My pains of moving house in London

Moving houses is always a pain whether you are based in India or abroad. While in Bangalore, I had avoided that pain by extending my contract till I finally left Bangalore. But here in London, I was not so lucky.

I was staying in a one bedroom apartment in London, however since the house was located at the top of a typical English house, my room roofs were all slanted. Again this house was good enough when I was staying alone, but now that my husband was finally going to join me in London, I had to start looking for another house. And so started my search ...

I was supposed to work out of London for a period of 6 weeks, right bang at the time when I was supposed to be searching for a new house and shifting. At that time, my husband was also not based in London, so we had a span of 4 days (2 weekends) when we had to see the houses and finalise one. Yes, there are a couple of good websites that you can use when you are searching for houses but there is no guarantee that the houses listed on the website are available. Sometimes they are just not updated. Also, it is very difficult to get a house which is within your budget, your timelines, and within the locality that you want. As a final move, I had to go to property agencies to give them my criteria and view their property listings.

And thus started my calls to register myself in their agencies and give them my criteria for the house. At first there was nothing that would suit me, not because I am choosy, trust me, I am not. The houses that I saw were just not good for the rent that I would pay. Ok, so most of the houses that I saw was via StreetsAhead and some might say that is the reason why I could not get anything properly. But again, atleast they were polite enough and interested to show me the properties, unlike some of the agencies that I called and who just said you are registered and will call back after some days or forgot completely. The agency with whom I had my existing house were just not interested in showing me alternate properties – I guess this is how it works here. If you are leaving us, it does not matter if we have any other houses, we just won’t show it to you!!

Finally after much search (ok not that much, we were under time pressure though) we found a house that we liked and which was within our budget as well. We had a couple of misgivings that we had identified and that we wanted to put in the contract as ‘to be fixed’. The Townends (from whom we took the house) made a show that yes they talked to the owner and the owner is ok with the changes/conditions that we had for the agreement. With this reassurance, we paid the holding fees and were told that we would get a mail from them for the receipt as well as some time later get a call for them for the next steps. Now this agency charges the maximum administration fees – 350£ - for what !! – well for preparing a 20 page agreement document. Ha ha !!!

As the days passed by and my previous tenancy term was coming to an end, I started getting flustered. The agency had still not contacted me with any further steps. I called them up to check where they were and they gave me an answer that ‘they deal with check-ins and check-outs in the next 48 hour basis’. Obviously I had contacted them 2 weeks advance and they were least bothered with me. But a tleast as a courtesy they could have kept me abreast of what was happening. As a result, I got different phone calls from different agents in Townends – one mentioning that the date that I had specified for move in is not feasible since the previous tenant would not have moved out by then, and the other saying that it is not the case. Now, considering that this agency is so huge and has so many branches, I believe there should be some kind of processes that they follow – may be not CMMI level processes but some processes nevertheless. It is ridiculous that they were not on the same page of when the check out was going to happen. Furthermore, the only reason why we had said ok to the house was because we had given the holding deposit for a specific check in date. And so it continued till 3 working days before the check-in. I received the agreement papers at 5 pm along with notes mentioning I had to pay the remaining charges (rent, deposit, etc) 3 working days before the check-in date. Now, who was joking !!! Guess they forget that the banks don’t operate on our whims and fancies and if something is needed on time, it has to start properly from all ends. We paid the money on the same date, ok made the bank payment, god knows when it reached the agency. Now for the conditions that we had mentioned when we paid the holding deposit – these were not mentioned in the agreement because the owner was not ok with them. Did we have a choice to go ahead with some other house, no of-course we did not, because nobody would give us a ready to move in house in 3 days. We had to accept the agreement as it was.

We thought thank god the circus is over and finally we will get the keys. And lo and behold, Saturday comes and we get a call from the agent saying that they had not received the payment and hence they cannot give the keys – Reason – the headoffice which keeps the payment records is closed on Saturday and they cannot confirm if the payment was made.. Now whose fault is that ? The tenants’ – who dispite all odds made the payment on time as soon as the agreement was signed, or the agency – to whom we paid 350£ just to ensure that we get a good service and who kept on giving excuses till the last moment and could not confirm anything to us. Again after lot of frantic attempts, we understood that the previous tenant is going to leave before us, and we are going to get the keys on time and they were ok with the payment receipt that we had from the bank. Thus ended my grievances with the agency when we finally got the keys to the house and started shifting.

                Now if you ask me – did I get my money’s worth? Is the 20 page agreement enough for me when the basics that I ask are not provided? There were two main things that I had asked for when I paid the holding amount – time of the check in and conditions to be added in the agreement – Both of which were not full-filled. This is the kind of service that I received for my money.

Is it better if you search for the house on your own – without agents? There is a risk here as well – if the owner is good, you would be happy, if not then you would be in deep trouble.

If you go ahead with agents – well that I can tell with my experience with Bairstow eves as well as Townends – they are just sales people, who once you have committed, do not bother with you , just telling you to keep on moving from one call to another trying to find the right person who can answer your queries.

