cantthinkofaname

Hi friends. We are looking at a house that hasn’t been updated since the 90s and needs a bit of work – nothing too extensive, I don’t think. Any tips? I’m asking because when we bought our last flat, we got stung by a very good, reputable RICS surveyor who frankly missed quite a lot of issues. We didn’t find out ‘til we moved in, obviously. Is there such a thing as taking a builder round to the house viewing with you and have them do a very rough assessment? This seems more practical than the traditional route. Would love to hear any experiences, or any recommendations of reputable builders who might do an hourly visit. Thanks.

Did any parents use a sleep consultant to help their baby sleep better? Interested in real testimonials from real people, not people advertising themselves or setting up fake accounts on here. Thanks! (ps I will not do the cry it out method)

Anyone know if the leisure centre at Forest Hill or East Dulwich has a pool that?s warm enough to help little babies not to freak out? The websites are pretty rubbish. Forest Hill has space at the learner pool but don?t know if that?s more for all the children. Want to take my five month old somewhere for half an hour.

Woah I didn't know this! How far in advance do you need to book nursery? I was hoping to go back to work in May but certainly hadn't thought about looking for nurseries right now.

We have a Loaf 'clever' velvet sofa which is polyester velvet. It's not stained, just smells. How do you clean yours? Get a professional in? Hire a steam cleaner? Something else?

8 days in advance at 10pm! Crikey. Yeah you?re right, that?s what I?ve found. And half the time it doesn?t even work. What a shame, no it?s more than that; it feels like a total failure to the community. Will write to councillors and manager and hopefully others do too.

How does anybody manage a reasonably spontaneous swim at either Dulwich leisure centre or Forest Hill pools? The new online booking system says ?full, full, full? and you have to book over a week on advance. It didn?t used to be like this. I wonder if it?s the same people just hogging all the slots. Or do you think it will relax a bit after Covid? I just feel really dismayed ? it?s not much of an incentive for new people to try and get fit in the area through swimming if there are simply no ways to do it. Feels like a former council service that has failed its community. If anyone has any tips, do share.

I just came across the same thing this July. I resent that you have to give all of your personal details and data away just to check to even see if there?s any slots at all! What happened to just being able to turn up to places spontaneously? Anyway, the site says there is spaces available for a swim, and then when you go to book, it says the number of requests exceeds the spaces available. Going round in circles.

How very, very wrong you were.... Thunderblue600 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Take a chill pill - 17,000 average a year die from > the flu here in the UK - why not ask the postman > to stop delivering your mail? > > Dan Calladine via twitter well done for the > reality check. > > Since 2014 flu related deaths have been 17,000 > annually - CORONA has been so blown out of all > proportion - Media frenzy desperate for more > 'copy' - Some are getting extremely RICH off the > back of this overblown virus. > > So we have advanced from B to C which hopefully > will all be over in 3.5 months not Years! Ah so > then we go to D! > > My dear nephew living with his girlfriend in > Dongguan China, in the RED zone shares a very > interesting perspective. > > https://www.itv.com/news/2020-02-06/how-does-the-w > uhan-coronavirus-compare-to-seasonal-flu/

Fingers crossed it reopens, I love Mrs Robinson and it?s nice to have something other than coffee or pricey restaurants. Luxury flats, luxury flats, luxury flats ? that?s all we seem to hear in Southeast London. Don?t these money-grabbing developers realise that without a varied, interesting High Street, the appeal of ED and price premium of these luxury flats is no longer sustainable?

Dear young Irish lad approaching everyone in the ED Picturehouse and Oddonis: Congratulations on your confidence. You have no fear and a strong sales pitch. But maybe try some politeness next time. Snapping ?give me your name?, then demanding ?how much?? whilst beckoning with your hand is plain rude. Additionally, when perturbed but polite diners offer you the money in their pockets, don?t roll your eyes and say ?better than nothing I suppose?. Confidence is one thing, insolence is another. Good luck on your sponsored run, or whatever it was...

a *lot* of money.

?11 for 2 hours, but two years on, they're getting a bit slack.

Hello mums and dads of ED Many of you will have successfully done building work, and I'm wondering how! We need to remodel our downstairs (new kitchen, remove walls, change location of electrics and plumbing, brick up window,make good). I'm struggling to actually get most builders to reply, even for a quote. How did you go about finding, verifying, commissioning your builders, and how was managing them during the works, particularly around kids and pets? So far I've trawled the EDF (but there are too many self promoters), got the Nappy Valley magazine (but very tailored to SW London moneybags), asked for recommendations from friends (few and far between), asked MyBuilder (but nobody follows up). We were really hoping to start the work at the end of October but I still feel at square one. We're using the last of our savings, so obviously we'd like it to be someone proven, reasonable in price, committed and responsive.

I was wondering if Shelter's Architect In The House scheme still existed? The website fails to load. Would love a very quick consultation from an architect, if only to sense check our ideas.

Dusty, chewy pizza. Give me a Boots anyday.

From my own experience, SE22 has lost its froth, so more stock here, but houses sitting around for weeks. We simply can't afford Dulwich anymore though. Conversely, the stock for a sensible average 3 bed outside of SE22 (so Honor Oak, Nunhead, Brockley, Ladywell, Sydenham, Hither Green) is really poor. What has come on in these areas tends to get snapped up, but then we're finding they come back on after failing mortgage valuations. One plucky agent told me we needed to up our budget to 800,000 for a small 3 bed Victorian (nowhere near SE22). I told him where to go. Here's hoping the Brexit will cause things to calm down. We may stop looking until then. Not going to get into something then regret it.

Yeah the vicar sounds like she's trying too hard to make funny comments. Leon and June are my faves. Without a doubt.

So here we are again and have now lost out on 4 houses. What is everyone's view in why the stock levels are so bad at the moment, especially round here? I know London suffers overall and planning restrictions are causing fewer homes to be built, but we are finding that hardly ANYONE in SE London is releasing their homes. Is it the EU Brexit vote causing uncertainty? Or simply that those who are in those 3 bed in Brockley, Ladywell, etc etc also can't afford to move up? it's getting silly. Losing the will to keep dragging a tired toddler round every Saturday for a scrap of a home!

Love the idea, but that section of the park is now essentially a piece of grass between a junction. Has a site survey been carried out? It's an open piece of land surrounded by busy roads ..... Really want this to work yet seems unrealistic? (Which reminds me - whatever happened to the coal line project?)

- Just offer less on house?

Tonnes of fireworks going off, appears to be near Peckham Rye Park. Anyone know what's going on? One scared and whimpering doggy over here!

No no no and no. You will set yourself up for years of complaints from the neighbours below. Period houses were not meant to be flats, and so the footsteps will sound like a deafening drum to those below. In NYC it's illegal to have wooden floors if people live below you.

Just tell her to follow what she likes doing now. There is so much pressure on young people today to have it all figured out, and it can cause enormous feelings of inadequacy & anxiety. Very few people really know what they want to do at 17. And that's ok. You can choose a career when you've graduated, and heck, changing career is quite normal now. The happiest people I know now are NOT the ones who followed through with what they thought would get them a good job, rather they followed their heart and landed something that suits them perfectly. University is a thrilling part of your life. It's there to educate yes; but to make friends, learn about life, love, being independent and experience the ups and downs. Careers advisors there are usually better than the ones in schools anyway. In her final year of uni she can try lots of different placements and internships and you never know what may happen.:

When is the big lunch? Love it.