Cam123

I think that's a bit harsh! But the pink cheeks of wasting police time is better than what happens if they are up to no good. It reminds me of a time I called the police in the middle of the night when i could see two shadows of men with a crowbar working on my living room window (i was inside), when the police turned up the chaps were infact working on a sewer access point or something like that that just happened to be directly under my window. The police were very good about the whole thing - and there were 3 cars that turned up, I was in such a panic!

I've been to naming ceremonies at Beauberry House in Dulwich Village and that's really lovely - they have a big room upstairs with a little room off where they do food for you. Lovely lovely afternoon tea there is a nice idea that suits all for after a christening - http://www.beauberryhouse.co.uk/ I know people will have to jump in the car, but there is parking outside and all along the road into the village.

I for one am feeling a tad sympathetic to the "developers" who are selling it now - this post surely ain't gonna help. I'd be pretty narked if entirely negative points about a property I was selling (and I mean the seeing-in and aesthetics, not the price) became the subject of a thread on a local forum. Potential purchasers would obviously be aware of any shortcomings the property may have and would make offers accordingly, but this kind of public discussion could sway decision making a lot more than perhaps is fair.

... and there is a cash point at Tesco 1 min further down! Honestly people! Won't walk 15 meters to the lights, don't want to walk 30 meters to a cashpoint. What is the world coming to when we expect things to be that convenient?!

I cross right there several times a day and it is a bit awkward with the corner and parked cars - there are however lights where you can cross just down by the playground so surely a zebra crossing would be too much?

I think the whole building has been up for sale within 2011, certainly for under ?1M... perhaps around the 900 mark? Personally I quite like a bit of contemporary architecture, and it can only be a good thing if they are going to finally be occupied, at whatever they go for. And I bet they are lovely and light with all those windows...

I think a japanese would be fantastic - brave, but if it were good people might go out of their way (or at least walk past places on LL) to get to something unique for the area. Which of course is what you need people to do with the limited footfall along there. I do know that the building opposite that row of shops that I think used to be a taxi place and is now flats upstairs and empty commercial space below has had it's planning application for conversion to all flats turned down - it seems Southwark council isn't willing to give up on the parade on both sides remaining commercial.

I've also been looking at flats in the area recently (into se15, se5 and se22) and our budget has had us looking at quite a few ex-local authority things. My thoughts are that the Champion Hill one does go for a premium over I think all of the similar size estates, including those right on the park. You can see that some of them have been developed absolutely beautifully too, which I think is a very good sign. Also, for what it's worth an estate agent showing us a few flats this Saturday said that in his opinion that was the one that he would buy in before all others (and no, he wasn't actually showing us one there; he may be in the wrong job). We're moving onto Champion Grove in January, so it clearly has my stamp of approval... Good luck and i'm sure you'll love the area.

Where was it that was doing squirrel this summer? It was one of the pubs on LL and I kept meaning to call in to try it. The dog quite likes the idea in Peckham Rye Park too, but to no avail as yet.

How funny - and i'm so glad they had what sounds like a great day.

I looked at a house for sale on Worlingham road a couple of weeks back. Personally I thought it was quite narrow compared to a lot of terraced houses in the area, meaning that if you have a good sized middle-of-the-lounge coffee table, it ends up virtually on top of the hearth of the fire. Also, the garden wasn't a postage stamp, it didn't really exist beyond the side return. On the positive side, the location is good and I guess that's what your paying for. Personally i'd move into Se15 slightly and get a slightly chunkier house, but it just depends on your priorities.

What's that you say about my Mother Zeban?!

I'd agree - not another Indian. Rustic Italian (not just pizzas) might be nice, or i'd agree that Japanese would be good too. I think there's a good group of foodies in ED who have a good solid disposable income that you should be aiming at - an Indian might not be aiming as high as you might given your audience.

When we moved into the area we went for Peckham Rye as the poor relation of East Dulwich; if we could have got a house in ED we would have. Funny thing is that now we are able to trade up and have been looking in SE22, we've actually decided it's not for us to settle for poorer transport links and we're sticking further up in the Peckham Rye/just into Camberwell area. I think it's important to recognise the huuuuuuge difference between living in the Bellenden area of Peckham Rye (which is basically what i'm talking about) and "proper" Peckham. Spend a Saturday morning with cake and coffee in Petit Tout off Bellenden Road and you'll see what I mean. The roads that people have mentioned already that are just into SE15, but not far from Goose Green are an all-round good bet i'd say. And whilst they may not yet be as pristine as in ED, they have come along way in the 4 yrs i've been here and they are continuing to go in the right direction very quickly. Oh and when we had the dog show and family day on Peckham Rye a few weeks back, my Mother from Yorkshire remarked that "it's not very errrr... Peckhamy is it?!" A comment which I think 90% of the London population could easily have made, give the mental pictures "Peckham" conjures up.