Outing @ London Eye - tips

London eye - on a bright sunny day providing a spectacular view of the whole of London. We talk about London and this is the iconic landmark that comes to our mind - located on the banks of Thames, overlooking the Big Ben and Houses of Parliament.
I have been twice on London eye and still everytime I look at it I marvel at the amazing design and its  architectural ingenuity. London eye, initially known as Millennium eye, was inaugurated in 2000 and is the most visited tourist attractions in UK.Go on the weekends, and you have a long queue to ride the wheel. London eye takes half an hour to complete one full rotation. So before you plan the trip to this attraction, ensure that you have accommodated sufficient time for the queue and actual ride.
London eye timings differ during the summer(till 9.30 pm) and winter seasons(till 8.30 pm), however the views are spectacular whichever season you pick. During the winter season, try going on London eye, closer to the christmas and you would be spell bound by the lights shining on the banks of the Thames.
London eye also offers something called as a Cupid's capsule - which is a perfect romantic place if you want to pop the question or just want to enjoy a romantic drink atop London.

London eye ticket offers a 4D experience of the views, this is located near to the ticket counter -If you have time, you should view this short film.
There are different kinds of tickets available -

1. Standard ticket - If you are already at London eye and based on the queue you can decide to take this ticket. This is for immediate boarding (obviously you would still have to wait in the queue)
2. Flexi standard ticket - If you planned a complete day out in London and are not sure when you would visit London eye, then this is the ticket for you.
3. Flexi fast track - This would give you priority boarding. There is a seperate queue for this and is much faster.

There are also various offers available online.

1. London Eye's official site provides around 10% discount on the tickets if purchased online.
2. Combination tickets are also available that would allow you to combine two or three attractions in one ticket and pay a cheaper price for the same. Please remember that the combination tickets would need to be converted to London eye tickets before boarding the London Eye. 
3. Sometimes, a 2 for 1 offer is also available from Days out Guide

I believe for anyone visiting London, this would be an amazing experience.

A tale of two brains - Mark Gungor

Ever wonder why women think differently than the men? Why women can always remember that small mistake that men have done and keep pestering men when all they want to do is sit at a place quietly.
This is a video that all men will love - though this still does not answer the age old question every male has - what is in the female's mind? 
If nothing else, it is definitely a good laugh -

'Adjust Madi' attitude

Don't you just hate it when you take so much pains to do something on time trying to make your day go without a hitch, and then suddenly everything starts going out of your hand. Why - because there is someone out there who did not do things ahead of time and thought that it would be perfectly all right to spoil others well made plans by asking them to 'adjust'.

It happened to me when I was coming to UK via flight. Like a organized person, I did a web checkin on time and reserved a place for me so that I would not have to hassle for a seat at the last moment and get what I want.There was a lady who had a seat next to me, and she was traveling with a kid. She did not have the foresight of checking in advance, and wanted me to adjust somewhere else so that she could sit with her kid next to her. There is no way that you can say no in this situation. I had to give up my seat and sit in a aisle seat - which I hate, since I am never comfortable there so that she could sit with her kid.

Then again there was this incident with my sister. She and her husband had gone to watch a movie in the theater. She is newly married and this may have been one of her first few movies together. And there again,  though they had the right tickets, they had to sit in two separate rows - all alone to watch the movie. Why - because there was a kid who had fractured his hand and the adult wanted to sit with the kid next to him for the movie.

I have seen so many cases where people have asked others to adjust so that they can be comfortable, sometimes using the sympathy factor and sometimes just for the sake of asking it.
I do not know what to say in these situations - you cannot say no because you feel bad for them, but then is it right? Is it right for a handful of people to use the sympathy factor and use the 'thoda adjust madi' attitude.
And where else are we using this 'adjust madi' attitude? Haven't we always learnt that being organised is the right way to do things, were we wrong?

Legal age for drinking alcohol

Legal age for getting married is 18 for females and 21 for males. Legal age to vote is 18, legal age for getting a driving license is 18. And now comes a new rule - legal age to drink alocohol is 25. And once again like it always happens, with every new rule there is a controversy. Bar owners, pub owners and youngsters are outraged. But the question remains - Would they be really affected by this new rule?

I am not trying to say whether the rule is correct or wrong, my only point being if a rule is made, steps should also be in place to ensure it is followed. Otherwise this would also become one among the many rules that we have in our rule book and which is dusted only once in a while when someone gets caught doing the wrong thing. And as everyone knows, how many times does this actually happen!! And it definitely does not mean that rules are being followed.

I do not believe anyone serving or buying liquor in these stores ever asks for any kind of an identity proof for their age. So how is the government going to ensure that this rule would be followed? Even if we say for a minute that the pub owners would bow down and follow the rule, what about the local bars and the middlemen who sell alcohol to anyone and everyone that wants it. I think the problem here is much bigger and may not be solved by adding only one rule. It is a step yes - but there are many more steps to follow if what they actually want is to implement 'de-addiction policy'.

