New Waterproof Flooring After Floods Or Leaks

 A leaking radiator caused damage to flooring.

If flooring is stuck down, you are charged extra by the people who come to fix the next flooring because it is hard to removed the stick down flooring.

So I prefer jigsaw flooring, that fits together.

First, if one part of the floor is damaged, you can replace just that section.

Second, the replacer won't charge you extra for removing the first flooring.

I recall the man laying the new flooring telling me the  flooring was not stuck with the proper glue but a glue which made it impossible to remove the carpet, normally to tear it back. Instead, a stronger glue had been used which left the carpet in little clumps, each of which had to be removed separately, which took him hours, for which I was paying a large amount as he charged me by the hour.

Some flooring companies offer fitting in the price.

Others , like Tapis in Brent Cross, included the free measuring up. But they added for removing the old flooring, taking away the old flooring, laying the flooring, for the glue, underlay, flattening the undersurface which is necessary for jigaw tiles, though not for blue down tiles.

We looked at two types of lino tiling. It is not a solid tile but a laminate. We opted for the thicker one. 

Installing A New Towel Rail

 We had a problem with a towel rail. It leaked. Then developed a hole. The regular plumber for the building did not work on Sundays.

I looked online for a plumber on a Sunday. Up popped an advertisement for a 24 hour plumbing service provider.

Plumber 1 'A' - Emergency Service

I called them and they told me I had to pay a call out fee in advance. I did so. The time was about 2.30.

Their plumber was half an hour away on another call.

I got a call he was delayed. About 3.30.

In December  in London. it gets dark after 4. As it got nearer 5 I was losing hope.

Finally I got a call to say that the plumber had agreed with the tenant to call next day at 8.20 am. She would meanwhile leave bucket under the dripping.

I checked the suppliers of towel rails, to the public and trade. They were closed by 5 pm on Sunday.

So the new towel rail would not be available until tomorrow anyway. 

What I and the tenant did not realise, not being trained or experienced plumbers, was that the leak situation could get much worse suddenly, unexpectedly, seriously damaging the property.

Nor did I know where to turn off the water supply.

An hour or so after that I got a call from the tenant. Water was gushing everywhere. I said, call the porter to turn off the water.

The porter called the fire brigade who turned off the water to the flat, and the electricity, to prevent the danger of water plus electricity.

The next day the plumber called to fit the new towel rail.

The cost of a new towel rail and valves was what seemed to me like a huge sun, over eight hundred pounds. Nearer nine hundred total including the call out fee, which was deducted so I had to pay the difference.

I went over to the flat. To my horror, the wooden flooring of the large square hallway and the smaller bedroom beside the bathroom had both sections of what looked like buckled planks.

The feedback I got from the emergency plumbers was that to prevent a recurrence, the system needed draining, which meant ll the radiators in the flat, and turning off the water supply in the building, vast cost.

I contacted the management. I was told that to turn off the water supply in winter meant compensating al the other flats in the block. They suggested I contact their regular plumber to discuss the situation.

Plumber 2

When I called him, he told me that the towel rail was not on the same system as the radiators, but on the hot water supply, which was turned on and off within the flat.

He said the report I received from the other, first, plumber was wrong.

He arranged to come over and check the situation with the new towel rail.

Plumber 3

Meanwhile I had phoned my son, whose plumber was too busy to come to me. However, hearing of my disaster, and expense, he agreed to come over.

 

Letting & Agents - what landlords need to do

 I have made these notes for myself and my family to keep track and up to date. But anybody else who stumbles upon this site is welcome to read it, send me updates, comments or offers.

Landlord Information

You need to consider two prices. 

What Price Should I Ask For The Rent?

You can check the prices of properties in the area by your own check on similar advertised properties. Also, online agents websites average property prices in the year for local areas. 

You might ask higher, since people are likely to make lower offers. You can always come down in price later. That works if its a sellers; market, meaning property is in short supply so buyers are keen to secure a property.

In the olden days you might have put a low price, got lots of offers, then started a bidding match. 

Note the latest incoming legislation banning gazumping. my understanding is that once you have accepted the deposit, you can't change your mind, and accept a higher offer from a keen rival potential tenant. The new law will prevent you from 

What price are you asking the tenant to pay? 

Your agent will advise you. Different agents might suggest different figures. It's tempting to go for the higher sum. The higher the price the more the agent makes, if he or she is acting on a percentage of sale, so he or she should be keen to get that price.

But one agent told me that other agents make unrealistic suggestions to get you on their books. Then they can't sell at that price.

How much are you willing to pay for, advertising, showing the property to the prospective tenant, doing a tenant finances check, compiling and sending out a contract, signing, collecting signed contract, collecting rent, dealing with property faults, or tenant non payers, inventory check and key handover at end of tenancy, rant rises in key with market, gas and electricity checks, council tax band for tenant, cleaning of carpet and curtains before new tenants take over.

Some agents have a brief, succinct list of what you need to do. Your options. Such as sending them photos. Or fixing a time to meet them, and then later their appointed photographer.

What do I need to do, for the agent, the property, the tenant, the law?

A handy guide on the website of agents Winkworth who have branches in Mill Hill and Hendon alerted me to the facts.

Proving Ownership Of A Property

Firstly, that I needed to provided proof that the property was mine.

Secondly,  some kind of textual and/or visual evidence that I am the person listed in documents as the owner.

I was distracted from proceeding to appoint an agent, lying awake at night wondering, 

QUESTION 

How do I prove I am the property owner? 

Do I need to go back through ten years of documents on properties I have owned, inherited and purchased to find the right document?

