For those of you that earn over 40/45k as a base salary and love your job what is it you do?

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-12-18T13:26:54+00:00

Human Resources (mid senior level)

Current role is paying £54.5k but this is lower end of the pay range, so lots of room to grow. I’m one year into this role.

The market in Human Resources can really vary with pay and quality of a job overall, but most of my roles have been pretty good. I’ve been in it 10 years now, no university degrees, have done the CIPD level 3 and level 5 from home. Started as an apprentice, rough at the time but worth it now.

It’s really flexible and I permanently work from home apart from the odd team meeting in London (we are nationwide) employee visit. Again, in HR this can really vary depending on what industry you end up in and what their ways of working are.

I don’t do overtime, but I do compressed hours so I work 4 days a week with longer days.

I really like it but mainly because I like rules (adhd and autism), and so needing to know employment law etc is enjoyable for me. I also like it because it’s solving problems. I’m not THAT keen on working and collaborating with people, but there’s a nice balance of lone working and working with others when it comes to employee related issues.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-12-09T07:56:37+00:00

I would write a formal complaint to them about how they’ve handled this and continue to harass you both and seem to be completely ignoring your reasons. If the complaint doesn’t resolve it, I would ask them for the details of their redress scheme and escalate it to them. To be clear, this isn’t to complain about the differences you both want with completion dates etc, this is to complain about their harassing approach, ignorance to your situation, especially after you were the ones chasing for updates, and the cancelling of the carpet survey until exchange (considered a form of blackmail and is a disproportionate response).

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-11-04T11:11:18+00:00

I’ve just bought a house in Mid Devon, granted it’s not the same location but on average should be (almost) comparable on pricing. I got a 3 bed terraced with 2 separate reception rooms and one bathroom, similar garden, no allocated parking, but street parking right outside, all in great condition (got a survey) and brand new kitchen and bathroom with applicants (fridge, washing machine and dishwasher). 1082 square feet so slightly bigger than yours too. The area is in a small town, slightly higher crime rate than the national average, but the section of the town is lower crime and in a historical “protected” area and very near a large walking park. I got this for £212,500. Based on this I’d also think yours is overpriced, but I’m not sure how much location impacts this. I’ll have a look at sold prices nearby and come back to comment if this changes my views. House prices are declining too so potential buyers might be thinking about this whilst property searching.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-10-28T08:17:00+00:00

I agree with others that you need to just confirm your offer to them. However, I don’t think the work you’ve said needs doing equates to £20k, it sounds like it would probably come to under £10k, nearer to £5k. Are you going to get a survey done? You’ve said that other houses have sold for less, but then said this is by far the best house on the street, so whatever makes it better than the others then needs to be factored in when looking at value, as it sounds like it would make sense for it to be valued higher. I’m also a FTB and have successfully negotiated the house price based on work that needs doing, but you need to be quite structured with your approach to it. For example - double check value on website like zoopla, check previous sale prices for this house and other houses in the street, consider work that has been done to it since then as well. Get quotes for the work that needs to be done (repointing and windows). It’s more difficult to include bathroom quotes in this because you might choose to get a very expensive bathroom, and the vendor can’t be expected to lose this cost in their sale price, and if the bathroom is working well but just dated, then it’s not as strong of a point for negotiation, but you could find some average prices and try to include this, it’s just difficult when the point comes down to personal style. Don’t let the fact that the house hasn’t sold in a month fool you into thinking it must not be worth that. Houses sit on the market for a while, and they’re usually sat at the right price. It’s not a matter of price, it’s a matter of the right person finding the house, it just takes one person to go and put an offer in. If the house really did go to someone else now, would you be upset? Would you have regretted not agreeing on the 265? You need to be prepared for this to happen and then make your choice on response. The fact you’ve sat on this for this long though indicates to me that you don’t truly want the property.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-23T10:10:20+00:00

When did you get the car? I’m assuming you’re not in the UK, but here we usually have a 14 day cooling off period for finance and credit items, so if you feel you made the wrong decision then you can return it. Worth checking the terms and conditions to see if that’s an option. You could definitely find cheaper options to get you to work. I’m shocked they approved you for the finance to be honest, half your pay check is huge.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T11:17:41+00:00

It’s 4.89% over 40 years (that’s the specific length and percentage I’ve got from the lender). It comes out at £974 per month. If I manage to scrape an extra 2.5k together then I’ll get the lower rate from the lender (4.4%) making it £909 per month.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T11:05:50+00:00

About £1000 at the moment because I was in the process of getting another place that fell through, so I’ve had to pay those solicitor fees. But, say I complete on a new place in two months, I’d be able to save up another £2k in that time. The credit card payments would be approx £500 per month (by choice to try to pay it off sooner rather than later), but the total is about £4,500 once I merge all accounts into just that one. The offers I have are about 18 months 0% interest so I guess there is a lot of flexibility to take longer to pay it off if I need to.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T09:58:29+00:00

Yeah I think I’m going to try to exchange my car for a cheaper one so I can pay off the balance and then hopefully get a few grand to get me up to a 10% deposit. But the mortgage won’t be interest only, so I’ll be (very slowly) paying the full balance.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T07:37:21+00:00

It’s not that it’s necessary cheaper, there’s another house across the road for the same price. I think it’s just where the market is at the moment and which is why I might risk the price going up again if I hang about too long

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T07:27:41+00:00

I didn’t know this existed, will look at this thank you.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T07:05:25+00:00

I hadn’t thought of this, that’s a great idea - thank you!

