To think a house can impact your mental health?

Environment and ones own mind is a constant battle to suppress our own bad/negative moods....I still refuse to believe at 72 I'm having to juggle what I do and eat drink to get through everyday as a man I was hoping to do diy but am useless at skills...just get extremely upset due2 lack of so I just read (difficult) chew gum,exercise because'ems what through experience work someway to dispelling ANXIETIES. & Mucking about frittered my life away on the internet.

Can you go onto companies house site and put on the name of the management company and look up the directors and see if they are the same name as the guys on the other flats? Could be one of them. Turkeys will not be voting for Christmas if it is them. It will also give you accounts for the last few years. There could be something interesting on there? Dunno. Just thinking outside the box.
What about the citizens advice bureau. Surely they will have some words of wisdom, they are great.

We have the general registers is scotland up here and for twenty quid they will tell you who owns a property and their contact info. I don’t know if there is something king similar for England? That would be one way to find out who owns the unoccupied property. But it could come back the name of a building society if it’s mortgaged. You could get the name of the person on the electoral role for the property at your local library. I think they publish the full version there. But there prob won’t be anyone if they don’t live there.

Would you be willing to pay the management fee up front for a few years to get shot if the house so a buyer wouldn’t have to worry about that? I’ve no idea how much these things are as I don’t have that where I am. Just a thought, prob not possible though if it’s hundreds every month. Be good if you could get out and get a fresh start somewhere.

okay, well, I know how these things are run, so that's that then unless you get Flat 7 on side.

I do understand what you're going through. First flat I bought, I made a mistake because it was old and impossible to heat - the appeal was that it wasn't a shoebox like everything else I could afford - and it was also a shared freehold run in the same way. I was a director and it was the most thankless and pointless task imaginable, so being honest, I do have sympathy for them if they cba to change anything.

one of many reasons I moved - into a shoebox, which horrified my late father because he believes in the property ladder - was that it was a leasehold, so now someone else issues the orders about what's done and no one can complain to me about it! When me and the other director moved on, we couldn't get anyone to take the task on, funnily enough.

I have depression and anxiety and I really struggled with the cold, the fact of having to negotiate for every small thing to be done etc. So I do know how you feel.

I wouldn't take it too seriously when feedback is "management charges are too high". What are they like compared to others in your area? I've got neighbours in my block trying to sell at the moment and Brexit uncertainty seems to be a big thing.

the gas meter sounds like something to be sorted with the gas company. I would add a stick on light, the battery operated ones.

I know it feels incredibly overwhelming when you have D&A, can you get a friend or family member to help out re that and shower rail and curtain and so on?

"There must be a way of ousting these greedy buggers"

Well, yes, in this case they can vote to change them. Bit we don't know they are greedy buggers do we? We only know that potential buyers have said "cost too high".

The mgmt co at my place is pricier than some others. We've tried some others. We got what we paid for!!

I'm not saying price guarantees quality btw. Just saying that we can't jump to the conclusion mgmt are shit here in such limited info.

Is there no so e kind of professional body who oversees management company fees? I’m sure there is in scotland as people were getting charged ridiculous amounts and getting sfa.
There must be a way of ousting these greedy buggers.

OP if they've been in charge for ages, what about if you offer to research and sort any other companies?

How much cheaper can you find, any ideas?

I think it means directors of the limited company who do the residents association stuff.

Based on experience, some of it might be they cba

Some of it might be they are aware of the alternatives and don't fancy them

But AFAIK they only get the casting vote if there's a tie, hence why I asked if you can find the owner of the 7th flat.

If OP is in UK, I hope that directors of the residents association won't get a cut of anything but the law is mad....

Two directors are the sticking point for changing to another factor.
What does that mean, two rich dudes that dont have money problems so they don’t care, or two directors of the factor company ie they get a cut of the money you all pay the factor for service charges?

