What made you UNHAPPY today!

[johnpwalsh]

Well that's it. Lotusless for the first time in god knows how many year's. Typically been offered a few resto projects just this past week but need to tread careful on what I do now. Ferk, get me a job.

[DDubya]

33 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

Basking in the cesspit of bureaucracy.

Swimming in the see of intereference.

Wallowing in the depths of despair.

Drowning in the well of hypocrisy.

Dying in the sea of gracious waste.

Hope you make it out ok @DDubya

Got it in one! All of those and more. For my sins (and god they must have been big ones in a previous life) I sit on a number of industry commitees and advisory groups. I had/have legitimate and real reasons for being an Outtie.

[Stuart Monument]

A long list over 6 weeks 

Daughter diagnosed with two holes in her heart.

Temporary operation hasn't worked as expected.

In and out of hospital every other day waiting for the main op.

Government have changed the laws in my industry which will cost me a six figure sum every year. (During the week of the op)

Not been to work for six weeks.

Member of staff wrote of one of my cars.

Key member of staff broke his arm  who covers me in my absence so can't do his job as he needs to drive.

Key member of staff resigned.

Tennant in one of my flats had two cats (not approved) that pissed over all the carpets which now need to be replaced only two years in.

Personal tax bill is double what I thought as they didn't take payment on account last year as they owed me a little bit of money (I know I should understand  the system better)

All in all a very sh@t time. Although I can say the strength of my family is amazing and it really helps logging onto here and thinking about normal stuff. 

You guys rock .

 

 

[johnpwalsh]

Everything palls into insignificance when your child is ill. First priority is see to the bairn, work will sort itself out. 

[Barrykearley]

Chin up @Stuart Monument - in the bad times take some time to look at the black beauty - that should eek a smile out

Like john says the young uns are the most important - take your time and do the important stuff

[march]

Just heard on the news today that a road has been built to Everest Base Camp and there are plans for a complex to be built there. Soon there will be nothing left for people to achieve. The arguments have been made that this will be good for the locals and that it will no longer be for the rich both of which are complete and utter tosh. I went to Everest Base camp 25+ years ago with very little money (so little I could not afford to Fly to Kathmandu) after months of planning and saving and selling anything I could - I flew to Delhi, then 1000km train ride, 24hr bus ride (reached Kathmandu), bribed officials to get into Nepal, met up with total strangers doing the same thing, got a 12 hour bus ride to Jiri, 3 week walk from the foothills to Base camp (staying in tea houses / stone huts) owned by the locals and finally reaching Everest Base Camp. After some more trekking in the area (another week) I had to get back to Kathmandu (it was a lot quicker down hill!).

The sense of achievement (which I still have) was unbelievable and was definitely one of the defining moments of my life and the sense of camaraderie with the group we put together has never been matched. Now you can get a charter flight get in a car, have coffee, look out the window and bugger off home - where's the achievement in that. The world is becoming a smaller and more boring place day by day - very sad. As far as it being for rich people only - after flights I had approx £600.00 pounds to do this - and I even had enough money left over from this to spend 3 months in India! 

[silverfrost]

Its on my bucket list,  but want to do it in the early period climbing gear minus oxygen.  Sadly Everest is 30k plus to spend nowdays to even consider an accent  

[andydclements]

@Stuart Monument  I'd bet that out of all the long list (any one of which could be enough in their own right), there's only one really worrying you.

If it's any consolation, my Niece (now in her 20s) was born with a hole in the heart but has still gone through pregnancy and child birth with no ill effects, yet, not so many years ago that wouldn't have been the case. The medical abilities on that have made great advances and not too many years ago you'd have not known about the holes. 

 

It's not great to have the holes, but take comfort from the fact they know and are probably treading a well established path for treatment.

[Stuart Monument]

Thanks Andy kind of you to let me know you your experiences l. Your right she is the only real things that actually matters.

I hope your health is on the up too. See you at the bird in hand before to long with a bit of luck 

stu 

[ramjet]

Best of luck with the youngster Stuart.

As for the numbats at work, that is for work to sort out. Not you.

When you say one of your cars, do you mean a work fleet car or one of your own?

[Stuart Monument]

It's my company, so for me to sort out and also a car I bought for a member of staff.  I did initially write 'unfortuantley' but then I realised I am proud of the company I have built. It's the people who let you down.

[theelanman]

mmmmmm.....work.......when the new management team turn out to be just another group of absolute wankers.....just more so than the ones they've replaced.........

Hey ho.....job hunt for the new year I think........back working for myself I think.......

 

[Dan E]

Stuart I can only agree with everything everyone else has said, the business will survive because of you will make sure it does. Look after what really matters now. I really mean that I have been there and got out the other side and found myself in a better place. 

I found doing the charity stuff really therapeutic, it feels great to give something back. 

Genuinely my thoughts are with you and your family at this moment. 

