There’s a reason my house is quite cheap. Many of my friends say to me that I am lucky to have such a cheap but well located house. The rooms are a good size, the metro and restaurants and cafes are close by and I am the envy of many.
But there are serious shortcomings of this old place. Six days without water recently was a horrific experience and I was finding it hard to see the charm of a lane house. Next it’s the constant power cuts and fear of power cuts which the winter brings.
If I want to turn something on, I have to turn something else off. I need to warm up the bedroom so the sitting room has to go cold as the bedroom gets warmer.
I want a cup of tea but I’m ironing so one of them has to be turned off. I want to make some toast but I must make sure I don’t try blow-drying my hair at the same time.
Today I woke up to find the taps dry (again) and on enquiring with the neighbours I was told the whole house was without water except one tap in the
communal kitchen.
Apparently the pipes are frozen (at least I am assuming that’s what they said). So I am back to boiling water for washing and I hope that tomorrow it will be warm enough to start the water flowing.
Unfortunately I fear it is only going to be above zero for a few hours in the middle of the day so it looks like it’ll be another dry day for me in this ‘charming lane house’.
So before you sign a lease for a lane house be realistic about the practicalities of life in these sub-standard dwellings and buy yourself a couple of buckets!