domin8:
Hi all,

What are your thoughts on these mortgage deals.

2 year Fixed 5.35% for 25 years or 5 year Fixed 5% for 25 years.

Thanks.

Tricky one. All depends on where you see the rates going in the next few years which is a difficult guess. Some would say longer for the 'peace of mind' but with rates expected to drop soon, its worth considering the tradeoff.

A non- biased way to approach it is this:
First, calculate how much your total repayment would be over the 2 yr and 5yr fix. From the difference.
Secondly, you can then then calculate what the rate for the subsequent 3 yrs (after the 2yr fix expires) would have to be to make fixing for two years worthwhile.
Lastly, based on data available, you then guesstimate the likelihood of a ates dropping to that sweet spot in 3 yrs.

If you're yet to get your ILR, that might be something to consider as post you'd get more mortgage options (hopefully cheaper) with an ILR.

KingOfTheDamned:
Lol, why the shock? Does she think women everywhere only focus on prostitution the way Nigerian women focus on it?

Does she think people are desperate for money the way all the men in her life are?
Does she think everyone doesn't value a good name and are ready to ruin their family name by entering yahoo or prostitution the way Nigerians do?

Does she think everyone worships money the way all her family members and friends do?

Ozuor

@Seun @mods this is what you've let nairaland become.

@op. The report did not state be is Nigerian. Why are you assuming he is Nigerian? Is it because of his name?
Not everyone with a Nigerian sounding name is Nigerian just as not everyone answering 'Bush' is British/American

@mods the topic of this post should be corrected.

efighter:
It’s a new beginning, unfortunately if and when she gets there, she may propose laws to be making men to change their surnames to their wives’ maiden names after wedding

Are you ever worried about issues that foster development especially in Nigeria and Africa? How have we Nigerians, who are carrying the worry of LQBTQ fared?

Babaric from the UAE government

justwise:


Does he? Remember this image from 2016 elections

Lol... as a populist, he'd pose with whatever trend for the PR. His followers can use this as proof he is not prejudiced against certain groups. On a good day, he might even pose with the BLM flag. The same reason why minorities are usually made spoke persons or home secretary or how Reform campaigners switch from using 'migration' to 'illegal migration' when they encounter a non-white person.

Once a few catch phrases are liked by certain groups, they are doubled down on to lock support in.

justwise:


Time will tell, Dems will throw everything behind Kamala now because they got no choice, she has now till Nov to win those at the middle.

Trump need to be worried about the next debate, Kamala will make a mess of him

Hehe.. trump is not someone to be debated with. Even someone as oratorial as Obama might struggle cos while a sensible person is reeling out facts, all trump would do is latch on to a narrative, keep repeating it and make it a punch line.

You are sweating this matter too much. Most Nigerians would prefer Trump only for his stance on Abortion and LQBTQ. It does not matter if he's actively working against their economic wellbeing. It's like Britain and immigration

justwise:


Apparently if they want to remove Kamala money donated to Biden $ Kamala pack will not be transferred to the new person and so many other issues AOC explained in a video

The majority seems split finely between those who'd vote Trump even if he killed their parents and those who'd rather vote a stone over Trump. Yes, Biden had to resign so what's left of those in the middle don't tilt right. At this stage, most top democrats would have reasonably equal chances against Trump.

claremont:
.

Interesting. Mind sharing the 'sauce'?

Remember asking if anyone thought the NHS would fare better if the UK had a Japan-esque migration policy.

Number 2 highlights the fact that in the modern world, Nigerians are are still far behind in the migration game.

Number 3 is quite a striking one. Recently moved to a new build estate and not far off are new build social/HA houses. Despite the builders best efforts to build their social houses in a way that would hide usual issues, still their game in hand is to let kids play on the road unsupervised into very late hours while the parents smoke pipe in the backyard. Once a police van is seen, we know where its headed. The other day, I heard mum and her quite young son exchanging swear words. In the morning, while most folks in the estate head off to work including some care workers who are renting, these able-bodied folks would steal a look and say 'hello'. I'm sure if you ask that lady the real reason why she is not working- her reply would be 'dem immigrants'. What annoys me is that my council is broke mainly down to ever-rising adult social care and tax is bound to increase yearly to pay the bills of many able-bodied folks who have refused to work not accounting for my income tax. I'm all for the welfare state and its safetynet but over 4 million working age adults on benefits? Haba

budaatum:



Still, 2029 soon come. Well see then if we are as ignorant as electing Reform would suggest we are or if we've overcome the xenophobia that made us leave Europe...

Hehe. As I said before the last election, in an unforgiven British political climate, a part of me wanted Reform to win so they can be given the tools to undo themselves just like we saw with immigration and Brexit ir BJo and Truss. Certain parties can wreck more havoc by being the opposition.

