Property & Home with Martin Roberts: Spring/Summer 2024

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Welcome to

Property & Home with Martin Roberts

Hi, it’s Martin Roberts - him off the telly! - welcoming you to the latest issue of Property & Home, your unmissable guide to buying, renovating, improving and selling property.

The property market may seem a bit topsy-turvy at the moment, with prices rising and falling, tax regulations and laws changing, and the economy proving as unpredictable as ever. But there are always opportunities in property investment, and in Property & Home with Martin Roberts we aim to guide you towards them, and help you to avoid the potential pitfalls.

In my over 20 years working on TV series Homes Under the Hammer, I’ve seen some rum old things in properties being renovated – from families who moved out in such a hurry that they left Grandad behind, to houses so creepy we thought they were haunted – and I’ve learned never to look in the fridge! But don’t let me put you off – there’s usually a happy ending once you

have put in the work of researching, buying and renovating.

Whether you need advice on finance, guidance on the best options for heating, insight into buy-to-let options or some ideas on how to make the best use of space indoors and outdoors, you will find something useful in this issue of Property & Home with Martin Roberts!

I’m currently taking on some of the biggest projects of my life – find out more about them in my end column - and despite the ups and downs, I’m still enjoying being in the property game as much as ever. Read on for more inspiration on how to get into the property market, and make it pay!

Cheers, Martin

SimplyFind

FIND YOUR NEXT INVESTMENT PROPERTY… FAST!

Today there are vast amounts of data available to help inform property investors and hone their decision-making processes to build the best property portfolio available to them.

On the one hand, this is great news, from the comfort of your home you can assess the viability and suitability of thousands of properties that meet your investment criteria like never before… on the other hand it takes an inordinate amount of time (and money) to sift through the myriad of data sets to fi nd the best property that match your investment targets… and on top of that, you actually need to know where to go to fi nd the information in the fi rst place.

This is where SimplyFind comes in… an online platform that uses sophisticated algorithms, Artifi cial Intelligence and Machine Learning to digest and analyse vast amounts of housing and

fi nancial data to help investors make the right investment decisions fast.

Already used by professional property buying companies (including real estate funds and government bodies) to fi nd thousands of properties a day, SimplyFind helps cut through hours of wasted time, scrolling through property portals and automatically sifts data from hundreds of sources (including Land Registry, the Planning Portal, the national EPC Register etc.) to help quickly, short-list properties that meet their investment criteria, and steal a march on securing property for their portfolios.

SimplyFind is now available to individual property investors to run the same property, fi nancial and market analysis that professional investors undertake every day, and all at the click of a (few) button(s).

Property Analysis Market Analysis

The first stage of analysis is looking at the physical property itself. You will want to know how long a property has been on the market, has there been any price movements, EPC levels (costs to upgrade), planning history, valuation, condition, proximity to nearest GP, square meterage, leasehold/freehold, lease length… the list goes on.

All of these criteria and more, are immediately available to assess, filter and search against on hundreds of thousands of properties in SimplyFind, instantly.

Search & Analyse Properties

★ Time on market

★ Discounts to asking price

★ EPC levels

★ Commuting distances

★ Planning history

★ Places of interest

Financial Analysis

Once you’ve found the right properties you will need to run your financial appraisals and sensitivity analyses, which are the cornerstone to assessing the financial viability of potential investments ensuring they will generate the ROI (Return on Investment) that you are seeking.

SimplyFind allows you to search, list and analyse properties against yields, live market rents, affordable or customised rents, instant comparables (sold and still on the market), stamp duty calculators, properties with the biggest discounts… the list goes on.

Analyse Financial Metrics

★ Net yields & ROIs

★ Multiple rent models

★ Stamp Duty calculations

★ Cost of works

★ Comparables (past & current)

★ Utilities & Licences

Finally, SimplyFind enables you to look at the macro (and micro) market conditions of your chosen properties.

This means understanding historical movements in pricing, rentals, difference between asking and achieved pricing, yield analysis, comparison to adjacent markets, etc.

Using heat mapping technologies and advance data analysis, SimplyFind’s data scientists are able to predict future market trends, including anticipate price growth, how hot or cold a market is and the potential longer-term strength or weakness of that market. Giving you all the information, you need to finalise your decision to make an investment.

Market Analysis

★ Changes in asking prices

★ Movement in rents

★ Yield hot-spots

★ Areas with best discounts

★ Pace of market activity

★ Speed properties sell

HMOs

A quick word on HMOs (Houses of Multiple Occupation)

SimplyFind has a standalone HMO module that identifies properties best suited, and most likely to achieve HMO status, including running financial analysis on a room-by-room basis, a National Space Standards calculator and a digital library of all Article 4 areas (legally restricted HMO areas) across the country.

Find and Analyse HMOs

★ Article 4 restrictions

★ Live shared-room rates

★ National Space Standards

★ Maximising Yield

★ Nearby HMOs

★ Planning approvals

C tents

10 Interview

Martin Roberts tells Chris Jenkins about his latest projects and how he thinks changes to the leasehold laws and the ups and downs of the property market could a ect investors

16 Property Trends

All the news about new products, services and issues a ecting the property market

20 Power From the Sun

SPECIAL SECTION

The importance of solar energy to the economy and the climate is growing ever greater. How do you go about joining the sun power revolution?

33 Energy and Insulation

You won’t be able to save energy and cut your bills if your property is leaking heat. We look at how insulation is an essential part of sustainability

37 Pay to Play

Could pay-as-you-go sub-meters be the solution to the problem of managing utilities in rental properties? We look at the technology

38 A Question of Residence

Where you live can be seen as a political statement – but how does it a ect your tax liability? Philip Gambrill explains

40 The Leasehold Minefield

Charles Knapper LLB answers our questions about the legal complexities of property transactions – this time, changes to leasehold laws

44 Landlords and Leaseholds

Being a landlord or a leaseholder can expose you to all sort of legal problems, from complex leaseholds to trouble with tenants. How can you sort out the issues?

49 Don’t Be a Chump…

… get a heat pump! How does heat pump technology work, and is a practical way to heat your home?

53 The Healthy Home Guide

The health of the buildings we live in can be just as important as our physical health. What can we do to guard against damp, mould, flooding and other horrors?

62 Why Go HMO?

Converting a property into an HMO, of House in Multiple Occupation, can present a good return on investment for landlords –but it’s not straightforward

IMAGES: Dreamstime, Martin Roberts

66 Investing With AI Investing in property can be rewarding, but could Artifical Intelligence have something to o er the investor?

68 Secure Property Management

One of the most popular ways to manage a rental property portfolio is by using apps. But are they secure?

70 10 Things NOT to Say…

… if you want to stay on the right side of your tradesmen! Clive Holland of Fix Radio suggests some of the no-nos if you want to stay on the right side of your tradies

72 Show Me the Money!

Financing specialist property purchases can involve more than a mortgage

76 Reporting With Confidence Property reports are essential management tools, but can automation speed them up?

78 Made in Heaven

Freddie Mercury’s London pad is for sale, but the walled refuge of Garden Lodge will set you back at least £30m

80 Right and Proper

Do you know your rights as a tenant of a property? The experts from professional body Propertymark can fill you in

HOME

82 Home Trends

All the news about new products, services and issues a ecting the home market

84 Intelligent Design

How can Artificial Intelligence contribute to the interior design process, and could it put designers out of work?

88 Bathing Beauties

Our selection of the design and style trends guaranteed to make your bathroom a thing of beauty

91 Beating the Burglars

Securing your home properly is the best way to prevent burglary, and with thousands of security products on the market, it’s worth listening to the experts

95 Doors of Perception

The garage door is an important element in the look and the security of your house. What should you look for when choosing a new one?

97 Hot and Bothered

With the increased cost of energy, heating e iciency has become a hot topic. We look at some of the myths and misinformation in the heating market

102 Moving With Pets

Moving house is stressful enough for humans, but it can be worse for pets. We look at some top tips for moving with your furry and finny friends

106 Don’t Cook Your Goose

Fire safety in the kitchen is more important than anywhere else in the house. What can you do to make sure your food doesn’t turn into an inferno?

109 The Height of Luxury

What do you do when you have di iculty with stairs, but you don’t want to move to a bungalow? Fitting a home li is an increasingly popular option

113 Why Buy When You Can Hire?

Have you ever said to yourself ‘I could do that job myself if I had the right tools’? With tool hire, there almost nothing you can’t do

114 Peach Fuzz Perfection

Pantone’s Colour of the Year for 2024 is Peach Fuzz. We come up with some suitable peachy products to decorate and beautify your home

IMAGES: Dreamstime, Walls and Floors, Bella Hoare, Martin Roberts

GARDEN

116 Garden Trends

All the news about new products, services and issues a ecting the garden market

119 Summer Gardening

Summer is peak time to enjoy your garden, but that doesn’t mean there’s no work to do. Here’s our guide to the tasks to remember for May, June and July

120 The Art of the Garden

Bella Hoare has turned her love of gardening into inspiration for her art. Now she’s planning a solo show in London

122 Room With a View

A garden room can add value and utility to your home – but how do you go decide on a design and specification?

127 Pond Life

A pond can add pleasure and value to your garden – but it has to be carefully maintained. We o er some seasonal tips

ENDPIECE

128 Make Your Money When You Buy

In a tipsy-turvy property market, are there still opportunities for investment? Martin Roberts says yes, though he’s riled up over the lack of support for landlords…

PUBLISHER & CEO

Kevin Harrington

EDITOR

Chris Jenkins

SUB EDITOR

Emmanuel Berhanu

CONTRIBUTORS

Steve Holland

Thomas J Roberts

Margo Lane

DESIGN

Joanna Harrington

PRODUCTION

Ray Walsh

PUBLISHED BY

COPYRIGHT © 2024, CELEBRITY ANGELS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

COVER IMAGE

Martin Roberts

Property & Home with Martin Roberts

Celebrity Angels 143 Caledonian Road London N1 0SL Tel: 020 7871 1000

For sales enquiries call: 020 7871 1000

All material in Property & Home with Martin Roberts is wholly copyright and reproduction without the written permission of the publisher is strictly forbidden. Products and services included in this publication do not imply endorsement by Martin Roberts. The views expressed in this publication are entirely those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of Celebrity Angels. The information in this publication is carefully researched and produced in good faith, however, neither the Publisher nor the Editors accept responsibility for any errors. The Celebrity Angels Series is published in the UK under licence by Damson Media Limited. Damson Media Limited is registered in England and Wales under registration no. 07869300.

Risk and Reward

Martin Roberts, celebrity guest editor of Property & Home, talks to Chris Jenkins about the risks and rewards of property investment, the challenges of his renovation projects and why he really hates grouting

ARE HEAT PUMPS A GOOD INVESTMENT? WHY ARE THEY BEING TAKEN UP SO SLOWLY?

Heat pumps have been around for quite a while now and they offer fantastic opportunities to reduce the need for traditional sources of power that you’d have to pay for. They can be very efficient, but I believe the slow uptake is down to a general lack of knowledge of the benefits and also a high initial cost of the equipment. However, as the government strives to meet its energy efficiency targets I believe we will see the existing requirement for new build properties to feature these technologies, being extended to existing properties.

We’ve already seen various plans for the phasing out of gas boilers in the relatively near future, so people will have to look at alternatives. And with increased demand there should be a reduction in price. As it stands there are some extremely cost-effective options already available through companies like Project Curv (www.projectcurv.co.uk), who have a very nifty air source heat pump that’s built onto the top of a traditional hot water cylinder and that provides state-of-the-art technology at impressive value for money.

Payback periods will vary depending on individual usage but there’s also a strong element of ‘us all doing our own bit to help climate change’ that needs to be taken into consideration. »

ARE SOLAR PANELS ECONOMICAL ONCE YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE COST OF INVERTERS AND BATTERIES?

As with any technology, prices tend to drop dramatically and efficiencies rise as that technology moves from early adoption phase to general use. So it is with solar panels or ‘PV’ as it is sometimes known. Such panels have been around for many years, but the new variations are considerably cheaper and more efficient than their predecessors.

The game-changer though, in terms of usability, has been the increased availability of powerful, cost-efficient battery storage which enables power generated by the PV cells during daylight hours to be utilised when the sun has gone to bed and demand is generally at its highest.

Such batteries are not cheap, but like the panels they are becoming more and more cost effective, and importantly

enable a system where you are able to generate all the electricity you need, and in some cases even be paid for any excess that you feedback into the grid.

Again, new build houses have a requirement for adequate PV provision but their benefits and medium to long term cost savings should make them appealing to all housing.

WILL THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO LEASEHOLD LAWS MAKE IT HARDER TO INVEST IN PROPERTY?

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill 2023-24 was introduced to the House of Commons in late 2023. It is yet to be made law, but the Bill’s main provisions would:

h Make it cheaper and easier for leaseholders in houses and flats to extend their lease and buy the freehold.

h Increase the standard lease extension term to 990 years.

h Change the qualifying criteria to give more leaseholders the right to extend

their lease, buy their freehold and take over management of their building.

h Ban the granting of new leasehold houses (with some exceptions).

h Improve the transparency of service charges and ensure leaseholders receive key information on a regular basis.

h Give leaseholders a new right to request information about service charges and the management of their building.

h Improve the transparency of administration charges and buildings insurance commissions –and a good deal more.

