The day has finally arrived! Karl and I went to pick up the keys and let ourselves into the new flat. It’s just as spacious and light as when we looked around. And, I have to say, I was blown away by the thoughtfulness of the estate agents. They handled the entire thing with speed, politeness, and a friendly face. As if that wasn’t good enough — especially since our disaster with a different estate agent on our first move — they gave us a big envelope this morning with the paperwork in and a lovely, sweet moving card.

I can say, hand on heart, that I would not hesitate about using Stentons again. Assuming we’ll be staying in this area for quite a while to come, I can see them getting repeat visits from us somewhere down the line.

Anyway, the internet connection is going to be cut off any minute to be transferred to the new flat, so I’ve got to go move! :D

Every day is sloooowly draaaagging by. Every second feels like a minute, every minute like an hour. It’s still January. Why is it still January? Why is it not February? Can’t we get to the 13th already? I want to finish packing, I want to start moving, I want to get my furniture and belongings in to a new home, a fresh slate.

I’m looking forward to lower bills, more money, placing furniture, no stairs (yeah, I’m lazy), a quicker walk to the bus stop and to the shops. Doors that I can shut to keep the heat in (and the cats out, when I’m trying to do something). A gas meter that doesn’t run out of credit overnight leaving the house freezing cold.

I love this house, but I’m so looking forward to moving. Can you tell? Is it the 13th yet?

Karl and I have been living at our current address for 12 months, as of the end of February. Looking through our tenancy agreement a couple of weeks ago, I found a clause. This clause was staring right at me, and I can’t believe that I hadn’t noticed — or had decided to deal with it later and forgot all about — it previously. Without getting off my arse to go and get the thing to quote you word for word, I can tell you that it effectively says if you stay on longer than 12 months, your rent goes up year on year.

So there we were, with an impending rent rise on a property that maxs out our “comfort zone” as it is (i.e. we could afford to pay more but would prefer not to) and 2 weeks in to the 2 month notice period we’d have to give to our landlord if we wanted to move. (Too long, can’t be arsed to read? Skip from here…)

Quite by chance, I’d found a nice looking first floor flat on a local estate agent’s website prior to me finding the tenancy agreement clause. Not needing/wanting to move, I’d ignored it. When I checked again after finding the clause, I was surprised to see the flat was still there. Knowing full well we’d need to provide 2 months notice (or 1 month as of Feb 22nd) I did nothing, assuming that it would be gone by the time we needed to move.

I don’t know why, it was a random spur of the moment decision, but last Thursday I sent the estate agent an e-mail enquiring about that said same property. We have a few requirements… pets must be allowed, it must have a shower, and it has to have some sort of off-street parking. All three of these things were in our favour and so I arranged a quick viewing just for a nose. Basically, I wanted to know what was available for the money at the moment given that the housing market — and as such, the rental market — is about as stable as jelly at the moment.

The estate agent took us to two properties. The first was an absolute dive… never seen anything that scummy up for rent before. Dodgy, cramped kitchen with no space for white goods. Dirty, cramped and dark. Didn’t like it before I’d even got through the front door, so that was an absolute no. The second flat we went to see — the one I’d spotted on the website — was the total opposite. Spacious, clean, and much bigger… for about £100 less than the first place. Absolute bargain, and no apparent reason for the massive difference in rent.

Anyway, Karl and I slept on it and decided that we’d like to try for the second flat. Cue a minor heart attack when the estate agent’s wife tells us that another viewer had already offered for the property and the landlady had accepted on the condition that they could agree to a 12 month contract. Fortunately for us, they didn’t have the job security in the area, and we were able to offer a 12 month contract and a slight rise on the asking price for the rent, which (assuming we could get out of the existing tenancy) secured us the flat.

Thankfully, our landlord is a total gent and he agreed to forget the 2 extra weeks notice we should have provided, on the condition that we ring him up next month to remind him that we’re moving out.

(Too long, skipped a section? Start reading here…) The application paperwork was handed in Monday evening, and we received the all clear on credit checks/etc at 4pm-ish today. We have to go and sign the agreements tomorrow evening, and we pick up the keys on Friday 13th February. Good thing we’re not superstitious.