bridge too far

They want certificates for everything these days. This time last year we sold our house. We'd had a new kitchen installed 18 months earlier and they wanted sight of gas and electricity certificates as well as the guarantee for the kitchen itself. I think also the rules have just changed in that sellers are obliged to notify potential purchasers of problems such as, for example, difficult neighbours, problems with drains etc. etc. whereas before it was Caveat Emptor

And so it goes on! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-24803531

The rule of thumb used to be about £1K per sq. metre but I think that's basic. Bifold doors, underfloor heating - all those nice extras would add to the bill I guess. But if you're doing a lot of the stuff yourself that would offset the little luxuries.

This might be handy http://www.homebuilding.co.uk/advice/costs/calculator If you do need planning permission (and maybe even if you don't) you'll need Building Regs approval. Unless you are a qualified tradesman, I don't think they would allow the work if you are undertaking a lot of the trades yourself.

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/nov/03/energy-bills-npower-400m-credit-customers

Thanks for this, Trousers. Interesting link. I've got another one for anyone who has a couple of hours to spare and a high boredom threshold. It's a study of the various selection processes employed by the various political parties. http://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Party%20People.pdf

Hey Top Gun - did you see this article on the BBC website? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24763311 Seems like the Germans are thinking about (re)nationalisation of their energy supply.

Not quite a classic - he didn't mention free laptops for those on benefits

Careless Trousers! What happened to the ?

Careless Trousers! What happened to the ?

Is the person in that photo wearing a safety belt for - err -safety's sake, Sue?

There is this: http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/09/why-left-unity-could-become-labours-ukip

Exactly right - not often I agree with you

You're just not capable of intellectual and reasoned debate, are you. Shame.

Perhaps more of us should offer ourselves up as candidates in the next General Election?

Oh dear Turkish, you are grasping at straws to try to give some credence for your snipes at me, aren't you. I have given no personal information away and none of my friend's 'hard luck' stories are made up. In other instances I've used logic and common sense to try to understand how some draconian measures might affect some people.

That simply isn't true. I tend to think outside the box and indulge in 'whatifery'. But, since I have a large circle of friends and acquaintances, the law of averages would dictate that some of those people would have some of the problems discussed on this forum.

They're not mates - they're a family I know of. However, in common with most of us who do have mates (alien concept to you no doubt), a fair proportion of mine do have difficulties at the moment.

That was interesting. I came out 50% Labour and 25% each Green and LibDem. What was even more interesting was the result for my parliamentary constituency - which has been Tory for as long as I can remember. A low sample, it's true, but it was 21% Labour, 18+% Green, 17.5% LibDem, 15.38% Conservative and 15% UKIP

Oh sorry Trousers. My eyes are working no better than my knee it seems.

Something else that puzzles me is this. Cameron hit out at Miliband for saying he'd freeze prices and yet, in the same week, the government has contracted with EDF to fix the prices once the nuclear facility comes on stream. Double speak? Or am I missing something?

It does seem that they're operating a cartel, doesn't it. You're right, something needs to be done NOW - not to wait for a review / commission / whatever that will take months. I listened to the director of the small company (Ovo?). He said prices had actually dropped on the wholesale market! It does seem quite odd, too, that most of them sell the wholesale energy to themselves. I don't think there's the transparency to show how much profit they make from such deals. The green taxes, most of which were introduced by the current government, should be maintained IMO because we have to future-proof but why can't the government reverse the VAT charge, introduced by Norman Lamont way back? That would be a huge immediate saving for us all.

Interesting riposte here from Robert Webb (of Mitchell and Webb fame) http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/oct/30/robert-webb-russell-brand-vote?CMP=fb_gu

My (married and full time working) daughters get child benefit for their children. I'm sure they've forgotten where their arses are as they never have time to sit on them.

We need our cereal packet families to more than replicate themselves or there won't be enough working people in years to come to pay for our state pensions and other benefits such as the NHS