₦airaland Forum

Lexusgs430:
Such a proud Dad..... All road leads to Portsmouth for my Daughter's graduation this month......

She graduated with First class Honours (surely from her mother's DNA).... 🤣😊

Her Papa's DNA, nah olodo full inside...... 😂🤣

Congratulations Oga Lexus. Your daughter has really done well for herself 😊😊

Apologies for the long epistle, but this is the shortest piece I could think of!

After paying nearly £50k in DEAD MONEY rent over the last 4 years (thanks to IHS and visa fees on graduate and work visas, which apparently does not count as contributing to the British economy), I am excited to announce that we collected the keys to our new home last week.

It still feels surreal. Not only is the house in a choice neighbourhood, it is bigger than every place we’ve ever rented here, more beautiful, and far better value for money.

Many thanks to @Semmyk for starting this thread, @justwise, @Ticha, @Solumtoya, @Santa2 for all the wisdom shared along the way, and of course, oga @Lexusgs430 for the consistent reminder that rent money is dead money.

I consider myself very lucky to have found this thread early. We keyed into LISA since 2023, and very piece of information shared here played a big role in making our mortgage journey smooth. This thread, and indeed Nairaland, is a goldmine of knowledge.

A number of people advised us not to buy because of the COS/ILR rogbodiyan flying around, but the thought of losing another £12k a year paying our landlord’s mortgage + profit was all the conviction we needed. If you still have a good time on your COS and still hesitating, my honest advice is JUST DO IT (not a financial advise). Worst case, you lose a small amount (in transaction fees) if we are all asked to leave tomorrow but it is nothing compared to years of rent disappearing into thin air. All die na die.

The journey was not smooth. We would have bought last year, but our COS arrived late and the landlord had already served a S.21 notice. That forced us into another fixed‑term tenancy (agents refused a 6‑month break clause, and we had limited options anyway). But despite all the bumps, we made it in the end.

justwise:
I don't know if anyone here is experiencing this ... i recently linked my BVN to two different Nigeria investment apps and i noticed a spelling mistake in my name, i called the bank and they checked but found no spelling mistake in my BVN or bank details.

Possibly a system glitch. Cowrywise couldn't validate by BVN yesterday; says its incorrect. I've tried again this morning and it went through at first attempt.


Which investment apps are you using if you don't mind sharing? I am stucked at the verification stage with SFS fund and they are not responding to emails.

Lexusgs430:
This is a million dollar question........ We don't know what would happen in 2026 - 2031...... We might experience massive rate drops or increments beyond human comprehension.......

A million dollar question indeed. Many of the fixed rates are nearing 5% again (some have croseed already), thanks to the man at the white house. We got 4.25% for 2 years just a week before the war, and was eyeing the sub 4% when we reached 85% LTV in 2 yrs. Fingers crossed 🤞.

Labour lost it the moment it moved away from traditional Labour values and started competing with Reform and the Conservatives over who could appear more right‑wing. That partly contributed to many poorly thought‑through policies that they later had U-turn. It still amazes me how they were taking advice from a party that previously opened the borders wide when the need for international students fees / carers was dire. I wouldn’t be surprised if Reform gets into to power and end up opening the borders again once the impact of the new policies starts to bite.

Dank1u:
The best time to start your home-buying journey was yesterday. The next best time is today.

Buying a property in the UK takes time, research, and patience. The sooner you begin, the better prepared you’ll be when the right home comes along.

It’s important to understand how the local property market works. Why are some locations in your neighbourhood selling for higher prices while others are lower? Why are buyers moving to one area over another? Why do some neighbourhoods hold their value well, while others struggle to see price growth?

Take time to study these patterns.

Another key factor to consider is property chains. In the UK, many sales are part of a chain, meaning the purchase depends on multiple buyers and sellers completing at the same time. If one transaction falls through, it can delay or collapse the entire chain. This is another reason to start early and be well prepared.

Where to Start Your Research

Use major UK property portals such as:
• Rightmove
• OnTheMarket
• Zoopla

These platforms allow you to track asking prices, time on the market, and local trends. You can also check instant house valuations on these websites to get a rough idea of property values.

Websites like Housemetrics help you see what properties are actually selling for — not just their asking prices. This is crucial for understanding true market value.

Another useful tool is Crystal Roof, which provides insights into crime levels, noise, flood risk, schools, and other neighbourhood data.

Learn to Understand Value

When comparing properties:
• Look closely at renovations and extensions.
• Notice differences in condition, layout, and presentation.
• Understand why two similar homes in the same neighbourhood may sell for very different prices.
• Identify the “ceiling price” for the area — the maximum buyers are typically willing to pay.

Try attending a few viewings without the pressure of making an offer. Observe why certain homes sell quickly while others sit on the market for months.

