Notes
Decisions, builds and lessons — documented as they happen, not written to look impressive.
-
Reproduce, Don't Redistribute
The repository ships no add-ons. It describes what should exist and lets OpenTTD acquire the payloads through its own content system — keeping third-party payloads out of Blueprint, while their licences remain their own.
-
Correct Code With No Caller
A passing test can prove that a function works. It cannot prove that the running system ever calls it.
-
When Your Own Tests Are the Thing That's Wrong
The application was fine. One CI failure was real, three later diagnoses were wrong, and the test was asking for state before it had loaded.
-
Why a Property Calculator Should Sometimes Say "N/A"
A BRRR refinance that returns more cash than you put in should be great news. The naive way to calculate the return on that turns it into a nonsense number instead.
-
Why I Moved Family Communication From Discord to Matrix
Discord worked fine for chatting. It was never going to work for a family that needed something we actually controlled. Why I self-hosted a Matrix homeserver instead.
-
Why My Homelab Needed TRON
AI is good at spotting patterns and bad at knowing when to stop. Here's why I built a security layer where the AI only ever recommends, and a deterministic engine decides.
-
Corporate Landlords in Sheffield: A Practical Playbook for Small Investors
Institutional landlords and build-to-rent operators are expanding in UK city centres, including parts of Sheffield. Rather than competing head-on, here's a practical playbook for where small investors can still win — and win well.
-
Navigating the Renters' Rights Act: What Sheffield Landlords Need to Do Now
The Renters' Rights Act is live. Section 21 is gone, periodic tenancies are the default, and penalties for non-compliance run to £40,000 per breach. Here's a nine-point practical framework for Sheffield landlords.
-
Why Landlords Are Selling Off Their Properties: A 70% Surge in Tenanted Auctions
A reported 70% jump in tenanted properties sold at auction is being read as a landlord exodus. The real picture is smaller, messier and more useful than the headline — here's what it means if you're selling or buying in the North.
-
Bridging Loans Don't Save You From Repossession. They Buy You Weeks — If You Don't Waste Them.
A bridging loan doesn't rescue you from repossession. It buys a short, expensive window to fix your situation or sell before the bank does it for you. Here's the unvarnished truth.
-
Councils Got £60m to Hunt Landlords — The Real Risk Isn't What You Think
£60m in enforcement funding, civil penalties up to £40,000, and a self-funding fine machine. The risk isn't being a bad landlord — it's being sloppy.
-
Stamp Duty Isn't Killing First-Time Buyers in the North — Lazy Pricing Is
London is paying for most of the stamp duty story being sold as a national crisis. For property under £300k in Yorkshire, almost nothing has changed. Here's what the data actually shows — and what investors should do with it.
-
Section 21's Last Gasp: Panic Is Lazy, Preparation Pays
Section 21 is gone. Sheffield landlords who've built proper systems will be fine. Those who relied on paperwork shortcuts won't. Here's what to do now.
-
Stop Blaming Wars and Chocolate Prices: Your Conveyancing Is Slow Because of People and Chains
Conveyancing delays get blamed on global events and economic noise. The real cause is closer to home — the number of people in the chain and how they're managed. Here's the data and the playbook.
-
Rightmove's £1.5bn Legal Claim Isn't the Real Story. Dependency Is.
A reported £1.5bn legal claim against Rightmove made headlines. The bigger story for property businesses is what it reveals about how dependent they've become on platforms they don't own.
-
Deal Analyser: Most Deals Fail on the Numbers, Not the Property
Most property deals don't fail because they're bad — they fail because the numbers were wrong. A free UK calculator for buy-to-let, BRRR, HMO and business-acquisition deals.
-
Making Tax Digital: Stop Panicking, Start Systemising
Making Tax Digital isn't creating chaos for landlords — it's exposing chaos that was already there. Here's what's actually changing, the thresholds and dates to know, and the practical framework I'd use to get ahead of it.
-
EPC 'Time Bomb'? Good. It'll Flush Out the Hobbyists.
Millions of rental properties may need EPC upgrades. That's not a crisis — it's a filter. Here's how Sheffield landlords can approach EPC C practically and profitably.
-
Notion for Property Investors: System or Just Another Fancy Tool?
Notion won't make you more money on its own — but running your business without any system definitely will cost you. Here's how to set it up so it actually changes how you operate, not just how things look.
-
Nine in Ten Councils Are Failing Older People — That's Your Cue, Not a Hedge
Most investors are still chasing students and build-to-rent. Meanwhile, England's ageing population is creating a housing gap that's reportedly being missed by the vast majority of councils. Here's what the data suggests — and how I'd approach it.
-
Buying Property Together Before Marriage in the UK: Smart Move or Financial Trap?
Buying a home with a partner before marriage can be a smart financial move — or an expensive legal mess. Here's the structure I'd put in place before signing anything: ownership shares, deeds of trust, tax traps and the questions to ask.
-
Bridging vs Commercial Mortgages: The Only Sensible Way to Choose
Bridging finance and commercial mortgages aren't competitors — they're tools for different stages of a deal. Here's how to tell which one a situation actually calls for, what each typically costs, and the mistakes that turn either of them into an expensive problem.
-
18,000 Homes 'Lost' Because of the Second Staircase Rule? Here's the Real Maths
The 18m second staircase rule is reshaping mid-rise development economics in the North. What it actually means for Sheffield and Northern property investors — and which strategies remain viable.
-
Nearly a Third of UK Sales Fall Through — How to Engineer Certainty in Sheffield Deals
28–31% of agreed UK property sales never complete. That's not random — it's predictable risk you can engineer around. Here's the playbook for reducing that risk on Sheffield deals.
-
Guaranteed Rent Schemes in Sheffield: What Landlords Need to Know
Guaranteed rent schemes offer Sheffield landlords a fixed monthly income whether the property is tenanted or not. Here's how the model works, what 'guaranteed' actually means, and the risks to understand before signing.
-
How to Effectively Manage Rental Properties: A Practical Guide
Property management gets easier when it's systemised. This practical guide covers tenant finding, vetting, compliance, day-to-day management and when to bring in an agent.
-
Sheffield Housing Market in 2025: Boom or Slowdown?
A market snapshot from March 2025. Sheffield's average property price was £217,000 and rent had risen 6.4% year-on-year. Here's what the data showed — and what it meant for investors at the time.
-
Financing Options for First-Time Property Investors
The main financing routes available to UK property investors — buy-to-let mortgages, bridging finance, joint ventures, and government schemes. What each suits, and where the risks lie.
-
Guide for New Property Investors: Where to Find Information and Why It Matters
Starting in property investment means learning to find reliable information quickly. This guide covers the key resources — search platforms, market analysis, planning tools, and communities.
-
How to Start a Property Investment Business in the UK
Getting the right business structure before buying your first investment property matters more than most new investors realise. A practical guide to strategies, structures, and what to set up in what order.
-
10 Tips to Prepare Your Property for a Quick Sale
Buyers make decisions fast. Whether you're selling through an agent or direct, these practical tips cover presentation, repairs, marketing and pricing to help your property sell without dragging.
-
How to Make Money with Commercial Conversions: A Beginner's Guide
Commercial conversions — turning offices, shops or warehouses into residential — can be profitable when the numbers work. Here's a plain-English introduction to how the process works.
-
Unlocking Wealth with the BRRRR Strategy: Why It's Worth Doing Right
Buy, Refurb, Rent, Refinance, Repeat. The BRRR strategy can recycle capital across multiple properties — but only if each step is executed properly. Here's how it actually works.