law simply as dangerous parking). To be fair to Southwark I think they were just trying to use normal language, and minimal words, ie 'driveway', instead of 'dropped kerb that has been installed for the purposes of allowing vehicle access across a pedestrian, or cycle path to a residence', which gets a bit of a mouthful every time you say it. *(but only if there is no yellow line as that trumps everything). ** I think this may be what is causing the current thinking - some of the older dropped kerb resident accesses are too short such that if wide high sided vans/lorries park either side you can be boxed in.

intexasatthemoment, I wonder if you it might help to clarify if you read section 86 of part 6 of the Traffic management act 2004 (London is a 'special enforcement area'). You'll see that property owners allowing visitors to park alongside a dropped kerb is not a gift given by Southwark but simply the law. the reason that Southwark give home owners the choice as to enforcement is that it would be too time-wasting for the traffic wardens to work out if someone has been given permission or not. So it is a money saving matter not something devious. But the bit about double yellows which will stop people like me allowing visitors (or anyone who politely knocks on my front door) from parking across my dropped kerb - well, that is frankly stupid and the reason why I have always been against CPZs (as yellow lines were stated to be obligatory). http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/18/part/6

If you parked alongside a drop kerb then it's a no-brainer, pay the fine. Southwark may want to add double yellows to all new drop kerbs and some distance either side but it won't negate the existing legislation.

Parking restrictions aren't just about whether or not the pavement is wide enough for buggies and wheelchairs; it's a matter of whether the pavement can take the loading of a loaded car/van. Most pedestrian pavements can't take the wheel loading, partly because of the general construction but also because of the depth of what's underneath them (cables/pipes etc.

Absolutely right Jeremy, which is why any restrictions set for M&S (who do have a high fresh food offering) will be fine for any other retailer

Jeremy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > One thing I don't get... if the planning > application is being made independently of M&S, > why are delivery times part of the application? > Doesn't make sense. Because the developers are going to build a store significantly bigger than the current one so whoever moves in will want to increase deliveries (whether it be M&S, Aldi or Poundstretcher etc) The delivery times would be imposed on any future occupier.

Dictionary - for arguments over the scrabble you've helpfully provided. Bedside tables and lights good enough to read (the only time I get the chance) Sharps knives in the kitchen A really good corkscrew. Ice cube trays. A list of the best local food producers with opening times A list of pubs with good food Map of the area. Leaflets for local attractions, bus, train timetables. Tide tables if near the sea. Number of reliable taxi service. Salt, pepper, oil. (Herbs growing in tubs outside the door is such a nice thing) Cafetiere, teapot with cosy Hooks just inside door for wet things and shoe rack Curtains that keep out the light (I'm used to blackouts) CD player (out of season guests may be older and not have all the latest gadgets) Dishwasher (absolutely essential - I do not want to wash up on holiday!) Enough dishwasher tablets (which will be more than normal if you have't given enough place settings) If you want guests during winter months then you need a washing machine and washing powder. (could be shared) Walkers/cyclists/surfers will need extra space for wet things and secure storage As you're close to the sea it's a good idea to include beach towels.

There is a three month gap between an actual sale and publishing of land registry data. Add to that the time it takes to sell a house and you can expect at least 6 months between offer price and reality. That's pretty much what's happened here; Spring madness sent offer prices rocketing but only a few people were really that mad to pay the money. Now the RICS has analysed the actual data coming through the truth is out. But it looks a lot better to suggest that prices are 'coming down' than admit that they fell for the idiotic offer prices. I wouldn't be too hopeful of a dramatic reduction just less silly prices in the window

simonethebeaver Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The overdraft makes it much easier for those of us > who don't live within easy reach of a ticket > outlet. If only they would make it possible to > activate an online top up on buses somehow. I never go near a ticket outlet; I simply have automated top up of my oyster card from a credit card. I get an email from Oyster every time extra money is transferred from my credit card to my oyster card (using a standard amount that I set), so there is no worry about not knowing where you are financially. What functionality is missing from the online system?

