Whats the plan Stan
The Journey Begins
It all started with a simple idea: “Enough. The country’s heading in the wrong direction, and we need to get out before it gets worse.”
You know those TV shows where the main characters don’t leave a bad situation quickly enough, and it spirals into seasons of drama? Well, that’s us. We're in the middle of our own story, and we’re all in. Let’s just hope it turns out better than "LOST."
The Big Move
The old Home
We’ve sold the house, cleared out most of our things—clothes, furniture, the lot. The exception? Donna’s “collection” of 560 pairs of shoes (she’s never thrown a pair away). But aside from that, we’ve donated almost everything, leaving us with just a few essentials. Once the last charity shop run was done, all that’s left will fit into our Sprinter van, which we’ve aptly named Scamper (Sprinter + camper = Scamper—get it?).
Preparing for the Road
The Van is a ten-year-old van, and it’s showing its age. There’s rust to fix, the electrical system needs an upgrade, and we need to improve the suspension, lift kit, winch, roof rack, rear ladder, and tire mount. There’s a lot to get done, and we’re planning to work with specialists for all the technical stuff I can’t handle myself. I’m not exactly a DIY expert, but I’m hoping to pick up a few skills along the way.
What’s Next?
So, after a few months of getting Scamper ready, we’ll be set to hit the road. It’s going to be a lot of work, but we’re committed to the adventure ahead.
"The House Sale and the Vanishing Deposit"
Selling a house can be a stressful experience, and ours was no exception. After packing up our life, staging the home, and preparing for the big day, we were ready to hand over the keys to the new owners. But just when we thought everything was set, we encountered an unexpected setback involving the camper van we had planned to buy.
The Day of the Sale
It was a bright, optimistic morning. Our house sale was set to close, and we were excited to move on to the next chapter. We envisioned celebrating in our new van, Scamper, and heading off for adventures. But as it turns out, things don’t always go as planned.
The Camper Van Situation
While finishing up the last details of the move, we received an unexpected call. It was Jonathan from Yourstyle Leisure, the company we’d placed a deposit with for a camper van. We had big plans for road trips, but Jonathan had other news. He informed us that he had sold the van to someone else just days before our house sale was due to close. Talk about bad timing.
The Vanishing Deposit
To make matters worse, Jonathan explained that the deposit we’d paid was not going to be refunded. According to him, the money had been “used up,” leaving us with nothing but frustration. It felt like a bad joke—one that we didn’t find funny at all.
Legal Concerns
While we’re not legal experts, we knew that keeping someone’s deposit after selling the van to someone else wasn’t right. We reached out to Jonathan, explaining that his actions were not only disappointing but potentially illegal. Unfortunately, he didn’t seem to care.
The House Sale Goes Through
Despite the camper van issue, our house sale went ahead as planned. The new buyers were happy with the property, and the sale was completed. But without a van to begin our adventure, we were left feeling a bit stuck.
Resolution
After a number of phone calls and emails, we eventually received half of our deposit back. It wasn’t the outcome we’d hoped for, but at least it wasn’t a total loss. It was a frustrating experience, but it gave us a story to look back on.
Conclusion
In the end, the house sale went through, but we lost £1,500 in the process due to the van situation. We learned that not everyone who holds a deposit is trustworthy, and sometimes patience is the only option.
So, if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, take a lesson from our experience with Yourstyle Leisure who in our opinion you should avoid at all costs. It’s a reminder that things don’t always go smoothly, but even in tough moments, there’s always a lesson to be learned.