As such, there is a possibility that fewer leasehold properties will come on to the market, as current leaseholders buy out their existing lease. However, clarification and improvement of rights for lease and freeholders should benefit the industry in general.

(See Charles Knapper’s article on page 44 for the view of a respected solicitor on this)

WITH CLIMATE CHANGE CAUSING MORE SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS, IS IT TIME BUILDINGS WERE DESIGNED TO BE FLOOD-PROOF?

It’s a pretty terrible thought that we have to consider flood-proofing properties, where it might not previously have been necessary, due to the effects of climate change! I mean, is this end-of-the-world stuff or not?

But this doesn’t just mean the rising sea levels that are predicted, and could create scenes out of a disaster movie!

We’re undoubtedly seeing an increase in extreme weather events, such as long periods of drought and excessive periods of rain. This year, Wales, where I’m trying to renovate my pub and hotel, had the wettest March on record, with over twice the average rainfall (I’m now including a pontoon!)

These regular extreme weather events can result in problems with ground

shrinkage in the first instance and flooding from rivers in the second.

The Environment Agency keeps a pretty close tab on flood risk and you can visit their website (www.gov.uk/government/ organisations/environment-agency) to check the level of risk of the location that your current or any future property purchases is in. Any planning and building regulations process should take into account current and future dangers.

WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO MAKE YOUR HOME MORE SECURE?

I think it’s still true that the majority of burglaries are done by opportunist thieves, who will look for vulnerable properties and easy options, but are the easiest to deter. Do not have any valuable items, either on display to somebody looking through the window, or in a garden shed or outbuilding. Secure all items of garden machinery and leisure equipment

such as bikes. You also need to lock away any tools which could be used by the burglar to gain access, including ladders of all shapes and sizes.

One of the easiest things to do is to imagine you have forgotten your keys and you’ve locked yourself out. How would you gain access to your own home? Set about making that process difficult for anyone to follow in your footsteps.

You can get locks for all sorts of windows, but a simple and effective solution, especially on older windows, could be to screw the closing mechanism shut - so long as the window does not provide important ventilation or a fire escape route. Make sure that all your door locks are approved to insurance company standards.

A professionally installed alarm with visible bell-box is still a good way to make it not worth the risk of trying to break into your home. »

WHEN IS IT WORTH HIRING TOOLS TO TAKE ON A DIY JOB?

The right tools will always make a job easier and can save hours of frustration. Most people have access to simple tools, but more complex or repetitive jobs may require a trip to the tool hire shop.

Classic examples would be if you decide to sand a wooden floor, where a package of industrial belt and edge sanders will save hours of futile attempts at using a hand sander.

At its most gleeful level, you might be able to justify renting a digger to dig a trench for drainage, foundations for a shed or outbuilding or do some serious garden redesigning. Such a piece of kit will save hours of literally backbreaking work.

You might also want to consider renting scaffolding to enable safe access for simple roof or guttering maintenance.

Finally, a large percussion hammer will make light work of any demolition projects or taking up unsightly garden paving. However always make sure that you fully support what’s above and investigate what’s below, before you start chiselling away!

HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE GROUTING?

This is a trick question, as you have obviously seen my recent social media clip, where I ranted and raved very vocally during a particularly frustrating grouting experience!

I embarked on one of those classic projects which started simply, but mushroomed alarmingly. The shower room developed a leak, which I tracked down to a 20-year-old shower mixer buried beneath the tiling. I decided to replace the mixer with a modern surface mounted one, but the damage caused in extracting the old one necessitated a complete re-tile.

I’ve always admired the white bevelled 6-inch-by-4-inch Metro tiles. Well, it turns out they do look great, but you do need a lot of them to fill a wall. By my eighth box, I really felt like I’d stuck on enough tiles to last a lifetime.

That was nothing to the horrors ahead when I came to fill the endless joins between the hundreds of tiles with grout. I calculated that there was about 1.2 miles of grouting, and so far as I can see there is no way to do this other than ramming in the

blasted grout into the blasted joints using the kind of squeegee thing.

The pain doesn’t end there, because you then have to scoop off or out a significant portion of what you’ve put in, because if you leave it, it sets like super glue in all the places you don’t want it to be!

So, I can happily report that I really, really, really, really, really hate grouting. But thanks for asking!

HOW IS YOUR RESTORATION PROJECT IN THE RHONDDA GOING?

Even with my considerable experience in property renovation, there are many days when I feel I might have bitten off slightly more than I can chew when it comes to completely renovating the Hendrewen hotel in the tiny village of Blaencwm at the top of the Rhondda valley in South Wales.

It’s only when you start ripping a building apart that you can see through all the things that have been covering up countless years of neglect or lack of proper maintenance. For instance, a small crack in the plaster work of an exterior wall turned out to be caused by rotten lintels above the windows, which I correctly predicted

IMAGES: Martin Roberts/Rhondda Tunnel Society

would be mirrored above all the windows and required them all to be replaced with concrete versions at great effort, time and cost.

We’re currently levelling the ground floor, which is four inches higher at one end than the other (I hadn’t noticed!). But that’s nothing compared to the first floor, part of which sloped 60 centimetres over

a nine metres width. Yes, that is as bad as it sounds.

The builders were very clever, and basically chopped off all the supports for the floor all the way round, so that it was floating in mid-air, levelled it, and then repositioned the wall supports. I’ve never seen that done before. Byron you’re a genius!

Talking of Byron, (my big construction contractor), he’s part of a fantastic team, led by my wonderfully eccentric Foreman Damo, whose one-liners have me in hysterics and will form part of a collection of T-shirts in the future. Most are unprintable as they are him venting his frustration on life, the universe and everything. But I love him to bits and along with Steve, Harley, Rory and all the local 15- to 17-year-old lads who are still helping me with the renovation project, I simply could not do it without their hard work and dedication.

We’re hopeful that the main part of the pub and the eight bedrooms will be open in the latter part of the summer and everything should be in full swing ready for the build up to Christmas. But then, I did say that last year!

WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO AND HAVE PLANNED FOR THE SUMMER?

I’m still working very hard to get reopened the incredible Rhondda tunnel that links the Rhondda and Afon valleys, but was closed in the 1960s (see pics, left). It would form a hugely beneficial travel route, enabling walkers and cyclists to cover the distance it currently takes 45 minutes in a car to travel, in around 20 minutes. It would link an incredible network of cycling routes and provide a pivotal link between spectacular tourism projects in the Northern valleys.

We are talking to politicians, local councillors, and potential fundraisers, to try to get the money we need to complete the project (£15 million sounds like a lot but given the benefits to the local economy it’s actually a ‘no brainer’ financial decision). We are starting by trying to re-open one of the entrances to the tunnel and the cutting that leads to it. The Rhondda Tunnel Society (of which I am proud Patron) now owns the surrounding land, which hopefully gives the project a hugely positive impetus. You can follow our progress at www.rhonddatunnelsociety.co.uk

So, if I can get my pub open and work started on one end of the tunnel at some point over the summer, I’ll be a very happy bunny indeed! ■

Property Trends

FIRST TIME FEVER

A recent survey from a firsttime buyer property portal suggests that over three quarters, 77% of buyers, believe they cannot afford to purchase homes on the open market.

Completed by over 2,600 prospective purchasers on sharetobuy.com, the survey provides an insight into the property landscape for first time buyers, demonstrating the critical need for affordable homeownership schemes.

A significant 76% of respondents felt that buying as a single person on the open market in 2024 is not achievable, while 76% of those surveyed confirmed they are not receiving any financial help from family members to put towards a deposit –battling rising interest levels and inflating house prices alone.

While the average deposit on the open market currently sits at £61,000 according to the survey, 27% of surveyed buyers have saved between just £5,001 and £10,000. Despite this, almost 40% of respondents said they hoped to buy a property within the next six months.

From homebuilding hopes to the plight of renters, the latest news and developments from the property sector

LONDON LIVING

Against a background of chronic shortages of affordable rental properties in metropolitan areas including London, Capital Letters, (https://capitalletters.org.uk), an independent commercial not-for-profit company owned by London boroughs and the registered housing charity Home Safe Housing, is bringing up to 2,500 high quality affordable rental homes to London in a ground-breaking partnership.

There are over 60,000 households in London that are experiencing homelessness, and there has been a 70% increase in the number of families in temporary accommodation over the last 10 years. This is at a time when the number of new affordable homes being built is collapsing – there has been a year-on-year drop of 76 percent in the new homes being built by the capital’s largest Housing Associations.

Against this backdrop Capital Letters and Home Safe Housing are finding new ways of bringing homes into the rental market, by delivering good quality affordable homes to tackle London’s housing crisis.

Each of the 2,500 homes will be refurbished by Home Safe Housing and brought up to Capital Letters Agreed Standard and EPC C or above as part of its £750m investment.

The majority will be let at LHA (Local Housing Allowance) rates to households in London who are experiencing homelessness, providing vital safe, secure and affordable homes. The market rent properties will be offered on the open market; they will also be available to Capital Letters’ member boroughs, and they will be able to nominate working families who are experiencing homelessness for those homes.

The initial 2,500 properties will be procured over the next 2-3 years in a leasing deal that will run for the next 40 years with Capital Letters able to purchase some of the properties for £1 at the end of the period, ensuring that these homes will remain available to Londoners in perpetuity.

HOMEBUILDING AND RENOVATING AWARDS 2024

Perfect Partner

Panasonic’s award-winning Aquarea L Series heat pump, with natural low GWP refrigerant, delivers high-temperature heating and hot water more efficiently and sustainably around the home. A perfect partner for home improvements and renovation. www.aircon.panasonic.eu

Entries are now being invited for The Homebuilding & Renovating Awards 2024, which, for the first time, is partnering with The Times and The Sunday Times, and includes TV personalities Laura Jane Clarke and Sian Astley among its lineup of expert judges.

Exceptional homeowners who have gone above and beyond to complete a self-build, renovation, conversion or extension project to create their dream home tailored to their lifestyle have the opportunity to submit their entries in their chosen category for the chance to win £1,000 and to be featured in Homebuilding & Renovating magazine, a publication showcasing and celebrating Britain’s best homes for more than 30 years.

Previous winners include a newly built oak-framed cottage for £200k, a 1960s modernist property transformed into an energy-efficient Enerphit home and an ageing bungalow demolished to make way for a contemporary Passivhaus project in Bedfordshire.

One of the shortlisted projects will be chosen by a public vote to win a prestigious Readers’ Choice Award, and one will be selected by the panel of expert judges to win the overall accolade of Home of the Year 2024 and a £1,000 prize.

For full details on how to enter The Homebuilding & Renovating Awards 2024, visit www.homebuilding.co.uk/news/awards. The closing date for entries is 17th June 2024.

User Friendly

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Solar Package

Oval Renewables has teamed with the best in the business to offer a full solar package for your home, ensuring you have a risk-free, high-quality solar install. Become energy-independent today! Quote PROPERTY&HOME for more details.

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THE LATER LIVING LOGJAM

A survey has suggested that part of the reason for a shortage of housing in the UK is a ‘later living logjam’ –older homeowners uninclined to downsize and make their properties available to families. The survey, by later living home provider Pegasus, suggests that only 14 percent of over-55s are considering leaving their large properties for a smaller one on their later years.

The survey, of over 2,000 people over 55 in a range of socio-economic classes throughout England, also found:

h One in two (50 percent) are planning on staying in their current home post-retirement, a figure which rises to 68 percent of those aged 71-75

h The three biggest barriers to downsizing are revealed as the hassle of moving (37 percent), cost of stamp duty (35 percent), and a lack of suitable housing (26 percent)

h Half of the respondents own their property outright, a figure which increases to 82 percent for those 76 and older

h Multiple tenure options are on the rise: 44 percent of those currently renting said they would consider renting in their retirement – the most likely group to say this

Steve Bangs, CEO of Pegasus says, “The downsizing dilemma is significant for the industry for two reasons – not only does it underline the lack of supply and need to build more homes fit for all, but it also underscores a huge concern with the overall health of the housing market.

“If older homeowners remaining in larger family homes feel they can’t move, upsizing families will also find themselves at a loss. This will in turn have a ripple effect right across the board, slowing down transactions and hindering housing prospects for first-time buyers.”

RENTERS STRUGGLE WITH RISES

UK private rents increased by an average of 9.2 percent in the year to March 2024, according to the latest government figures. This was the largest increase since 2015.

The data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed this was higher than the nine percent increase recorded in February.

In England, average monthly rents rose by 9.1 percent to £1,285 per calendar month, the largest increase since 2006, while there was a 9 percent increase to £727pcm for the average monthly rent in Wales, flat compared to growth recorded in February, and below the record inflation figures of 9.8 percent from November 2023.

Average monthly rents in Scotland went up by 10.5 percent to £947 pcm in the year to March, down on February’s annual growth of 10.9 percent, and a slowing from the record high annual increase of 11.8 percent seen in August last year, while in Northern Ireland, there was a 10.1 percent increase in average private rents over the 12 months to January.

