To think a house can impact your mental health?

[LookingForAlaskas]

I hade so many issues with my flat

• hot water constantly being turned off. I then have to venture into a very scary cellar every time to turn it back on (straight out of a horror film.) this happens a lot.
• internet is awful. Only works in 1 room (again I live in a flat not a 10 bedroom mansion)
• mould constantly grows on the ceiling (old building)
• Exceptionally difficult to heat (again old building)
• No privacy (neighbours can and do look into my property, especially the bedroom)
• people can never find it (I live at 12 and there’s a building next door which is 12A)

I can have severe depression and anxiety and struggle in life anyway but the above issues that shouldn’t even be there just make me want to say fuck this shit.

Am I being a sensitive snowflake?

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

You need this type of curtain rail

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.

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?

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....

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

Yes this sadly.

They sorted out the management company long before I moved in. It very much feels like because they have lived there longer their say is more important.

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?

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.

"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.

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

I did and they were not interested in the slightest.

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?

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.

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.