Enough is not said about the number of sits LibDems took from the Tories especially in previously pro-Brexit southern areas despite the Libdems manifesto being 'pro-immigration' and advocating rejoining the EU. If the Brexit vote regret keeps rising, rejoining EU might be a significant factor in coming elections.

leoshadow:
Hi Everyone,

Apologies for the long post.

....

It's unclear from your post if you're single or married (with kids), the current cost of rent and what region of the country you are in as all these would affect advice given and decision making.

Your main advantage is that you have a good financial base and you're a first time buyer.

It appears you have only started looking. I'd say it's worth not being in too much of a hurry except your rent is quite high that'd it'd prevent you from saving or other individual issues. As a first time buyer, you have upto 450k before paying stamp duty which is worth maximising to the best of your ability.

What you're able to borrow is largely based off your gross wage. It'sunclear if your 4k is net or gross, but your annual gross multiplied by 4.5 gives you a general idea of what most banks would lend +/-.

Giving yourself a one year time frame could give you certain advantages

1st, you can bring over the 10 mil and chuck it in a LISA
2nd, a LISA opened today, could afford you 2k in govt rebate in a years time. All you have to do is chuck 4k this yr and another by next April.
3rd- you can hypersave for the next 12 months to build a deposit. Chucking another 16k into an easy access cash isa at good rate should yield another grand at least tax free.
4th. Most banks would ask for 6 months of accounts hence your 10 mil brought over now should not even be on the radar in 1 yr.
5. In 1yr, you have the potential to have 50k ish in deposit. That could afford you 2 things- a lower LTV with hence reduced interest payments or a better house. I'd go for the latter. A nice 3-4 bed detached in most parts of the south would be north of 300k. Good base now and if you come to sell in future, going for a nice property now would count.
6th- That one year can afford you time to really decide on what town and what part of that town you want to buy. Consider closeness to transport links, good schools e.t.c. which is something many immigrants tend to overlook initially. In every town, some areas would always be more expensive than others.

The downside is that property prices may rise. With no one knowing the future, I'd say any potential rise is less likely to be steep over the next year. Even if it is, the potential benefits should outweigh risks.

This is so wrong and babaric. Why should we do this to ourselves? If he has done wrong, he should be handed over to the police.

missjekyll:


My friends tell me the 13 years under the last labour government saw an increase in their wages, finding employment, nurseries, able to buy houses.

I m already poised to take full advantage for the next 5 years. Any government policy I ll be all over it like white on rice and I ll share it on here of course.

Remember despite all that, they ended up being voted out and kept out of power for 14 yrs for 'ruining the economy'

Generally, I hope for the best but try not to get too sold on politicians especially when there's an insatiable crowd voting

Obiany:
Thanks for your response.

1). I have Uni of Chester (MA in Diabetics 14kplus) and Liverpool Hope Uni ( MA Disability Studies 13k plus) and Suffolk Uni (MA in Public Health & Well Being 14k plus)

Which would you advise I go for in terms of advantage?

2) Do you have an idea how long they process their admission and to get the CAS after tuition is paid?

3) I can afford to pay my full tuition but have 0 funds in my bank account after that. After admission, What are the best agencies to seek for POF and wait for maturity? Based on these cities how much should I seek for POF? The charges in Lagos are most likely how much? Thanks

Stumbled upon this

Since you're already tilted towards health, why not look at masters programmes that usher you into a field with a rather protected role and would enable you to work in the NHS? e.g occupational therapy?
If you're a nurse looking to hone in on diabetes, then an MA in diabetics is a good bet otherwise, it's tricky as a standalone programme.


Healthcare roles in the UK are not relatively highly paid, hence it might be difficult to meet the 38k salary treshold for a work visa except you're working in the NHS (i.e exempt),

Dappy25:
I finally passed my practical driving test at the 3rd try . Failing twice was quite humbling but I’m glad I finally crossed the hurdle.

Here’s my tip for anyone struggling to pass; apart from taking driving lessons, binge watch mock test on YouTube channels like DGN driving and Clearview driving. Watch videos of people that fail and take note of their serious faults so you can avoid them and learn to drive safely.

That said which cars would you recommend that costs less than 3k?

I’m not looking to spend much on a vehicle for now.

Congrats. Good you shared tips.

Not much info @the bolded perhaps Ford focus, but ultimately, try and avoid cars that'd see you frequent the mechanic. 'Parts and labour' no be here.

wallg123:
Would football be coming home tonight or would it be tears on repeat ?

Rooting for England today as expected but if we no win, I hope some benevolence is not thrown at Saka and other black players.

Viruses:


The question is why didn't you go straight to Canada from Nigeria?

Just like a fresh graduate that was finding it hard to land a first job, a company saw his potentials, gave him a job and built his skills for five years, only for other companies to start giving him opportunity afterwards.

