theRatandMouse

Computer says... sorry

Here's a strange one. Colin and Collette - immediately that sounds as if I'm making this up, but I'm not (they are) - design their own Lancashire palace on a computer, print it out and use it to get planning permission. Now that the property's built, however, it's bigger than they'd specified, and they might face having to tear it down. So how did it happen. Apparently, the computer automatically scaled the blueprint down when it printed it out. Hmmm. The council isn't convinced, and points to 15 other discrepancies.

Technorati Tags: property, real estate

Friday lunchtime linkage - is it safe to come out now?

Is it time Camden cleaned up its act? [Londonist]
The new renters [Telegraph]
Is the crash now over? [Independent]
Cluttons: London prices up, but don't expect it to continue [FindAProperty]

The Rat and Mouse - it's about your house

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

Interior Ministry... the Gia revolving armchair

Made by Leolux, designed by Jane Worthington, available here, starting at £1,900.

[via Trendir]

Technorati Tags: design, interiors

Shhhh!

Seven of London's boroughs are in the country's top ten for noise complaints. Which means you're either noisier than the rest of the country, or quicker to complain. Westminster topped the list, confiscating five sounds systems and issuing an ASBO, followed by Haringey and Tower Hamlets. In my experience, neighbours are split into either perps or complainers... and rarely cross the line. Which one are you?

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

Thursday lunchtime linkage - hatchet-face threatens geriatrics over property development

Kelly Brook and Danny Cipriani property shop in Wimbledon [Daily Mail]
Hatchet-faced Dragons' Den star threatens pensioners [Telegraph]
Historic London property, a photo tour [Country Life Picture Library, via House Historian]
Three homes for tennis players [Telegraph]
Christian Candy to marry [Telegraph]

The Rat and Mouse - London's property blog

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate

Recession digression 21 - let's just enjoy this one more time

Recession digression 20 - London economy battered by death of King of Pop [June 29, 2009]

Technorati Tags: recession

Landlord? Is your tenant in arrears?

This may turn out to be useful... a teleseminar courtesy of Mary Waring Associates. Mary will ask solicitor James Picknell about your legal options, and you'll have the option of submitting your own questions before the event. It's technically free... although call charges of 5p per minute will apply to the 60 minute call. It's on Tuesday July 14, at 1pm. More here.

Technorati Tags: property, real estate

Cheshire homebuyer pleads for protection against the gazumpers

We've been gazumped twice in the past month on homes we're looking at; each time, by a considerable sum. Is there anything we can do?

Technorati Tags: property, real estate

Zoopla to buy Propertyfinder?

That's the rumour. And it makes sense. Zoopla began as an information resource, but moved into the portal racket relatively recently. They recently raised cash, and how better to spend it than on an established portal that would bring them credibility and traffic?

Technorati Tags: property, real estate

Inside the Madoff mansion

Some details here.

[via Curbed]

Technorati Tags: New York, property, real estate

Number of families helped by Mortgage Rescue Scheme triples! Oh... to 6

That's right, since January the Government's £200m initiative has helped a total of six families, up from two in just an entire month. Your domestic economy is safe in their hands. More here.

Tories jump on Mortgage Rescue Scheme failure: load guns, aim into barrel of fish... [June 1, 2009]
New Government housing policy cock-up, news breaking [May 18, 2009]
Mortgage Rescue Scheme - insult to injury, or the other way around? [May 11, 2009]

Technorati Tags: property, real estate

Jacko's final fixer... Phil Spencer

That's a headline I never thought I'd type. But, according to the Sun, in a piece that quotes Spencer closely, he'd been employed by Michael Jackson to find a home for the singer and family while he played his forthcoming UK dates. He was close to getting the star to sign... after persuading some wealthy individuals to clear off and vacate their own pukka pads, but - alas - it wasn't to be. Spencer missed out on his fee. Ticket holders miss out on what would have been some historic gigs. We all miss Michael.

Technorati Tags: celebrity, London, property, property TV, real estate

Market report - Nationwide, annual drop slips into single figures

It's the Nationwide index's second monthly rise, bringing the average house price up 0.9% and leaving it just 9.3% down on June 2008. At last, the keepers of the index risk a little bullishness.

House prices have risen in three of the last four months, suggesting that the improvement that began to show up in March represents more than just statistical noise.

However, wait - they say - and see what happens when more vendors appear, chucking their properties onto the market to time with what they see as an upturn. The current stabalisation of prices comes at a time of extremely constricted supply. Read the actual release here.

Technorati Tags: property, real estate

Taxpayers reclaim MPs' home

Labour MPs Ann and Alan Keen have a main home and an expenses-aided second home less than ten miles apart. They don't seem to have been spending much time in their Brentford main home, however. If they had, they might have noticed the squatters have moved in.

A bed sheet is hanging out of the window of their main home. In big, black writing the banner says: "Reclaiming Your Taxes." Serg, Joe, Andy and Bob are local. They moved in after an angry resident told them the house was empty.

And these must be the most popular squatters in London.

Joe's back now - he has just popped into a neighbour's house to use the internet and download details of Ann Keen's expenses. He is not impressed. Another neighbour knocks on the door with some milk. "Good on you," he shouts.

Exactly. Good on them.

Technorati Tags: London, property, real estate