Pandora

Not sure where you can get them around here but I've got a box going spare if you'd like a fix! I developed a slight addiction as a kid in the Netherlands, so when my Dutch friends come to visit they bring shed loads of the things which I just don't get through as I did as a six year old! So I'd be very happy to donate a box if you like. Send me a pm if you'd like them!

Just to go back to my original question... My boyfriend's letting agents have refused to accept his notice. They don't dispute that the tenancy is now periodic, but their intepretation of this is that everything remains the same, i.e. one tenant can't end the tenancy on their own, and that he remains liable for the rent. This is not my understanding, not what the council told me and also not what Shelter say on their website: Shelter advice("If you have a periodic tenancy, or the fixed-term has ended and your tenancy has not been renewed, one tenant can end the whole tenancy and does not need the agreement of the other joint tenants. However, the landlord must be given a valid written notice and there are special rules about how and when this must be done") I'm quite confident we're in the right, and I think the Shelter link backs things up, but I was wondering if anyone could quote the specific bit of the housing act or give me another reference for this just in case the estate agents won't accept Shelter as a valid reference! Thanks.

Thanks for the advice DJKillaQueen. I spoke to the private sector housing team at Southwark - they were very helpful. As the fixed term has come to an end, and it's a periodic tenancy (got my terminology sorted now!), one tenant giving notice gives notice on the whole property, so he is only liable for rent to the end of his notice period. If the landlord continues to accept rent from the remaining tenants, then a new periodic tenancy is created by implication, or the landlord can ask the remaining tenants and any new tenants to sign a new fixed term tenancy. I'm not going to get into debates about affordable housing... I do have one rant about shared housing however! I've been in shared houses for the last 10 years, with all the ups and downs that brings. What would make life a lot easier, however, would be if living as shared tenants (so not related or in a relationship) was a recognised status. I currently live with people who have luckily turned out to be wonderful and reliable, but when I met them and took on joint responsibility for a large sum of money each month, they were essentially strangers and I could have been left liable for their share of the rent had they not been so reliable. Another problem I've had is getting contents insurance - there's only a couple of companies who will insure my belongings while I'm in a shared house without locks on my bedroom door. I'm not in any hurry to buy a house (which is good, because I don't think anyone would be in a hurry to give me a sufficient mortgage!), but I do wish that private tenants were a little more protected - it's frustrating when you have to move out because the landlord is selling up, or when the estate agents decide to charge you ?200 for changing one name on the joint tenancy, when actually the remaining tenants have done all the work finding the new person... but hurrah for Southwark Private Sector Housing Team, they know their stuff and were very helpful going through it all with me.

I was wondering if I could draw on the general wisdom of the forum. I'm planning to move in with my boyfriend in December. He's in a shared house, with a joint tenancy. The contract is fixed term to November 1st 2010. His letting agents have previously said the contract will become rolling after this date, with a one month notice period.? As I understand it, the only way to end a joint fixed term tenancy is for all tenants to give joint notice as they are all jointly liable for the rent. However, once on rolling, if any one tenant gives notice, this breaks the tenancy for all tenants.?I got that info from Shelter's website, so if anyone knows different please let me know!? My question is, at what point does the notice period for the rolling contract start? As I understand it, to give notice to move out 1st Nov, notice would have to be given 1st Oct. Notice given between 1st Oct & 1st Nov would allow you to move out on 1st December. However, what I can't work out is if notice is given in this period, is it given on the fixed term or rolling contract? What I'm trying to work out is the implications of worst case scenario - if his housemates don't find someone to take the room, can he move out without being liable for the rent?!? Thanks for all help! ??

I have a series of scars on the front of my arm that look like a tiger swiped me. People often ask where they came from, and I have to confess I got them going down a helter skelter. They then ask if this happened when I was a child. No, I say, it was last summer... oh the shame!

I cycle Bellenden to Victoria quite often so if you'd like someone to cycle with the first couple of times let me know. The route you suggest is the one I use. It's quite traffic heavy in the morning, but not too difficult. Vauxhall Cross isn't the most fun on a bike, but there's a fairly good cycle route. The only bit I don't particularly like is coming off the bridge onto Vauxhall Bridge Road, but as long as you're confident with your road position the traffic is fine. I too had a bit of a thing for sit up and beg bicycles and had one to start with. It was good to learn to cycle in London on, but I quickly got frustrated with the weight and changed to a hybrid/road type bike that's much lighter, and more fun to ride. If it hasn't already been mentioned on this thread I really like the London Cyclist blog, and if you register you get access to a free e-book about cycling in London which gives you a good list of bike accessories that it's worth buying with the bike, especially through cycle to work as you get the discount on those too. Happy cycling!

I'm starting a new job on Northumberland Avenue (between the Strand and Whitehall off the Trafalgar Square roundabout) and was wondering what cycle route people would recommend. I find going over Westminster Bridge (especially at rush hour) a bit too adrenaline fuelled, but going over Waterloo Bridge means riding down the Strand, which is often quicker to walk down when it's busy! I usually ride to Waterloo along Camberwell New Road, but I can see at rush hour that might get a bit tiresome with all the traffic, so any ideas to avoid that would be welcome. Thank you!

