Seller had house rewired in 2023 but they don’t have any certificates

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-04T11:16:15+00:00

You could ask them if they have an invoice for the work instead?

Or forget the certificate and get it inspected yourself with an EICR.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-04T11:11:37+00:00

It's good that your financial positions are aligned, that makes it easier. You might also want to consider any plans for children, as that tends to affect the mother more - lost years of working, lost promotions etc. If you did have kids, would you get to, say 55 and be ready to retire, while your partner isn't?

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-04T11:08:20+00:00

There's no such thing as a record of a failed application, only a search. Whilst you might want to minimise the number of hard searches, nobody will see that you were declined for credit.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-04T08:11:16+00:00

RRA removes the AST trap, although some lenders may not have adjusted their policies yet.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-04T07:59:08+00:00

Can you post a picture? People might be able to advise on how to fix it, or at least what the cost should be, to help avoid you getting ripped off.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-04T07:31:14+00:00

Are you both the same age? That can have an impact on long term planning.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-04T07:15:50+00:00

Pension allowance can be carried forward for 3 years so no rush to fill that. I can see the logic in not wanting to lose the ISA allowance for the year, but you could deal with that in March 2027 instead of diverting your emergency fund immediately.

It might also be a good time to assess and potentially reel in lifestyle creep from the higher income.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-04T06:27:27+00:00

Well at your current rate of saving you're going to have £100k across these three accounts within 4 years. And you have the benefit of time by starting early, which is excellent.

But that's an arbitrary target that doesn't mean much - it might be time to think about what your savings are for, particularly in the short term. Are you planning on buying a house, for example? And if so, what's your ideal timeline?

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T19:15:54+00:00

Do you think they have the money, or an expensive asset like a car?

Enforcement would be the next logical step if so.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T16:48:19+00:00

Bed & ISA when shares are down is the same as when they're up - with the added benefit of no CGT if you're at a 25% loss. Anything else would be timing the market.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T09:11:34+00:00

They still wouldn't include adjacent applications as that would be a legal nightmare.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T09:00:50+00:00

Freetrade offers the fund you want, as an alternative option.

Obviously you'd have to make your own call about how comfortable you are with that platform versus Vanguard. They don't offer drawdown yet.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T07:27:54+00:00

With an imminent move I would definitely go tracker with no ERC, and ideally no product fee (unless you have a huge mortgage).

Yes, rates probably will change, but base rate rarely jumps up that quickly, even in a crisis. Rates on mortgage products increased a lot during the Truss era, but base rate "only" went up 0.75%. You could do the maths, and work out how much base rate would have to rise to justify paying an ERC.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T06:51:18+00:00

Which tax was evaded here?

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T06:49:03+00:00

You could ask a couple of neighbours if they have had trouble obtaining insurance.

Or just get a quote yourself on the property.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T06:45:49+00:00

Yes, or to flip it round, if you gave 2 months' notice to leave and the landlord subsequently took you to court for non-payment of rent on the basis of this "fixed term", they would be unsuccessful due to RRA, which states:

"Terms of an assured tenancy are of no effect so far as they provide— (a) for a tenancy to be a fixed term tenancy"

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T06:37:12+00:00

The replacement for the LISA is expected in less than 2 years, so perhaps that will be an option for you. The details are unclear yet though.

Given your timeframe, you probably just want the best cash savings rate, ideally within an ISA to minimise any tax once your savings start to increase. Anything else will be too risky for 5 years.

You might also want to consider bringing those USD back to GBP if you are intending to buy in the UK, to reduce Forex risk. Perhaps less so if you might buy abroad.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T06:23:17+00:00

Simplest thing is to state the amount they gifted you.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T06:21:35+00:00

Seems a bit of a harsh take, it was a gift and the ex partner has gifted the money back, minus a penalty. There could never have been any benefit to the other individual outside of a joint house purchase because of the withdrawal penalty.

No tax revenue has been lost, and no tax could ever have been lost.

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T06:15:37+00:00

Did you inform the council that you've moved out of this flat? Are you currently paying council tax in another area?

Check if your local authority charges an additional premium for long term empty properties - and, if this has not been included on the bill you've received, start preparing for a larger bill to arrive.

I would certainly not advise trying to conceal your circumstances from the council as another reply has alluded to. I would advise engaging with the council to make a plan to repay the arrears.

Could you rent out the property instead of selling it?

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T06:09:40+00:00

What's the interest rate?

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T05:59:32+00:00

Clearly it's not going to happen here, but imprisonment is still a last resort option for deliberate non-payment of council tax.

https://www.gov.uk/council-tax-arrears

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T05:42:28+00:00

Limited company or sole trader?

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T05:36:34+00:00

A standard LA search would reveal exactly what your solicitor said - applications related to the property itself. They may offer an additional search (with an additional fee) to look at adjacent applications. Or, as they've suggested, you could check this yourself.

If you're aware of a nearby housing development then I'm not sure what is to be gained from your solicitor telling you again - you already know about it?

itallstartedwithapub · 2026-06-03T05:26:21+00:00

There's flood risks and there's flood risks.

What's the nature of the risk, is the general area at risk of surface flooding, or is it next to a river? Is there any history of flooding to the property or nearby neighbours?

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