What's made you grumpy today?

portland_bill · Apr 20, 2019

lkc said:
This made me smile and I have to ask, were you grumpy because it was a wasp? or because of the annoying time it was still up and invading your kitchen? or because you had to kill it in the end as it wouldn't see sense and exit as directed?

I have an irrational hate of wasps even though I've never been stung by one but I won't kill them and go out of my way to guide them out of the house if possible much to other peoples amusement. I feel guilty if I kill them on purpose

Grumpy mostly because of timing.
As it was dark outside, wasp is less likely to go from light to dark. Turning the kitchen lights off and standing outside with a torch had no effect. (Works OK for moths)
My partner is currently sleeping in the lounge, just the other side of the kitchen door, so cannot leave it in the house until morning.
Tried to coax it by gently easing it with the end of the fly swatter, but it was stubborn and happy on the light.
I don't like to kill them, they do a useful job eating other flitting things, and as they die they release pheromones that attract every other wasp around to come and help. Less likely at 10pm, so I got away with it.

I've always been wary of wasps as they are happy to sting at early provocation. They can often be kept away if outside for some time, with a saucer of jam at the other end of the garden.

varesecrazy · Apr 20, 2019

Never mind cloth sacks hung from trees.

Sounds like you need to search Amazon for

'LUMINOUS JAM'..

puntofan01 · Apr 21, 2019

Finding out that 6 of the 8 flats in my block are rented out!

PuntoHowTo · Apr 21, 2019

puntofan01 said:
Finding out that 6 of the 8 flats in my block are rented out!

That’s pretty normal now.

dave · Apr 23, 2019

sold a load of stuff on ebay but halfords have not put the empty boxes out the back today for me to re use.
where are them environmental protesters when you need them

DaveMcT · Apr 24, 2019

puntofan01 said:
Finding out that 6 of the 8 flats in my block are rented out!

Flats built on a small infill estate near my Mum's house were only there to make up the land density planning demands. They were all very nice in a great location but took years to sell. I expect most went to BTL landlords.

DaveMcT · Apr 24, 2019

dave said:
sold a load of stuff on ebay but halfords have not put the empty boxes out the back today for me to re use.
where are them environmental protesters when you need them

You could always ask the shop staff.

The Panda Nut · Apr 24, 2019

WHAT makes YOU think I need anything to be grumpy about to be grumpy. I'm a miserable old fart. I don't need things to make me grumpy!

dave · Apr 25, 2019

DaveMcT said:
You could always ask the shop staff.

they was shut

dave · Apr 25, 2019

i notice the price of fuel has crept up to an unacceptable level again £130 a litre in asda, wouldn't like to see what the motorway price is

Eklipze3k · Apr 25, 2019

I hope you're missing a decimal point there Dave!

DaveMcT · Apr 25, 2019

dave said:
i notice the price of fuel has crept up to an unacceptable level again £130 a litre in asda, wouldn't like to see what the motorway price is

Perfect fix is don't buy Asda fuel. Its rubbish anyway.

puntofan01 · Apr 25, 2019

AndyRKett said:
That’s pretty normal now.

DaveMcT said:
Flats built on a small infill estate near my Mum's house were only there to make up the land density planning demands. They were all very nice in a great location but took years to sell. I expect most went to BTL landlords.

For some reason, the flats on my estate are a reasonable price, and it's because of that that I was able to get on the property ladder in my area without having to get a cramped bedsit in a nearby village. Every 1 of these flats that gets snapped up by scum, I mean a private landlord is a flat that isn't available for somebody in my position or who just wants a modest and affordable home to buy. I'm not blinkered: I'm aware that not all people around my age are able to get a mortgage, and thus have to rent, but if people do buy homes solely to rent out, it should be illegal for the rents to be so much higher than a typical mortgage. It cheeses me off royally!!

Eklipze3k · Apr 25, 2019

The thing you've got to consider with rental prices is that it has to cover the mortgage, insurance, potential repair costs not to mention a little bit of profit. It may not seem reasonable from the outside but I get it (as a person who has been renting for far too long and am only now, at 38, looking to buy my first home!). I agree that there are bad landlords out there, but most are reasonable from experience. My problem, as a renter, comes from letting agents charging extortionate fees to arrange/renew contracts.

puntofan01 · Apr 25, 2019

Personally, I believe that if the disease of private landlords must exist, then they shouldn't be allowed to buy any homes below say £300k and that only the council should be able to provide more modest rental properties, in order to prevent people like yourself from being shafted, and to keep any properties that hit the market at reasonable prices are being sold to people who actually need them, rather than those who merely see them as an easy income.

Schumi2001 · Apr 25, 2019

If you think being a private landlord is an easy route to riches, you’re mistaken.

I rent out a 3 bed house near the M4 in Newport.

The only reason it actually makes money is because I don’t have a mortgage on it and I split the rental income 50/50 with my wife, or the government would instantly have 40% off me.

I’m providing a service for people on contracts who don’t want the expense of buying a property in which they may only spend 1-2 years before their contracting takes them elsewhere.

Next time around, I will be looking to place it as a corporate rental.