Lacuna

Given the current information coming out about Barclays and the Co-op, where would you open a bank account if you were starting from scratch and why?

I used to work for them and they don't have contracts like public sector workers, there is no TUPE and they already get paid less, quite a lot less than equivalent PS workers.

Yes- it's going to be a complete joke.And a dangerous one at that.

Yes- we are looking to rent and have seen a place online in St Anne's/ Conham Hill area- does anyone know what it's like?

Superted- I wouldn't necessarily say there are good deals in Worcester. There's a fair bit of ropey old housing stock with BTL landlords trying to rip off tenants. Plus there are hardly any private lets. Best agent in Worcester is Hills and the worst by a mile is premier places (I know lots of people who have rented from them and no one has had even an ok service). Worcester is like anywhere it's all about location, so to give you an idea, there is cheap accommodation to be found up the Tolladine road, round Wyld's Lane and the Arboretum these areas equate to Cemy Junction or the Oxford Rd in Reading. The nearest place that equates to Caversham would be Hallow or the area between the Tything and the racecourse. Most of the rental places seem to either be flats that are overpriced in the city centre or in the dodgier areas, the nicer the area the less rental properties. Diglis is a new development by the Severn and parts of it are ok and there is a massive newish estate in Warndon villages that is a bit souless but is handy for the motorway. Hope this helps. I have lived in both places so if you want more info post here.

Rents here in Worcester have risen about 10% in a year. Spoke to an agent last week and he said that if it wasn't for the rental market they'd be really struggling, so make of that what you will.

According to this in the local rag prices are rising rapidly-what is less clear is whether this is actually being reflected in completed sales My link.

Thanks everybody, useful feedback and it's made us realize we need to move and sooner rather than later.

We have been in our rented house for 4 years, we rent via a lettings agency. Four months ago the neighbours from hell moved in. All night parties, noise, music, people coming and going etc, every weekend/through the night and some weekdays. Unfortunately they have bought the house so we can't go to their landlords. We are in contact with the council environmental health team and that is progressing (slowly). My question is: does anyone know if we have any recourse with the landlord or letting agent? I know it's not their fault, but I wondered whether they have any responsibility to tenants on this score? One of the main problems is that the walls are particularly thin and so once they've got some people over and/or they've had a few, we can hear everything- it's literally like being in a pub-we have to have music on all the time to drown out their noise and wear ear plugs at night. Anyway thanks for reading this and any ideas and especially any info on landlord responsibilities gratefully received.

I'm trying to find private rented houses and apart from the odd house in the paper there is next to none. Is it all the BTL using agents that is the problem? Going back a few years it was dead easy to find half decent landlords with places to let, nowadays it is next to impossible. I've rented with agencies in the past and they are very variable, when I've rented direct from landlords I've had no problems. Where do people look to find private lets other than their local paper and the odd ad in a shop- are there any websites?

Premier Places letting agents in Worcester are absolutely appalling.

Peak oil anyone????

interview with Nicole Foss Nicole Foss from The Automatic Earth on deflation, depression, individual indebtedness, peak oil etc.