UK saw your potentials and gave you opportunity to develop it. Five years later and Canada is just seeing the skills. Your gratitude should be to UK, not Canada.

Good question. I didn't go down answering it before as I didn't want to belabour the issue. I chose the UK for other reasons - major one being a better troden path.

The Canadian express entry pathway is pretty straightforward with no preference to country of origin/residence. You get points for your degree and a few others. The time I've spent in the UK didn't add any advantage rather points dropped as I got older. Fact is, the main reason I was still able to get it despite being older was because they recently made a pathway for healthcare workers which still buttresses this issue as being a game of need. Oddly, while I was in 9ja, I was convincing a colleague to follow me on the UK pathway and he was looking to convince me to go the Can route with him. After all this time, he almost relocated here once but I'm likely now headed to his province. My UK training should count when I get there but not at entry.


Not to becloud facts, the UK has been an immense blessing to me which is a main reason I've held on to collect my British kpali. The time of my arrival was pivotal in benefiting hugely from the need the government was looking to fill but ultimately like the father of modern economics said, ‘ It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages.’.

RalphJean:


The type of prayers me and my wife and children have received today, the goodwill will last a lifetime, I think.

Thank you so much for that not-so-little suggestion. Turns out it’s a win-win for everyone. Thank you Jedisco.

Kudos... at the very least, you've made their week.
Things no easy for many back home

muzzling17:
Hello guys,

Please I recently started shooting at NHS from Nigeria. But I see some band 6 role with salary between 35-42k. Knowing the recent migration rule of 37,800. My friend said for new entrant like me I will be placed on the lower band and this does not qualify to get COS. I am in the tech space with over 3 years experience.

Please is this true?. Should I just focus on Band 7 roles or higher paying role whose minimum band qualify for the new rule.

I'm unsure if this has been answered but working on a banded role within the NHS (i.e being eligible for Health and care visa) exempts you from the 37.8k treshold. Your treshold is realistically based on the going rate for your band which is what your Trust would offer eitherway.

The link below from NHS employers explains it well with good examples.

https://www.nhsemployers.org/articles/impacts-changes-uk-immigration-policy

RalphJean:
Help needed please.

Who has any life hack on how to arrange used clothes for shipping?
We just decluttered. Lots and lots of used clothes. Two huge Ghana must go bags. Both ours and the kids’. A lot are in pristine condition.
We thought to package and send to Naija. Relatives & relatives kids will greatly benefit (we think). We have found a shipping company I east London which can ship 1 big Ghana must go bag to Abuja for £120. We think it’s probably worth the cost.

Any suggestions or hack on how best to maximise space to fit in plenty clothes?

Any other suggestions (including any alternative known cheaper shippers) highly welcome please

Thank you for reading

Just wondering... would the people back home think its worth the cost? £120 plus sundry costs would come upto 250k. They might very well prefer that sum being given to them than sending clothes over.
Remember to some, their perception of taking clothes from someone known is different from buying okrika.

How was this determined?

I'm surprised very few are asking how they came about these numbers

Zahra29:
Just saw this article and thought I'd share because it's often taken for granted how "generous" the UK's immigration system is, in a lot of ways, compared to other countries.

Hehe.. You've taken it upon yourself at each point to expose the generosity of the UK immigration system. Its like telling apartheid SA to accept the generosity because indigenous groups elsewhere saw worse. In a race to the bottom, there are no shortage of nations who treat migrants worse to compare with.

Also remember the better nations. I from the comfort of my home in the UK applied for and was given a Canadian PR - same thing that took me 5 years of good behaviour and taxation to achieve in the UK. What's strinking is that CAN is a wealthier nation per head with better growth potential. Ultimately, migration is a game of need, not generosity

IridescentAge:


Yeah I'd agree with this. How else would Australia or Canada have been populated in the first place?

.....

But in the days of the British Empire migration was encouraged willy nilly. South Asians would move to East Africa - Kenya, Uganda, Brits would move to Australia or Canada or Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. There was technically complete free movement around the Empire/Commonwealth up until 1962. Obviously it was a lot less feasible technically.

For the bolded... its the first time I've heard that excuse being used. Wonder if you'd tell an Indigenous Australian that.

Migration was encouraged for certain groups into certain places. South Africa had millions come in. I don't see the many black people that were encouraged to freely migrate to Australia, Canada, UK e.t.c.

History isn't kind. The more I learn about history, the more unapologetic about migration I become.

justwise:
We don't have to repay UK for axed deal - Rwanda

Sure they shouldn't.

