Sale Complete

It's March 2014...

The sale is complete! It's on a day-off so we both go to pick up the keys from the local estate agent who needs no proof of identity - a trust not experienced in more urban transactions.

There's a key-safe by the front door but no-one seems to know the code. P starts trying different combinations even though he knows the stats are against him.

OK, there's all sorts of boring things you have to do when you take on a house:

• sort out the building insurance - no contents yet, make sure they know it's empty and that I'll be having tradesmen in and out;
• contact the council - register it as empty to get a discount on the rates - it varies with each county - 12 months of discount in Shropshire and then it's 150% if it's still empty - a good incentive to avoid unused properties;
• electricity (& gas if you have it, we've got oil...) - set up an account with the existing provider, submit meter readings & negotiate the best tariff - make a mental note to consider switching after a few months to get the very best deal - I do this every year;
• register for water rates and, with low occupancy, we arrange to get a water meter.  As we won't even be able to sleep here overnight for some time, I'm hoping it'll be a financial saving as well as encouraging water saving.

Last of the telephone conversations - Terence Martin who carried out the initial asbestos survey. Asbestos removal firms will only provide proper quotes against a full asbestos survey so that's what we need.  All the walls and ceilings will be measured and have samples taken.  Terry will be the first contractor that I'll be meeting here and he's been before so I don't need to give directions.

The next blog will have lots of original photos J