Oh, and another vote for the Southwark cycle training - I found it really useful and they can tailor the lesson to whatever level you're at. They'll also cycle a specific route with you, so you could ask them to cycle over Vauxhall Cross with you. Southwark Cycle Training.

I do this route semi-regularly when I'm working in town, and it's not too bad although it is traffic heavy at rush hour. Coming from Oval, you slip up onto the pavement (there's a mini cycle path) at the crossing opposite the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. You can then cycle over to the island in the middle, and then go left and cycle over the next bit of road (also with cycle lights). You can then cycle through the tunnel to your right (not the road tunnel!) which brings you out in the bus station area. I've never quite worked out where you're supposed to go then, but I go straight on/slightly left and onto the road to the lights - the only other traffic is buses at this point. You can then go onto the bridge, and as it's controlled by traffic lights you have enough time to clear the cars coming up on your left. Then there's a cycle lane over the bridge. It can be busy coming off the bridge, so be confident in your road placing as there will be vehicles turning left. The next bit of road is quite aggressive and busy, so it's worth getting off it as soon as possible. The other thing to be aware of is that the sections at the start are shared between pedestrians and cyclists, and at rush hour there can be so many people it's easier to get off and push. Coming back there's a clearer cycle route - you come onto the pavement at the end of the bridge, follow the path left, cycle over a crossing with cycle lights, under the bridge and then go back onto the road the other side of the lights. Depending on where you're aiming for in town, I find Lambeth bridge is a bit more pleasant to cycle over. Anyway, hope that helps!

Hello, Can anyone recommend some days out by bike from London? About 30-40 miles, either one way and come back by train or there and back. On a road bike, medium fitness, would be nice if there wasn't too much heavy traffic! Thanks :)

It does depend on the type of house you have and how long it takes to warm up - a well insulated more modern house should heat up quicker than an older drafty solid wall property. It depends on how long it takes your house to heat up and cool down - the time it takes from turning the heating on to getting to a comfortable temperature, and turning it off and getting to an uncomfortable temperature. Even if it takes an hour to heat up, that's only an extra hour on your heating as opposed to leaving it on all day. It should be more efficient to only have the heating coming on twice a day, but there is a way to check! Presuming you have gas central heating, read the meter at the start of the day and try leaving the heating on low, then read the meter 24 hours. Then do the same the next day, but leave the heating off. Obviously there might be different temperatures those days, and you might have varying gas use from water heating/cooking, but it should give you an idea. Anyway, that was the general conclusion when I asked around the office (we do a lot of work on domestic energy efficiency). Getting rid of draughts will improve things (although sounds like your house is pretty good already) as will keeping the curtains shut after dark - so maybe leave them shut during the day if you're coming back after dark. And as much as we advocate saving energy, it is blimming cold at the moment so turn the heating on if you need to keep warm! And if you are struggling to pay energy bills there are various schemes out there which may be able to help, best people to contact are Energy Saving Trust.

Another point - if you're young or studious enough to have a 16 - 25 card railcard, you can have this put onto your Oyster card. Then, I think, you get the discount on single fares as well as having the lower cap (?5?) on the travel card. I just popped into a tube station and filled in a quick form and they have apparently registered my Oyster card.

Oh yes, I forgot about the footbridge - I'm not using it at the moment because of travelling in the dark. The hills are a little challenging, but I commmute that way to Greenwich every day and you get used to them!

If you can find the confidence to start cycling again (probably best to wait for the thaw first!) it's by far the quickest way. I live by Peckham Rye station and cycle to a friend's house the other side of Lewisham High Street and it takes under 20 minutes. I go up Nunhead Lane, turn up Hollydale Road and then go straight over Gibbon Road and there's a cut through to Drakefell Road. Up that, all the way to a right turn onto Brockley Road. Then left turn down Adelaide Avenue, follow it through Ladywell road and you're at Lewisham High Street. It's a relatively quite route. I can understand the confidence thing though, took me ages to get on a bike after an accident as a pedestrian but I'm so glad I did. I had a cycle lesson from the council, which was a great way of building up my confidence and they will cycle your commute with you if you like. It's free if you live or work in Southwark, and it will be free or subsidised in Lewisham too I think. Cycle Training link. There are also sometimes direct trains from Peckham Rye to Lewisham, I think...

I agree with Jeremy, I don't feel like we have much choice! Even if I could say 'well this other estate agent is only charging ?100' then would it actually do me any good, as the property that we want is only on with one agent, and it really isn't a renters' market at the moment, properties are going very quickly in our experience. We did manage to negotiate the rent down though, so that's certainly still an option! This is my version of ringing round - thought a straw poll on the EDF would be as useful. And I've had enough of talking to estate agents for one week!