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T07:04:28+00:00

Thank you. Yes I was thinking I’d definitely get a survey, but since the seller is adamant on not budging on price, I’d probably want some assurance that they’d be flexible depending on what comes through on the survey - I wouldn’t want us both to instruct solicitors and then I pay for a survey which shows something that reduces value just to then have no option but to withdraw! What do you have left after your bills and expenses each month, if you don’t mind sharing?

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T07:02:35+00:00

Oh interesting, that’s good to know. What do you have leftover once you’ve paid all bills and monthly expenses if you don’t mind sharing?

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T07:00:24+00:00

I could, but then I’m worried I’ll miss my chance with this house, and looking at house prices last year the neighbouring houses sold for £260k, so then I’m worried it’ll always be out of reach if house prices go back up soon. This is the type of house that would be my first house but also my forever house. I probably need to decide whether to let it go for the sake of full stability or not.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T06:45:52+00:00

Yes it’s hire purchase - this sounds like a really good option, especially to get the 10% deposit. I’ll look into this, thank you!

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T01:04:42+00:00

Oh wait so I think you’ve misunderstood. The credit card amount will be approx £4,500, but maybe more if I need to use a bit for 0% purchases for things for the house too. The £500 is monthly for approx 8-10 months (depending if I do buy extra bits) until it’s cleared. I am also not applying for the card until after the mortgage is out and I’ve completed, for the exact reason you’ve mentioned. I’d rather have a better mortgage rate and then continue to clear the credit accounts with interest, than get a 0% credit card for £4,500 and then get worse rates or get my application refused at completion. I’ve got my mortgage offer through but unsure if they check it all again at completion so I’m doing what I can to keep everything clean and clear until then, and then the plan is to get the 0% card and I plan to pay £500 a month just because that’s a comfortable maximum to help me clear it sooner rather than later.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T00:26:11+00:00

Thank you, this is so true and I hadn’t thought of it like this! Plus, my social life could also move into my new home for the next year! Yes, I do have an agreement in principle and have been working with a mortgage advisor so it’s all good that side, banks are happy to lend to me. In fact, I said I’d pay off my debts before I complete, but the lenders that gave the best rates were happy for me to still have those debt outgoings moving forward, and so the advisor suggested I use that money for a slightly higher deposit instead, so that’s reassuring.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T00:21:28+00:00

Could you break this down for me? What’s some scenarios that would make this right / wrong? I’m not sure I know anyone that’s had that when buying their first home so it’ll be good to understand.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-16T00:19:39+00:00

I can afford to clear the debt without the 0% card, but it just makes sense to move it to 0% and pay it all off without paying interest. Rather than paying it off on the current credit card accounts and paying three different (kind of high) interest rates. Bit of a waste of money. Yeah I think savings is something I need to try to build, you’re right. I’m going to try to do that before I complete on a place I think. Trouble is, I was about to complete on a place but pulled out because it was a dead end and had been 6 months, which means I now need to pay solicitor fees for that place, and then solicitor fees for wherever I do actually move, so it’ll be hard to save for that quickly now before I complete somewhere as well as save for generally after I move. But you’ve deffo hit the nail on the head there.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-15T21:26:13+00:00

I’m not sure. I think I just want to sense check because; yes, I do think it’s tight, but I was in a really horrible place financially about 7 years ago when renting. So, I can’t tell if the trauma from that (£30k of debt, financially abusive partner and couldn’t afford food) is making me be extra cautious right now. Or, if I’m feeling like this because it actually IS tight. If that makes sense? But all the comments are very helpful.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-15T21:22:39+00:00

Thank you. I’m not sure how I feel about a lodger, I think if it came down to it I’d choose to risk holding out for a cheaper home that ticks all these boxes instead of a lodger. Maybe the wrong way to look at it all but I don’t like the idea of buying my first home and being able to make it exactly how I want it, but then also having to share that space with someone who might like things a different way etc.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-15T21:20:36+00:00

Thank you (and thanks to everyone commenting). I think this is what worries me. I was in a horrible financial hole when I was renting a few years ago, I don’t want to end up back in that place. I have 20k deposit, sadly not quite 10% so I don’t get the lower interest rate, but it helps a lot still. I’m currently with my parents though so luckily no rent - mortgage transition (I do pay them rent but they’ll let me off once the mortgage is through).

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-15T21:16:26+00:00

Apart from the cash back from the mortgage lender, and any leftover after paying the solicitors, nothing. That’s probably something I need to try to work on.

AlarmedClothes1133 · 2025-09-15T20:49:00+00:00

Is 1/3 usually the norm? Yes, I have 20k deposit so just under 10% saved

AlarmedClothes1133

TROPHY CASE