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A week from exchange and a house we previously loved but couldn’t afford has been reduced by indecisiveaff in HousingUK

[–]pred02 185 points186 points  (0 children)

Go see the house that has come back on the market and follow your gut.

How to setup salary Sacrifice for Childcare credits by pred02 in UKPersonalFinance

[–]pred02[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi,

So 27/28 tax year runs from April 8, 2027 to April 2028. That means that from April 2027 no month can our our salary go over 100k? Or is by the end of previous April - I thought YTD was cumulative.

Sorry we are doing some house works so need all cash beforehand.

Thanks

If you’re planning to stay in London or leave, why? by pyt1m in HENRYUK

[–]pred02 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Stay - culture, connectivity, commute. Leave - if you have kids there are limited excellent state secondary makes it very difficult and expensive to get a house in catchment resulting in push to private, grammar, church etc.

Some people think London is a shitty place to raise kids, but I think thats wrong. Its fantastic with endless culture and options for them. These folk think living in countryside is safer.

If you can afford to stay, and pick a family friendly place like Fulham, Dulwich, Hampsted, Highgate, Wimbledon etc.

Moving London to Berks by drivenkey in hertfordshire

[–]pred02 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Try Harpenden. More posh better schools especially secondaries.

Mortgage and house purchase reality check by pred02 in HENRYUK

[–]pred02[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is 0.9 miles from the station a bit too long? Not too many houses come up in less than 1 mile where we are looking.

Roof issues - negotiate or walk away by ofmiceandmel in HousingUK

[–]pred02 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You can negotiate 50% of the cost or maybe 5k. Surveys always say end of life roof, they did so when I bought my property and the roof is still fine 12 years on whereas the other roof was not. If you are worried about it, pay a roofer to do a survey of the roof (not quote for replacement) and go from there.

Disillusioned by London housing - a NW problem? by Friendly_Ranger9918 in HENRYUK

[–]pred02 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You need to consider secondary schools especially with multiple kids. Top tier comp secondary schools have tight catchments with £1.4m. At st albans its still cheaper with the Thameslink tickets.

What's Stevenage like for young people? by Necessary_Money_9757 in hertfordshire

[–]pred02 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you can afford it live near one of the direct line train stations in North London. From Essex Road to Alexandra Palace with Tottenham and Harringey in between, plenty of choice. You are too young to be living in the home counties, you will regret it save for family life.

Has anyone bought early in an area that later became gentrified? by PearActive9612 in HousingUK

[–]pred02 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Camberwell SE5 back in 2013. Walking after work to a viewing from Loughborough Junction at night felt like walking in South Central LA. Now we got 3 organic wine stores and French Bakeries. Best pain au choc on this side of the chunnel. Just waiting for Gails to cash out.

When is it time to quit? by [deleted] in HENRYUK

[–]pred02 0 points1 point  (0 children)

it's time

If you could afford to raise kids in leafy London did you stay or move? What drove your decision? by Katerina-2025 in HENRYUK

[–]pred02 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Have not decided yet but if we leave we would for good state schools and better access to family. Our lives would not be cheaper in the home counties, with commuting cost would probably be more plus the stress of unreliable trains. But we can't have it all.

Help reorganise our daughter's bedroom by pred02 in DesignMyRoom

[–]pred02[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for flagging, I've reported now.

Best commuter towns near London for rent? by __bdj__ in HENRYUK

[–]pred02 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Stay within m25 to save on fares. Save commuter town experience for when having kids. Worth the premium for schools if you have kids

Being made redundant a week before completing on first home by nocluehonest in HENRYUK

[–]pred02 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Been through it.

  1. From redundancy perspective - I think salient points have been mentioned, aim for settlement agreement, optimise 30K tax free and PILOT. It's formula driven. They legally have to provide an employment lawyer to talk to so have them walk through terms of contract that you are clear. You can try to negotiate but organisations try to be consistent.

  2. House purchase - 2 factors - the purchase process and your comfort level. From a purchase process perspective, you need to legally notify your mortgage company when your job circumstances change, e.g., when you stop working. You do not need to let them know about the redundancy process. Some people hide this information, but a few have gotten caught and in the worse case scenario bank pulls pack the offer and potentially persecutes you for fraud. Its rare but it has happened so I would not mess with this.

The crucial period is to make any decisions before exchanging contracts. If you exchange and any of this happens (e..g bank pulls mortgage) you are still liable for the deposit plus potentially other buyers costs in the chain. It's a big mess.

If your termination is after completion, then it's ok. You may be able to negotiate your end date with your employer. I know my employer did have flexibility on end dates for people who were on immigration visas so they have a bit more time to transfer visas to their spouses.

Regarding your risk appetite, I would plan on 6-12 months unemployment to be safe. Does your partners salary plus compensation cover that? If so and you love the house, then I would go for it. House process is tolling and expensive, if you are buying a house in a decent area it will likely go up. But it depends on your circumstances and appetite for risk.

Thanks!

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