motorbird83

It's totally misleading to suggest charities can operate as private business for profit. If you think their are executive pay issues, raise that here (or better yet the Charity Commission). Personally,I have concerns about Academies because most chain Academies don't do a better job than the LA and the free school system makes planning in a coordinated way difficult. However, some of this thread is pure nonsense.

Without waying into the broader debate, its important to clairfy that charities are not businesses. They do not make profits for their owner. To the extent that revenue is higher than expenses, the surplus has to be reinvested into the charity to further its aims. By law, surpluses cannot be distributed to those that manage or established the charity.

Don't academies get the money to buy sites from the Department of Education? I don't think you need to have money to start a school, just local support. That's why the schools are still state schools.

It's not evidence. The decision regarding if the council will take enforcement action against you will be entirely based on how serious they consider the breach. Its unlikely they will do anything unless someone complains to them. However, I think you might get complaints if I'm honest. I think a lot of people would be put off by a front garden with a fence more than 1m high in on their street. Something higher than that will stick out like a sore thumb around here. Unless you live in a really large house with a significant drive or the like, then fair enough. On a terraced house though, a really tall front garden fence would look a bit odd.

I think 1m is pretty high for a front garden fence. For a back graden its 2m which is fine. I actually would hate to see a 2m high front garden fence on the types of houses we have around here. Also, front garden walls usually need footings / foundations so not that easy to undo

I'm speedy red devil :)

Here is guidance on gates and fences. Just google planning portal for any queries you have http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/fenceswallsgates/

Yes it does Penguin but a lot of people do work without serving notices when they should (often out of ignorance). This isn't a criminal act just a breach of civil law. The only typical recourse a neighbour has is to get an injunction to stop works in progress. If the work has already be finalised, you could sue for damages but nothing will be granted unless you actually suffered damages. There is no requirement to undo work that otherwise has been carried out legally with respect to planning / builing regs (if planning is required). A full partywall award isn't a requirement just the notification. An award is only necessary if you go into conflict. The Party Wall Act isn't very useful. Building Regs already ensures work is being done safely and planning law dictates what can be built. A Party Wall Award only has two benefits in my opinion-- the condition survey protects the person doing work for false claims of damage from their neighbours as the condition of the neighbouring property is fully documented prior to work starting. The other benefit is that a neutral 3rd party can dictate the terms on which the work is done-- times for required access, time of day / week the work can be carried out (8am to 5pm etc Mon-Fri). However, if you get on with your neighbours, you can just do this yourself.

Building a wall on (or even near) the boundary is covered by the Act. This is 100 percent the case. Building a wall up against the boundary will typically require two notices within the partywall Act- one for new building at or astride the boundary and one for the excavation works associated with constructing a new wall. As these works are covered by the Party Wall Act, neighbors have to grant reasonable access to workmen /engineers etc to carryout the work. Please see the extracts fromt he Act below 2 What does the Act cover? ?Various work that is going to be carried out directly to an existing party wall or party structure (see paragraphs 4 to 19) ?New building at or astride the boundary line between properties (see paragraphs 20 to 25) ?Excavation within 3 or 6 metres of a neighbouring building(s) or structure(s), depending on the depth of the hole or proposed foundations (see paragraphs 26 to 29). Work may fall within more than one of the above categories. 19 What about access to neighbouring property? Under the Act, an Adjoining Owner and/or occupier must, when necessary, let in your workmen and your own surveyor or designer etc., to carry out works in pursuance of the Act (but only for those works), and allow access to any surveyor appointed as part of the dispute resolution procedure. You must give the Adjoining Owner and occupier notice of your intention to exercise these rights of entry. The Act says that 14 days' notice must be given, except in case of emergency.

The point really is that if your neighbours are building an extension as in the case of the OP, the work likely falls under the partywall act and they will have the right to access your property to do the work. If you can't agree terms with them on this, an partywall surveyor will dictate the terms to both of you but access will be granted. Some times the way these matters are discussed, it can create the impression that neighbours have powers that actually haven't been granted to them regarding preventing work being done that they may not like. Unfortunately, often there is not much that can be done if they are following the law. If its a planning matter, you can object but more than neighbour objections or support, the planners will be guided by planning principles. Of course, the Right to Light is another issue.