Your research should focus on one key skill: understanding value.

The more time you invest now, the more confident and financially secure, your purchase decision will be.

You've raised a very good point about value and price growth. During our second round of viewings few weeks ago, we found a very lovey property but the growth was just not it. 1st round of sales in the area after 10 years returned less than 3%. The area is now 20 years old and the price growth is not impressive either so we had to let go and stick with our current purchase.

cbn4main:
Hello gurus in the house. I dey greet una oo.

Firstly I'm impressed by this platform, having read through, I wish to get a mortgage this year but I need guidance and the steps to take.

1). My rental contract expires August 2026. When is the best time to start searching for properties and mortgages to buy me enough time? Can I technically delay the process if it would be concluded too soon? My target completion date is between July and August this year

2). I have over two years left on my visa.



3). I started Iisa for i and my wife since 2024 and we have saved up to 10% deposit based on our budget.

Can someone explain to me the steps I need to take and the right order. From searching for a property to doing a survey, making an offer, getting AIP, shopping for mortgage, life insurance etc.
I would really appreciate

1. It takes 3 months on the average from seller accepting your offer to completion, could extend to 5 months or more if the seller is buying onwards. It could also take weeks to months to find a suitable house depending on the Housing supply in your desired area, so I would say now is a good time to start.

2. Braclays has been offering mortgage to people on work visa so you should be fine. Your mortgage advisor will access your situation and advise.

3. You're okay with 10% deposit

4. We started by looking for a free mortgage advisor. Searched on Google maps for MAs with plenty of 5* ratings. Booked a F2F appointment and got our AIP sorted a few days later. Then we started looking for properties that meets our criteria in our desired area, this took 2 months before we found 1. We put in our best offer and was accepted within 1 week.

The mortgage advisor needs to be notified once the offer is accepted so they can get the full mortgage application in for you. The Estates Agent will request for the details of your MA and solicitor. Both the EA and MA would want you to use their recommended solicitor but don't do it. You can shop for solicitors quotes online and go with a good one. We used Setfords, although not the cheapest, but the service has been great.

We paid for the search first then did survey later. Looking back, I think survey should have come first before the search but we were very lucky that the survey results came back without any major issue and ony few minors like EICR and Gas safety inspection.

It's more of corresponding between you and the solicitor from this point and they'll guide you through.

We're also on a rental contract until May. We started viewing properties in September, found one in November and we're still here. We did inform our solicitor of our situation regarding the rental contract and they've informed the sellers solicitors of when we're looking to complete. One should be able to delay competition for 2 weeks I suppose.

I would say be careful with recent builds. Ours is 15 years old and we were okay with the service charge until we got a shocker few weeks ago that we needed to pay the estate management company almost £700 for deed of variation and security deposit. We nearly pulled out at this point because it doesn't just make any sense to us considering the annual service charge is just 1/3 of the fee. We were ready to forfeit the search and survey fees but had to swallow the bitter pill after another round of vieweings for 2 weeks without any results

Goodenoch:
We’ll soon be testing the “immigrants are taking our jobs; if they weren’t here wages would be higher and our young people would work instead of staying on benefits forever” hypothesis.

The “‘immigrants’ will always come to work here no matter how you squeeze them for fees, constrict their opportunities to advance their careers and use policies to condemn them to permanently working jobs Brits don’t want to” is already being disproven, just like the “the UK education industry is completely fine without foreign students” has been disproven.

Eventually, we’ll get to the one about whether the economy as a whole; and public services like the treasured NHS in particular, are completely fine without immigrants as well, as Farage, Badenough and Lowe would have their sheep believe.

They should carry on, please. It was the same rethoric from Zia's speech yesterday of how his parents, Suellas and Mahmoods were the only set of immigrants that worked very hard and contributed to the UK development while the Boris wave are just roaming the streets of Britain looking for benefits.

Raalsalghul:
@ WanderingChild, basis your last writeup, what I understand is that it wouldn't be a bad idea to opt out of work place pension schemes?

What do you think about the above HustlaOfLagos?

Why keep paying pension when you might not access it. Once that legislation is finalised, I'm opting out of mine.

Strategy for strategy: just the kind of ideas that we need rather than moaning about petitions and what nots.

I think wanderingchild is referring to the State Pension, which is different from a workplace pension. I’m not sure anyone can opt out of paying National Insurance (which is a qualifying requirement for the State Pension), but opting out of a workplace pension isn’t always the best choice, as others have mentioned.

Bwisewiturvote:
Yes the car reg on the sms is correct, I mean, it's mine
The sms was sent via a number....
I visited the site and input my case reference... was directed to payment interface

The (3) menu options on the site only directs you to the same payment interface....