My downstairs neighbour has this on her street facing window. You can get it without colour too-

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07T3YY2YL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_ptJODbPM32MSF

For various reasons I grew to hate our old house. I didn't feel safe there and was in a constant state of anxiety. The day we left I felt so happy and even though our new flat is smaller, too hot in the summer and a bit shabby I love it so I totally understand how you feel.
As others have said you must get your meter sorted out. Could you change to a normal meter instead of prepayment? I have done that recently, I changed supplier and they installed a new meter at no cost to me (Bulb).
Could you rent your flat out and then rent something else for you?
I hope you get something sorted out soon.

You need this type of curtain rail

Yeah the prepaid meter thing isn’t meant to happen. It’s clearly faulty.

They sell shower curtains for free standing baths.

You might want to call the gas company if your meter is shutting down before money run out. That means it's faulty and frankly can be dangerous

And old fashioned nets or opaque film on the bedroom window is the way to go.

Ikea have all sorts, you can go for the classic net curtains if you like but they’ve got lots of modern options too.

I second the hg mould spray seriously that shit eats the mold. Make sure you are well ventilated when using it use goggles and a mask.
www.amazon.co.uk/HG-186050106-Mould-Spray/dp/B000IU40HQ/ref=asc_df_B000IU40HQ/?hvlocphy&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=226559429649&hvpone&hvlocint&th=1&hvpos=1o1&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-432399317735&hvrand=7938277220176819042
Its been close to three years since I used it upstairs and it has not come back some supermarkets carry it as well as lakeland.

Internet is awful you can either try a different company or you can get boosters that help with the signal.

Whats going on with the water why does it keep turning off can you get management company to look into that. Also about making the cellar a bit brighter adding in some of those stick on press lights might make a difference

Difficult to heat, make your living space as cosy as possible with blankets and cushions wear thick socks and keep all doors shut. Concentrate on heating the one room you are in. Can you install a heated towel rail to warm the bathroom 10 mins or so before you are going to have a bath shower etc.? When we were on holiday (early spring) the heated towel rail in the caravan dam near heated the whole place.
Extra blankets on bed with hot water bottle

Paint your front door or front fence/gate an out there colour then when you have deliveries etc its the one with the purple gate

Half nets or film to stop lookers in.

Sounds twee but bung up strings of fairy lights and get lamps from charity shops lighting can help

I understand that where you live can and will make you feel shit especially as it gets colder and darker but as you are stuck for a bit at least this is about damage control and getting through it whilst feeling as good as possible about it.

Oh and I also agree with PPs who suggested a signal booster. We have one upstairs in our flat and it works brilliantly.

Yep you need a dehumidifier! Do you dry washing inside? If so, that won’t help.

And old fashioned nets or opaque film on the bedroom window is the way to go.

Broadband booster?

Hot water probably not worth investing in if you are hoping to move soon.

Hope some of this helps you feel better; it’s awful when your home brings you down rather than lifts you up. 💐

Re: the internet, does your router need replacing? Your ISP can tell you this if you call them. Have you done any troubleshooting? The solution is usually fairly simple.

• Who’s turning the hot water off? Or is it a problem with the boiler that needs fixing?

• Why not find some alternative management companies that charge less, have great reviews, etc... And get everyone together one night for wine and snacks in your flat to discuss it? Surely everyone would benefit from a lower service charge?

• Dehumidifier ASAP, or just leave a window open. Never heard of mould on the ceiling though. Is the empty fiat directly above yours?

• Could you get a quote from one of those companies who buy any house, and see if you’d get enough money to buy a different flat?

• Could you do anything to less-horror-film-ify the basement? Install a super bright light bulb?

I’m sorry you’re living somewhere you hate.

You can hire an industrial one for couple of days and then keep it in check with smaller domestic one

We used to have a dehumidifier in our mouldy old house. It would be full to the brim at the end of just one day - shocking but oddly satisfying.

No, you're not wrong. These aren't even spooky reasons some people blame for a house making them feel bad- they are numerous tangible reasons.

Hope you find a buyer soon- hugs and best wishes xxxxx

I rent and my last house depressed the fuck out of me. When I moved I enrolled at university and gave up my dangerous alcohol habit. I really do blame the house for my lack of drive.