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Original poster

Buying my flat was the worst mistake of my life.

232 replies

bibshamed · 08/12/2022 14:57

6 months ago, at 22 years old, I bought a 3 bed duplex/maisonette flat in Aldershot. It was fine, I liked living there, and we made it home. Well, my 4 year relationship fell apart, and I realised I only bought it because he loved it and I wasn't happy there. I moved back with my Mum in Cambridge and realised I made the biggest mistake of my life. It's in a terrible area of Aldershot, with electrical issues.

I had 2 nightmare lodgers who eventually left and are now threatening me with small claims court for not returning their deposit, despite leaving the place in a bad condition after, constantly complained and lied about extent of repairs needed, only 2 months (smoking weed inside, not ventilating or heating it, so mould) AND running into arrears.

I put down a £50k deposit, which I saved for 5 years while living at home and studying, for that money. I have priced it so that hopefully to break even after estate agent and conveyancing fees. I don't know why I moved so far away from my family, it was a huge mistake, and I realised I was only happy living there because I was with Him. I don't know what to do I just want to cry. I don't think anyone will buy it. I paid 165k for it. I think I may have overpaid. I feel so stupid.

OP posts:
MrsMinxy · 09/12/2022 21:23

@bibshamed I am not angry and I am not a baby boomer.I just don't like anyone posting inaccurate stuff about qualifications. A PGCE is not a degree, no matter what another poster may like to say. Obviously, most teachers don't go around saying they have 2 degrees, having one degree and a PGCE.

As well as being a teacher for decades, I've also written about career choice/ training (and teacher training), post-grad courses, including Masters, for all the broadsheets, so I'm a bit of a stickler about accuracy. So it's not a case of being angry or belittling you or whatever you like to call it.

If you read all the posts there were several other posters who queried your number of degrees in such a short time.

Good luck with your flat sale.

HotChoxs · 09/12/2022 22:31

@MrsMinxy

This is a thread in which someone is struggling with major difficulties and the helpful message from you is that a PGCE is not a degree and good luck?

I'd find it strange if a pupil asked how to deal with some emotional difficulties and the Teacher told them to correct their grammar and good luck. Wouldn't you?

Original poster
bibshamed · 09/12/2022 23:26

MrsMinxy · 09/12/2022 21:23

@bibshamed I am not angry and I am not a baby boomer.I just don't like anyone posting inaccurate stuff about qualifications. A PGCE is not a degree, no matter what another poster may like to say. Obviously, most teachers don't go around saying they have 2 degrees, having one degree and a PGCE.

As well as being a teacher for decades, I've also written about career choice/ training (and teacher training), post-grad courses, including Masters, for all the broadsheets, so I'm a bit of a stickler about accuracy. So it's not a case of being angry or belittling you or whatever you like to call it.

If you read all the posts there were several other posters who queried your number of degrees in such a short time.

Good luck with your flat sale.

u have serious issues

OP posts:
bibshamed · 09/12/2022 23:39

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

whynotwhatknot · 09/12/2022 23:50

come on now lets not derail

i would agree that potential viewer would be put off aving sen your pictures then turn up and its nothing lik what they thought

if your tenants had a contract with you and you havent give back the deposit you could be in trouble

WishIhadacrystalball · 09/12/2022 23:52

whynotwhatknot · 09/12/2022 23:50

come on now lets not derail

i would agree that potential viewer would be put off aving sen your pictures then turn up and its nothing lik what they thought

if your tenants had a contract with you and you havent give back the deposit you could be in trouble

Finding this is the norm now people
Take the time to dish out advice and it’s ignored to argue over something completely irrelevant. 🤯

sevenbyseven · 10/12/2022 08:26

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Will you stop withe ageism? Hmm

NoelNoNoel · 10/12/2022 08:28

interest rates in the teens and living with massive negative equity wasn’t exactly a picnic.

MsDianaBarry · 10/12/2022 08:41

Posters will question your qualifications (as I did) because they are questioning the 'truth' of your other posts. I am sorry but anyone who has achieved those qualifications and refers to them as 'degrees' just isn't telling the truth - feel free to report and delete.

Justthisonce12 · 10/12/2022 08:42

MsDianaBarry · 10/12/2022 08:41

Posters will question your qualifications (as I did) because they are questioning the 'truth' of your other posts. I am sorry but anyone who has achieved those qualifications and refers to them as 'degrees' just isn't telling the truth - feel free to report and delete.

Agreed it all sounds like a cool story

MrsMinxy · 10/12/2022 08:48

Your latest comments really just show your age @bibshamed, all of 22 years old and you think you know it all, it appears. Presumably you regard your parents with the same ageism and disdain? As they will be my generation.

If all you can do it post insults, you've lost the argument. You came along here asking for help as you have made a bad investment and are in a pickle.

And, for the record, as others have said, we had interest rates of 15% in the 1990s, so you are very ignorant of what happened to housing then.

