Survivalist Chronicles

It seems that not only do complete strangers want to break into our houses and steal the belongings we have worked hard to accrue they want to rob us of our gardens too! Is nothing sacred, not even an English country garden?

Last summer, garden crime increased by 63% and all the insurance companies expect this to increase during 2009. According to the article “Don’t become a victim to shed theft!” we put a lot of work into our gardens, not to mention the money we spend on them every year but for some reason completely overlook the fact that it may be valuable to anyone other than ourselves!

If the garden isn’t covered on the home insurance policy, then get it added on for a few extra pounds a month!

What do we get from a few pounds every month? For starters, if our plants are stolen, we can claim back anything up to two thousand five hundred pounds! We can claim for any garden furniture that’s been stolen as well as claim anywhere around two thousand pounds for garden design services in the event our pride and joy is ruined beyond recognition.

What else do we get for our money? And peace of mind!

Forgetting to insure your garden is absurd so why do we not do it? Many of us spend as much of our free time as possible in our little green idylls so it is not as though our gardens have evaded our consciousness.

What are we thinking off? According to the article “Green Fingers protection against Sticky Fingers!” many of us are aware of that garden crime such as flower theft and malicious damage go on as seventeen per cent of us in an M&S poll stated we knew of people who had been victims.

We spend loads of money on our patios and rose bushes but still the thought of paying out that little extra on insurance or security does not appeal! We all possess impressive barbecues that look so good (and cost so much) it wouldn’t look out of place on a plush hotel veranda in Barbados! We all have stunning patio furniture, outside heaters and Venetian style fountains on our ponds so are we a nation of garden lovers going mad for not wanting to protect it all?

So many house owners and builders are struggling to sell their properties this year. The marketplace has almost dried up and mortgage providers are closing their doors to lending money. It is no wonder many marketplace vendors are raising their game in this tricky economic climate.

According to the article “Succumbing to the SWEET temptations of buying a home”, new exciting incentive schemes are being introduced to attract what few customers there are out there, to their doors. Competitions, no council tax and mortgage payments for a year and cash are being offered to encourage the house buyer to purchase with them instead of elsewhere. Watch out though, it seems the competition between vendors could get crazier still!

But whom do they talk to when they decide what to offer as a ‘great’ incentive? Who’s telling the property developers the way to get my money is to offer me free carpets and removals, that’s what I want to know? Give us girls a laundry service for a while or some pampering treatment at a lovely spa … this would show real imagination and consideration. Help with the laundry, now there would be an incentive!

It is now confirmed, if you are a female medical professional, landlords will be falling over themselves to have you move into their property and become their tenant. They don’t like celebrities so much (or so it would seem!) but those amongst us who are medically trained, female, aged between 36 and 45 (what a small window of opportunity that is!) and earning a modest sum of between £20,000 and £30,000 a year are in huge demand! Landlords will be fighting each other to win your custom!

According to the article “Everybody wants a doctor in the house” landlords would much rather a doctor became their tenant than a celebrity or a high earner! If it came to a choice between a doctor and Daniel Craig, the new dishy 007 will have to look for digs elsewhere! Hard to believe but that’s what landlords are claiming their preferences to be! I know whom I would prefer!