happyduck

Hi All I've asked this before but I'm not a bit further down the line. I'm applying for an additional License (Not an HMO) from Southwark Council. I am renting to 4 people (not 5 which requires an HMO) and am outside the designated areas. I have smoke alarms and CO2 detecters on all floors of my house. They are battery operated and working perfectly. In order to complete the application on the Southwark Website I need to provide a Fire Detection System Certificate. Can anyone tell me what this is and how I get one. The Estate Agent is sending in an electrician. It seems to be I'm paying in ?100 for someone to press the check buttons on 4 smoke alarms. Can that be right? Any advice on all this would be great. It's doing my head in. Daisy

Hi fishbiscuits It's the additional license that I would have to apply for. I'd be interested to know what the modifications were that you were required to do? Happy to PM if you prefer? Many thanks Daisy

Thanks so much for your responses. I think perhaps I wasn't clear with my question. I've read all the guidance available on how to apply for an HMO and am pretty clear on the pros and cons of doing it. What I'm interested to know is whether in the process of securing an Additional License (which is what I will need should I go ahead as I may end up letting my property to a family who want to live with one additional friend) anyone had been required to make any significant alterations to a property that had previously been occupied as a family house. For example: we have smoke alarms on every floor and CO2 alarms where necessary but they're battery operated and not mains. We don't have safety lighting on the landings. Is this something that I will be asked to install. What about fire doors? If anyone has any experience of this I'd be really grateful. Daisy

I may have to apply for an HMO in order to rent out my 4 bedroom terraced house and I wondered if anyone here had any experience of the process and how laborious it was. I'd also be interested to know what kind of additional work they had to do to a family house in good condition in order to be granted the license. Any advice gratefully received. V best wishes Daisy

Hi I have a Bosch Cooker Hood Chimney that I need cut down so that it can fit into the space between the cooker hood and the chimney. Does anyone know where I might be able to get this done? Thanks Daisy

Hello I?d like to replace the fabric on my privacy roller blinds so I don?t have to replace the whole thing (including the brackets which are screwed into the frames). All the companies I?ve spoken to will only do the whole thing as new. Any suggestions for someone who might be able to help? Many thanks Daisy

Argos on Rye Lane

Hi there Apart from the usual HSS, Jewson etc. Has anyone got any suggestions for somewhere I can hire a vacuum cleaner for a couple of weeks while ours is being repaired? Many thanks Daisy

Hi there Summer Babies Group Hope you don't mind me jumping into your group but I have a large quantity of white short sleeved 0-3 month vests which I'd like to give away to a good home. They're from Mothercare. Charity shops don't want them and I can't bear to just throw them away so I hope they might be of use to one of you. All the best Daisy

Hi there This is a bit of a long-shot but I'm looking for a house to rent for three months this summer in South West France. We're looking for somewhere with at least three bedrooms, a garden and within reach of either the Atlantic or Mediterranean coast. Ideally from mid-June to mid-August but our dates are a bit flexible and we will consider all suggestions. Many thanks Daisy

Hi there This is a bit of a long-shot but I'm looking for a house to rent for three months this summer in South West France. Ideally we're looking at mid-June to mid-August but our dates are a bit flexible Preferably with three bedrooms, a garden and within reach of the coast. Will consider all suggestions. Many thanks Daisy

Any local certified electricians out there who might be able to install a dimmer switch in my kitchen over the weekend? Thanks Daisy

Hello I live in one of the typical Victoria Terraces on the Camberwell/Peckham border. Our top two bedrooms are up in the roof with casement windows. However, I don't think it's a loft conversion. I think the house was originally built with the rooms like that as there is absolutely zilch insulation - we had some replastering done when we first moved in and from what I remember it's basically plaster on lathes and then the boards for the tiles to be attached to - which makes the rooms very cold in the winter and is obviously hugely wasteful in terms of energy. Has anyone got the same problem and have you managed to solve it. I'm looking for suggestions for an economical and non-intrusive way to insulate these rooms. Also, I need to get one of the sash windows in the casements replaced so any recommendations for a good local sash window company would also be great. Thanks for reading. Daisy

Hi All This is a very long shot but does anyone have any personal contact details for the guy who owns the Dry Cleaners on Bellenden Road or someone who works there? He's closed up the shop for 3 weeks over the summer and half my husbands wardrobe is in there! Thanks in advance

Hi there Like lots of people in ED and Camberwell I live in a Victorian terraced house with stairs and bannisters. I'm interested to know what other people have done about stair gates. In particular which ones will work when there is a wall on one side and bannisters on the other. Can I use pressure fit or do they need to be attached? Which brand to people recommend. I've attached pictures below of the two places I want a gate complete with kamikaze baby in one of them. Many thanks in advance

Thanks to all who's commented and PM'd me. Think I managed to get my question answered via various routes

Hi I'm currently doing my husband's tax return (yes, I know we've left it late). Even though he's a freelancer his tax affairs are actually not that complicated and pretty much the same each year. We've been paying an accountant up till now but I'm pretty sure that if I can find someone to walk me through it I'll be able to save some money and complete it myself. Obviously I'm prepared to pay for anyone's time. Any recommendations or suggestions gratefully received.

Thanks so much for your advice Mr Tibbs. I'll give Julie a call.

Hi I have an antique pine dresser in my kitchen. The drawers on it are heavy, do not run smoothly and require two hands and a knee to close them properly. I want to know if it would be possible to put modern drawer runners on the drawers without ruining the dresser. Any suggestions gratefully received. Many thanks

Thanks Minder. Much appreciated.

Hi I'm planning to go back to work some time in March next year and will be looking for a childminder for my, by then, 10 month old son. Can anyone tell me when I should start contacting childminders to find someone with a vacancy? How far in advance do they know if they are likely to have a vacancy? Also, other than this forum, the council's info and childcare.co.uk are there any other places where childminders regularly advertise their vacancies. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Does anyone have any experiences of the Excel Nursery in Peckham Rye? Any thoughts would be gratefully received.