How long is a piece of string?

So after enthusiastically returning to my blog, things began to go horribly wrong!  We were informed by our landlord that, due to a very negative EPC viewing, we had to leave the house for repairs to be carried out.  Our first reaction was inevitable panic.  We have lived here for 17 years and originally told we would never have to leave, now we had no  choice.  Then we thought about it and wondered why we had to leave for work to be done, approached the landlord, who told us that we had to move out but as we were good tenants he would be happy for us to move back in again.  We had a look at other rentals in the area and realised that by the time we had paid out what had to paid out, we would be unable to move back in (probably also stuck in a lease for months when the house became available).  So we moved onto plan B, we have a caravan in the garden, why  not stay there while work is carried out?  

The letting agents thought it was a good idea and would approach the landlord on our behalf.  We set about doing up the caravan, painted the interior, new carpet, new curtains and were ready to live in it for a few months.  The landlord said no!

Let me give you some details here on why we didn't want to leave:

In the last 17 years our 4 daughters grew up here so there is the inevitable emotional attachment.

The landlord had done no internal decoration. Our own time, and money has gone into keeping it in decent order.  We recently spent a lot of money on new carpets, worktops in the kitchen and decorating throughout, on the understanding we would be staying here for many years to come.  

Three years ago the landlord told us we were responsible for an area of garden we had previously been told was not ours but belonged to next door (previously owned by the landlords brother).  We spent yet more time and money on bringing a field of weeds to a fully fledged garden.

We looked around us and saw all our efforts being taken away.

We appealed to housing associations in the area to no avail, unless we were homeless there  was nothing they could do.  I even wrote to my MP, who was about as much help as ... well I will let you answer that yourselves.

So we started looking for somewhere else to rent.  At the time we had just acquired two kittens, of course this was on the understanding we could stay where we were, then realised that the majority of private rentals don't allow pets!

Put into the equation the fact that I am the main carer for my 82 year old mother, and you can see that there were certain limitations on areas we could live.  Things were definitely not looking good.

Then I had the thought that maybe we could buy somewhere.  So a few months down the line (luckily we had the time to sort things out) and we are waiting to see if the purchase of a house nearby is going through.

Also down the line, we have got more eager to leave the house we thought we would stay in forever.  Three years ago landlords brother sold the house to landlords son.  They moved in with two children and three dogs.  There are now four children and four dogs.

Now the children I can live with, but four dogs that are not kept under control, bark incessantly, and run manically towards any car that comes up the drive, does not equal a peaceful life.  To be honest, I can't wait to leave!

If the house buying falls through then I will rent another place... away from any dogs!

Whatever happens in the next few weeks, I will be moving.  I will be making curtains for a new place.  I will be making panto costumes with my daughter.  I will be adding to this blog!

In the meantime I have to work out how to condense three bedrooms into two, and reduce my sewing stash to a manageable amount (at the moment it takes up a room on its own).  Find someone who would like my collection of antique sewing machines and pack up and sort through 17 years of living somewhere while waiting to hear from solicitors who seem to be the only people that know how long it takes to buy a house, and how your own purchase is going.  The only answer that seems to fit the situation is the same as you get from 'how long is a piece of string?'

I just hope our piece of string is not a huge ball of the stuff!