Speaking to Property Industry Eye, Jeremy Leaf, north London estate agent, said: “Rents are still rising albeit a little more gently in response to the continuing imbalance between supply and demand.

“On the ground, we are finding affordability is the main reason although news that the cost of living is not rising as fast will certainly help tenants, particularly those spending a high proportion of their salary on living costs.”

Exceptional Service

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It’s Simple

DD2 Simple extracts up to 9 litres per day in all temperatures from 1°C to 40°C and is ideal for use in two-to-five-bedroom houses all year round. In Winter months DD2 expels air that is slightly warmer than the ambient air helping to heat the space and saving your energy bill.

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Expert Solutions

Elite Renewables Limited are specialists in installing efficient heat pump systems tailored to any needs. Expert solutions that optimise comfort and sustainability for home or business: - air source heat pumps, ground source pumps, MVHR, solar PV and batteries, EV charging.

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Designed to Last

The Squirrel Pod is an automated home energy management system designed to save you money on your energy bills with or without solar. It is expandable, full featured and designed to last. A user-friendly app and web interface allows remote control. www.infinityinnovations.co.uk

Intelligent Power

The Fronius Wattpilot provides the most cost-effective charging - even more so when combined with a Fronius solar PV system with the intelligent use of surplus solar energy. When looking to go solar, EV or both, request Fronius awardwinning, European quality.

www.fronius.co.uk/wattpilot

Advanced Technology

Effective Home, the UK’s leading experts in energy saving installations, offering solar panels and batteries designed to harness clean, renewable energy. With advanced technology and reliability, our products enable homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint, lower energy bills and enjoy uninterrupted power supply.

https://effectivehome.co.uk

Energy From the Sun

The importance of solar energy to the economy and the climate is growing ever greater. How do you go about joining the sun power revolution?

Despite the government’s recent announcement that it is putting money into building new gasfuelled power plants, the overall trend is towards sustainable power sources such as solar, wind and nuclear. This is inescapable if we wish to achieve a carbonneutral economy and solve the crisis of global warming.

Since nuclear and wind power aren’t really an option for the home, solar seems to be the way to go. You wouldn’t think so, considering the British weather, but solar power is certainly an option for many, and if you install a storage battery and remain connected to the National Grid, you will always have power backups should the performance of your solar system be inadequate at any time.

Reduce your energy bills by up to 70%

Empowering Customers To Make More Sustainable Energy Choices

As people find themselves struggling with their energy bills, Effective Home aims to help people nationwide break free from the shackles of traditional energy sources and unlock a greener, more affordable future with solar PV and renewable energy.

Imagine slashing your energy bills up to 70%.

With Solar PV you can harness the limitless power of the sun to generate clean and sustainable energy for your home or business. Say goodbye to ever-increasing energy costs and say hello to substantial savings. It’s time to take control of your energy bills and put money back into your pocket.

Installing solar PV and other renewable energy systems can significantly increase your property's market value, making it an enticing investment opportunity should you decide to sell in the future. Plus, you'll be reducing your carbon footprint and contributing to a more sustainable tomorrow. Moreover, installing renewables can improve your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating, a key factor in today's eco-conscious property market.

Our team of experts will guide you through the entire process, from initial consultation to seamless installation, ensuring a hassle-free transition to sustainable energy.

The Basics

Most solar power systems work by turning heat from the sun into electricity which powers house systems such as the electrical mains and heating (there are exceptions which we’ll discuss later).

One of the main incentives in installing a solar power system is to save money. But the savings you will make over the years have to be o set against the initial cost of installation. You might want to take into account your age and how long you are likely to remain in your current property; for instance if you are in your 80s you will probably never make back the value of your investment in energy savings, and if you are likely to move in a few years, you can’t take the solar panels with you (in fact, in some cases you can – but as they are likely to be of value to any potential buyer, you will put yourself in a di icult position if you intend to take them away when you move home).

Cost considerations have to be borne in mind when installing a solar power system in a home. The cost of the roo op panels is just part of it; you will also need systems

such as a power inverter and batteries, so the time it takes to recoup your expenditure has to be calculated carefully.

In most cases, solar panels mounted on a roof or wall of a private house do not require planning permission as they would normally fall under what is referred to as permitted development rights.

Neighbours may express their concerns, but they can’t necessarily prevent you from installing solar panels, provided your project adheres to planning regulations and Permitted Development guidelines. However, it’s essential to consider their concerns and attempt to address them where possible. There are some exceptions: solar equipment mounted on a house or a block of flats or on a building within the curtilage, should be sited to minimise the e ect on the external appearance of the building and the amenity of the area.

If solar equipment is to be installed on a flat roof on Article 2(3)* land, then the developer would have to apply to the local planning authority for prior planning approval. »

FIT AND SEG

The Feed-in Tari scheme closed to new applications on 31 March 2019. Under the Feed-in Tari scheme (FITs), householders receive payments for the electricity generated by eligible installed systems like solar PV, wind, hydro turbines, or micro CHP. If you already have an eligible installed system that you are receiving FITs payments for, you are una ected by the scheme closure. You will continue to receive FITs payments as normal. The SEG launched on 1st January 2020 and is a governmentbacked initiative. The SEG requires some electricity suppliers, known as SEG Licensees, to pay smallscale generators, known as SEG Generators, for low-carbon electricity which they export back to the National Grid, providing certain criteria are met. Find out more at www.ofgem.gov.uk

Intelligent Charging

At Fronius, we understand the importance of costeffective charging for your electric vehicle. That‘s why, with our Fronius Wattpilot, you can always charge your vehicle with the cheapest source of electricity available, whether it‘s from surplus solar energy, a battery, or by making use of specific lower-cost tariffs from the grid. Our easy-to-use app allows you to adjust and monitor your charging settings directly from your phone.

Are you considering a transition to EV but not quite ready for solar just yet? Not a problem! You can install our Fronius Wattpilot EV charger now and add a Fronius PV system later on. What‘s more, our seamless integration ensures that you can easily track all your savings in one convenient place with the Fronius online monitoring platform.

Always charge flexibly and economically with the Fronius Wattpilot

When you choose Fronius, you can trust in our award-winning European quality and full product support. Specify Fronius products for your EV charging and solar PV requirements.

For more details, please visit: www.fronius.co.uk/wattpilot

Power

Your first decision is what type of solar panels to invest in, and here you will need the help of an installer to survey your property, explain the advantages of di erent systems, and help you to work out your return on investment.

With any solar power system, it’s important to make sure that you install quality components and use an installer with an MCS certificate.

Working with the industry, MCS defines, maintains and improves standards for low-carbon energy technology products, contractors and their installations. This includes heat pumps, solar, biomass, small wind and battery storage.

MCS is a mark of quality. Membership of MCS demonstrates adherence to these recognised industry standards, highlighting quality, competency and compliance.

MCS aims to decarbonise heat and

power in the UK’s homes by giving you confidence in home-grown energy. See more at www.mcscertified.com

While having an MCS certificate is not mandatory or a legal requirement for solar installations, having an installer that does hold one ensures it has been installed to the highest standard on the market. Risks such as fires and risks to the building grow when there is less emphasis on using an accredited installer.

Durability and quality of the products used are just as important, as cheaper products may degrade more rapidly over time, succumbing to wear and tear and requiring costly repairs or replacements. By investing in premium-grade solar solutions, homeowners can mitigate the risks of premature system failures and maximise the lifespan of their installations, ensuring sustained energy savings for years to come. »

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

In most cases, charging your EV with grid-produced electricity is already cheaper than fuelling a petrol-powered car. Pairing your EV with solar panels generates even more savings still. The photovoltaic cells of the solar panels absorb sunlight and a solar inverter converts this energy from DC to AC, which can be safely used by home appliances. This energy powers your home and appliances, and charges your EV via its consumer power unit. If you have battery storage, any excess energy that isn’t in demand gets stored for later use. This can then be used by the grid to distribute your surplus energy.

Panels

The most visibly obvious component of a solar energy system is the photovoltaic panels usually mounted on the roof of a building.

There are in fact nine types of solar panel:

h Monocrystalline

h Polycrystalline

h Thin film

h Transparent

h Concentrator Photovoltaics (CPV)

h Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact (PERC)

h Perovskite

h Solar tile, and

h Solar thermal.

We won’t go into detail on all the differences, which include cost, efficiency, durability, suitability for roof or ground mounting, and appearance. One major difference with Solar Thermal types is that they generate heat, not electricity.

An affordable option, for instance, is thin film solar panels, created by placing several thin layers of photovoltaic material – amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride,

copper indium gallium selenide, or organic PV cells – on top of each other. Depending on the material, their efficiency rating ranges from around seven percent to 13 percent (compare the efficiency of more expensive monocrystalline panels, up to 22 percent).

Thin film panels have a much lower efficiency rating than other types of solar panels, but their main asset is their flexibility - they’re perfect for homes with limited roof space, since they can be wrapped around objects, mobile homes, or recreation vehicles.

Monocrystalline panels are often claimed to be the most efficient and aesthetically pleasing type, though they are among the more expensive. They are made of singlecrystal silicon, which is melted into bars, cut into wafers, and treated with anti-reflective coating that improves its efficiency and gives it a darker appearance.

Many companies offer systems with more than 22% efficiency, which means they can typically cut electricity bills by 70%. At a cost of between £4,000 and £10,000, break-even time is typically around 13 years.

Solar tiles absorb sunlight and turn it into electricity, just like other solar technologies, but they’re made to look like regular roof tiles, so they blend in perfectly, though you’ll need to get your entire roof

replaced during the installation. They are an expensive option and are around 40 percent less efficient than solar panels, which means that you should only get solar tiles if you have the money to spend and don’t like the look of solar panels, or if you live in a conservation area or listed building. »

SOLAR THERMAL

Solar thermal panels use the sun’s rays to heat up your domestic hot water, rather than to provide electricity. Also known as solar water heaters, these panels cut a typical household’s heating bills by 50%, making them an important part of one of the cheapest ways to heat your home. They’re composed of either flat plate panels or evacuated tube collectors that collect warmth from the sun, which heats the mixture of glycol and water within. This mixture then flows to a heat exchanger inside your hot water tank, and transfers its warmth to your water supply. They’re easy to install and work with boilers and immersion heaters, but they’re not a complete energy solution as they do not supply mains electricity power.

Inverters

Asolar inverter is the component of a solar panel system which changes the direct current (DC) electricity captured by the solar panels, into alternating current (AC), the standard type of electricity required to power your home appliances and connect to the National Grid. In the UK, AC power is rated at 240 volts.

Obviously the efficiency with which the inverter works is a crucial element of the whole solar power system. Because your inverter will also connect to the National Grid, it is usually a smart device which can give feedback information about power production and ensuring that your solar PV system is operating safely.

There are four main types of solar inverters: string inverters, micro-inverters, hybrid inverters and power optimisers.

A ‘string’ is a chain of solar panels arranged into groups or rows, connected in series. In order for a string inverter to work efficiently all the panels in a string should be at the same pitch and orientation. Multiple strings can be

connected to a single inverter, so you could for instance have a setup with separate stings of panels mounted facing east and west, giving unmatched power generation.

Micro inverters are a relatively new technology, with one advantage over

string inverters. A solar panel system on a string inverter is impacted by a fault or shading on a single panel, but a micro inverter system solves this problem, because each individual solar panel has an inverter to itself. As a result, micro inverters are often considered as the way to install more solar panels onto a roof, as shaded areas are no longer a ‘no-go’.

If you are installing a new Solar PV system with storage, then a hybrid inverter is well worth considering. While solar panels generate DC electricity, and batteries store electricity in DC form, a hybrid solar inverter is capable of converting incoming DC into AC, while also sending any surplus DC power to store in a solar battery, or to be sold to the grid.

When your stored energy is in demand, the electricity can then be inverted to AC power to be used by your household. appliances.

Offering many of the same benefits as micro-inverters, power inverters are also located on each individual panel, but instead of directly converting DC to AC at roof level, the optimiser moves the DC power to a string inverter, likely fitted next to your battery storage system. »

Take back control of your home energy bills and benefit more from cheaper energy tariffs with a LuxPower home energy management & Hanchu ESS domestic battery storage system.

Take back control of your home energy bills and benefit more from cheaper energy tariffs with a LuxPower home energy management & Hanchu ESS domestic battery storage system.

The Squirrel Pod is the perfect solution for introducing battery storage to your home with or without solar. The system automatically harvests any excess solar, and will charge on command from any cheap electricity

What is a Squirrel Pod?

Quite simply, it is an automated home energy management system designed to save you money on your energy bills and help you on your way to a carbon neutral future. This system is readily expandable, allowing you to add additional Squirrel Pods for more power and additional batteries for greater capacity. Online ready with a user-friendly APP and web interface, allowing remote control of your home energy management system.

