Will have to mull over the whole flat thing over the week-end, see whether I want and whether it is in my interest to go ahead with plan A-1, or A-4 rather, this far, or whether I should cut my losses (a pile of money, so far) and call it a day.
[ Edit ] While I was away at the Gardens (and it is well worth a visit, although finding a discount first as they want to charge you £12 admission), got a number of obviously bot-generated weird anonymous comments on this entry, with nonsensical words about 'ornaments' and lots of what looks to me like Chinese ideograms. Strange world.