September in the garden

by Graham Mitchell

Another strange summer. Whilst the continent was experiencing record temperatures, we had cool, damp, and breezy weather. The garden got very confused. Some things did well, whilst others were a disaster, The slugs and snails had a great time on the allotment.

As autumn is fast approaching, we have plenty to do. In the flower garden we can concentrate on keeping everything looking good until that first frost arrives. That means dead heading and cutting back the hanging baskets and decorative pots. A final trim of conifer hedges will keep it looking good over winter. Tidying throughout the garden, letting air get to your plants, will prevent mildew and rot.

We can do some seed sowing of hardy annuals. Autumn outdoor sowings may need protection from hard frosts but will start flowering much earlier than spring sowings. Flowers to choose include Poppies, Nigella, Honesty and Cornflowers. More sensitive plants like Sweet Peas and Toadflax can be sown in the greenhouse, as well as winter salad. Talking about seeds, you can save ripe seeds from your favourite plants, keeping them in labelled envelopes, to sow next spring.

It is time to plant some spring bulbs and maybe split and reposition clumps of established bulbs. You can lift and dry gladioli corms ready to store in the garage over winter. If you, like me, move some houseplants outside for summer you’d better think of moving them back in before it gets too late.

Fruit and vegetables should be in abundance in the fruit and vegetable plot. Lift your last potatoes and store in paper sacks in a cool dry place. The last of the plums should be ripe and the grapes ready to pick. Pick apples and pears before the wind blows them down, and store undamaged fruit if you can’t eat them fresh. It is quite difficult judging the best time to pick pears, but don’t leave them too long as they tend to go fibrous and woody. At the end of the season, I pull up the tomato plants and hang them upside down in the greenhouse to get as many fruits to ripen as possible. Unless, that is, you love green tomato chutney.

Enjoy the future you’re looking forward to with expert guidance from our team of independent financial advisors

Simple Steps To Save More For Your Retirement

As the reality of retirement draws closer, you may be thinking of ways to boost your pension pot or nest egg.

But with the cost-of-living crisis pushing prices for food, fuel and just about everything else up, it can feel hard to do this.

Here, independent financial adviser and codirector of Belgrave Wincham, Craig Roberts, shares four simple steps that can help you reach your retirement goals.

Review your investments

If you haven’t reviewed these for a while, put it at the top of your to-do list. The performance of certain investments can change over time so it may be that you’re taking less risk than you would like. A little TLC could result in a big improvement on your return.

Make use of tax relief wrappers

Check you’re utilising tax wrappers - think ISAs, pensions, capital gains tax and personal savings allowances. They can offer generous tax relief benefits and almost everyone is entitled to them. Maximising these could save you thousands.

Assess your investment strategy

If you’ve got a lump sum of money which you’re looking to invest, you could either do this in one go, or in smaller amounts on a regular basis. The latter of these is known as ‘pound cost averaging’ and can be beneficial when the stock markets are volatile. As well as giving you the opportunity to potentially buy shares at cheaper prices, it also aims to provide protection if the market reduces in value.

Seek expert help with your investment

If you’re not sure where to start, or don’t want to go it alone when it comes to choosing your investments, you could consider having them managed. Choose an independent financial adviser that can recommend a personalised portfolio suited to your individual aims and goals, and who will monitor this on your behalf.

For expert advice on retirement planning call the friendly team at Belgrave Wincham on 01691 886554.

with GHP Legal’s Clare

Lewis

If I buy out housing association shares, will I still have to pay ground rent?

Q: I bought a house through a shared ownership scheme. Now my boyfriend has moved in with me my financial situation has changed, and together we could be in a position to purchase more shares and eventually own the house lock, stock and barrel. If we own the house 100%, will we still have to pay ground rent and service charges?

A: Buying further shares in a home that is part owned by a housing association is called ‘staircasing’. The more shares you own, the less rent you will pay to the housing association, but you will still have to pay ground rent and service charges unless you own the freehold. You should therefore contact the housing association and ask whether you can purchase the freehold when you make the final payment to own 100% of the property.

Prior to 2022, shared owners were typically only allowed to staircase a maximum of three times. Since then, many housing associations have ceased to restrict the number of times further shares could be purchased. As staircasing rules vary from provider to provider, you should check the terms of your lease to see how often you can increase your holding. It is, however, worth bearing in mind that every time you staircase you will be charged an admin fee, so buying additional shares in larger chunks is more financially viable. Depending on how much you paid when you purchased the property, you may also be liable for stamp duty.

Looking further ahead, if you want to sell your property and don’t own 100% of it, you will need to inform your provider and organize and pay for an RICS valuation of the property. In some cases you must offer the property to the provider first, before putting it on the open market. Even if you own 100%, if the property is still leasehold because you have not purchased the freehold, you may still have to offer it back to the housing association first.

This question has been answered by Clare Lewis, a Licensed Conveyancer with GHP Legal. If you would like to speak to someone about this or any other legal matter, please visit our website www.ghplegal.com and use the contact us form, or call us on: Wrexham 01978 291456, Llangollen 01978 860313, Oswestry 01691 659194

I

I l I ty | conf I dence

I nat I on phys I que tness control health Whether your goal is self defence, physical conditioning or you just want to have fun and meet new friends, our quality professional Tae Kwon Do instruction could well provide you with just the results you are looking for.

Oswestry based. Happy to travel. 20+ years experience.

PROFESSIONAL FLOOR AND WALL TILING

Porcelain, ceramic, marble, travertine. Kitchens, bathrooms, conservatory, shops no job too big.

Please call Rob on 07896602847

Facebook Rob the Tiler Oswestry