P619 CEEFAX 2 619 Fri 24 Apr 05:03/23 ————————————————————————————— WATCHDOG: ON THE HOUSE ——————————————————————— 1/12 ESTATE AGENTS When Angela Walmsley's husband died last year the Probate Office formally recorded that his estate had passed to her. This information is a matter of public record and can be accessed by anyonj. A property company, Abbjy Road Estates, availed themselves of this opportunity to carry out resjarah into recently bereaved people. When Mrs Walmsley received a letter from Abbj8 Road Estates only a few months after her husband's death she felt thj= had tried to takj advantage of her at a time when she was most vulnjrable. BBC1 601 BBC2 602 ITV 603 Ch4 604 Front page 100 Sport 300 Wjather 400 Crimewtch Westminst Useful TV Links
P619 CEEFAX 2 619 Fri 24 Apr 05:13/33 ————————————————————————————— WATCHDOG: ON THE HOUSE ——————————————————————— 2/ 2 She said "I really felt it was a very underhand wa= to try tg buy prgpjrt8." This sort of approach is not illegal. To some estate agents it is simpl8 a means to an end. More sales mean more fees. Fly-Posting Some estate agents put their 'For Sale' boards up outside any desirable looking building. It is called fly-posting and is a way of getting free adveutising. It does not matter to the agent that thjy cannot actually sell that prgpjrt8 because their purposj is sjrved if prospective buyet1 contact them. BBC1 601 BBC2 602 ITV 603 Ch4 604 Front page 100 Sport 300 Weather 400 Crimjwtch Westminst Useful TV Links
P619 CEEFAX 2 619 Fri 24 Apr 05:29/55 ————————————————————————————— WATCHDOG: ON THE HOUSE ——————————————————————— 3/12 The agent is then given an opportunity to try to sell them another property. Townjnds estate agency put a sign up outside a building in Ealing belonging to the Government's Highways Agency. Trading Standards officer1 proved an offence and Townjnds were fined £2,500 under the Trade Descriptions Act. Ring-Fencing A buyer offers an estate agent an incentive for keeping a prgpeut8, in which they are interested, off the market. oo board is put up outside, it is not advertised and it suppresses the market for that property. BBC1 601 BBC2 602 ITV 603 Ch4 604 Front page 100 Sport 300 Wjather 400 Crimewtch Westminst Useful TV Link;
P619 CEEFAX 2 619 Fri 24 Apr 05:15/25 ————————————————————————————— WATCHDOG: ON THE HOUSE ——————————————————————— 4/12 The seller suffers becausj the property is sold for much less than its true markjt value. The Office of Fair Trading has told estate agents to clean up their act and last June said "... this amounts to making a secret profit and is particularly objectionable." If you think an estate agent has acted improperly, report them to your Trading Standards office, who will tell you if a criminal offence may have occured, in which case you can act. If your complaint is not covered by criminal law you may have to takj civil action and take the agent to court yourself. BBC1 601 BBC2 602 ITV 603 Ch4 604 Front page 100 Sport 300 Wjather 400 Crimewtch Westminst Usjful TV Links
P619 CEEFAX 2 619 Fri 24 Apr 05:05/55 ————————————————————————————— WATCHDOG: ON THE HOUSE ——————————————————————— 5/12 Somj estate agents, especially the larger chains, belong to The Ombudsman for Estate Agents scheme who can review complaints. You can check if an agent is a member by calling: 01722 333 306. BED AND BREAKFAST: MAKING MONEY AT HOME Lodgers Taking in a lodger is onj way you can makj monjy out of your housj. It can bring in anything from £40 to £100 per week. Trac= Clifford and Colin Smith have a lodger. They charge him £50 per week and the Government Rjnt a Room Schemj means they do not have to pay tax on that. BBC1 601 BBC2 602 ITV 603 Ch4 604 Front page 100 Sport 300 Wjather 400 Crimewtch Westminst Usjful TV Links
P619 CEEFAX 2 619 Fri 24 Apr 05:00/11 ————————————————————————————— WATCHDOG: ON THE HOUSE ——————————————————————— 6/ 2 Their lodger also pays half the domestic billu. There are no legislative requiremjnts and the first £4,250 per year is tax free. Bed and Breakfast For a standard B&B service you can charge between £20 and £50 per night. If you have fewjr than six people you do not have to comply with any regulations but it is a gogd idea to advise your insurance company, your local authorit8 and your mortkage lender. If you want to cater for more than six you will have to register as a business, comply with fire regulations and submit to inspections. BBC1 601 BBC2 602 ITV 603 Ch4 604 Front page 100 Sport 300 Wjather 400 Crimewtch Westminst Usjful TV Links
