OG wrote:
I've just decided the cheap and nasty cordless drill isn't ever going to
suddenly hold better charge. The trouble is that it can go months between
use, and a NiCd battery is not ideal if you never really run it down fully.

Is anyone aware of a decent brand where I can look to spend up to ?40 on a
cordless chuckless drill that I can expect to get several years occasional
use out of without having to concentate on battery maintenance (presumably
I'd be looking at NiMh for that).

Completely ignoring your question, in the finest traditions of usenet.

20-30 quid of extension flex, and 10-20 quid of mains drill will
generally work much better for occasional use.
It depends where you do your DIY of course.
Personally, I've never found dragging an extension cord out for the
occasional job to be a problem.
Something to consider.