For more information, simply search “LuxPower home energy management systems” or visit

The Hanchu Ess 9.4 kWh Blade Tech battery is the perfect addition to our home energy management systems. featuring advanced fire protection and thermal management, it is the safest lithium based battery in the UK. Not only is it the safest battery, it also features a generous amount of storage whilst being one of the sleekest and lightweight batteries out there, nearly 40kg lighter & 40% smaller than others of a similar capacity.

Batteries

Obviously, solar panels do not work at night when there is no sunlight, and their efficiency is also degraded in dull weather, so the next step after sorting out what panels and inverter you need is to think about batteries. With a battery system you can take your solar power setup to the next level, becoming entirely independent of the National Grid for your energy supply – in fact you can store energy and sell it back to the Grid. (Strictly speaking, you don’t even need solar panels to use a storage battery – you could use one to store power at offpeak rates and use it at peak times).

A battery is a relatively small investment compared to the overall cost of a solar system, costing from around £4,000. You will need somewhere to put it - a garage, basement, loft or under the stairs would be ideal - though bear in mind

that you can start with one battery and add more as you desire, so best to choose somewhere you have space for possible expansion.

Battery systems typically come with a smart controller app so you can monitor and manage your energy, and often have EPS (Emergency Power Supply) features, so if you suffer a power cut from the National Grid, your battery will automatically kick in to power vital systems such as health monitoring equipment.

AC-coupled battery systems are recommended as a retrofit solution for those who have solar panels installed and who are receiving FIT payments. There is no impact on FIT revenues for those on a high rate (owing to charge/discharge efficiency losses) and no need to replace the existing DC inverter. They also open up the possibility of charging batteries from the grid to exploit peak/off-peak price

Martin’s Tips

Solar panels are an affordable longterm investment in your home and the planet, with the added attraction of being able to sell back your excess to the grid.

An unshaded, south-facing roof is ideal for maximum electrical output – north-facing roofs are not recommended. East and west-facing roofs could still be considered, bearing in mind that they will yield around 15-20 per cent less energy than one facing directly south.

Your surroundings could also have a negative impact on the performance of your system if nearby buildings, trees or chimneys cast shade on your roof. Finding an unshaded spot is best, though sometimes shading is unavoidable. There’s very little disruption during installation, but it’s best left to the professionals because it is fairly complex.

differentials and therefore can be installed without solar panels.

DC-coupled battery systems (with a hybrid inverter) would be preferred for new PV installs where the priority is to store surplus solar energy. The roundtrip efficiency is greater and with no FIT implications to consider, would be a more cost-effective solution. ■

Thermal Comfort of your Home

Approximately a third of all the heat lost in an uninsulated home escapes through the walls, and a quarter is lost through the roof.

WHY INSULATION?

An uninsulated house is commonly deemed ine icient, resulting in various adverse outcomes, including increased energy consumption to compensate for lost heat, leading to rising utility bills and a considerable carbon footprint. As research shows, heat lost from houses accounts for 16% of the total carbon emissions in the UK, and 35% of the total energy use. Additionally, a non-insulated or poorly insulated house can cause a reduction in property value, addressing the importance of insulation for both economic and environmental reasons.

It is essential to underline the massive energy reservation that can be achieved by installing insulation in a house. Irrespective of whether you opt for a boiler or any alternative heating system, their e iciency remains compromised by the continuous loss of heat and subsequent rise in energy consumption and bills. This can be explained by the fact that while heating systems such as smart boilers generate heat, a significant portion escapes through uninsulated walls (35%), roofs (25%), and floors (15%).

The research shows that considerable savings can be achieved through the installation of Solid Wall Insulation, particularly in non-modern builds where external walls typically consist of solid rather than cavity walls. For instance, in a typical semi-detached house, annual savings are estimated to be approximately £380, while in a typical detached house, the potential savings rise to around £660 per year.

There are ideal occasions to seize the opportunity to upgarde the thermal e iciency of your house, including re-plumbing or re-wiring your home, converting a loft area, installing a new bathroom or kitchen, and redecorating.

Internal wall insulation o ers several noteworthy advantages. Firstly, it presents a more economically viable option compared to external wall insulation, ensuring cost-e ectiveness in installation. Secondly, while it marginally reduces the floor area of rooms where it is implemented, its impact remains manageable. Furthermore, its versatility allows for application on a room-by-room basis, o ering flexibility in insulation solutions. Lastly, it stands as an environmentally conscious choice, contributing to sustainable practices and energy e iciency positively a ecting your EPC rating.

While economical and environmental aspects are good reasons to insulate homes, there is also essential social value in having access to warm homes – poor-quality housing results in a substantial financial burden of an annual £1.4 billion for the NHS. Research displays that investing £1 in retrofit and heating improvements outputs £4 return in health benefits.

0121 384 1029

enquiries@swipiwi.co.uk

www.swipiwi.co.uk

AVAILABLE SUPPORT

As a market-leading insulation system designer and material supplier, SWIP are glad to provide access to a range of SWIP accredited installers and contractors qualified to install the systems.

Additionally, there is financial support in the form of government schemes such as ECO, LADS, GBIS, and HUGS (and more) allowing you to insulate your home for free or at a heavily discounted access. Feel free to contact us to find out more.

We provide a range of solutions whether you’re looking to install internal wall insulation, convert a loft, upgrade the room in the roof or prevent heat from dissipating through your floors, avoid moisture-related issues, improve air quality and infiltration in the house.

Energy and Insulation

You won’t be able to save energy and cut your bills if your property is leaking heat. We look at how insulation is an essential part of sustainability

Investing in high-performance insulation is an essential for achieving thermal efficiency and reducing energy bills, but there are many types of insulation, so it’s a matter of knowing which is right for you and your property.

All sorts of factors come into play when planning insulation, from moisture-related issues and minimising ‘cold bridging’, to reducing condensation, mould growth, and thermal bridging.

So what are the pros and cons of different types of insulation?

h Spray foam insulation: Fills gaps well, reducing heat loss effectively.

h Mineral wool insulation: Made from natural materials, it’s fire-resistant and great at keeping heat in.

h Aerogel insulation: Light and efficient,

but extremely expensive.

h Insulated wallpapers: Easy to install and add a decorative touch.

h Rigid board insulation: Strong, durable and resistant to moisture.

h Reflective insulation: Bounces heat away, ideal for hot climates.

Each option offers unique benefits tailored to specific needs and preferences, so the important thing is to choose the type which address the issues in your property; for instance if you have condensation or mould, choose materials that prevent moisture build-up, and if you have thermal bridging (weak points in construction that allow heat to leak out of a building), pick insulation that stops heat escaping through walls and floors.

EFFICIENCY

Remember that insulation must be planned to complement other home improvements – for instance fixing roof leaks or dampness before installing insulation is crucial. If there is mould or dampness in a house, it is imperative to treat the cause first, for instance roofing or gutters, prior to installing any type of insulation. Insulation is not an ultimate resolution of these problems, it is an additional tool to increase energy efficiency and maintain thermal comfort. Apart from reducing heat loss and allowing you to cut down energy use, the main application of proper insulation is to control condensation, which occurs when warm, moist air contacts cold surfaces. »

SWIP (www.swipiwi.co.uk) is a marketleading manufacturer and supplier of cost-effective, sustainable and practical insulation systems with over 10 years of experience in the industry. The insulation systems are completely certified and accredited by the BBA (British Board of Agremént) and strongly aligned to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) now Department for Energy, Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) recommendations for best practice.

The system components are sourced from partnering global organisations such as Knauf and others ensuring high quality and setting industry standards while positively impacting the environment by reducing CO2 emissions. Lastly, the SWIP team can provide access to a range of SWIP-accredited installers and contractors qualified to install SWIP systems upon request.

By selecting SWIP systems, you are investing in long-term enhanced thermal efficiency, sustainability and reduced energy consumption.

THERMAL BRIDGING

Thermal bridging occurs when heat bypasses insulation through structural

elements, resulting in energy loss. Insulation materials with high thermal resistance (R-value) and low thermal conductivity effectively mitigate thermal bridging. Conversely, cold bridging occurs when heat escapes through uninsulated or poorly insulated areas, leading to localised cold spots and increased energy consumption.

Over time, though, even quality insulation materials may experience compression, diminishing their thermal performance and compromising energy efficiency. Choosing resilient materials engineered to withstand compression, such as rigid foam boards or dense cellulose insulation, prolongs the lifespan of the insulation system and maintains its effectiveness.

SUSTAINABILITY

If one of your concerns is the sustainability of your insulation materials, options such as recycled cellulose or natural fibre insulation offer eco-friendly alternatives with minimal environmental impact. These materials prioritise resource conservation and renewable sourcing, aligning with sustainable building practices and reducing carbon footprint.

Martin’s Tips

When you’re looking at ways to improve your energy efficiency and save money I would always suggest a checklist, doing your own research and taking the long-term view, both in investing in your home and recognising changing needs as time goes by. Some of us know more than others about DIY and renovation, but the latest advice is available to everyone. Insulation makes a huge difference – think loft, wall and underfloor – in saving energy. If you’re already doing other renovations or planning an extension, such as a loft conversion, combine the work and, if not, consider whether you might want some extra living space in the future, and whether it is better to do it now.

Improving your home to make it more energy efficient will save you money not only in the shortterm – ensuring savings on your energy consumption come next winter – but in the longer term, too, as your energy savings build up.

One good tip when trying to regulate your energy use is to install a smart meter – when you can see your energy use on its display, you will soon get out of bad habits like leaving windows open, leaving heating on constantly, and leaving devices on standby. ■

Pay To Play

Could pay-as-you-go sub-meters be the solution to the problem of managing utilities in rental properties?

If you are operating a rental property, particularly an HMO (House in Multiple Occupation), one of your bugbears will probably be managing utilities. It’s a challenge to work out how to divide up the bills when different tenants may have wildly different energy consumption.

There is a possible solution which can also cut the time and cost you invest in compiling utility use figures. By fitting a prepayment meter on a ‘pay as you go’ tariff for each separate user, you can make sure that your tenants don’t run up debts, and there are no arguments over how much energy has been used. Prepayment meters are available for electricity and gas, and can be run on payment cards or coins. In many cases card- or voucher-operated meters are preferable because they reduce the possibility of theft.

In many cases, tenants can pay their

advance charges online, so the landlord doesn’t even have to administer a card or voucher scheme. Revenue from top-up payments is sent to the bill payer each month to cover energy supplier costs, and they just pay the bill to the utility supplier. Smart meters can be managed remotely from any location. You can find out more about some of the options available from https://metroprepaid.co.uk

SUPPLY

With smart sub-meters, there’s no need to arrange for an expensive grid supply connection; you simply have the sub-meters connected to the property’s main supply. Sub-meters are relatively inexpensive, costing around £50 each, and can be applied in all sorts of situations such as residential, commercial, camping, mooring, retail, light industrial and office applications.

Sub-meters must be installed and connected to the main meter by a qualified professional, so it’s not a job you are likely to do yourself. It’s not usually necessary to get approval from a local council or utility company to install sub-meters, but they must be installed according to local and national safety standards.

Each room in an HMO should be fitted with its own mini Consumer Unit (CU), with its supply controlled by a dedicated circuit breaker on the Main Distribution Board. You can use an existing plug socket in each room to run the wiring from the new Consumer Unit in the room back to the breaker on the main board, removing the need for new wiring and connectors between the main board and the rooms.

Importantly, of course, sub-meters will not work unless the main meter is in order, and the bill has been paid! ■

A Question of Residence

Where you live can be seen as a political statement – but how does it affect your tax liability? Philip Gambrill explains

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Philip Gambrill FCCA is senior partner at PG Lemon LLP

Chartered Certified Accountants in London and Kent. The practice advises many landlords on all aspects of property related tax see www.pglemon.co.uk or call 020 7247 1922 or email philip@pglemon.co.uk

You may have noticed recently that tax has become a political issue. It has always been so, but it tends to be more in the spotlight in an election year. How we have been taxed traditionally could be viewed as a vote - blue for low tax, red for high.

This simplistic approach to tax and our preference for or against has been skewed over time by how successive governments have chosen to handle the economic cycle. Kicking inflation down the road; holding interest rates low for too long; building up national debt, are all factors to be addressed in due course by the next incumbents. To quote one of my favourite folk singers Chris Wood, from his song None The Wiser, “… in the bowels of the Bank of England now they’re sacrificing chickens to a God they call quantitative easing”.

Tax is complicated - take for example, the issue of where you live, or should I say, reside for tax purposes.

Lord Ashcroft, a ‘true blue’ and former overseas resident who enjoyed tax advantages as a ‘non-dom’ (a nondomiciled resident, who lives in the UK but pays tax abroad), has recently raised questions about red(head) Angela Rayner’s previous place of abode, which has highlighted the complex tax rules around Private Residence Relief (PRR) (Shadow Secretary of State Ms Rayner is presently facing a police investigation over whether

she broke tax rules when she sold an excouncil house which she had claimed was her principal residence - Ed ).

PROPERTY

But why does where you live matter for tax purposes? If you are lucky enough to own a UK property you call home, where you reside as a UK taxpayer, then, when and if you sell it and make a gain, Private Residence Relief will apply and in all probability there will be no Capital Gains Tax to pay.