See the attached screen shots

This is definitely a SCAM.

I have entered a random number on that site and my bill is £150😀😀

Lexusgs430:
If the sewer is blocked and access is required...... Wahala don sew agbada...... Is your seller willing to put an indemnity policy in place (plus duration of policy and who continues payment)........

Yes, the seller is willing to purchase a one-time indemnity policy valid for a minimum term of 30 years. It will be linked to the property and not the seller. I've asked to see a copy of the policy as soon as it's purchased so I can see the fine prints.

Thank for dropping in always to share your thoughts, much appreciated.

We’ve received the search results for a property we’re hoping to buy, and they show that the conservatory was built over a sewer in 2016. There’s no build over agreement in place, but our solicitor says the seller can take out indemnity insurance to cover any costs if the water company ever needs to remove the conservatory to access the sewer. I’m trying to understand whether this is a sensible risk to accept.

Noworries11:
How many litres is ideal for a 2 bed?
Do you buy one for each of the bedrooms plus living room?

I have the 12L for a 2 bed apartment plus a living room, all on one floor. I place it in a central location between the three areas and simply leave the room doors slightly open at night, and it works well. I’ll most likely get a second one when we move to a two-floor property. I think the new version has a smart feature for automatic on and off.

Noworries11:
My people
Please how do i keep the house a mould free home.
I used the plastic container thing but it seems not working as the mould increases by the day plus I have got kids.
A colleague mentioned electric humidifier as the only alternative. Please how true is this? Are there specific brand?
Please those who had fought battles with mould and won, please can you advise.
Many thanks

You can't go wrong with a solid electric dehumidifier, I use Meaco Arete one (Recommend by someone on this platform). I've been running it 24/7 during the last 3 winters and it's absolutely amazing. Zero condensation / mould, the laundry dryer function is excellent. Running cost is about £1 daily. You can get some good deals with warranty on Ebay.

Lexusgs430:
Is the property going through auction........

No. It was advertised on rightmove by a local estates agent.

Is there any risk in buying a repossessed house?
The property is in very good condition and ticks all the boxes for what we're looking for.

@AlphaUno 5% is indeed high as long as there's no adverse report (missed payment etc) on your credit file.

I'm also in the market at the moment; 3.5 yrs in the UK with 4yrs left on work visa.

1st MA recommended by a friend wants 1% of the loan in fees; I simply walked away.

Asked copilot for recommendations and found MAs with plenty of 5* google reviews near me. Booked a physical appointment with one and it's been good so far.

The MA found us a deal last week with Barclays; 4.47%, 2 years fixed with 899 fees and 10% deposit. I'll request to compare another deal without a product fee when we find a property and ready to apply.

I would look for another MA in this situation and definitely shop for insurance quotes myself.

Jamesclooney:
Thanks — all the quotes I’m seeing now are showing £200+, then if I add petrol, close to taxi cost. This country is sha expensive!

Have you tried yourparkingspace.co.uk.

I have used them a couple of times and I found it very safe and affordable. I usually opt for spaces with 5star reviews from many users.

Some of the space owners also offer drop off to LHR for as low as £15 or you can to take a bus.

I paid £57 for 13 days in August

Happyfellow147:
I did this but they still charged me everything in GBP.
I just paid for my exemptions and annual subscription and my chest is paining me.
Does anyone know where I can get study materials please?

Congratulations! You actually got a good deal if the registration was done correctly.

The best study material at the moment is on the ACCA study hub which can be accessed from your ACCA account. The material is regularly updated to reflect changes in syllabus and there losts of practise questions and mock exams.

IcecoldDon:
Hi Guys, so in my current property journey, I have been made aware from two separate mortgage brokers ( L&C and Purple Bricks) that for my situation of being on a skilled worker visa with 2 years left, only one lender is willing to accept a 5% deposit for a 220k house but are insisting on a five year fixed deal at 6.5% and (can't remember the %) leading to monthly payments of £1,400 and £1,600 respectively. Note: I don't know who the lender is or if it is the same lender that both brokers are quoting.

I've read on this platform that some builders offers 5% deposit contribution as incentives. This is only applicable to new builds. You may explore this option to complete the 10% deposit

lilachiever:
Plenty Oraimo marketers on this thread.

Una no wise.

Make una go update una WhatsApp group.

All of them registerd on nairaland on October 18 and October 19 2024

Abuja1914:
A very pleasant morning to all the elders in the House.

Please, how can my wife who will be 40 years in December 2025 benefit from the LISA account, particularly when we intend buying our first Home in August 2025. Though we have savings in ISA accounts but we would like to benefit from the £1000 gain on every £4000 savings in LISA.