Yes, if you can?t agree terms with your neighbors, you can bring in a surveyor and have them lay down terms of access for work that fall under the Act (such as extensions, new walls, repairs etc). However, it?s wrong to suggest that you can deny access for works that your neighbors have the right to do. Siduhe Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > motorbird83 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > That's not true. Everyone has the right to > access > > their neighbours property to carry out work > > (including on the boundary). This is a matter > of > > law-- see point 18 in the attached guidance on > the > > Partywall Act > > > > Not exactly. There is a statutory right to access > your neighbour's land to carry out work in > pursuance of the Party Wall Act. It's section > 8(1) which says: > > 8 Rights of entry. > > (1)A building owner, his servants, agents and > workmen may during usual working hours enter and > remain on any land or premises for the purpose of > executing any work in pursuance of this Act and > may remove any furniture or fittings or take any > other action necessary for that purpose. > > So if you are doing improvement works which fall > under the Party Wall Act, and you follow the > process in the Act (i.e. putting an agreement in > place and agreeing to pay surveyor's costs if > necessary) then you can access your neighbour's > land and they can't stop you. > > What you can't do is just insist on accessing land > to do works on your own land as of right without > following the Act. You may be able to do it in > an emergency, or if you have a contractual/land > law right to do so. This is what I was referring > to in my earlier post when I said I thought that > formal agreement would be required - sorry if not > clear. > > Edited for spelling

That's not true. Everyone has the right to access their neighbours property to carry out work (including on the boundary). This is a matter of law-- see point 18 in the attached guidance on the Partywall Act http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_partywall_explain_booklet.pdf Siduhe Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Unless your neighbours have a right of access to > your property built into the property documents, > they can't insist on access to your land. We live > in a semi-detached property and there are certain > rights of access for maintainance and emergencies > 'baked' into the legal documents between the two > properties, but these don't extend to improvement > works. > > We did have to do works on one boundary of our > house - which meant negotiating an agreement with > the neighbours and a formal party wall agreement > which was required by law - there doesn't have to > be an actual wall, if the works being done involve > excavation near to and below the foundation level > of neighbouring buildings (as in our case) then an > agreement is required. > > It sounds a bit like your neighbour is trying it > on - at the least I would ask him/her what basis > they want access to your land, what works are > involved and whether they will sign a party wall > agreement - this is all assuming you are the next > door property owner (not a tenant).

That's only partially true. Your neighbours don't need your consent to build on the partywall but they do need to notify you and show you the plans. If you aren't happy you can get surveyors involved to draw up a partywall agreement regarding terms of access etc for the work that needs to be done and creating a condition report so you have an agreed basis should any damage occur to your property. However, the partywall act doesn't contain any provisions that would allow a neighbour to refuse to allow building on the shared boundary to go ahead. They need building regs sign off on the engineering drawings and they may or may not need planning permission depending on the size of the work they are doing-- some extensions can be done under permitted development and no planning consent is required. red devil Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You can do a simple search by address/postcode > etc... > http://planningonline.southwark.gov.uk/ > > If they are building a wall on your (shared) > boundary they will need your approval re. Party > Wall Act...

Are you sure about that? 20x income ratio is equivalent to a 5 percent yield which is about where most of London's buy to let yields are. If the extorionate rent thread is anything to go by, 1,600 a month for a 2 bed flat (19,200 a year) that you can buy for maybe 420k these days would be a yield of 4.6 percent so just barely above your 20x ratio...

They don't mind at all. Its easy money for them. At first I think they were bemused but I've lived here for a long time so now they are totally use to me. They all now me by name as I go out a lot :) Belle Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > This is very worrying. I'm very safe in terms of > cabs back from town but admittedly within the > local area I do tend to walk back from the > actress/clockhouse etc. Very sorry to hear about > the OP's wife - I've had that scenario with a cab > (and done it on purpose, i.e. drop me here it's > easier and I'll just walk the last bit - as > recently as last week) - really unlucky for that > to happen and understandable she's shaky. > > I'd welcome a neighbourhood watch scheme in the > Friern Rd area - what does it entail? > > And do cab companies mind really short journeys > motorbird83? if you use anyone locally let me > know, think I'll do the same from now on.