If you are in that rare position of having more than one residence, you may elect by notice in writing to nominate one or other residence as your main residence for CGT purposes. (If there is no nomination, it is a question of fact). The choice has to be made within two years of the time that you first had an interest in two or more residences, or of a change in combination of residences held.

Other tax issues can crop up in this area, such as, how big is your garden? Up to half a hectare, inclusive of the site of the house, is within an acceptable limit for PRR.

Relief is not available where the residence was acquired in whole or in part to make a gain on its disposal, even if the taxpayer lives in the house for a time before he sells it.

Also, if you work from home using a

room in your home for both business and private purposes - for example, you use a room as an office, but you also use it as a guest bedroom - this will not impact availability of relief from CGT.

BUSINESS

If you use any part of your home exclusively for business purposes - for example part of your home is used as a workshop for your business - that part will not qualify for main residence relief - but you will still get the relief on the part used as your main home.

If you are renting out a former home, then a proportion of the gain arising on sale is exempt, and will be based on the period you occupied the property. In addition to actual periods spent living on the premises, the final months of ownership are also exempt.

The exemption used to be the final 36 months of ownership, but was cut to 18 months and then nine months in April 2020. However, the final period exemption has remained 36 months for disabled people and those in long-term care homes. So, some pre-election food for thought on where to live and how it may be taxed. Like everything I write about in these articles, it is based on the current tax landscape, which is bound to change with each passing government, so take advice! ■

The Minefield

Charles Knapper LLB answers our questions about the legal complexities of property transactions – this time, changes to leasehold laws

Leasehold properties are a minefield for the inexperienced - however, cheaper properties are often leasehold flats and houses, so young inexperienced first-time buyers may have no option but to buy a leasehold property.

One of the problems facing owners of leasehold property is the length of the lease. This is because lenders are now more and more reluctant to lend where the security is a lease with less than 70 years remaining. The logic behind this seems odd, bearing in mind that most secured borrowing is for say 25 years, so even with 50 years remaining there would be 25 years at the end of the loan.

The other problem is the service charge costs that are passed on to the leaseholders by the freeholder or the management company, and the apparent lack of transparency as to how those costs have been calculated.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charles Knapper has 24 years of legal experience in property, disputes, family and children’s law, wills and probate, and is a Consultant Partner of Curtis Whiteford Crocker Solicitors, 247 Dean Cross Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL9 7AZ. See the website at https://cwcsolicitors.co.uk

ISSUES

The Government has tried to address this issue in the guise of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill 2023-24 which was introduced to Parliament in late 2023. The problem is the fact that this is still only a Bill and has not yet become law - however there is every likelihood that it will become law, albeit in a somewhat watered-down version.

Currently, if you have a lease with an unexpired term of fewer than 80 years, then any extension to that lease will be limited to 90 years, and the leaseholder will have to pay a premium to the landlord that includes the value of the property, the lost ground rent and something called ‘marriage value’. This can result in a cost of tens of thousands of pounds to extend the lease to make the property sellable.

The Bill proposes a number of substantial changes, being :-

h To reduce the cost and make it easier

for leaseholders in houses and flats to extend their lease and buy the freehold.

h To increase the standard lease extension term to 990 years (currently 90 years), with any ground rent reduced to a peppercorn (zero financial value), upon payment of a premium.

h To change the qualifying criteria to give more leaseholders the right to extend their lease (currently you have to have owned the lease for a minimum of two years) and to buy their freehold and take over management of their building.

h To ban the granting of new leasehold houses (with some exceptions).

h To improve the transparency of service charges and ensure leaseholders receive key information on a regular basis.

h To give leaseholders a new right to request information about service charges and the management of their building.

h To improve the transparency of administration charges and buildings insurance commissions.

h To ensure leaseholders are not subject to any unjustified legal costs and can claim their own legal costs from their freeholder. Currently the freeholder can recover costs against the leaseholder, but it is extremely difficult for the leaseholder to recover costs unless the landlord has acted unreasonably within any court or tribunal proceedings. In essence a leaseholder could successfully challenge the reasonableness of a service charge, but find that all of the legal costs associated with bringing the challenge have to be paid by the leaseholder. A landlord on the other hand may have a contractual right to recover the costs of defending the legal proceedings and it is for the leaseholder to argue that

those costs should be disallowed. This can mean that the cost of challenging the reasonableness of the service charge is greater than the overall result even though the leaseholder has been successful.

h To ensure that relevant property sales information is provided to leaseholders in a timely manner. This is something that currently causes a great deal of anguish if the leaseholder is selling but cannot get the answers from the freeholder in order to satisfy the buyer.

These proposals will make a huge difference to anyone thinking of buying or selling a leasehold property. One of the questions often asked is, should someone extend their lease now or wait for the Bill to become law? That is a tricky question, because if the leaseholder needs to sell now, then the option to use the current

law to extend the lease will be the only option. If the leaseholder can wait, the new proposals will almost certainly result in a much more sellable lease, as it will be extended for 990 years not 90, and the likely premium to be paid to the freeholder will be considerably less.

PEPPERCORN

One important proposal that was scrapped was retrospectively reducing all ground rents to a ‘peppercorn’ or token amount. This was because many investors have acquired freehold reversions in order to collect the ground rents. Private pension companies are a good example. To retrospectively reduce these ground rents to a peppercorn would reduce the value of the investments to almost zero, and that would have a massive impact on private pensions relying on those investments. ■

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PROPERTY MATTERS

Whether you are buying or selling a property, residential transactions present significant financial exposure, but also a tremendous opportunity. Skilled legal advice ensures you can reduce risk whilst increasing the likelihood of a

successful outcome. We advise on property transactions of all sizes, from ultra-high-value real estate, agricultural and landed estates, through to houses and flats. In addition, our team also have great experience in leasehold

enfranchisement, particularly extending leases, and Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) matters including applying for refunds. The team has extensive experience in landlord and tenant matters, including helping to resolve any disputes that arise.

When selling and buying or leasing commercial property for your business, we will work with you and your other advisers from negotiating the heads of terms through to completion. Buying and selling commercial property can signify an exciting new chapter for your business. It also comes with significant risk, which

makes it a minefield to deal with without proper legal advice. This is why, when buying and selling commercial property, the correct processes and procedures must be adhered to for a smooth, safe and secure transaction. Our expert team of commercial lease lawyers will provide you with specialist support to ensure everything

runs smoothly. Whether you are a landlord or tenant, it is important that you have the best commercial lease legal support when making key decisions for you and your business. We have vast experience helping our clients negotiate a lease that works for them by providing expert and bespoke legal advice.

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY

COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

Landlords and Leaseholds

Being a landlord or a leaseholder can expose you to all sort of legal problems, from complex leaseholds to trouble with tenants. How can you sort out the issues?

As a landlord, you may find yourself coming up against all sorts of legal problems surrounding property and tenant laws. As a property buyer, you may find yourself bound by leasehold terms which can be hard to understand, and can involve expenses which are not immediately obvious. In either case, the services of experienced specialists in property law will

be well worth the expense as they could avoid further financial commitments.

If you are looking to buy a new home, for instance, many of the properties in your price range may be leasehold. Recent discussion of reforms of the venerable leasehold laws has revealed just how complex and confusing leasehold terms can be, and while the government is in the process of reforming the regulations, the

gears are grinding exceedingly slowly.

But just what is a leasehold? With a freehold, you own the property outright, while a leasehold interest only gives you the right to your home for a certain number of years, called a term. You have contract with a landlord to whom the property will revert at the end of the term, unless you renew it.

Most flats have traditionally been created as leaseholds, which makes

sense as it means that costs of repair and maintenance can be shared. But in recent years some houses have been sold with leaseholds, giving unscrupulous developers an additional revenue stream which they sell on to investors.

CHARGES

A leasehold can involve paying the landlord a ground rent for the right to occupy their land. Historically, this was a small amount, but again, some unscrupulous developers are treating this as an investment, and hiking up the prices. Be aware if you get into a leasehold how often these prices are revised and how much they may rise by, as they could affect not only your expenses, but also the market value of your home.

Another factor involved in a leasehold can be a service charge, intended to make sure that all leaseholders in a building contribute to the cost of maintenance and shared facilities such as car parks or communal gardens. The lease should set out clearly which services the landlord must provide, but many leaseholders find themselves suffering a lack of control over the services they receive, and having difficulty in challenging their cost or quality.

Also bear in mind when buying a leasehold property that a lease is a

depreciating asset – the shorter the time it has to run, the less it is worth, making your property worth less and harder to sell. A short leasehold can also cause problems with mortgage lenders, who may insist you pay for a longer term.

TENANTS

While you may well need legal advice before entering into a leasehold, as a landlord you may also run into disputes with your tenants. These can be distressing and time-consuming for both sides, particularly if the tenant is living in your home.

There are several common causes of disputes between landlords and tenants, such as non-payment of rent, sometimes are a deliberate move to try to get property repairs done, or damage to the property extending beyond reasonable wear and tear. A legal expert can help you with matters such as how to draw up a tenancy agreement and create an inventory.

Further problems can arise between landlord and tenant in a commercial letting. In many cases, a business having cash flow problem will withhold rent payments until it can get back on its feet – here a legal expert can help to negotiate repayment terms which will be of benefit to both parties.

COMMERCIAL

Other problems can arise when commercial tenants attempt to sub-let some of their space in order to save money. Landlords should be wary of this and the possible impact it could have on the rental value of their property.

This isn’t the end of the possible conflicts between landlords and tenants – they can arise over service charges, particularly for the retail sector where shopping centre charges are very high; or over break clauses, where a tenant may want to end a lease early, or may try to avoid the costs of restoring a property to a fit state once it is vacated (so-called ‘delapidations’). A tenant may also want to pass a lease on to someone else, who may not be in a financial state acceptable to the landlord.

Bear in mind, as you will read elsewhere in this issue, that leasehold laws are likely to change very soon as proposed legislation makes its way through Parliament. In all these cases, finding a resolution with the help of an experienced expert in property law is much preferable to the expensive option of going to Court. Having a specialist on board from the very beginning of a dispute can go a long way to reaching an acceptable resolution. ■

Thinking of investing in leasehold property?

There are plenty of factors to consider, as leasehold law experts from Bishop & Sewell explain.

Leasehold property ownership has faced negative publicity in recent years with the so called ‘leasehold scandal’, involving issues such as escalating ground rents, leasehold houses, cladding and building safety. The Government first announced plans to reform the leasehold sector by making buying a freehold or extending a lease “easier, faster, fairer and cheaper” in 2017 – and leaseholders and freeholders have been anxiously awaiting further news on what changes might be forthcoming, and when.

The majority of fl ats in England and Wales are owned on a leasehold basis, so, with the right approach, represent a good investment in property, and are often the only way of owning a property in desirable city centre locations.

With the reform programme now well underway the leasehold experts at Bishop & Sewell take a look at the key points to consider when investing in leasehold property.

Check the lease length

A lease is a depreciating asset so it is important to consider lease length carefully. If a lease has less than 80 years left, obtaining a mortgage can be challenging, and extending the lease becomes costlier due to marriage value calculations (under current legislation). However, for cash buyers, a short lease can be a shrewd investment, provided you’re willing to invest in extending the lease post-purchase. Currently, an

ownership period of two years is required before an extension, but proposed government reforms may eliminate this.

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill is set to eliminate marriage value, potentially resolving mortgage challenges for short leases, and reducing the cost of extending sub-80 year leases. The Bill also proposes extending lease terms from 90 to 990 years, eliminating the need for multiple future extensions.

Check the lease terms

The terms contained in some leases can be an unpleasant surprise to the unwitting buyer. While some, such as access rights, premises use and occupancy limits, are to be expected, other clauses or covenants in the lease terms can mean that the leaseholder may have to pay to make simple changes to the property, for example, to redecorate or make basic alterations to the layout.

If you are planning alterations, check that the lease allows this. Some leases have an absolute bar on changes to the property and the freeholder may not be able to agree to variations (even if they want to) if restrictions apply across the block.

If you’re planning to purchase a leasehold property on a buy-to-let basis, it is essential to make sure there are no clauses prohibiting this. It’s crucial that your conveyancing solicitor determines your rights under the lease terms – and that you clearly communicate that you are buying the property as an investment.

Check the Ground Rent

Scrutiny over ground rent clauses have revealed issues with ground rents escalating to the point of being onerous. If your ground rent doubles every five or 10 years, you could not only face high bills, but also the premium to extend the lease will also rise commensurately as

ground rent is factored into the calculations. High or doubling ground rents, especially those that vary at intervals of less than 20 years, have made mortgage lenders cautious about such properties. The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 has eliminated ground rents for new leases, and the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill may propose reducing or capping ground rents in existing leases. Notably, leaseholders with long leases may gain the right to buy out their ground rent, without extending the lease or purchasing the freehold.

Check the Service Charges & Maintenance Fees

Whilst the freeholder is generally responsible for maintaining the communal areas and structure of a building, leaseholders are responsible for paying for this upkeep via a service charge and, potentially, a sinking fund.