It seems to me that things higher up the property ladder are doing ok if they are fairly priced. We sold a house (3 bed 2 bath) at a good price, and we were gazumped on one that we were trying to buy. We are now in something of a bidding war on another property not too far from asking. At the flat end however I think because of the lack of first time buyers, one bed flats are really really struggling. When you're forced to sell at a level which makes it appealing to an investor as there's no one else to buy it, you're going to be taking quite a cut on the price. And whilst I think benmorg is spot on about valuing a flat according to it's rental yield, I don't know how well that will be working right now according to 5%-6%. I think investors are expecting more than that - and I think they can get it too. I've seen a flat in the Bellenden area sell in the last few weeks at under 170,000, and is on the letting market at 1200pcm - that would be nearly 8.5% yield. Using 5- 6% to value it, it would have been valued at something over 250,000! I know that difference of over 2% is extreme, but it does serve to show the chasm between supply and demand and how far prices have to move before investment props them up. I've been following the flat market in the area daily, both auction and private treaty sales for over a year now so if you wanted my honest opinion i'd be happy to give it if you want to PM the link - if it helps I will certainly have already seen it on rightmove and may have seen it in the flesh too.

I would like to add in on the back of Masterblaster's comments that if people should always have 100% control of their dogs, which is a nice idea, then people should also have 100% control of their children. I have lost count of the number of kids, some small toddlers, which have stumbled their way towards my dog whilst their parents are oblivious or assume it to be fine. In reality, we live in a very densely populated area. kids will be kids sometimes, dogs will be dogs sometimes, and as long as they and we are good natured about how they end up interacting, then that isn't too terrible a situation.

I think it worth mentioning though that charities do often outsource their fundraising, including clothing collection, to standard profit-making companies. I've recently had the rspca, shelter, and a couple of others fundraising door to door, and not one was doing it themselves. So regularly there is a middleman paying their staff, and making their profit margin, before the charity gets their 30% slice if they're lucky.

Hi KidKruger, I understand that a 6 month let worked for you but for a lot of people circumstances dictate that a 6 month let is just not right for them, for whatever reason. It seems to me that there is just nothing if you NEED something shorter. As to our specific situation, I fully renovate houses and have lived in them throughout the refurb before; now though we need something that we can move into on a relatively regular basis for a short period each time. Renting for us is also difficult because we have a dog which we would most likely have to farm out with the in-laws!

Having sold our house recently but not having managed to buy another one yet, we have been looking in vain for a short let (2/3 months)in the area with absolutely no success. On here i have read of a B&B which has now closed, and various pub rooms that haven't been well-rated, and i've also seen posts by others who are renovating their homes and need a place to stay for a wee while, and those who have family visiting and who could use a hotel room for spill over family members. To the point, we were thinking that we might buy a weeny flat in the area for us to live in until we find the right house, and that we can use as and when we need to around the house building works (we'll be buying a fixer-upper). The question is, do people think there would be demand to rent it out inbetween our use of it if I offered the flat on a one night - 3 months rental basis? Obviously there are the pricing, deposit etc. issues also, but I can deal with those; i'd just like an idea as to if people feel the need is there. Thanks for your thoughts!

Whether or not one is offended by it, child, adult or otherwise, the fact that the footballers aren't thinking that other park users MAY be offended i think shows a pretty bad attitude which they should be pulled up on, as much as for the actual act per se. On the dogs point, mine has been nervy of kids since she was a pup ever since an incident with a child screaming at her, then hiding, and then jumping out and running screaming toward her again. The mother did nothing but look terrified of my puppy when she, entirely naturally, started barking. We had been walking along minding our own business and my poor puppy simply thought she was being ambushed. She's a breed which I specifically chose because they are so kind natured and gentle and good kid dogs, but because of that incident there is now a slight question mark in my mind. So, dog owners do get some very negative consequences from non dog-friendly types, it isn't all one way traffic by any means.

Surely they own 35% of the flat's current value, otherwise it wouldn't be a 35% stake, it would be a set figure. The point of it being a percentage is that it adjusts with the market, inflation etc. And you probably wouldn't ask if your 65% was 65% of the value then or now would you? No different the other way around.

Fair enough. Seems a bit weird to walk your dog over the little fence and into the flowerbed area, sign or no sign.

I think e-dealer that perhaps abuse was resorted to out of sheer amazement at you taking pics of a "no dogs" sign and a lab trotting about, seemingly doing no harm whatsoever. I entirely agree that dogs should not be allowed to damage that area in any way; the planting is really beautiful and well done, and so it makes sense to have the sign there. But lets not go overboard - the dogs weren't harming any of the displays were they? Also, the chap that you pulled up for having his dog on his lead, am I right in thinking that he was walking his dog, on a very dog-friendly, dog-centric day, on a path, next to a flowerbed with a no dogs sign, and you thought it necessary to give him a lecture?

Yes, Sexby Garden is ok for dogs - i have specifically checked as mine loves to jump in the fountain when it's hot. Can i suggest to the original poster that perhaps getting to know a little dog belonging to a friend or neighbour might help? Just in terms of understanding dog body-language so you recognise happy-puppy for what it is, and hungry-savage-wolf for what it is too? Just an idea; it can't be nice to be so terrified of them.

Hi, we're thinking of putting an offer in on a property in the area, the vendor for which is Southwark Council. Was just wondering if anyone has any idea as to the process for accepting or declining offers within the council ? We basically think the house is over-valued and want to put in a low offer, but wonder if they will always refuse low offers until it has been on the market a considerable time and the market has shown it to be over-valued. We unfortunately just do not have the time to wait around for it... Any thoughts?