I am currently indebted to a few friends and family. Last month was particularly hectic and I ended up only spending a few days in the UK. I wasn't expecting to have such a busy diary so in hindsight shouldn't have planned to renovate part of my flat and attempt to find a new lodger.
After battling a damp stain on the spare room wall for five years, I felt it was time to change tactics and get to the bottom of it. I had tried stain removers, specialist coats of paint and bleach but every time it would return; sometimes days or weeks later. As with most DIY jobs, this became larger and more time consuming than expected. The rubble from removing just one wall filled thirty fertiliser bags. Thanks to my father and a friend it has now been dry lined, re plastered and painted. I wait with baited breath but there's not yet any sign of the damp stain returning - fingers crossed the problem is solved.
The next challenge was to find another lodger to occupy the newly decorated room. I was fortunate to rent it out to a good friend for the past six months whilst he bought a new house so starting from scratch to find a replacement was daunting. Using the usual websites I've had a flow of interest but the problem has been making time for the viewings. Finding a new lodger is rather like internet dating - you both have to like each other except this time there's a building involved as well. I've had to leave this to the character judgement of my friend. I had a temporary lodger move in on Monday whilst I was away and will have a permanent one arrive in June, both of which I am yet to meet.