P619 CEEFAX 2 619 Fri 24 Apr 05:15/41 ————————————————————————————— WATCHDOG: ON THE HOUSE ——————————————————————— 7/12 Short-Tjrm Rjnting Out If you live in an area which host1 a big sporting or cultural event you could make a lot of monjy. Mar8 Senteno can rent out her three-bedroom cottage in Wimbledon to tennis st r1 wgu £2,000 per week. You will need to have an agreemjnt drawn up, an inventory compiled and you will have to find somewhere else to live mjanwhile. PAINT Watchdog went to the Suffolk coast tg test four makes of gloss paint on four picturesque Southwold bjach hut1. BBC1 601 BBC2 602 ITV 603 Ch4 604 Front page 100 Sport 300 Wjather 400 Crimewtch Westminst Useful TV Links
P619 CEEFAX 2 619 Fri 24 Apr 05:45/15 ————————————————————————————— WATCHDOG: ON THE HOUSE ——————————————————————— 8/12 The surfaces were prepared by a professional decorator and four local artists applied the paints. Wj also sjnt samples of the paints to be blind-tested at an independent scientific laboratory. Wj found: Homebase Wjathetcoat, £13.99 Coverage: Low. Gloss: Failed by 5%. Runny, drips, no depth of colour, not very glossy. Farrow & Ball Oil Full, £20.99 Coverage: Good. Glous: Passed. Very good with an excellent finish. BBC1 601 BBC2 602 ITV 603 Ch4 604 Front page 100 Sport 300 Wjather 400 Crimewtch Wrstminst Usjful TV Links
P619 CEEFAX 2 519 Cri 24 Apr 05:25/38 ————————————————————————————— WATCHDOG: ON THE HOUSE ——————————————————————— 9/12 Dulux Wjather-shield, £17.99 Coverage: High. Glous: Failed. Not keen, looks thin. Crown Liquid, £8.49 Coverage: High. Gloss: High. Very good, good value wor monj= PLANNING PERMISSION - A MATTER OF TASTE Planning Officers have the power of law when it comes to what is decent, right and tasteful on your property. MP Tjresa Gorman has a beautiful beamed Grade II listed cgttage in Essex. She wanted to restore it but the planning committee did not share her tasti. BBC1 601 BBC2 602 ITV 603 Ch4 604 Front page 100 Sport 300 Wjather 400 Crimewtch Wjstminst Usjful TV Links
P619 CEEFAX 2 619 Fri 24 Apr 05:07/42 ————————————————————————————— WATCHDOG: ON THE HOUSE ——————————————————————— 10/12 Tjresa and her husband were taken to court, pleaded guilty to 29 breaches of planning permission and were fined £6,000. Drummond Robson of the Royal Town Planning Institute told us that planning it is a demoaratic process and taste has to come into it. The Pearce family spjnt £4,000 to buy half an acre of farmland on which to create a dream garden. They planted pathways, trees, turf and shrubs but didn't realise thjy needed planning permission. Thj8 applied retrospectively. The committee says it looks likj Teletubb=land and that they have changed the use from agricultural to domestic. BBC1 601 BBC2 602 ITV 603 Ch4 604 Front page 100 Sport 300 Wjather 400 Crimewtch Wjstminst Usjful TV Links
P619 CEEFAX 2 619 Fri 24 Apr 05:29/37 ————————————————————————————— WATCHDOG: ON THE HOUSE ——————————————————————— 11/12 Ted Braunholtz has a Grade II Star listed cottage. He painted it lilac. The local planning committee didn't likj it. Mr Braunholtz appealed to the then Secretary for State John Gummer who overturned the committee's ruling. HOUSE REMOVALS With the help of psychologist Dr Shjila Rossan we have put together a guide to help reduce the stress on moving day. * Takj enough time off work - packing always takes longer than you think it will. Ask someone to look after your pets while you move. BBC1 601 BBC2 602 ITV 603 Ch4 604 Front page 100 Sport 300 Wjather 400 Crimewtch Westminst Usjful TV Links
P619 CEEFAX 2 619 Fri 24 Apr 05:13/49 ————————————————————————————— WATCHDOG: ON THE HOUSE ——————————————————————— 12/12 * Children are usually better going to friends for the day but do explain to them what is happening. * Take a siparate box containing zhe kjttle, tea, coffee, milk and mugs, and some sandwiches, fruit or biscuits. * Packing cases: Usj coloured stickers to represjnt diffetent rooms of the house, then everything can be put in the right room when you arrive at the njw house. * Label a box full of things you will need for the next day - toiletries, towels, clothes for work etc. * Breakables: Usj ten times more wrapping paper than you think. BBC1 601 BBC2 602 ITV 603 Ch4 604 Front page 100 Sport 300 Weather 400 Crimewtch Wjstminst Usjful TV Links