I bought my flat for £113,000 but can't even sell it for £90,000 - I'm trapped

Matt Elliott feels “trapped” in his one-bedroom flat that he has been unable to sell since February, as he looks to move to a bigger property to start a family.

The 37-year-old from Bournemouth bought the flat in 2022 for £113,000 with a deposit of £20,000, and initially put the proeprty up for sale in February for £120,000.

Matt says since then he has only had three viewings and no offers. Now, the flat has stopped feeling like a home and more of a liability.

But staff say many people treat their shops like a tip.

Here they share the most useful donations they get, and the
ones that drive them mad.

The quality of donations over the last year has diminished.

Claire Stockman, head of retail for St
Luke’s Hospice [pictured], says many donations include used items from fast fashion like Boohoo and Primark, which they cannot sell for more than £2, if at all.

of what comes into St Luke’s Hospice is unsellable, Stockman says.

She adds its soiled, damaged beyond
repair or smelly.

Harriet, a volunteer at Crisis in Dalston,
says people bring in clothes that are dirty and stained – things that they cannot sell
on Vinted.

She also sees dirty kitchenware and technology that no longer works.

There was a box donated after someone’s family had passed and in it were all these medals. I researched them and the whole collection ended up going for £2,340…

A good donation is anything new with tags on, anything that hasn’t been opened, or higher quality items.

Items that have been well looked after are more likely to sell and generate a better price for charity too.

Harriet adds that knick-knacks and wine glasses are surprise hits in her branch.

Here, psychologists, career consultants and sleep experts give their best advice on how
to beat the gloom that the
work week is looming…

Pave the way on Friday

Psychologist Maria-Teresa Daher-Cusack says to wrap up tasks and not to leave big or difficult things for Monday. And write a to-do list for the next week so you know what to expect when you return after the weekend.

Get outside early

Doctor Naheed Ali says getting out on a Sunday morning – not sleeping late – helps regulate the circadian rhythm that can become skewed over the weekend.

On Sunday spend time away from technology to allow yourself a personal reset away from doom scrolling.

Put yourself in the best position to rest by avoiding large meals, screens and caffeine.

If possible don’t stack your Mondays with high-pressure tasks.

Don’t just save joyful things for the weekend. On lunch breaks, try to do something you enjoy.

If the Sunday scaries are constant, listen to them. If every Sunday fills you with dread and nothing seems to quell it it’s worth asking if it’s the job, the culture or the career itself. No one should spend half their weekend bracing for impact… ” says Victoria McLean

But no country’s energy system is 100 per cent secure and large-scale blackouts, although rare, are possible.

Here’s how to prepare, and what could happen, if we do have a blackout.

If the UK’s power went down tomorrow, these are the ways it is likely to impact you first.

For EV owners that are already on the road, Professor Keith Bell, who works in electricity planning, recommends that those with an EV with reasonable charge use it as a generator, like your own store of electricity.

In the case of the power system going down, petrol isn’t a totally safe option as queues at petrol stations could be huge and places are likely to run out of fuel.

The longer the power takes to return the worse things are likely to get. In 2021 Storm Arwen physically damaged power lines across the UK.

During the 1977 New York blackout, which lasted 25 hours, there was civil unrest, resulting in widespread looting and arson, although intense heatwaves are thought to have exacerbated the situation.

To get updates during a power cut – a car radio can be used, but in severe weather it might be safer to stay inside.

A minimum of 2.5-3 litres of drinking water per person per day is recommended.

The Government recommends opting for torches over candles, for safety reasons.

Using screens in a way that benefits your child’s development is key and balancing educational content and entertainment with offline activities ensures a well-rounded routine.

For younger children, try scavenger hunts, garden games and nature walks. For older ones, hikes
and biking trips.

Designated screen-free times helps children develop a routine that balances screen use with other activities.

It’s an excellent way
to bond and develop critical thinking skills.

Getting creative, through drawing, painting or model construction, enhances cognitive skills and offers an alternative to screens.

Arrange playdates or group activities with friends, or for older kids try an overnight camping trip in the garden.

Showing that you value offline time encourages your children to do the same.

Implement a reward system where screen time is earned through positive behaviour. 

Discuss the importance of balancing screen time with your children so they understand the reasons behind the rules.

Some studies suggest so.

These are the eight brain-boosting foods registered dietitian Fareeha Jay
recommends people consume as part of a weekly diet…

They contain several nutrients thought to support brain health, including choline, vitamin B12 and iodine.

Caffeine can reduce inflammation and
slow the degeneration
of brain cells.

It’s packed with antioxidants and high in vitamin K, which is essentially for healthy brain cells.

Your brain uses Omega-3s to build brain and nerve cells – so a diet rich in them may slow age-related mental decline.

These improve heart health markers, which is linked to a lower risk of neurological disorders.

They contain compounds which have been shown to improve blood flow to the brain, cognitive function, and memory.

There’s this assumption about being put out to pasture… but now that we’re living and working longer, we have to challenge myths around ageing and remember that over-50s are a crucial part of the workforce…

Yet more than a third of those between 50 and 69 believe that their age puts them at a disadvantage when they apply for jobs. 

The Age Without Limits study from 2024 shows that 37 per cent of workers between 51 to 70 felt badly treated in work because of their age.