Danny 

[Bibs]

15 hours ago, Stuart Monument said:

Government have changed the laws in my industry which will cost me a six figure sum every year. (During the week of the op)

 

You own property I imagine. Not sure in the sense of the some the govt's recent rulings...

[Barrykearley]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-38308842

dont think the bank will say yes to this 

[Stuart Monument]

7 hours ago, Bibs said:

You own property I imagine. Not sure in the sense of the some the govt's recent rulings...

It's doesn't make any sense as none of the money goes into the public purse, unlucky the fortunes of tax I generate and pay. 

Barry trust you to find such an article! Is this research for you ? ?

[Barrykearley]

Tax that doesnt go into the public purse ?? Have I missed a new bribe scheme ??

Tax relief on rental changes is gonna hit some real hard. I know of landlords already selling their portfolios. My hmo's however are completely un-financable now due to government mortgage policies......

theres changes on the horizon on planning reform as well - a white paper is being published in January which will provide a tick sheet matrix and presumed consent over and above any local policy. Will sit alongside the nppf apparently. Anything to do with starter or affordable housing will be almost impossible to refuse....we shall see

 

[Stuart Monument]

I own a letting agent and property. They want to ban tenants fees. We charge a fair fee as we have costs envolved. This is probably because of the Foxtons court cases (they have taken the mick). The have hit landlords on tax relief, stamp duty and are now going to start lienceing scheme on certain type of properties on top of the mandatory HMO's. How can they dictate what I can charge for. It's like a garage not being able to charge for service work, just repairs.

[Barrykearley]

More bloody licensing........ £450 for a three year licence for each hmo - an utter con. And they do nothing to actually help - just a box ticking exercise. The red tape is getting stupid.

its about time they criminalised rental arrears - it's obtaining goods or services by deception if they don't immediately inform the landlord or agent of an issue. How they can hang on until eviction by a court is a joke. And councils advise how to string out the process........

[march]

41 minutes ago, Barrykearley said:

its about time they criminalised rental arrears - it's obtaining goods or services by deception if they don't immediately inform the landlord or agent of an issue. How they can hang on untilviction by a court is a joke. And councils advise how to string out the process........

Yep - we had a council advised one of our tenants to do this - cost us thousands. Kept getting messages from her signed with sent from my iPhone or iPad - just  to rub it in. Happily we seem to have a good bunch of tenants now.

[Barrykearley]

As part of a hmo license - you are required to boot folks out for antisocial behaviour. They expect this to happen before complaints become an issu and before any legal criminal conviction. The homeless team in the next office then bitch and whine about it and threaten legal action - it's really a "great" setup

[C8RKH]

1 hour ago, Stuart Monument said:

I own a letting agent and property. They want to ban tenants fees. We charge a fair fee as we have costs envolved. This is probably because of the Foxtons court cases (they have taken the mick). The have hit landlords on tax relief, stamp duty and are now going to start lienceing scheme on certain type of properties on top of the mandatory HMO's. How can they dictate what I can charge for. It's like a garage not being able to charge for service work, just repairs.

I can understand your position. However, as a customer of some letting agents whilst I have been supporting my daughter through her "independence" period over the past 5 years or so I can say that based on my own experiences of the letting agents concerned, in Edinburgh, I have absolutely no sympathy whatsoever for "these" letting agents and the charges/costs they will now face. Absolutely bloody useless and charlatans and thieves and chancers!

However, I do understand that not all letting agents are the same, so am not casting aspersions at all  

I'm a PAYE employee, unfortunate enough to be a high rate tax payer, so over the past 15 years I've been squeezed from the top, squeezed from the bottom, and had all sorts of relief's and "benefits" withdrawn etc.  So I can sympathise with your position and feeling of helplessness.

I think the one thing we can all agree on is that if you work hard, take your chances, be the best you can - the buggers will get you and drag you down. Rather than trying to encourage everyone to be aspirational - pulling everyone up - the strategy seems to be to feed and leach off the aspirants and drag them down to the level of the ones who can't be arsed.

 

 

[Stuart Monument]

Think we need a new thread for the now..?

They are APPARENTLY changing the laws on eviction and the council advising tenants to stay until it does to court.... we will see?

Your right about the HMO stuff. Our council doesn't even know the rules. They like the money tho. The proposal is to licence any property above business premises and to make hmo licence manadarory on properties over two floor with more than two family names in residence .

Luckily there are a lot more good people than bad out there and you just have to be careful. 

Anyway basically the country is a shambles and reward the bad, lazy people. 

 

[ramjet]

Nope. Not a few rounds with someone a lot better than me.

Dental surgery.

Yeah yeah. You can all stop laughing now.

[C8RKH]

The dentist who did that to you will probably use the fee recieved to go towards buying / maintaining a Porsche/Ooodi

There is no justice in this world.

Hope you're feeling much better very soon.