1. Can we still open LISA account now till August next year and get the benefit?

2. Can we benefit more if we save a reasonable amount beyond £4000 minimum savings?

Thank you all....

1. Yes, the account can be opened before she clocks 40. The earlier you open, the better because the account needs to have been opened at least 12months before buying the property.

In short, if you open the account today and start saving, the earliest you can use the savings to buy property is October 2025.

2. The maximum amout you can save in LISA is 4k per financial year, therefore the maximum government benefit you can get in a financial year is 1k i.e 25% of 4k.

The financial year runs from 6th April currrnt year to 5th April next year

Therefore, you can still get 2k benefit between today and May 2025 if you max out the savings.

4k saved in LISA between now and 5th April 2025 will earn you 1k benefit. You can earn additional 1k from 6th April 2025 if you're able to save 4k between 6th April 2025 and when you intend to buy the property in 2025.

Remember that you can only use the money to buy property 12 months from when the account is opened so the best time to open the account is NOW.

Knowlegeseeking:
Hi Controlv, is this also from the toogood to goo app? how do you find co-op on it?

Yes,it's from tgtg app. Simply type co-op in the search bar and it will display all the coop stores nearby.

Lexusgs430:
Nah so o ...... You would almost feel like you're legally shoplifting......😜😁

I reserved my first grocery with co-op today, and I literally shouted when I was handed 2 full bags all for £4. Thanks so much for always sharing valuable info.

giselle237:
hello. How did you go about the LGA certification?

LGA certification was not required at the time I applied for the renewal in March.

justwise:
That is mega fast! Never heard of that before, things has really changed or is this one-off?

I couldn't believe it either. I had to doublecheck where I kept it in the wardrobe to be sure it hadn't disappeared.

I want to commend the Nigerian Immigration Service for a job well done. I did biometrics for my passport renewal yesterday, and the passport just arrived in post. The staff were very friendly throughout.

lavida001:
My current roadblock is the damn uk experience.

You can try fixed term roles while applying for permanent roles at the same time. Fixed term are easier to get from my experience.

I did a six month contract with a private firm while I was on tier 2. I got a 1 year fixed term role with an NHS Trust immediately after studies. Five months into the fixed term, I secured a permanent role at a higher band in another Trust.

AgentXxx:
Kumbhuru have been Busted!!! 😂

kumbhuru:
Please which airline did you book from Nigeria to Birmingham

This was just yesterday 🤐🤐

I didn't want to believe its the same person behind both monikers until I saw this.

rowon:
Hello my people.
Which agency can help me sort out my bill with OVO energy. They are trying to rip me off . I use to submit my meter reading monthly but they claimed I didn't submit my feb-April reading so they gave me outrageous estimated billing. They agreed that I submitted January , may and June. I asked them the estimated amount should be the difference between January and May reading divided by Feb March and April but they chose to give outrageous estimated billing. I have be listed as debtor and recovery agent is asking me to pay. Please which agency or body can help me to resolve this issue. Note I have been to citizens advisory bureau but not much came out.

Since they have confirmed the reading for January, the ideal thing is to recalculate your bill from January (reading) to June (reading), then deduct any amount paid between January and June. They will need to add any outstanding balance prior to the reading provided in Jan or deduct any credit balance as the case may be. They might throw in an estimated reading in March due to tarrif change but that should not have a significant effect on your final bill.

Utilities companies are becoming a nightmare nowadays, it was talktalk trying to force a fake contract down my throat in April, last week scottish power added £10 debt to my credit file when they are the ones actually owing me the £10. Thankfully I spotted it early and chased them up.

mayowa94:
Please what is the best way to put in application for a retired mother and she own a business?

I think its best to state that she's retired and keep the application simple.

3 months prior to the application, I told my mum to divert all other income from her pension account aside the additional upkeep from myself and my siblings.

Her monthly pension is circa 100k and we credit additional 150k on the average to assit with her upkeep.

In the financial section, I sated that her annual income from pension is 1.2m and additional income of 1.8m from myself and siblings. Monthly expense is 230k, bank balance at the time of application was 40k.

She will spend 20k from her 40k balance to buy toys for the grand children. All other expenses will be paid by me. I stated she is coming to see and grand children,stay for 3 weeks and I plan to spend £2k. I attached 3 months bank statement for both of us, my payslip, her pension certificate. Visa was approved in 9 days in March 2024.

Lexusgs430:
Tell them to sue you ......

For the records, it's very important to take photos and videos (pre and post occupancy)........

TDS came about, because LL's would make every excuse, not to return deposits ...... TDS was established about 20 years ago, imagine what was happening before TDS .........😂🤣

Indeed, rent money is dead money. I had paid over 20k in rent, yet they still want my small deposit at all cost. Thank God for TDS.