Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Please help. Which property would you choose?

43 replies

PrettyLittleLiar20 · 02/04/2020 16:44

Single mum to 2 kids here and finally moving into my own home since my split from ex. I’ve got the chance of living in a large house with a good size garden or a smallish flat and I really can’t decide what’s best! The house is an absolute state. We’re talking wallpaper coming off the walls, ruined, filthy disgusting carpet from the 80s everywhere. Bathroom is the worst it’s a absolutely disgusting and I’d be embarrassed to have DDs friends over to use it. Everywhere will also need to be re-wallpapered and painted. The carpet will all have to be pulled up and id have to just paint the floorboards to make them look fresh and live with that as the problem is im broke! The flat on the other hand is small but very nicely decorated and feels clean and fresh inside with nice walls and laminate floor. If I chose the house I’d only be able to decorate say one room every 2 months as I’d have to save up for the supplies and even then I’m not good at DIY so it would be a bodge job! I just don’t want to make the wrong decision!

OP posts:
Original poster
PrettyLittleLiar20 · 02/04/2020 16:48

Bump

OP posts:
Hoolawoolatoola · 02/04/2020 16:51

How old are your kids OP? What about your finances?

Original poster
PrettyLittleLiar20 · 02/04/2020 16:51

Kids are 5 and 11. Finances aren’t good. Could spend £100 every 2 weeks on the house.

OP posts:
Crabbo · 02/04/2020 16:54

Will they cost the same amount - as in will
you be stretching to get the house or could manage them both the same? I think I’d go for the house because of the garden.

KickAssAngel · 02/04/2020 16:54

What are the areas like that they're in?

I would choose the house, and just accept living like that for a while. I'd even tolerate it for 6 months before doing too much. But then I've spent years living in houses that are a building site while we painstakingly do them up.

But a flat v a house sounds like a huge compromise on space, and I would struggle with that.

AmelieTaylor · 02/04/2020 16:57

what’s the situation with them? Are they both rental or dies one give you any ownership?

Who owns them etc?

What are the locations like?

Hoolawoolatoola · 02/04/2020 16:59

Is the flat in a nice area? I only ask because a lot of flats in my city are in very unsafe and deprived areas.
I think it depends on how much potential the house has in terms of do you see yourself there long term and is it a good investment? How much benefit will a large garden and house bring you guys and whether a garden is make or break for you.
Would it be possible to go for the flat and then wait and see what else turns up on the market house-wise which needs less work?
Normally I’d say go for the worst house in the best area because it’s an investment rather than the best house in the worst area but you also need to think very long and hard about whether your finances and time constraints could cope with doing the house up. Also about your priorities I.e garden or not, standard of area, long term investment or short term etc

Sorry I waffled Grin

KoalasandRabbit · 02/04/2020 17:07

Renting or buying? What are the areas like?

Renting might via towards flat, having said that having a garden is good in lockdown and probably less chance of infection.

Buying atm I would wait, prices are likely to fall and you may be able to get something better in 12 months.

Original poster
PrettyLittleLiar20 · 02/04/2020 17:09

They are literally 2 miles from each other. Area is nice. And both are rented. It’s a friend of a friend who owns both and had offered me the chance to rent. House is only a tiny bit more dearer rent wise than the flat believe it or not! I want to love here for a long time so that’s why I want to make the best decision.

OP posts:
PeacockPies · 02/04/2020 17:14

Hmmm, I would've want to spend £50 a week on a rented house. How bad is it? What are the kitchens and bathrooms like?

What about the school run, shops, transport etc?

Jenda · 02/04/2020 17:17

I wouldn't want to be ploughing money into a house i didn't own. Surely the landlord should be paying to bring it up to standard?

KoalasandRabbit · 02/04/2020 17:22

Difficult longer term would say the house but over the next year I think the flat if you have no money to renovate. Trouble is if you remove carpets floorboards often aren't useable though your friend may know - in our house they've not been just chipboard in one case and full if gaps in another. Wallpaper I could live with falling off, paint isn't too expensive, have to be careful not to remove plaster. Bathroom is it cleanable? It would be a shame not to have friends round though atm that's not possible anyway - could possibly meet up in parks once lockdown is over but not ideal.

My DD is 14 and she said take the flat. She said if the house was just a little bit bad take the house, but if its bad take the flat. I would maybe take the flat try and save and then take the house in a year or so if you have more money then.

Hoolawoolatoola · 02/04/2020 17:23

I wouldn't want to be ploughing money into a house i didn't own. Surely the landlord should be paying to bring it up to standard
I totally agree. It sounds like the owner is taking advantage of your situation

KoalasandRabbit · 02/04/2020 17:23

Normally a landlord would renovate but having said that if they renovate it would probably push rent up.

BonnesVacances · 02/04/2020 17:24

How on earth is a LL able to rent out a house in that state? Why should you pay to decorate and carpet it? That's not right.

KoalasandRabbit · 02/04/2020 17:25

Often houses in poor condition have hidden problems - if you are considering it check boiler is working and gas and electrics are safety checked. You'd want to know that on both but would be especially concerned with house.

fallfallfall · 02/04/2020 17:27

Don’t fix up a rental, no no no a big waste of your money.

inwood · 02/04/2020 17:28

The flat. They want you to do the house up for their benefit.

bitchonthepitch · 02/04/2020 17:32

If I was buying then I'd say the house but as you are renting it'd have to be the flat.

CoffeeRunner · 02/04/2020 17:33

If it's a rental go with the flat for now, and save the extra money you would have spent on decorating/doing up the house.

Like PPs, if you were buying and the house was safe to live in, I would say go for the house and do it up as you can. But paying good money to do up your landlord's property for him/her? No thank you. More sensible to go with the cheaper property for now & save your money for your own benefit.

MontysOarlock · 02/04/2020 17:33

Flat if rented and rental includes service fees. I would not be paying anything to drastically improve a house I did not own. Why is it even in that state? It would be worrying to have a landlord that did not look after a property.

If buying then I would have said house due to the garden and having a 5 year old. You can learn a lot of new skills from YouTube. Trust me, we have fitted bathrooms, tiled, renovated houses over the years and with much younger children.

Qgardens · 02/04/2020 17:37

Don't plough money into someone else's property. Can you get them to pay for some work and then pay slightly more rent?

If not go for the flat and have an extra £200 for some decent holidays/treats.

minniemoll · 02/04/2020 17:38

Definitely go for the flat - you'd effectively be paying £200 extra per month rent for the house, and doing his repairs for him!

You can always move on in a year or so if something better comes up, but in the current climate a stress free home would be my priority.

Mumdiva99 · 02/04/2020 17:38

Flat - but just plan on staying a couple of years till you can afford better. Save the £100 every two weeks towards a deposit for your own property. -- if you are a great Tennant and the landlord knows this tell him you can only take the house if he does X y and z before you move in.

Mulanlin · 02/04/2020 17:39

The LL is taking the piss offering you a house in bad condition.
That way, they end up with rent and a house done up for them to rent out to the next tenant after you.
Basically they want you to do their dirty work
Go for the flat because you’re renting