Gordon Ellery – Page 13 – bishopswaltham.net

Understanding what is a covenant on a property.

Covenants on a Property: the Clause That Bites Years Later

February 12, 2026Gordon Ellery

I remember standing in a damp hallway in a mid-Victorian semi near Salisbury back in ’98, watching a young couple’s faces fall as the solicitor pulled out a dusty bundle of papers. They had spent months saving for that house, only to find out a clause from 1924 meant they couldn’t even park a commercial […]

Buying a Listed Building: What Changes the Day You Own It

February 8, 2026Gordon Ellery

I remember standing in a drafty hallway in a mid-Victorian cottage near Hungerford last autumn, listening to a young couple talk about “character” and “heritage” as if they were buying a piece of art rather than a pile of damp brick and lime mortar. They had no idea that the very thing they loved—that beautiful, […]

How to Look After Your Knees Before They Complain

February 8, 2026Gordon Ellery

I was out near the old stone boundary on the edge of the parish last Saturday, trying to mend a section of wall that’s been leaning since the heavy rains of ’98. I’ve spent forty years walking through damp cellars and over uneven flint paths, and I can tell you that most of the advice […]

Explaining what does a parish council do.

What a Parish Council Actually Does, and What It Cannot

February 7, 2026Gordon Ellery

I sat in the village hall last Tuesday, listening to a consultant drone on about “strategic community governance” and “multi-agency infrastructure frameworks,” and I nearly fell asleep in my chair. It’s a load of nonsense. People often ask me, what does a parish council do, expecting some grand, high-level political explanation, but the truth is […]

Homebuyers survey vs building survey comparison guide.

Homebuyer Report or Full Building Survey: Which One You Need

February 4, 2026Gordon Ellery

I remember a young couple, the Millers, who moved into that lovely 1930s semi-detached over on Church Lane last autumn. They were so caught up in the excitement of the new kitchen that they didn’t give a second thought to the paperwork, choosing the cheapest option available when weighing up a homebuyers survey vs building […]

How to Turn the Bottom of the Fridge Into Good Soup

February 4, 2026Gordon Ellery

I’ve seen enough “gourmet” cookbooks to know they’re mostly just expensive paper designed to make you feel like you’ve failed at a simple task. You don’t need a dozen exotic spices or a sous-chef to master how to make soup from leftovers; you just need a heavy pot and a bit of common sense. I […]

How to Find and Stop the Draughts You Cannot See

February 3, 2026Gordon Ellery

I was standing in the hallway of a lovely 1930s semi near Chawton last Tuesday, watching a candle flame dance erratically on the console table, and it hit me just how much money people throw away. You don’t need a specialist contractor charging a hundred pounds an hour to tell you that your windows are […]

Batch Cooking for the Week Without Eating the Same Thing Twice

February 1, 2026Gordon Ellery

I was standing in the kitchen last Tuesday, staring at a single, lonely potato and a tin of beans, wondering how I’d let the week get away from me again. It’s a familiar feeling, isn’t it? You start Monday with the best of intentions, but by the time the evening chill sets in and the […]

How to Insulate a Loft Properly, Depth and All

February 1, 2026Gordon Ellery

I was up in my own eaves last Tuesday, shivering in a thick jumper while trying to figure out why the upstairs landing felt like a meat locker. I’ve seen plenty of homeowners fall for the high-tech nonsense—spending a small fortune on “smart” materials that promise the world but deliver nothing. The truth is, finding […]

How to Set Up a Neighbourhood Watch on Your Street

January 28, 2026Gordon Ellery

I saw a flyer the other day for a security firm promising “total peace of mind” through a suite of smart cameras and motion-sensor floodlights that cost more than a decent set of draught excluders. It’s all a bit much, isn’t it? People seem to think that learning how to set up a neighbourhood watch […]