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Original poster

Broke for a month

437 replies

Temporarilyskint · 11/11/2015 21:05

i know the way these threads can go - I am not asking for money and while I think it is incredibly sweet when people offer I won't accept

Sorry for above disclaimer.

Have namechanged as I'm a bit embarrassed and my ex stalks me on here.

We've no money. Well, £40. That's to get through to the end of the month.

We have no oven, or microwave. We do have a toaster.

No access to credit.

Fuel costs are high due to having to take my son to school. Not sure if there's a way around this. (He will hopefully be starting at a new school which is local in 2016 but for now it's tough.)

Fussy cats need food.

Argh. I am partly posting for advice, and also partly for emotional sounding off as I'm fed up of thinking about money.

OP posts:
TalkinPeas · 12/11/2015 13:56

temporarilyskint
So, you own three properties outright, unmortgaged

and have two of them rented out

and CBA to get the bank to put a secured loan against one of the rental properties (which will be tax deductible - get your accountant to sort)

and get your own house up and running properly to give your kids a decent life.

Blimey.
Toodle pip.

NerrSnerr · 12/11/2015 13:58

I remember the old thread from the OP asking if she could claim benefits even though she has properties. The advice then was to sell one of them.

The reason why you feel that people are getting to you OP is because they're worried about your children and your defensive attitude is concerning.

Luxyelectro · 12/11/2015 14:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Leavingsosoon · 12/11/2015 14:09

I don't think that's quite what happened Nerr

I've never asked if I can claim benefits. I know I can't and nor do I expect to be able to. I think you'll find that others kept insisting I could when actually, I can't.

Selling properties takes time (plus they are in 2 names), securing a loan against one of them that I wouldn't be able to pay off would also be v silly - plus like I say they're in 2 names - so you know, things aren't always simple.

Surly honestly don't worry. It's fine.

SurlyCue · 12/11/2015 14:13

Surly honestly don't worry. It's fine.

What do you mean? Whats fine?

Artandco · 12/11/2015 14:18

So let's get things straight. You have owned three property's outright, ( a flat, a house and a farmhouse) since 2011, yet your 18 month old is living off toast and biscuits? You have had 4 years to sell two of them or rent two of them out? Hardly ' it's takes time to sell' well yes if you only put them on sale last week but you have had years

Why aren't you living in the flat ( presumably the smallest), and renting out the two bigger ones at least for 4 years? You own horses yet can't bath your kids in hot water or warm them some soup?

Get your bloody priorities straight. Tbh your children should go and stay with their father for now, as at least by the sound of it he can feed them.

Leavingsosoon · 12/11/2015 14:19

Honestly, this only happened this morning. I left the house and am trying to sort it now but people saying, sell your home (it's not just mine remember) or take a loan against it don't seem to appreciate it only happened with the electrics this morning.

Moving from one property to another seemed the sensible thing at the time but maybe not but I am trying to sort this out now. I just want to try to explain to people it's not like the electrics have been dodgy for months.

We haven't long since moved in; I knew things would be tight this month due to the costs of moving and due to the fact that the rental from the property we used to live in won't kick in for a bit. I had a bit of money and thought we'd be ok but then I realised the oven was dodgy so asked for help last night.

Then one of those unfortunate coincidences and the electrics went completely. Well I say completely - I mean the sockets. So we have light and hot water but no internet (can get on my phone) can't use a microwave or kettle, can't use a hairdryer or the washing machine ... Stuff like that.

Leavingsosoon · 12/11/2015 14:19

Art you have completely misunderstood.

Artandco · 12/11/2015 14:21

Have I? How? What's wrong in my summary?

QforCucumber · 12/11/2015 14:22

Your cooker issue began in early October from your previous thread,
Have you really done nothing to even call an electrician and ask what could be the cause?

are you still on maternity leave op? Is it worth looking into some self employed work (I see again from a prev thread you are an English teacher) such as tutoring to bring in some income to help?

