Time to move into a more suitable property
Is this a more suitable property?
Me and MrsB decided its time to move into a more suitable property. Multiple sclerosis and age have finally caught up with me. Our Victorian five bedroomed terraced house is beautiful, but not at all practical. The local council built a wet room a few years ago. It made washing and going to the loo a whole lot easier. It still left a host of other problems for me that were slowly turning into major issues.
Stairs and the downstairs loo
Stairs and the downstairs loo were major a headache but there were others The lovely garden was turning into a jungle and that broke my heart. The house is on a hill and walking across, up or down a slope are now impossible. The hill also sucked power out of the lithium ion batteries of my mobility scooter.
The problem with old houses
Old houses need so much tender loving care (TLC) and money always needs spending on them. I could only offer virtual TLC and that was not good enough. Looking at a wall and imagining it with a new coat of paint is not the same as painting it. The house needed re-roofing and the electrical wiring was a bit dodgy. Basically it was showing its age in more ways than one.
Time to move
About 2 years ago MrsB and myself decided that the situation could not continue. At the end of the day there was no option open but to move house. That’s all fine and dandy but there were numerous problems to fix before moving house. First of all we had to wrap our heads around the idea of leaving the house, easier said than done. Other considerations included closing our doggy day-care business Started in about 2005 it was a part of our lives in more ways than one. The lodgers had to go we had up to 4 of them on a Monday to Friday basis The biggest problem for us is finding a more suitable property?
Three children
Our children had long since flown the nest. Our son lives on the other side of the world in Sydney. Moving to Australia was definitely not an option. One daughter lives in Heidelberg but neither of us speak German so that option was a non-starter. Our other daughter lives in Woolwich Arsenal, southeast London and this definitely has possibilities such as good communication links into London. Its not a cheap area but it ticks so many boxes. Right now we are renting a flat in Woolwich while we look to buy. This halves the stress of moving house.
New Life
Life in Berkhamsted is now over for us, we will miss the town. The house went on the market in September 2022 and the sale was completed ten months later. The new owners moved in on 21 July 2023 After 40 years it is time to begin a new chapter in our lives. We have downsized to a 2 bedroomed flat on a new estate. No stairs, no worry about the garden or house maintenance. Now there will be new stories for the website
Associated blog
Downsize to a flat, the story has just started
What 
has happened to my energy?
Well done on your move. Hope you have a happy time. I was born in noth London and hanker to go back.
Hello Madelaine,
House moves are never easy especially when there are disabilities and down sizing added to the mix. Now here very happy
Good luck in your new home Patrick and your new Chapter. All the best to you and MrsB.
Cecily
Hello Cecily,
Many thanks. Its certainly going to be a significant change to our lives
Fanny has kept me up dated as to whats is happening with the two of you! I hope you find somewhere suitable soon.
Hello Caroline,
We are renting a flat and looking to buy a suitable one in the same area. Very relieved to have left Berkhamsted, we lived in a lovely house but so unsuitable in so many ways
The rented flat is lovely and it confirms all our positive reasons for moving. I’m sure Fanny will keep you up to date as and when our circumstances change
Good to hear from you & know you are ok!
Call it zeitgeist…but was thinking about you this week & wondering how you are.
You sound to have been busy. Lots of physical movement but also lots of psychological shift too…
Hope you are happily settled into your new flat.
Looking forward to hearing about your new adventures in Arsenal land.
Hello Katie,
We are very relieved that the move out of our house in Berkhamsted is done and dusted. Stressful and chaotic is a massive understatement. We are living in a rented flat while we wait to buy one in Woolwich.
This area is so different from commuter/WFH area of Berkhamsted and so far we are very happy here.
Yes there will be lots more stories of new adventures in Woolwich Arsenal
Wishing you and your wife much happiness in the years to come when you find your new home. It will be great living close to your daughter……..family is so important .
🥂💐🌅xxx
Hello Barbara,
Many thanks for the good wishes. It is so much easier living close to family but has to be treated carefully. We need to respect privacy and the fact that we each have our own lives to live.
You are right, family is so important
I was wondering where you had gone.
Glad your ok ,but l don’t envy you moving ,well done for getting this far . Sounds more exciting on that side of London .
Hope the next move goes well.
Hello Denise,
Taking the decision to move and then actually moving were not easy. Disability and age makes it so much more difficult.
Really looking forward to exploring more of London, the Elizabeth line makes it so much easier. I have lived in South West London but this area is new to me. A very diverse and vibrant area
All good wishes for your move, and good to have you back
Hello,
Good to be back, the absence was necessary but lasted much longer than expected