brightfield Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi > I'm looking at a house for sale on Barry Road. It > turns out the property has suffered subsidence > very badly and has been underpinned twice. Most of > the other houses close by are also showing severe > signs of movement. No one will give me a quote for > insurance without a structural engineers report. > Can anyone give advice? By my mind this should be > heavily discounted compared to a similar house > without structural problems. The whole front > garden and front wall appear to be falling > massively towards the road. Without insurance I > wouldn't be able to get a mortgage on it. Should I > just run away? > Also, prices in the East Dulwich area really seem > to be dropping, open house days have stopped and > estate agents are calling me instead of me calling > them (despite what you read in the press a buyers > market seems to be returning), should I just sit > and wait for 6 months? > Thanks If you know that the whole front garden and wall are already falling away then this doesn't sound like an insurable property. (If you know it's collapsing then it's not an insurable risk). If you had the cash, it might be worth offering a sensible amount to allow for (what sounds like certain) necessary underpinning plus, a minimum of, say, ?50K for risk. If you need a mortgage for anything more than the land value then you're probably wasting your time. Also, I'm not sure sold prices are dropping (land registry sold price only had a few spikes, mostly constant upward trend) just the prices that houses are being put up for sale at. There did seem to be a couple of months of overoptimistic marketing but that has calmed down (except for a few mad hopefuls out there). Now we're into the holiday season the spring rush is over.

Tigres Pride Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > ......to show how much it means to us. Who is this aimed at, ie who is the target audience? From what I've read it looks as though Dr Sarma simply didn't want the effort involved in setting up a new partnership that would have allowed the practice to continue. Or have I misunderstood the issue?

I've noticed that the Southern Trains staff under 40 tend to be perfectly pleasant and willing (and reasonably well informed if you take into account what their particular job is) - it's the older one's who think the world owes them a living. I assume they earn similar amounts. By the way, from the Southern website, a clear expectation that you may speak directly to the frontline staff: "Our staff will do all they can to resolve the problem straight away. If this is not possible, they will provide you with details of how to contact Customer Services."

Also, check out the feasibility of actually doing the loft conversion; you may find that it's not possible with only access at the front (assuming that the ground floor flat has the rear garden). Is your downstairs neighbour 100% behind the scheme?

I think there is a 'small' amount of construction work going on at LB over this weekend. Monday morning won't be platform 13.

Dave's was in the smaller St Christopher's shop (as I remember) but I wouldn't speak so highly of it; too often the answer was that they could 'get it in' to really quite ordinary things. The big St. Christopher's was a furniture store. I seem to remember beds.

You'd never be able to get a warranty period of 5 -10 years on normal pavement repairs due to the damage caused by misuse. Our street's pavements have been destroyed by builders lorries and skips being parked on, or dragged across, the pedestrian pavements. If you wanted that sort of warranty you'd have to specify pavements suitable for traffic - much more expensive

Two relatively normal houses are shown as having been sold in Melbourne Grove for exactly ?1M each. That must be the reason why someone in Chesterfield grove thinks they can get ?1.2M. I'm tempted to start a book on that one.

You can certainly delay sprouting by a few weeks by putting them in a domestic fridge but the constant temperature, perfect darkness, and humidity control to fool them into thinking that winter hasn't ended for any longer time would cost you more in electricity than new seed potatoes next year.

PeckhamRose Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I have caused nothing. Your negativity and > propensity for the same has caused you to thus see > - and I'll have the other half luge of vodka > please! Ah, now I understand, it was the first half luge of vodka that makes you find it so attractive. (True of many things not just tree stumps.)

if you only want it as a fashion accessory, why not just buy the cheapest?

PeckhamRose Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You miserable buncha - ! > It was a dead ugly stump of a tree and it's now a > beautiful carved tree stump and go > awayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! Sorry PeckhamRose but I'm afraid that you may have inadvertently caused some of the less positive responses. Your first post showed a photo of a tree sculpture in Malvern which, in my opinion, is a thing of great beauty and I was really looking forward to something similar. Unfortunately, what we've got is, in my opinion, extremely ugly. I would much rather see a dead tree stump. That said, it wasn't much money and if someone got some enjoyment out of it then I am pleased. I just won't be going down to take a second look at it, and I avert my eyes when I pass it on the bus.

You have to have the nice bit of fencing facing outwards if it's for a fence between your land and the public highway. If it's in the back garden you can do what you like. But, before you hastily choose the nice side for yourself, think about what you may want to attach to the fence. If you want to put trellis up, to grow climbing plants on, it's often better to have the not so good side as it's easier to attach trellis to the horizontal timbers - if you've got the vertical slat variety - or wires to the vertical posts if you have standard panels.

the plant in the middle of the picture is just a rose. Am I looking at the wrong thing? (there are some strappy leavea that look like blind snowdrops)