The Building Safety Act 2022 protects (in certain circumstances) leaseholders from paying to rectify historical safety defects, such as unsafe cladding and other service charges can represent a sizeable annual cost, which should be considered in ROI yield calculations.

The freeholder should provide details of any projected expenditure, including any future major works, as well as historical and future service or maintenance charges. The leaseholder will also have to pay a share of the building’s insurance, so it is important to find out how much this is.

Conclusion

Buying a leasehold property can be a more complex process than buying a freehold property, as your solicitor will need to obtain information from the freeholder or management company about the lease. Although owning a property as freehold may generally put you in greater control of overheads and expenditure, most fl ats in inner-city locations are sold on a leasehold basis.

Leasehold properties will usually offer lower initial costs in terms of capital outlay, but you should consider longer-term expenses like ground rent and service charges. If reasonable, these charges support building maintenance and benefit property values for all owners/investors. The issue, if there is one, lies in the lack of direct cost control, necessitating thorough research before purchase.

Potential reforms including eliminating marriage value, ending ground rents and extending leases to 990 years, could mean leaseholders facing reduced ownership costs in the future. With robust due diligence, expert conveyancing advice, and guidance from a leasehold law specialist, investors can navigate potential pitfalls in leasehold ownership.

Bishop & Sewell: Leasehold Experts

The future of leasehold: What to expect from leasehold reform

By Mark Chick and Chris Macartney Bishop & Sewell / Landlord and Tenant Team leasehold@bishopandsewell.co.uk

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill (which was introduced in November 2023) has set the tone and context for much of the proposed reforms to leasehold law and has been heralded by the Government as representing “the most significant reforms of the leasehold system for a generation.”

The key points of the Bill, which, at the time of writing, is quickly making its way through parliament, are as follows:

• Increasing the standard lease extension term from 90 years to 990 years

• Ending the requirement for leaseholders to own their property for two years prior to extending the lease

• Abolishing marriage value from lease extension calculations

• Increasing the 25% non-residential threshold to 50% to enable more leaseholders to exercise the right of collective enfranchisement

• Reducing ground rent to a peppercorn (i.e. £0) upon payment of a premium

• The Bill also seeks to build on the legislation brought forward by the Building Safety Act 2022, by making freeholders liable to pay for building remediation work, thus further protecting leaseholders by ensuring charges for such work cannot be passed on via the service charge

The award-winning Bishop & Sewell Landlord & Tenant team are industry experts on Leasehold Reform legislation, including enfranchisement, lease extensions and Right to Manage. The team work closely with the firm’s dispute resolution and commercial property teams to provide sound advice on a range of matters around leasehold property ownership. e) leasehold@bishopandsewell.co.uk t) 020 763 14141

Find out more about the leasehold reforms via our website: www.bishopandsewell.co.uk

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Don’t be a Chump, Get a Heat Pump

How does heat pump technology work, and is it a practical way to heat your home?

With the cost of gas going through the roof, and not all properties suitable for solar power, one exciting new option for heating your home is the heat pump. It’s a young technology, and costs are bound to come down while efficiency goes up; but for now, are heat pumps a viable option, and are they economically sound?

The argument for heat pumps is that they are energy efficient, and have a low carbon footprint. Yes, they do use electricity, so (unlike with solar power) you can never be independent of the National Grid; but heat pumps are suitable for almost all types of home, and depending on what heating system you’re replacing, should save you money on your energy bills.

A heat pump is a heating system that takes in heat from the air or ground, warms

it and moves it into your house’s heating system. It uses electricity to do this, but the heat energy it supplies is much more than the electrical energy needed the power the system. This makes heat pumps a more energy efficient way to heat your home than a traditional gas or oil boiler, and produces far fewer carbon emissions than other heating systems.

EFFICIENT

Physically, heat pumps are rather imposing, around the size of two wheelie bins; as they must be situated at least a metre away from the boundary of your property (or from the edge of a roof), you have to think carefully where you would want to situate one.

As mentioned, heat pumps can draw heat from one of two sources; the air, or the ground. Air source heat pumps absorb heat

from the outside air, even at temperatures as low as -15°C, and use refrigerant gas to circulate it through a network of tubes, before compressing the gas to change this from a cold gas to a hot liquid. This is then passed through a converter to provide heat for radiators, underfloor heating systems or warm air convectors.

Ground source heat pumps extract heat energy from the ground outside via a pipe filled with refrigerant. As this has to be installed (either in a ground loop or in a vertical borehole), it is a more expensive matter to install than an air source heat pump, but it has the advantage that the mechanism works both ways, offering an outlet for heat to escape during the warmer months, keeping your home or business comfortable all year round, and acting much like a traditional air conditioning system. ■

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Partel's decentralised ventilation systems produce more than enough clean, hygienic ventilation for every living area while also saving energy for daily use.

Their state-of-the-art and highly energyefficient Heat Recovery systems are made to minimise moisture accumulation and mould growth while maximising indoor air quality.

Along with inexpensive purchase and operating costs and, of course, the quality and safety that come with our reputation, our systems also save a significant amount of money on heating.

Exhaust air systems are very well suited for functional rooms such as bathrooms, kitchens or even utility rooms. They transport the exhaust air either directly into the open air or via exhaust air shafts.

SYSTEM WITH HEAT RECOVERY

With this system, all rooms of the residential unit are equipped with fans with heat recovery. These are particularly recommended in the living and sleeping areas.

Every newly constructed building and energyefficient renovation should have ventilation systems. The benefits of lower indoor air pollution make purchasing a smart ventilation system worthwhile.

At least two different types of ventilation are used. While the living spaces have fresh air without heat loss thanks to heat recovery units, exhaust air rooms such as the bathroom or kitchen can be ventilated cost-effectively.

Centralised & silent ventilation systems

Vasco Group is a reputable brand in the industry for its centralised, low-energy-consumption, super-silent, and comfortable ventilation systems.

To create the healthiest, most comfortable, and least energy-intensive home possible, you must ensure that the best energy-efficient, userfriendly, and optimal ventilation system is installed when building or renovating a house or property.

Importance of Healthy Indoor Air Quality:

Healthy indoor air quality is increasingly crucial for energy performance standards. Mechanical ventilation systems automatically replace used indoor air with clean outdoor air.

Partel's VASCO D Ventilation systems prioritize High comfort, Low consumption, and a super silent solution for a cozy and healthful interior environment.

D Ventilation System Operation:

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Designed for damp spaces like bathrooms, laundry rooms, kitchens, and storage areas. Provides air extraction in these spaces while simultaneously directing fresh air into dry rooms such as living and sleeping areas.

Dehumidifiers

Explained - A Must Have for a Healthy Home

The experts from EcoAir explain how dehumidifiers work and why they are a healthy, environmentally friendly and energy saving way to reach ideal moisture levels for a healthy home.

The Problem with Moisture in Your Home

Damp and condensation are common issues in UK homes. UK Government estimates of the number of homes in England with damp and mould range widely from 4% to 27% of homes, or 962,000 to 6.5 million households. Humidity, damp, and condensation causes musty smells, mould and mildew. This is a problem for many homes, offices, and industrial properties. Excess moisture can cause various health problems and damage to property and belongings if left untreated.

UK Government Guidance in 2023 noted that excessive moisture can promote the growth of microorganisms such as mould and other fungi, certain species of house dust mites, bacteria, or viruses. The more serious the damp and mould problem and the longer it is left untreated, the worse the health impacts and risks are likely to be. Damp and mould can cause disease and ill health in anyone, but people with underlying health conditions and weakened immune systems are at greater risk. The optimal relative humidity is within 50% to 60% RH. Ambient relative humidity above 60% can encourage bacterial growth and Bed Mites to reproduce).

High humidity indoors can be caused by a number of natural factors, in particular the weather. However, poor ventilation, modern insulation, double glazing, central heating, dishwashers, washing machines, kitchens and bathrooms can increase humidity. Moisture can damage clothes, furniture, property and also cause drywall and wood to rot, resulting in structural damage to a property.

However, if the percentage of water vapour in the air is too low it causes excess drying which can trigger skin irritations such as a dry nose, eczema and chapped skin. It can also damage possessions, such as wooden furniture, by drying it out too much.

What do Dehumidifiers do and How do They Work?

Dehumidifiers control humidity levels in the home, workplace, and other indoor areas.

A dehumidifier is usually used for comfort or health reasons – they can help to reduce the

Drier air warms more quickly than damp air, so home heating costs may also be reduced with the use of a dehumidifier. A dehumidifier can also help laundry dry quicker.

What Size and Type of Dehumidifier do I go For? Desiccant vs Compressor Dehumidifiers.

When choosing the right dehumidifier for you, confusion might arise from deciding between the two different types of dehumidifiers: compressor and desiccant. While both fulfil the same purpose by extracting moisture from the air, they achieve this via different methods.

Desiccant dehumidifiers draw air into the machine before passing it over a desiccant chemical to absorb the moisture from the air.

Compressor dehumidifiers use a fan to draw in air and run it over a cold coil (much like a refrigerator) so that the water condenses and is collected by the water tank.

When is a desiccant dehumidifier better than a compressor unit?

For any application where the ambient room temperature is likely to fall below 15 degrees Celsius – as room temperature falls, a compressor dehumidifier will become ineffective.

The unit emits warmer air (approx. 3-5 degrees Celsius warmer than the ambient air), so you are likely to be using less energy on heating for your home.

• Better generally for drying laundry as it extracts moisture at a faster speed.

Often has a Turbo mode for rapid drying such as after a flood (or fast drying delicates in laundry).

• Effective in the range 1 to 40 degrees

For warmer spaces.

Effective in the range 15-40 degrees Celsius.

Maintaining a normal household moisture level of 50-55%RH.

• Slightly lower energy consumption but note that it doesn’t emit warmer air into the room (and bear in mind if the temperature is low, the time to get to your required humidity takes longer).

Cost of a dehumidifier

Dehumidifiers stand out as an answer to rising energy costs. Dehumidifiers with a laundry mode act as cheaper alternatives to tumble dryers, as a dehumidifier has much lower power usage. In addition, due to the extraction of energy-sapping water particles from the air, lower humidity levels allow for significantly cheaper home heating.

The cost of purchasing a dehumidifier varies depending on the size and the type of dehumidifier that you want. EcoAir models range from around £200-300 and when considering the money that you will save on energy bills and tumble dryer usage, it is a fantastic long-term investment.

The cost of running your dehumidifier depends on its wattage and how long you need to run it. 1kWh of electricity can cost up to 34p (depending on your energy contract). Most standard dehumidifiers run between 200-300W, although the wattage on larger models can go up to 400W (excluding high power settings). Therefore, on average your dehumidifier is likely to cost approximately 7p-10p per hour. Tumble dryers can cost up to £1 an hour to run.

Time to get a Dehumidifier?

The health, comfort and financial benefits of dehumidifiers are clear, and the UK market is growing rapidly. However, making a choice of the right model can be challenging. Trusted advice from the right supplier can really help. Make sure to visit the EcoAir website www.ecoair.org for helpful advice and to view their Which? award-winning range of units.

The Healthy Home Guide

The health of the buildings we live in can be just as important as our physical health. What can we do to guard against damp, mould, flooding and other horrors?

The fabric of a building can be damaged by all sorts of factors, many of them related to the British weather – we’re getting used to increasingly cold and wet winters and boiling hot summers, as climate change has its way.

If not dealt with promptly, issues such as condensation and leaks can lead to destructive conditions such as mould, which can a ect both the health of a building and that of the people who live in it.

Worse, catastrophic events such as floods and storms can cause major damage overnight, and without planning, can take months or years to repair.

So how can we take care of the health of our buildings as well as we do our own? The answers start with the basic design of structures.

VAPOUR CONTROL

It’s widely accepted that airtightness and moisture control are two of the most important parts of building design. Air barrier systems in the form of airtight membranes are suitable for use both on-site and also in o site construction methods.

Typically installed on the inner side of the insulation within external wall and roof structures, these airtight membranes have a dual purpose; to restrict the flow of moisture from inside a building into the fabric, and to create an airtight layer on the internal envelope of a building.

Moisture is an inevitable result of having people living in a building - it’s generated through breathing, cooking and washing. When this warm moisture vapour passes into the fabric of the building and cools down within the structure, so-called interstitial condensation can occur. This can cause a number of problems, from promoting mould and structural damage

to reduced thermal performance.

Part of the solution to the moisture problem lies in airtight construction. When there are no unintended gaps in the building envelope that allow air to leak in or out of the building, we avoid reducing the energy e iciency of a building that can create a draughty, unhealthy, uncomfortable building environment.

Fire-rated non-combustible membranes can enhance the building’s fabric in terms of airtightness, energy e iciency and moisture management, while providing exceptional fire safety to the building and its occupants, particularly where where high levels of fire performance are desirable or mandatory, such as high-rise projects, public buildings, hospitals, hotels and universities.