Dexters of Hendon Central rang me with their chasing sales pitch. I asked them about how I prove to them I am the owner. They told me the. Answer. 

ANSWERS 

1 The letting agent will do it.

2 The will/would check with the Land Registry. No need for me to do anything.

Proving Identity Of The Landlord

Question 

How do I prove my identity?

All I need to do is provide evidence of my identity. How? 

A passport or driving license will do. I can email it or take it into their office.

Advantages Of Large Multi-Branch Agencies

They pointed out that they have multiple offices. If I paid a lower set fee - to a small start up online company or struggling independent business - for find a tenant only, pay upfront, the agency could take my money, about one thousand pounds or more, and go out of business before finding me a tenant.

Online Advertising Only

This is quickest. I could send photos to an agent who works Monday to Friday, and they could put up my ads within an hour.

But what if my tenant has asked me to call to take photos and inspect the property and fix any visible defects on Saturday. Delay until Monday.

Which Agent Is Where?

Dexters (who took over another  company) and Squires are in Brent Cross by the station.

Aston Square is in Hendon.

How do I get a video and floorplan?

Winkworths, of Hendon, are the ones who se photographer takes a video, and their photographer will do your floor plan for you. But it costs you. Depends if you have time or money.

How Do I check if I paid my Insurance Renewal?

Check your bank statements. 

Go through your emails using the words insurance renewal.

Useful Websites Of Estate Agents for Landlords in London, England.

What are the events and calamities the insurance will be covering, or not covering?

I filled in an online form. It asked lots of questions. How old is your property and how long have you owned it. 

I found the answer by going back to a search on the online agents and putting in my property address. The website listed all the flats in my blocks, the dates the flats were last sold and the price.

I could see which year I had bought the flat. How much I paid for it. 

Now I could fill in all those forms. 

How To Keep Track Of Payments, Prices, Dates, Insurance

I made a note in a giant notebook. Never mind online. If the system goes down, or your laptop breaks or gets stolen, you are lost. The book can easily be flipped through, and handed to somebody else. 

Now, let's look at the insurance document questions.

Has it ever been flooded. Are you in a flood prone area. Have you had subsidence?

When the broker made a sales call, I was able to ask him about all the questions one by one.

Flooding means flooding from outside, such as a river or storm. 

Leaks from the inside of the building are different. But the insurers still want to know.

They ask for information on accidents even if you never made a claim. Because it might happen again. However, they are  likely to look at the claims in your area, eg from your street or building. This could work for you. Or against you.

If you had subsidence but the problem was fixed, you might not have to pay more nor get denied insurance.

However, if the worst comes to the worst, you will still get insurance. Just not from the attractive cheap prices you were first offered. Instead some horrific high price!

(On November 2025. Note new legislation comes into force in 2026).

https://www.astonsquare.co.uk/copy-of-our-services-1

Please follow my blog. Share with your family, friends and colleagues the links to your favourite posts.

Planting Trees - Warning What To Plan, And When To Prune

 Trees can provide shade, privacy, decoration, fruit to eat or sell.

But note how high each tree and plant will grow.  Allow that distance from your house walls, paths and any extension you may build in the future. Also keep it away from the neighbour's house. 

If you don't, it the roots could uproot your walls, block the drains.  Growth above ground could darken your windows and obscure your view and provide cover for burglars.

Tree cutting is very expensive. Make sure your gardener cuts back plants to no more than six foot high. That's so the plant is always in rich for trimming.

To pull down high branches to cut them, you can use the curved handle of an old umbrella or walking stick.

For even higher branches, you can fix a cutter on a pole, with strings attached to the handles. See videos on Youtube or Facebook.

Please bookmark and share links to useful posts.

Fire and Fire Escapes, Fire drill, Fire Alarm

 We are more security conscious nowadays. Does that mean we are safer?

Organizers of events should check fire exits, and fire extinguishers. And dates on fire extinguishers. And fire alarms.

It is good for public buildings to have fire alarm tests and evacuation rehearsals.

Agree on an assembly point. You don't want parents or the fire brigade running into the fire to rescue children who are already outside. Or visitors who go home.

Useful Website

Fire in Hong Kong High Rise in 2025

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c79xd17dre3o

Fires at weddings, 2023

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Qaraqosh_wedding_fire#

Fire Escape

https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/escape-planning

https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/the-home/escape-plan/escape-plan-houses-and-converted-flats/

Solar Panels In The UK - How much saving? How Soon? Are you over 75? Why does it matter?

 

NREL SOlar Panel. Wikipedia.

On Facebook I saw an ad for solar panels and clicked on it. You have to fill in a brief survey giving your details and phone number. I immediately got a call.

The man from the double glazing company asked me several questions including whether I was over 75, in which case I was disqualified.

I asked why.

He told me that you would recover your costs in 8 to 15 years. Therefore at over 75 it was not worth it because you were unlikely to see the benefit in your lifetime.

The only possible benefit might be:

1 If you wanted to leave a better property to your children or heirs

2 You were very environmentally conscious

3 You wanted to sell your house and thought it would make your house more saleable.

I forgot to ask about cleaning pigeon poo off a low rise roof. Would solare panels reduce or increase the cost of cleaning your roof?

One of the questions in the survey is: 'how many bedrooms you have/' which is easy to answer. But another, 'what you are paying for electricity?', might require some research and note taking.

If you can tell me whether you have found solar panels useful, or have any views, please leave a comment.

Please share links to your favourite posts.

I write daily on three of my twenty blogs

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

Dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

comicpoemsbynutter.blogspot.com

My latest book in 2025 is on amazon.com

It is Embarrassing Moments by Angela Lansbury. UK pounds 6.99