We need the same level of career planning in
our fifties as our twenties. It’s possible to reinvent yourself again.

It’s nonsense that older people can’t pick up how to use new tech.

Do you need a pay rise? Could you trade some of that money you earn, to work a bit less, and do more things you enjoy?

Become full-time childcare

Grandparenting on the horizon? If you don’t want to do childcare, have the conversation early – even before a child becomes pregnant – that you plan to continue working and love your job.

Accept redundancy too quickly

It’s going to be so much harder to get back into work if you don’t have a plan before you take that leap.

Everybody thinks early retirement is the dream but the reality can be different. There can be loneliness, lack of purpose and a sense of invisibility. 

Boneless chicken thighs are all meat and a much tastier product.

If you plan every meal all week, there’s no leeway for necessary last-minute changes of plan (or leftovers).

There are so many products that children want to fill the trolley with – all kinds of exciting eye candy. It’s cheaper to go alone.

Consider a vegetable box delivery

Having a Riverford box delivery helps Morris avoid impulse buys and go to the shops
less – even though the box is pricey. “It is expensive, but of great quality and organic”.

Track your spending

It doesn’t need to be an elaborate spreadsheet but without some kind of metric, it’s impossible to spot where you
can or must make cutbacks.

You can save plenty
over a year by never buying branded products at full price.

Do a quick cupboard stocktake. You might find you already have three jars of one thing.

Packing fruit, biscuits, and nuts etc into a Tupperware to take out is more cost effective than buying tiny packaged portions.

“Faking” a takeaway at home can sound like a cheaper option, but if it’s something you don’t usually cook – that needs new ingredients – it could work out pricier.

Returning a few things to the shelves that you won’t need in the near future can save you a healthy amount.

Every time you make do with what’s at home,
you save big.

Try a week or a month of shopping local,
and you might be surprised at the results,
in terms of cost and other benefits like supporting local businesses, and
avoiding car journeys and traffic.

Rebecca Jones has tried most cleaning products in her
decades-long career.

She shares the ones she can’t
live without.

Henry is a classic.
It has fantastic filters, sucks up pet hair quickly, and is great at cleaning up fine dust. 

The Vileda H2PrO set is light, manoeuvrable and keeps clean and dirty water separate.

The HG Glass and
Mirror cleaner removes stains without leaving smudges or streaks.

Best multipurpose cleaner

Method’s multi-surface cleaner is plant-based, cruelty-free, and works great on grease, sinks, sealed wood surfaces, hobs, bins and sealed laminated floors.

Best toilet brush

Unlike a regular toilet brush, nothing gets stuck in the bristles of Ibergrif M34152 Silicone brush. It also dries quickly, so
there’s less odour.

Jones uses the HG Mould Spray on walls, tiles, grout, windows and outdoor furniture.

The Seep Eco Bamboo clothes have a streak-free finish and last.

Every home should have a bottle of Dr Beckmann’s stain remover, says Jones.

Best stain remover

The Mr Siga Multi-Functional Eraser Sponge acts like fine sandpaper to lift
dirt, stains, and scuffs using only water.

Best kept secret

Jones uses Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser to polish stainless-steel, scour sinks and clean her fridge and cookware.

“I feel trapped. My partner and I want to start a family, and a one-bedroom flat isn’t feasible for that.”

The first estate agent Matt had the property listed with dropped the asking price within 14 days of the flat going on the market to £110,000 – less than he originally paid for it.

Since then, Matt has enlisted a different estate agent who reduced the price further with the asking price now being “offers in excess of’ £90,000” but still with no luck.

He said: “I’ve come to terms with the fact I won’t make a profit at all. We have a deposit and a mortgage in principle for a new place; I just can’t seem to sell the property I’m in.

“At this point I just want to clear the mortgage, pay the associated fees and stamp duty and get out, but even that feels like an impossibility.”

He and his partner are looking to buy a property for £250,000 in the Bournemouth area but, due to his flat not selling, said their “lives are on hold” until then.

Matt thinks he has struggled to sell his flat because of the Renters’ Reform Act, which has caused a number of landlords to exit the buy-to-let market. As a result, there are a lot of studio and one-flats for sale in the area.

It comes as new data shows that 60 per cent of homes listed for sale in January were still on the market in June as a result of higher borrowing costs and Labour’s leadership crisis.

One- and two-bedroom properties have been particularly affected, according to property portal Zoopla.

Richard Donnell, executive director at Zoopla, said: “There is demand to move home, but buyers have become more cautious. Sellers need to price carefully to attract demand if they want to sell their home this year.”

The Renters’ Reform Act has also had an impact. On 1 May, millions of tenants were given a swathe of new rights, bringing in some of the biggest changes to the rental industry in recent history.

Landlords can now no longer issue so-called no-fault notices to evict tenants; they will only be able to increase rents once a year using a formal Section 13 notice and fixed-term tenancies have ended – with all renters now on rolling contracts with no end date.

However, many landlords have criticised the changes, saying it means they will be forced to sell up, creating a supply vacuum that could ultimately push up prices for renters.

Matt and his partner started looking at bigger properties when his flat initially went on the market, but the search soon fizzled out when viewings on his flat weren’t happening.

He said: “My partner was getting quite upset about finding properties we liked that just sold very quickly – it’s like a treadmill of constant disappointment.”