I live in London where though the age for drinking alcohol is 18, there are certain products - tobacco and alcohol that can be bought only if you are above 25. And this rule is very strictly followed. I once saw a group a male and 2 females, who were trying to buy tobacco. The girl asked for the tobacco and when asked for id proof was refused since she was below 25. Then the guy accompanying her asked for the same, and even he was refused even though he was above 25 - reason being the store owner was not ready to take the risk that the guy would buy it and give it to the girl. And this is how strict it gets here. If you want to buy such stuff, you have to make sure that the group you are in is above the legally required age. Again this does not mean that the problem is completely solved - but it just makes it difficult to break the law directly.

Unless India comes up with similar strict ways of ensuring the rules are followed, these rules would only end up being one among the thousands that people break. And even though the intentions of the people making the rules are good, unless they also devise ways to ensure the rules are followed, it would be a waste of  time and money.

A day trip to Seven Sisters Country Park

After long months of cold, sun was finally shining down upon London. Me and my hubby decided to take advantage of this beautiful weather to go out of London. After searching for a nice place to visit, we finalised on Seven Sisters Country Park. I hope that this abstract can help you if you wish to visit the place.

Seven Sisters Country Park is part of South Downs National park, situated at Exceat in East Sussex. It comprises of chalk cliffs, vast Greenland and meandering river valley.  Seven sisters were created when ancient rivers cut the valleys into chalk, creating seven peaks. The highest of the peak stands at 253 feet and is named Haven Brow, This peak is followed by Short Brow, Rough Brow, Brass Point, Flagstaff Point, Baily’s Brow and Went Hill Brow.

Seven sisters country park is the best place to be if you are looking for natural beauty unhindered by tourists. The chalky cliffs overlooking the ocean, the shining sun, the vast greenery, away from all the hustle bustle – it feels like heaven,  a reprieve from the daily routine.

Visitor centre is situated in a 18-century barn and you can get map and routes for walking, cycling from here. Cross the road from the visitor centre to enter the park. There are two walking trails at the Park – Park trail, marked with purple arrowed posts is 5 km long. Habitat trail, marked with green arrowed posts is 7 km long circular trail around the perimeter of the park.  Be-aware that this is not a sandy beach but has lots of small rocks and pebbles.

You can start your walk from the park entrance towards the beach. On the return trip, you can climb up the cliffs and walk down over the hills back to the park entrance. The seaside and the cliffs look amazing from the cliff tops. If you are interested, you can walk over the hills towards the South Downs enjoying the beauty.

How to get here: Catch the southern train from London Victoria / London Bridge to Brighton. Once you get out of Brighton, catch bus 12, 12x or 13 towards Eastbourne via Seaford. On weekdays, you can get the bus from stop D outside the station. However on weekends, the buses start from Churchill Square. In order to reach Churchill Square, walk from the station towards the ocean (straight road), when you reach the clock tower, take a right uphill road to reach the bus stop. The bus journey is roughly 60 minutes and reach just outside the Seven sisters country park.

Cycling: You can hire a bike and cycle on the valley floor. Or if you are interested, you can use the more adventurous trails and routes from the Cuckmere cycle hire shop.  

Time for visit: 3-4 hours

The Bombmaker - By Stephen Leather

This novel has it all – crime, suspense, thrill. It has been a long time since I have read such a thrilling novel waiting to know what happens in the end. So here is a brief which may inspire you to read the novel as well.

 

The story revolves around a woman named Andrea Hayes(Andy), who, until 10 years ago, was the best master bombmaker in IRA. It all went wrong one day when a bomb killed 4 school children and crippled another. Andrea turned away from her trade. Today, she lives a quite life with her husband Martin and a young daughter Katie, who have no idea about her past life. Together they have a perfect life, a life to be envious of, until one day Andy’s past comes knocking at her door.

Two people kidnap their daughter, Katie, in the middle of night from the sanctity of their home. Andy and Martin are devastated, when they get the kidnapper’s note mentioning that Andy should travel to London alone while Martin should stay at home and continue his daily routine. If they contact the police they would never see their daughter again. Andy travels to London while Martin makes preparations to gather all his finances together so that they can pay the required ransom to the kidnappers and get their beloved daughter back.  Andy travels to London and checks in at the hotel mentioned by the kidnappers. She decides to contact her husband to let him know that she reached and is now awaiting further directions or call for the ransom.

Life takes another turn for Andy, when she is contacted again by the kidnappers at the hotel but without any ransom for money. She is asked to travel to another location where the kidnappers pick her up and take her to a warehouse. They now tell her about their real motive for the kidnapping – they want Andy to build a four thousand pound fertiliser bomb. The deal is for her to build the bomb and in return she would get her daughter back.

Andy struggles to understand why the bomb is required now that peace is restored in Britian, is this threat political or is this revenge? A bomb of this intensity could wipe out hundreds of lives and the city would be set back by billions of pounds.

Is Andy ready to sacrifice the lives of so many people for the life of her daughter? Is there any guarantee that they would let her and her daughter live after the bomb was made? Who is behind this terrorism – Is it the IRA, the Republicans, an external terrorist group? Who is the mastermind behind all this and what is his master plan – Is it terrorism? Does he intend to detonate the bomb or use it only as a threat?

 

Read the complete novel and I believe you would also praise Stephen for his fantastic way of writing and making the story feel real to you …