ConsumerValue: Housing
Introduction
There is nothing discretionary about needing a roof over your head. Providing a place of shelter and lodging for yourself and any dependents you may have is one of the most fundamental requirements in life, so it's not as though you can "cut down" or "cut out" having a place to live because of the recession!
Yet while you might think there is little scope to economise in the area of housing, the following ConsumerValue guide identifies a range of ways you could save money in this critical area, whether you are a homeowner, tenant or a landlord.
Getting a better deal
Much of the advice given here requires you to be bold in simply asking for a better deal, but given the potential cost savings involved, flexing your consumer muscle can provide a worthwhile return.
This section of ConsumerValue looks at ways to cut costs if you are buying or selling a home, getting or switching mortgages, renting a home (as a tenant or as a landlord) or carrying out renovations/repairs.
The section is designed to enable users to dip in and out of the various topics (see list below), therefore you may notice some slight repetition.
Information on energy costs can be found in the ConsumerValue guide to Energy