Some ‘smart’ membranes are designed to intelligently control moisture vapour, summer drying conditions but equally protecting the construction in winter. »

LEAKS

In cases where water damage is caused by leakage, leak detection systems can prevent extreme damage in the first place, or can locate sources of leaks to minimise damage after the event. There are many different possible sources of water leaks in a building; anything from exterior water mains to central heating or underfloor heating, hot or cold water systems, ground source heat pumps and loft water tanks to swimming pools or spas. Specialist leak detection equipment can detect leaks through all types of internal floors or external hard surfaces including concrete and tarmac, outdoors in fields or open spaces, under landscaped gardens and even under buildings.

In sealed systems such as heating circuits and heating systems, tiny invisible leaks known as Micro Leaks can result in a slow and constant loss of pressure in the system with no obvious cause. Micro Leaks tend to occur more often in heating circuits and hot water pipes, and as the water is hotter, it evaporates far more quickly leaving little or no trace. The constant loss of pressure will eventually lead to a boiler breakdown. Finding, diagnosing and repairing these leaks will ensure that your heating system won’t fail you when you need it the most.

A water leak outside or on the ground floor can be there for a long time without being spotted, and water mains and cold feed supply pipes can leak freely with no surface evidence while causing enormous damage to a property.

Remember that the feed pipe from the water main to your home is usually your responsibility, not that of the water supplier. If you have a water meter and you find that your usage shoots up unexpectedly, you may have an exterior leak, which if not shut down promptly could land you with a large bill.

LEAK DETECTION

Specialist leak detections services can use a wide variety of technologies to find the source of a problem without knocking holes in your walls and floors, including:

ACOUSTIC LISTENING DEVICES

Ultrasonic devices can listen for exact leak locations up to 2.5 metres below the surface

TRACER GASES

A safe mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen are forced into pipework at safe working pressures. Gas sniffers then pinpoint the leak location.

DAMP METERS

Damp meters can detect damp and moisture from up to 2.5cm behind the surfaces of floors and walls

ENDOSCOPE CAMERAS

Small diameter ‘snake’ cameras can see for instance behind bath panels, into boxing, and into voids in floors, ceilings and walls

HUMIDITY

Another problem which can lead in the long term to health problems for both people and properties is humidity, the amount of water vapour present in the air. Excess humidity can lead to growth of mould and mildew, and even structural damage, particularly to wood. Mould can even grow in carpets and can be hard to eliminate. On the other hand, excessively dry indoor air can lead to warping or cracking of wood furniture and building materials.

The recommended humidity level for dwellings is 40-59 per cent. The most important percentage to remember is 60 percent relative humidity - at this point your home becomes a veritable incubator for bacteria and virus growth.

In the winter you can lower humidity by raising air temperature or running fans to improve air circulation. Ventilator fans in the kitchen and bathroom can be left running for 15 minutes or longer to clear out lingering moisture.

For better control of humidity, dehumidifiers can control humidity levels in the home, workplace and other indoor areas such as swimming pools, garages and boats. A dehumidifier is usually used for comfort or health reasons, as well as protecting cars, caravans and other equipment from mould, rust and deterioration due to excess humidity.

The six signs that you need a humidifier in your home are:

1. Condensation on windows and glass doors

2. Mould spots on walls

3. Rot on wooden floors and furniture

4. Musty smells

5. Allergy symptoms such as sneezing and watering eyes

6. Visible water damage to ceilings and walls

Dehumidifiers can prevent mould growth and stop the moisture from reducing the lifespan of window frames or bathroom ceilings and walls, and have a range of other health benefits too. Air at a controlled

lower humidity is easier for people suffering from asthma to breathe, and also reduces the number of asthma triggers such as dust mites.

Many humidifiers are fitted with filters to capture fine impurities in the air and to disrupt microbe reproduction.

Dehumidifiers can also reduce energy costs; due to the reduction in water particles in the air, lower humidity levels allow for significantly cheaper heating during winter months as you can run the heating less and at a lower temperature. During summer months, dehumidifiers can be paired with air conditioning systems units to control the temperature of your home more effectively and cost-efficiently. »

LEADERS IN NON-INVASIVE WATER LEAK DETECTION

Is your property suffering from a hidden water leak?

If you are a residential or commercial property owner it is highly likely that you will fi nd yourself dealing with a water leak at some point during your life. This is not usually too much of a problem if you know where the leak is coming from - you simply call a plumber and ask them to come and repair it! But what if you don’t know where the leak is coming from? Many people fi nd themselves in the dark, not knowing what to do or who to call.

A hidden water leak can cause you no end of problems including sky rocketing water bills and interruptions to your heating and hot water. Not to mention the water damage caused by the leak itself, which can easily escalate into a six-fi gure insurance claim if left unresolved. In the worstcase scenario, an undetected leak can leave your home uninhabitable, leave your business inoperational, or in the case of landlords, leave your property unrentable.

ADI Leak Detection specialises in detecting hidden water leaks without causing unnecessary damage to your property.

Since 2011, ADI has been pushing the boundaries of non-invasive water leak detection using technologies such as thermal imaging, acoustic listening devices, and tracer gases to locate stubborn and mysterious water leaks. The leak is located to the closest possible degree of accuracy meaning that only the precise leak area needs to be disturbed in order to repair it.

This process will save you thousands of pounds on costs that would otherwise be associated with searching for a leak in the traditional manner - by ripping out the floors and walls until the leak is found! What’s more, as qualifi ed and registered plumbers, ADI can usually repair your leak in the same appointment.

Why choose ADI?

♦ Prevent further damage caused by a hidden water leak

♦ Minimise property damage using non-invasive technologies

♦ Minimise costs associated with remedial work

♦ Insurance approved job reports to assist with your insurance claim

♦ Qualifi ed engineers, accredited company, professional service

Call ADI Leak Detection today on 0800 731 3843 , and a member of our highly trained customer service team will be able to assess your problem, explain how we can help, and give you a free noobligation quote for your Leak Detection.

Not sure if you have a leak? Visit www.adileakdetection.co.uk to discover the tell tale signs that you should out look for.

ADI Leak Detection provides nationwide coverage and has teams ready to deploy in the areas of:

♦ Pipework leak detection including water mains, heating systems, hot and cold feeds, and more

♦ Building and roof leak detection

♦ Swimming pool leak detection

♦ Waste and drainage leak detection

ADI Leak Detection is the UK’s original leak detection company. Trusted to fi nd leaks by residential and commercial property owners throughout the country for over a decade.

Say Goodbye to Condensation and Mould: Transform Your Home Today!

Are you tired of battling condensation and mould in your home? It’s time to take control and reclaim a healthier, happier living environment for you and your loved ones. Say goodbye to the damp, musty odours and unsightly patches of mould with our innovative solutions.

At The Dwelling Doctors we understand the frustration and health risks associated with condensation and mould growth. That’s why we offer cutting-edge products and services designed to eliminate these problems once and for all.

Here’s how we can help:

1. Effective Ventilation Systems: Our ventilation systems ensure proper airflow throughout your home, reducing humidity levels and preventing condensation buildup. Say goodbye to wet windows and damp corners!

2. Moisture Control Solutions: We provide a range of moisture control solutions tailored to your specific needs. We have everything you need to keep your home dry and comfortable.

3. Mould Remediation Services: If mould has already taken hold in your home, don’t panic. Our expert team can swiftly and safely remove mould, treat affected areas, and implement preventative measures to prevent it from returning.

Why Choose Us?

✚ Expertise: of experience in the industry, we have the knowledge and skills to tackle even the most stubborn condensation and mould problems.

✚ Quality Products: We source our products from trusted manufacturers known for their reliability and effectiveness.

✚ Personalized Service: We take the time to understand your unique situation and recommend solutions that fit your budget and lifestyle.

✚ Customer Satisfaction: Your satisfaction is our top priority. We strive to exceed your expectations with every project we undertake.

Don’t let condensation and mould take over your home. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards a healthier, happier living environment. Say hello to a home free from moisture-related woes with The Dwelling Doctors

020 3883 8077 info@thedwellingdoctors.co.uk

DAMP

Iain Mantrippe of The Dwelling Doctors (https://thedwellingdoctors.co.uk) says:

“Few problems are as interconnected and potentially hazardous in the realm of home maintenance and health as mould, condensation, and inadequate ventilation. Moisture is the primary cause of indoor air quality problems, and insufficient ventilation traps moist air inside, providing an ideal breeding ground for mould and mildew.

“Mould is not just unsightly, unpleasant-smelling, and damaging to wall coverings, furniture and carpets; it is also a health hazard. Mould spores can trigger respiratory issues, allergies, and asthma attacks, especially in vulnerable individuals such as the young, elderly, or those with pre-existing health conditions.

“Effective ventilation is the key to successfully tackling issues related to moisture accumulation and condensation. In high-moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms, it is crucial to have extractor fans that can efficiently exhaust moisture at the source.

“Tackling the issues of mould and condensation requires a proactive approach. By addressing the root causes and employing effective ventilation measures, we can protect our homes and health from the numerous problems these conditions can cause”.

COMPLAINTS

The UK is experiencing a year-on-year rise in homes requiring treatment for damp and mould, with some areas seeing an unprecedented spike in residential properties experiencing this problem. Overall local authorities have seen a huge 66.67% rise in complaints during 2022/23 compared to the year before and housing associations saw a 70.23% increase during the same time period (USwitch Mouldy Nation Report.)

Mould can spread fast, causing

expensive structural damage, so start to treat the problem straightaway. A professional mould removal company will charge you from between £300-£400 per day to solve the problem and a painter and decorator will cost you another £200£300 per day to ensure your rooms are permanently mould free.

Plumbers’ prices can vary widely depending on where in the UK you are anywhere up to £500.00 per day.

To effectively remove mould, use HG mould remover (https://hg.eu/uk) to deal with the issue head on. HG mould remover eliminates all mould and is suitable for a wide range of surfaces including plastered walls, tiles, bathroom seals and more. With a targeted spray action HG mould remover is easy to use directly onto mould or mildew in damp areas.

Damp can contribute to wood rot, either wet rot and dry rot, which are caused by fungal decay in building timbers. If you do have these problems – or an infestation of woodworm, the larvae of wood-boring beetles which like damp conditions – it’s time to call in the specialists. Treating woodworm and rot can be as simple as a chemical spray, but it can become necessary to replace structural timbers within a property. ■

HOUSEHOLDS URGED TO ACT FAST ON MOULD TO SAVE THOUSANDS ON REPAIR

ACT FAST ON MOULD TO NOT GET HIT IN THE POCKET

Staying on top of home maintenance can be an extra burden on everyday life. With children to look after, meals to make, clothes to wash, all this and much more takes up valuable time when you should be relaxing after a busy day. However your health and your nances can be hit hard if you overlook and neglect the early signs of mould, not to mention the signi cant health impact.

The UK is experiencing a year on year rise in homes requiring treatment for damp and mould with some areas seeing an unprecedented spike in residential properties experiencing this problem. Overall local authorities have seen a huge 66.67% rise in complaints during 2022/23 compared to the year before and housing associations saw a 70.23% increase during the same time period.(* USwitch Mouldy Nation Report.)

The causes vary from older housing stock and poorly ventilated homes to unresolved leaking plumbing. The impact of mould on health has been widely reported with the NHS spending £1.4bn (**Building research body bre) a year treating illnesses associated with living in cold or damp conditions.

TO EFFECTIVELY REMOVE MOULD WE RECOMMEND YOU USE HG MOULD REMOVER

HG mould remover is affordable available at many retailers from B&Q, Tesco’s and on Amazon HG mould remover is suitable for plastered walls, tiles, bathroom seals and more. With a targeted spray action HG mould remover is easy to use directly onto mould or mildew in damp areas.

But if you find mould in your home, when and how should you act?

Mould can spread fast, causing expensive structural damage, so start to treat the problem straightaway.

A professional mould removal company will charge you from between £300-£400 per day to solve the problem and a painter and decorator will cost you another £200-£300 per day to ensure your rooms are permanently mould free. Plumbers prices can vary widely depending on where in the UK you are anywhere up to £500.00 per day.

To effectively remove mould we recommend you use HG mould remover to deal with the issue head on. HG mould remover is affordable and available at many retailers from B&Q, Tesco’s and on Amazon selling from £5.25. HG mould remover eliminates all mould and is suitable for a wide range of surfaces including plastered walls, tiles, bathroom seals and more. With a targeted spray action HG mould remover is easy to use directly onto mould or mildew in damp areas.

Does

what it promises.

GET IT RIGHT THE 1ST TIME

We do have other organic methods to remove mould, check them out on HG.eu. But we recommend that you resolve the issue rst so as not to jeopardise your home and family. Homeowners are increasingly turning to HG to help them with their mould problems with a 232% increase in EPOS Sales Units 2023 vs 2021.

Prevention is always preferable and once you have solved your damp and mould problems here are some steps you can take to ensure your home is dry and mould free: open windows regularly cover pans when you cook dry clothes outdoors or in a dryer wipe condensation from window sills each morning

close internal doors when you cook or shower use extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom leave a gap between furniture and external walls

If you have any questions on how o treat mould effectively, please check out

Why Go HMO?

Converting a property into an HMO, or House in Multiple Occupation, can present a good return on investment for landlords – but it’s not straightforward

One of the most popular strategies for landlords in recent years has been to convert rental properties into HMOs, which return higher yields and rentals.

