There are so many things that need thinking about when you buy a house. Firstly, can you afford the mortgage – that is one item that has to be squared well before the ink has dried on the contract. Then the next consideration should be insurance on the mortgage to pay it if anything unexpected happens and one of the mortgagees fails to make their payment share – usually this type of insurance only pays out when there was no actual risk to job prospects known at the time of negotiating the mortgage and the jobs of each applicant were as sound as they could be. Another important element of home ownership will be the rates and water rates plus other utilities. These charges are all levied by the local council, water supply company and then utility companies. The rateable value is made up of several bands from A, the very lowest, up to H which is the maximum and covers property the size and variety of castles, stately heritage homes etc.
Having decided that yes, you can afford all those monthly payments, the next issue should be to find a local company who offer boiler service and maintenance contracts. It is very reassuring for an older person to have this item because trying to find out why the boiler is not functioning at any time will usually be happening on a freezing day in the depths of winter. For a few pounds a month, depending on the age of the system being maintained the guys will come out on an annual basis to check the central heating and hot water system is working, that the boiler is running as sweetly as it can be, and that there are no issues with the radiators or that neat little gas fire in the sitting room that no one ever lights but is there all the same! These days it is the law to have a carbon monoxide monitor alarm up on the wall in any room containing a wood burning stove, an open fire, gas fire, or paraffin heater etc. They are very small, and attach to the wall quietly testing the air in a room to ensure it is not affected by fumes or lack of oxygen.
The chap who does the boiler service on this house used to work for the main domestic heating company available when we moved into the house. Once we’d established that we wanted a regular monthly figure to go out and cover us for absolutely anything going wrong with the boiler or any part of the heating system or gas fire – it was a case of looking over the paperwork and checking it covered our needs. Gradually over the years the payment went up and up with inflation and the sheer cost of living. This year i discovered that the parent company had sold up and I was with another contracting company who had not told me of the change of ownership. I did however hear from the technician who came faithfully every year to carry out the inspection and test. He advised that he had decided to branch out on his own as the company take over had been so badly handled and he had been left out in the cold, only hearing about the changes when he was presented with a take it or leave it offer. I decided to cancel my bank direct debit and work on a pay as I go way and so far in two years, it has saved me a fantastic £400.00. I have only needed to pay my chappie for the service once a year and any parts he uses that are not under any warranty. It is s lovely feeling knowing that I am one of his first customers as a privateer and he puts my property on his ‘must attend at any cost’ list to account for my mobility issues. The costs this year have been a very pleasing £65.00 instead of the 12 x £23 contract fee.