Leavingsosoon · 12/11/2015 14:25

essentially you seem to have misunderstood the length of time the situation (toast and biscuits, although actually they do have more than that you know) has been going on for.

I have: a farmhouse, a terraced house and a flat.

I used to live in the farmhouse with my husband and my children.

Then my marriage ended. I was struggling to live in the farmhouse so I moved out into the terrace at the beginning of this month.

When I arrived I discovered the oven didn't work without blowing the fuses.

In short you think the situation had been going on for four years and it hasn't, it's not even been a fortnight.

Leavingsosoon · 12/11/2015 14:26

I start a new job in January so hopefully things will get a bit easier then :)

Artandco · 12/11/2015 14:27

Ok, so surely you have been renting out the house and flat for 4 years though? Why would you leave one empty 4 years instead of renting or selling? You have only been renting flat out

NoSquirrels · 12/11/2015 14:28

It's not what happened in the past that matters now, it's what you do today to fix it all.

Please call electricians.

You CANNOT have no means of feeding your DC a hot meal - no kettle, no hob, no oven, no microwave, no toaster - and stay in that situation past a day or two.

I am still sympathetic, it seems overwhelming, you need a plan.

But start with the electrics. Call around now (and conserve your phone battery by logging off from MN) because you won't be able to recharge your phone with no electric sockets working.

Leavingsosoon · 12/11/2015 14:29

Yes I have.

Leavingsosoon · 12/11/2015 14:29

I'm charging in the car/coffee shop. :)

NoSquirrels · 12/11/2015 14:32

OK. But still.

Call managing/letting agents. Ask for their friendly team of electricians.
If you've been using the same letting agent they bloody owe you for not having notified you the oven trips the fuses. If you used to rent that out, you would have been liable if anything happened.

I have to go now. I really wish you would call some electricians. Maybe you are, I don't know. I hope you are.

Leavingsosoon · 12/11/2015 14:34

I know, I'm quite shocked it hasn't been mentioned to be honest.

NoSquirrels · 12/11/2015 14:34

Mostly because, if you don't fix it, your DS sounds old enough to tell people - his dad, his teacher, the dinner lady at school - that the house he's moved into with his mum has no electric at all. And then you will be flagged for safeguarding.

QforCucumber · 12/11/2015 14:35

I'm only going from your own comment on the 13th October about the oven and thinking it might be a problem with the electrics.

I appreciate that the whole fuse board blowing was only today, but to keep trying to push electricity through an already overused board will cause that to happen, that's why I queries whether you had actually rang an electrician and asked 'hi, do you know what might be causing my oven to trip the electric every time i use it?' they don't charge to answer a question like that.

Sadly the reason a lot of us are getting frustrated is because the majority of people who have offered help could only dream of being in a position where we own 3 properties outright with not even 1 mortgage to think about needing paying, and it feels as though you're being rather obtuse in your explanations and responses.

Beebar · 12/11/2015 14:35

Just get the blooming electric sorted and you're way there. FFS

batters · 12/11/2015 14:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Beebar · 12/11/2015 14:36

*half way there

Please just take some practical advice! Many posters on here has given great advice, yet you've point blank refused it. This is very weird

Leavingsosoon · 12/11/2015 14:39

Q, I know what you're saying but honestly comments like that ... You're really saying you dream of your mum and dad dying and your brother killing himself. You don't dream of that trust me. And they weren't old and neither was I - there are people my age with grandparents still alive!

It was lovely of them to leave the property to me and my brother and obviously I'm grateful for it but please don't say things like that because I have paid a very very high price to own them; a very high one, and basically it's isolation - I'm completely alone and I don't have anyone to help.

I have not refused advice I've explained I can't afford it so ... Anyway please let's leave it as I don't want a row yes it's a bit late for this I realise!

Beebar · 12/11/2015 14:40

Fuck, I wished I owned a property. You're bloody lucky, lots of us on this post are probably a lot worse off than you, besides your electricity crisis.

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