The flapper returns...

[kirstickle]

Hello! I don't know if you remember me, but I posted on here a while ago when we were in the midst of buying a 20's Arts and Crafts style house. I've not been on here for a while as the whole process turned into a complete nightmare (bl**dy solicitors), but we now have the keys at last! It was a repo and full of furniture when we looked round it...now its empty we realise that whoever lived there was not the cleanest person, and enjoyed emptying their bladder pretty much everywhere!! Once we had got the boiler working and the place warmed up the stench waas just horrific!! Anyway, that aside I am really looking forward to moving in soon, and I'm sure I will be on here asking for lots of advice. Hope that's OK. PS the surveyor said that the roof is OK (not great but OK) and the staircase IS original! Bonus!!

 

[JoceAndChris]

How could we forget you? Welcome back! And many congratulations, I'm so pleased to hear you got your house!

 

[Inspector John]

Solicitors! I'm glad I'm not the only one.... and don't get me started :wink:
My high esteem of many of the so called "Professionals" has hit the bottom (@ankers being one sector)
Sorry but I have the grumps of late as others will testify :| :wink:

 

[Feltwell]

Congratulations Kirstickle! It's such a frustrating process - my parents recently bought a very unloved repossessed house, it took forever. One of the nicest things has been all the positive comments they've had from neighbours and people just walking past, saying how nice it is to see the place being cared for and tidied up.

Solicitors are a funny lot - my last one from moving house was fantastic, she couldn't have been more helpful, worth every penny. I couldn't say the same for other parties solicitors, and as for my estate agent - don't get me started. Several £k to do sod all - nice work if you can get it.

 

[ilona73]

Congratulations on the new house!! Isn't it all exciting?
Our house sale took absolutely ages to go through mainly due to the previous owners not having LBC for a skylight on the third floor....some people are idiots!!

Main thing is you have it now ,the fun starts!!
:mrgreen:

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Hey Kirstickle, Brilliant news.! Let's hope for some better weather to kick start your renovations/repairs. Sounds like you need Kim and Aggie to help :wink:

Best of Luck.

 

[HeatherJ]

Congrats Kirstickle! We had an overwhelming stench of nicotine and inches of grease on every surface but urine *eek!*

Tell me more about your house - I have a 1920's Prairie-style (which is N. American arts & crafts) house in Canada, but designed (I think) by a Brit. from Birmingham.
-Heather

 

[kirstickle]

Thanks guys. It really is exciting but also very daunting. My Other Half has been there all week trying to make the place liveable...I really want to get round there and start scrubbing, but the the water has been off while he sorts the heating ou,t so I haven't been able to do much yet. Plus we have a 1 year old who has been rather poorly this week bless him. He has assured me that rather a lot of Jeyes fluid and Dettol has been liberally applied around the place to try and get rid of the smell of wee and old mans underpants :shock: let's hope it's worked!! Heather, my original post is here complete with pics http://www.periodproperty.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10780. We are lucky in that pretty much all of the original features have been left untouched, but the place was last decorated in the 80's (think twee floral wallpapaer and LOTS of borders esp upstairs) so there is lots to do. The staircase is original according to our surveyor, and all the doors/door frames/skirting boards/beams downstairs are in the same gorgeous light oak. Some moron has painted the woodwork upostairs, but we are hoping it can be restored without too much of a problem. I would love to see some pics of your house Heather, maybe get some inspiration from the period??? Oooh I am soo excited (hence me being up at 5am with a million things going round in my head!!)

 

[Penners]

Welcome back, Kirstickle, and I'm delighted that you got your house.

Comfort yourself with the thought that the old-fashioned builder's cure for efflorescence on bricks was to pee on them. So that's one less problem you'll have to worry about. :wink:

 

[Ushy M]

Welcome back Kirstickle - glad you got that lovely house. Surgical spirit is very good at removing the smell of animal wee, and might also work on the human sort. On the bright side, as well as the absence of brick effloresecence you won't get any intrusion from badgers!

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Oh, yes, and wee makes wonderful compost :roll:

 

[Juju]

An obvious point but I assume you've got rid of all the carpets? When I bought my previous house, the dining room smelt of wee - especially when the sun was on the room. Once I'd got rid of the carpet and sanded the floorboards, it went.

 

[Lime]

Repossessed houses are often deliberately damaged by those who are forced to depart.