ROYALS of RENT» Bills

Goodie Bag

Ciara — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:55:36 +0000

Popular classified ad site Gumtree is an interesting read even if you are not currently not looking to rent, buy or sell anything. The keyword search option will take you to places you did not know existed.

We did a little search on for free offers in the London accommodation section:

- Free Wireless connection only £140 per week Studio in N Kensington
- Free in-house gym 1-bed flat in Brentford
- HASSEL FREE Studio in Seven Sisters
- Live 5 days rent Free 2-bed in zone 2
- Play tennis for free and feed the squirrels in the sun Double room in turnpike Lane
- Attractive City Lawyer Offering Free Accommodation for Intimacy
- Drive you from property to property , FREE OF CHARGE Holloway
- Free gym and swimming pool access 3-bed in Elephant & Castle
- Free cable and WiFi internet 2-bed in South Kensington
- Council tax is FREE for tenants 3-bed house in Leyton
- Free phone calls 24 hours to UK landline numbers Double room in Southfields
- The house enjoys free cleaning service Double room in Tower Hill
- You can share the cutlery but you are free to use your own one Single room in Sour East London
- Free DVD rentals Double room in Charlton
- First week rent free Double room in Wimbledon

NB! The ads that offer totally free accommodation should not be taken seriously.

PS It is very important that you read these top tips for staying safe before answering any accommodation ads on classified ad sites.

Council Tax News

Ciara — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:55:06 +0000

Marylebone freezes

23 out of 33 London councils have already proposed or agreed on figures for council tax bills in 2009/2010. Others should reveal the numbers by next month.

We dug out the average Band D figures for 2008/09 + the percentage change last year for comparison.

	Council Tax for average Band D	Change 2008/09	Proposed or Agreed change 2009/10
Council	£	%	%
Kingston-upon-Thames	£1 270	4,24	3,2
Richmond-upon-Thames	£1 234	3,98	4,33
Havering	£1 173	3,9	3,5
Haringey	£1 162	3	1,95
Harrow	£1 153	2,95	2,95
Waltham Forest	£1 131	2,5	1,95
Hillingdon	£1 113	3	freeze
Sutton	£1 109	3,4	2,9
Croydon	£1 096	3,99	N/A
Merton	£1 095	3,9	N/A
Hounslow	£1 091	freeze	freeze
Bexley	£1 090	3	N/A
Barnet	£1 083	3,49	2,8
Enfield	£1 074	3,94	less than 2,8
Redbridge	£1 066	3,87	2,7
Ealing	£1 060	1,89	N/A
Brent	£1 033	3,77	N/A
Camden	£1 022	2,5	N/A
Lewisham	£1 017	2,5	2,5
Barking & Dagenham	£1 016	4,31	N/A
Hackney	£998	freeze	freeze
Greenwich	£981	1,98	freeze
Bromley	£953	4,33	2,73
Newham	£946	3,25	freeze
Islington	£938	2,5	N/A
Lambeth	£925	4,75	freeze
Southwark	£912	4	freeze
Tower Hamlets	£866	3,5	2,5
Hammersmith & Fulham	£863	-3	-3
City of London	£841	2,5	N/A
Kensington & Chelsea	£758	2,52	3,2*
Westminster	£378	freeze	freeze
Wandsworth	£377	freeze	N/A

*Residents will receive £50 which will equate to a net cut in council tax for most.

- Proposed figures from Evening Standard.
- 2008/2009 figures from Londoncouncils.gov.uk

Council tax is a local tax based on the value of the property in April 1991 and raised by local authorities to help pay for local services. The bills are sent in March for the following financial year - 1. April – 31. March.

Mighty Expensive Cleaning Bill

Ciara — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:16:50 +0000

This is hilarious. Apparently it cost £3,320 to deep clean the 3-bed Admiralty House flat that John Prescott rented when he was Deputy Prime Minister.

Wow, it would have taken 474 hours for Monika to clean it at her modest £7 per hour rate!

Photo: Admiralty House by David Hawgood