When I heard it was scrapped the first thing that hit me was 'subsidy is gone' by our dearest BAT. Might have been better to get an inside grasp first. I hope it doesn't come to bite them and sincerely hope they are able to 'smash the gangs'

Gerhards:



Can those people who fall in this category of gay nonsense relocate to Europe or U.S permanently, it's never going to work in Africa

Lol.. never be so sure. Today, you speak English and likely believe that all your ancestors that existed before the coming of Christianity or Islam are in hell.

The only way Africa would escape the increasing pressure to do what it does not want to is by growing its economy and avoiding stvpid debt. If we keep borrowing from the west, its only a matter of time that we would be unable to pay back. Options may be to face severe economic difficulty or agreee to certain unwanted terms. This might have already happened if not for the rise of China providing international competition to the west.

The salary structure in this country perpetuates poverty.

Why should an NCO that has put in over 20 years in the military (manytimes with a family) with all the transfers and risks involved be on less than 100k? Where does experience and years of service sit?

There should be a good overlap between higher ranked NCO and COs. I see no reason why a warrant officer can't earn as much as a lieutenant colonel. These are very experienced folks with good education many of whom were only unfortunate to be from poor families and hence didn't have the 'legs' to get into the NDA

Also, the pay appreciation with the higher ranked COs is too much in comparison to lower ranks.

For starters, no rank should be more than 10x that of a private. If a private or LC is on 50-60k, then a general should not be on more than 600k. Take the UK for example. A general earns grossly about 6x that of a private. Guess what? That General would end up paying relatively more tax so his take home would be about 3-4x that of lower ranked NCOs. Thats how to adress poverty and make sure higher ranked officers are concerned about the living condition of lower ranked colleagues.

MayCar:


Thanks for the advise, on the long run, they realize without the money in question, the amount in the account is enough so they just let it go, thankfully

Kudos! Remember to come and testify once completed

Oladepo812:
Good morning colleagues.
Please I need an advice on the best route to retain my stay in the UK. I'm a student with my program coming to completion in September, while my visa expires in Jan 2025.
I'm actually thinking of post study work visa(PSWV) for a family of 4, but my fear is after this PSWV, what next? As I'm aware that most companies don't want to sponsor even after the so called PSWV.
I've lots of experience in my field but I think the companies are mostly concerned about the sponsorship.
Please what is the best thing for me to do as I've run out of ideas?
Thanks.

There's still time and it's difficult to say what would be the prevailing climate after your PSW. It's likely labour would be tight with immigration until forced by the economy.
It also depends on your field/course. There are exemptions for NHS roles and certain teachers are sought after so you or your spouse could target those.

The main issue is that with a family of 4, any visa application na big money hence why you appear worried

crypticTrey:
Good morning house
Please I kind of need an advice from y’all in the Uk
I’m a software developer (mobile app developer) in Nigeria with two years of experience and I currently earn about 500k.
I started making plans on coming to the Uk via study route and I’m currently in the stage of applying for my visa. I have been very optimistic about this but last night I spent a long time thinking about it as I’m really worried about the situation I read about the Uk and where they stand with immigration.

I have been following this thread for months to understand what it’s like over there and I really hope I get a response. Thanks in advance 🙏🏾

There's lots of uncertainty with the recent change and its difficulttosay how things would pan out. However, the current pay treshold for work visas are quite steep. Needed IT skills pay well but I it's highly competitive. It's worth reaching out to tech folks already in the UK to weigh different routes available.

If coming for a masters program, it should definitely be one that'd align with your skills and boost your chances of getting a good job afterwards. You might be able to pick up remote jobs during your masters

Also worth exploring Canada as it has an tech route for express entry and Can/USA pays quite well for IT. With good cash reserves, both routes don't have to be mutually exclusive. You can still go for a masters and apply for express entry anytime from now till PSW.

walenden:


But some people heartless in Canada. My brother was supposed to pay rent by June 30, and we're still trying to arrange the money to send to him as he's not working yet. Yesterday, July 7, his roommate threw him out and rented the room to another person who will move in the next day, in a shared bedroom... just a 7-day rent delay. That's terrible!!

Hehe... you call 7 days 'just'? What would you then consider a good delay... 6 months?
Perhaps, the roommate may have seen the signs and sensed that this would be an unending occurrence.

Hope he gets a place soon.

MayCar:



Thank you, they did give me the option of treating each person as a giftor but the requirements is too much. Just wondering if u could just change solicitors at this point

What requirements do they need from each person?

If you're looking at a really big sum, chances are you might run into thesame issue with another solicitor. Also, you might already have incured some bills with your current solicitor. Worth asking or looking around to see if you encounter people who got a reasonably different approach by switching solicitors.

Ticha:
Full meter shebang - re-wiring has been quoted at £11k. Abi make I go do electrician instead? 🤪🤪

Hehe... no be small work get u. Kudos

All this skill no suppose finish for one house. After building a capable team, you may as well leverage the knowledge into doer-uppers.