You made a bad decision. It has no 'kerb appeal' and you might think about asking the management company if there are any plans to paint the building and smarten it up.

The only way to solve it is to smarten up the flat, spend a bit of money making it look nice inside, get some better photos and be prepared to sell at a loss as prices are falling.

Also, if you had lodgers, fair enough, but I assume you mean tenants as they destroyed some of the property (when you were not there.) If they are tenants , you are probably going outside the terms of your mortgage and that could have knock on issues with insurance etc. and the legality of your loan.
So if you want to rent it you need a BTL mortgage.

Original poster
bibshamed · 10/12/2022 10:15

whynotwhatknot · 09/12/2022 23:50

come on now lets not derail

i would agree that potential viewer would be put off aving sen your pictures then turn up and its nothing lik what they thought

if your tenants had a contract with you and you havent give back the deposit you could be in trouble

well they were technically lodgers and they don’t have the same sort of rights and they also ran into arrears and owe me rent and council tax, in addition to not leaving the property in good nick, one has threatened to take me to small claims but i find that laughable considering her £300 deposit is probably less than a solicitors fees but i did take a video of the property before they moved in so i have every confidence that i’ll win should she be serious.

OP posts:
AreOttersJustWetCats · 10/12/2022 10:21

Were you living there at the same time as them? Your posts don't sound like you were.

Nsenene · 10/12/2022 10:25

bibshamed · 10/12/2022 10:15

well they were technically lodgers and they don’t have the same sort of rights and they also ran into arrears and owe me rent and council tax, in addition to not leaving the property in good nick, one has threatened to take me to small claims but i find that laughable considering her £300 deposit is probably less than a solicitors fees but i did take a video of the property before they moved in so i have every confidence that i’ll win should she be serious.

Show quote history

If you weren't living there, they weren't lodgers.

Justthisonce12 · 10/12/2022 10:31

I hope you protected that deposit, otherwise it’s just become £900 like magic and you don’t need a solicitor to take somebody to court. It’ll cost of £112 online which you will be paying by way of costs.

MrsMinxy · 10/12/2022 10:31

bibshamed · 10/12/2022 10:15

well they were technically lodgers and they don’t have the same sort of rights and they also ran into arrears and owe me rent and council tax, in addition to not leaving the property in good nick, one has threatened to take me to small claims but i find that laughable considering her £300 deposit is probably less than a solicitors fees but i did take a video of the property before they moved in so i have every confidence that i’ll win should she be serious.

Show quote history

It costs £35 to lodge a claim via the Small Claims Court.

No solicitors involved.

It's all very straightforward and it they win, you also pay their fee of £35.

Lodgers are people who share with the owner.

Were you living there too?

MrsMinxy · 10/12/2022 10:33

@Justthisonce12 The SCC fee is £35 for claims up to £300. Did the OP say that it was £300 that was in question as a refund?

HotChoxs · 10/12/2022 10:36

@MrsMinxy

As a fellow GenXer you are coming across as someone that dislikes young people. Perhaps you made a bad decision staying in teaching for so long as it seems to have made you rather jaded?

HotChoxs · 10/12/2022 10:45

MsDianaBarry · 10/12/2022 08:41

Posters will question your qualifications (as I did) because they are questioning the 'truth' of your other posts. I am sorry but anyone who has achieved those qualifications and refers to them as 'degrees' just isn't telling the truth - feel free to report and delete.

I think you and some others on this thread are very out of touch. Whether a PGCE is a degree or not, most people consider it one. Just because someone on here is a stickler for it being referenced correctly, doesn't mean that they're in the vast majority of people who wouldn't bat an eyelid at it being referenced as one.

I think there's a level of jealousy going on here. For example I have an undergrad, a postgrad, and a PhD and I didn't bother to start calling them out. It just seems to be an underachiever thing.

PattyDuke · 10/12/2022 10:49

@HotChoxs - Post Graduate Certificate in Education. Its not jealousy, it is accuracy. Also what an odd post - guess you feel the need to boast about your qualifications.

HotChoxs · 10/12/2022 10:51

PattyDuke · 10/12/2022 10:49

@HotChoxs - Post Graduate Certificate in Education. Its not jealousy, it is accuracy. Also what an odd post - guess you feel the need to boast about your qualifications.

Yes we all know what a PGCE is. Doesn't mean that a lot of people don't refer to agree to degrees. And very telling you think I'm boasting here when I'm simply stating a fact that high achievers don't go ripping other people down for getting minor details wrong.

whynotwhatknot · 10/12/2022 10:52

like i said you keep caling them lodges. if you didn't live there they were tenants

PattyDuke · 10/12/2022 10:57

Just glad you are a high achiever @HotChoxs - well done!

HotChoxs · 10/12/2022 11:03

@PattyDuke
Not sure why you'd be glad, it's really not a bid deal. But thanks.

IfIGoThereWillBeTrouble · 10/12/2022 11:25

Have you considered ethical-lettings.com ?