Isn't defense spray illegal over here? A couple of weeks ago the police were signing people up for a neighborhood watch scheme on Pellatt Road. Perhaps something similar is in order around Friern? It??s sad to say but I never walk around the area by myself once its dark! My local friends and the taxi firms all laugh at me since I spend 6 quid on local taxis for very short journeys within ED but I??d be so traumatized by a mugging (more than the money lost) that it??s worth it for me. Also, my husband prefers it too so he can sleep easier :)??

Thanks Saffron! Saffron Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Yes, motorbird83, it's the same article as the > link LondonMix posted, which is referencing some > of the background data discussed in the Guardian > piece. I've just extracted and high-lighted some > of the relevant quantity-based data, in case > anyone is have trouble following the link / > doesn't have time to read the whole article. xx

Am I missing something? The information Saffron posted looks to be from the link London Mix posted.

The London Living wage is 8 gross. Keep in mind that nanny pay tends to be quoted net so the two aren't comparable unless you look at the taxes you pay for your nanny. 8 net to a nanny as another poster indicated is more or less equivalent to 11 gross. That really confused me at first. The advice I've had is to agree a gross salary with your nanny in the contract so any changes to tax law don't hit you. Good luck!

Agree Albert... Of all the schools serving ED its the only one with a value add score below 100. 100 means kids are making the progress you'd expect based on their starting point. Less than 100 means on average the student body isn't making expected progress which should worry people. Given Goodrich, Bessemer, Hamlet, Goosegreen are all making better than expected progress based on national results, saying Heber needs to improve the quality of the education it provides is patnently true!

It's the breast itself but as there is nothing above it structurally, its a much easier job than normal. We are going to have bookselves just not on the wall that has the chimey. If you can imagine, the wall with the chimney is the narrower dimension of what is a retangular room so shelves would be better elsewhere rather than the current alcoves. Like you say, I am concerned both about future value and focal point but from a useability perspective I think it makes sense.

Okay, I love chimney breasts and have actually reinstated a working fireplace in my front room. I love having it as a focal point and the character it lends to a room. However, we are doing some work to the house and for not too much extra cost we could remove the chimney breast from our 2nd reception room currently used as a dining room. The chimney there can't be reinstated as the stack above in the 2nd bedroom was removed ages ago. It will never be a working fireplace and if we did remove it, it would allow us to have a much more functional room-- right now it can be a little tight to get up from the table and out around others and in general feels a bit cramped. I am concerned though that the room might look a bit balnd without a focal point and worry that if we sell on, it might put people off. Thoughts?

Update for those interested. I spoke to my heating engineer and he confirmed you can fit a combi to a megaflow. The combi heats the water in the megaflo cylinder when you program it to but you can prioritise using your combi boiler for most of your heating needs. It's actually the best of both worlds as you still have the benefits of a combi (instant hot water from the mains / using less energy) but with back-up stored hot water when you anticipate needing it. You only need the megaflo reserves for when hotwater demand exceeds what is provided directly from the mains (which apparently is what combi boilers heat directly assuming your combi-boiler is powerful enough to heat all of the mains water of course). That's why pressure drops on a combi when two hot taps are running simultaneously. I think we'll only need the heat the back-up water in the megaflow when guests are visiting or very early in the morning if we both want to shower. The rest of the time, we'll just use the combi. I know more about heating than I ever thought I would...

Thanks, that??s really helpful. I??ve been reading that it might be possible for me to link the megaflo to the existing (and brand new) combi boiler installed by the previous owners via controls. If you only get the megaflow cylinder and link it to your existing boiler I imagine that helps reduce the costs as its only one new item being installed rather than two? Our house is a shell?Xthe only thing that had been done to that place in 50 years was changing the boiler- so upgrading he mains pipe isn??t a problem. For me, my main concern is cost. To be frank, I don??t think we??ll run into the shower issue for years to come so as long as there is enough capacity to heat the house and run one shower, I??ll be satisfied ??

Very helpful. I'm trying to read up so I don't get lost in technical jargon once I finally speak to the heating engineer. Dear I ask how hideous is hideously expensive?