HMO stands for a House in Multiple Occupation. This can be a building, bedsit, hostel, or flat that is rented out by more than one household, including families or more than two tenants who share an amenity, such as a bathroom, toilet, or kitchen.

There are many legal requirements to be met in creating an HMO, so you may want

to put the whole business in the hands of a specialist to handle the conversion, and then to manage the letting of the property. This can offer a lot of advantages, such as free HMO conversions, guaranteed rent, expert advice, professional property maintenance and a multi-year contract.

Many landlords trust in HMOs as the more efficient way to run a rental portfolio and provide increased revenue, with the opportunity to collect rent from a higher number of tenants, a potentially higher rental yield, and better security for the landlord as they aren’t dependent on one household for income. Should one tenant

move out or fall behind on payments, the HMO landlord will still have rent coming in from the remaining tenants.

Certain areas are ideal for HMOs –for instance student areas with large, extendable properties. Traditional Victorian terraced houses and similar properties are ideal for HMO conversion as they are spacious and tend to have large reception rooms, but while converting reception rooms is common and often essential, it is not always the right decision, as some renters may be put off by properties with no shared living room or reception space. If your property is not HMO-ready, you may

need to make considerable adjustments to make it suitable for tenants. There are considerations of space, layout, facilities, furniture and appliances to bear in mind.

INSPECTION

Depending on the property, converting it into an HMO will be expensive and take some time, so you’ll need to budget properly. As you will likely be converting the use of some rooms, and may also need to move or construct walls to alter room size, it’s advisable to use professionals when working on the more significant parts of the conversion. Don’t forget to check whether you need planning permission for any major renovations.

Another popular conversion option for HMO landlords is converting a garage into additional living space. This will likely need planning permission, so you’ll need to check with your local council before undertaking any work.

Here are some basic tips for planning an HMO conversion.

h Make good use of outdoor space.

Barbecue and seating areas will appeal to long-term renters who may be working from home.

h Furnish kitchens and bathrooms to a high standard. If you skimp here, you risk putting off more discerning tenants.

h Choose good quality appliances. You will be responsible for maintaining and replacing items such as fridges, cookers, beds and sofas, so it will probably pay in the long term to invest in quality items rather than go for the cheapest.

h Make the property presentable. Don’t try to let it until all the building work is done and the property is fully furnished.

If you convert your property into an HMO, it will be visited by your Local Authority within five years. They will carry out a Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) risk assessment to identify any issues. Any unacceptable risks such as asbestos and radiation found during the assessment will need to be addressed immediately.

One of the most important legal

aspects of letting an HMO is getting the relevant licence in place. If your property is let to five or more tenants from more than one household and some basic amenities are shared, then your property will need an HMO licence. If some, but not all, of these criteria, apply, then you may still need a licence, and it’s wise to check with your local authority. The rules surrounding HMO licensing were updated in October 2018 and were expected to affect up to 177,000 additional properties at the time. HMO licences are valid for five years at a time, and you’ll require a separate licence for each HMO you’re running.

RULES AND REGULATIONS

There are many regulations a landlord must adhere to in order to hold an HMO license. These include:

h The landlord must send a valid gas safety certificate to the local authority each year, install the relevant smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, and have safety certificates for electrical appliances available on request. »

h Landlords are obligated to ensure the floor area of any sleeping accommodation in HMO houses used by one person over 10 years is not less than 6.51 square metres and 4.64 square metres for one person under 10 years. h Any room in an HMO used as sleeping accommodation must not be used as such by more than the maximum number of persons specified in the HMO licence.

Alongside the HMO fire regulations, the landlord has to ensure that all gas appliances are maintained, with a Gas Safe registered engineer carrying out a gas safety check each year. All electrical installations and appliances provided must be safe to use, and any furniture and furnishing you provide must meet fireresistance regulations.

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) and test certificates for your electrical appliances will also be needed. You’ll also need to install fire doors, keep all

exits clear and make sure that tenants know not to obstruct them and know what to do in the event of a fire.

Some other safety requirements you’ll need to consider when preparing your HMO to let could include locks for each bedroom, emergency lighting, and keeping pest control treatment records. Safety requirements for HMOs are extensive and differ depending on your local authority, so it’s always best to check with them.

HOMES ACT

HMO landlords also have to make sure their properties comply with the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, which means that all HMOs must be suitable for human habitation at the start of the tenancy and throughout. It provides tenants with greater powers to hold their landlord to account if their property is substandard, and covers areas such as damp, ventilation, drainage and water supply. In fact there are 29 hazards outlined in the HHSRS

regulations which could render a property unfit for human habitation.

As a last piece of advice before you embark on the HMO adventure, bear in mind that with more tenants comes the inevitable increase in wear and tear and hence the expense of maintaining an HMO property. Communal areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, floors and doors will all take a lot more wear, so you must ensure you’re able to respond to all reasonable repair requests with speed and efficiency. Make sure that your landlord insurance policy is suitable for an HMO, and consider keeping a specialist maintenance company on retainer so you don’t have to turn out yourself every time a light bulb blows or a window breaks.

If you have a buy-to-let property and are thinking of changing it into an HMO, check whether this is allowed under the terms of the mortgage. If not, your lender or a mortgage broker may be able to suggest a different mortgage more suitable for you. ■

Are you interested in converting your property into an HMO but don’t know where to start, are put off by upfront costs, or concerned about legal requirements and legislation?

With a succesful track record of 100+ conversions, we are ready to get your free conversion* started. Get in touch today and become a CLOUDROOMS landlord.

Investing With AI

Investing in property can be rewarding, but how do you make sure you are getting a good deal? Increasingly, AI is the answer

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is one of the hot topics in practically all areas of life these days –whether it’s threatening to put artists and photographers out of work, or promising breakthroughs in medical treatment, there doesn’t seem to be any area in which machine intelligence isn’t presenting the prospect of revolutionary new approaches.

And property investment is one area in which AI may play a major role. Despite the suggestions that AI systems are ‘thinking’ machines, what they are actually doing is what computing has always done – taking large amounts of data in numerical form

and ‘crunching’ it to produce a result. The difference between AI and something you could do with a calculator is essentially its depth – the vast amounts of ‘big data’ now available to feed into AI systems, and the way in which AI systems can be ‘trained’ to look for certain results, mean that AI can do marvellous things to help the property investor spot trends and follow market developments.

Omar Al-Hasso, CEO of SimplyPhi (www.simplyphi.co.uk), says: “Long gone are the days of endless hours of copying and pasting out of property portals into spreadsheets and emails, building up data analysis to find the “best” deal. Let the AI

do all the heavy lifting for you.”

SimplyPhi’s SimplyFind technology helps investors track down the strongest yielding properties across the country using ‘heatmap’ technology which identifies areas of highest activity, and sophisticated filtering which spotlights the best investment opportunities.

By aggregating millions of pieces of data from multiple sources such as property portals, planning portals, Land Registry, the Post Office, Energy Performance Certificate register and so on, SimplyFind streamlines the process of finding the right property to match an investor’s needs.

MODULES

While AI can be used to identify general trends in investment and the property market, it can of course also be used to drill down into particular areas, such as HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation, usually properties which have been divided into separate flats with a number of tenants). SimplyFind, for instance, has an HMO module which can cross reference HMO restricted areas under Article 4. The HMO Article 4 Direction is a regulation that mandates obtaining planning permission when converting a property into a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO). Article 4 in general is a tool used by a council to restrict permitted development rights within specific areas.

SimplyFind’s HMO module will identify properties best suited to convert into HMOs to maximise yields while creating decent homes. As Omar AlHasso explains, “The Machine Learning algorithms (AI) that SimplyFind runs through all of its data, allows for smarter, immediate and detailed analysis of property fundamentals to ensure the best investments are made.”

MANAGEMENT

Other AI systems can deliver results in different areas; for instance SimplyPhi’s Iris is a complete property transaction and project management online system, developed in partnership with local authorities, solicitors, agents and real estate investors, and built to help acquire, price up and manage the delivery of hundreds of homes simultaneously for multiple stakeholders. With data features including financial underwriting, life-cycle costings, portfolio tracking, property data-rooms, legal/surveyor booking and reporting, estate agent management, photo/video survey management and timetable tracking, Iris is another example of AI taking on the heavy lifting in property investment.

American property management platform ONR suggests that AI can only become even more significant in property investment and management in coming

years. Some of the areas in which it is likely to have an impact include:

Predictive Maintenance

Through predictive analytics, AI can anticipate maintenance needs before they become pressing issues, saving time and resources by preventing major repairs and prolonging the lifespan of property assets.

Tenant Screening

AI algorithms can analyse data to evaluate potential occupants, considering factors beyond traditional criteria including financial stability, behaviour trends, and even social data to make more informed decisions about occupant suitability.

Communication

Property management software enhanced with AI introduces intelligent chatbots, offering round-the-clock communication channels, addressing inquiries and resolving issues promptly.

Energy Management

AI in property management software can analyse data from sensors to optimise energy usage, controlling utility systems and leading to significant efficiencies, cost savings and reduced environmental impact.

Pricing Strategies in Property Management

AI in Software Property Management can use advanced algorithms to analyse market trends, local demand, and property features, providing property managers with data-driven pricing recommendations.

Security and Surveillance

AI integration in property management software significantly enhances security and surveillance systems, using machine learning and image recognition technologies to monitor surveillance feeds in real time, detect unusual activities, and alert managers to potential security threats.

Facility Management

AI technology in property management software optimizes facility management by intelligently scheduling and managing communal areas and resources, predicting peak usage times and adjusting facility availability accordingly.

It’s probably time to get used to the idea of using AI in property investment and management, because if you aren’t using it, you can be sure your competitors will be. ■

Secure Property Management

One of the most popular ways to manage a rental property portfolio is using an app. But are these a cyber security risk?

If you hold a property rental portfolio, you will be aware of physical risks such as break-ins, fire and flood. But are you doing enough to protect against digital threats as well?

Cyber security is arguably becoming a critical aspect of property management, as more of the process becomes digital. A property management app could, for instance, deal with incoming payments from renters and outgoing payments to contractors, issuing automatic email payment reminders, automating maintenance management, connecting to financial apps and dealing with routine administration tasks. All these could though be vulnerable to cyber attacks.

SECURITY

The only way to protect sensitive property data is to install robust digital security measures such as automated threat detection and antivirus software. Measures such as dual payment approval, browser

authentication, strong encryption and secure data linkage with banks are also necessary to make sure that the user is in control of digital management functions at all times.

Of course, the rise in remote working makes it difficult to apply the same level of security to all devices. Many employees will use a personal mobile phone, tablet or computer for business, and this is a clear cyber security risk.

While some businesses dangerously promote a BYOD (‘Bring Your Own Device’) philosophy, it’s far safer to establish clear guidelines for working from home, including using only work-provided devices, installing a business VPN (Virtual Private Network), avoiding untrustworthy public networks in places like cafés, and fitting privacy webcam covers.

If you do need to use a BYOD policy to some extent, make sure that your security measures are flexible enough to integrate these devices into your business network.

AWARENESS

In fact, user education and awareness are every bit as important as cyber measures in warding off potential threats. Everyone in an organisation should be aware of the nature of phishing emails which attempt to gain access to networks, scam callers looking for personal and business details, and the wider potential of data breaches.

For instance, employees should make sure that they are not using the same passwords for work and personal accounts, they should change their passwords regularly, and they should not leave note of passwords anywhere they may be found.

For the IT professional, exercises such as penetration testing and cyber drills –the digital equivalent of a fire drill – should become part of routine.

With these sort of measures, your property management applications should become valuable allies and not security nightmares. ■

How secure is your rent?

Partnering with the right agency and tech will protect you from the

growing threat of cybercrime.

Rental scams are on the rise. According to data from Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, there was a 23% increase in reported cases of rental fraud from 2021 to 2022, averaging 15 cases a day in 2022.

How can landlords and agents minimise the risk of recurring rental transactions worth billions annually, while protecting their income?

Proper

protection

Bank integration means bank-grade accuracy and security

“PayProp is the most secure way of handling client money in the lettings industry.”

While self-managing landlords may think they’re immune, they could be most at risk. If fraud takes place and your tenants pay money to someone impersonating you and your bank account, you’re at the mercy of the banks to try and get the rent back.

Neil Baldock

Charles David Casson | Essex

Using bank-integrated PropTech gives agencies the tools they need to ensure proper transaction monitoring and accuracy to fight cybercrime. Having tech that gives you a live view of rental payments 24/7 limits improper rental transactions, can be set up to require dual approval to pay out client funds, alerts agents if bank details are changed, and automates statements and invoices so there can be no confusion over who has paid what – giving agents enhanced payment protection.

Most agencies and diligent technology suppliers carry insurance policies including professional indemnity coverage, while agencies hold client money protection policies to ensure landlords aren’t left out of pocket. But the best agencies will go much further.

Without trusted technology this may sound like a lot of work, but PayProp’s end-toend payment automation, iron-clad user controls, and detailed reports do all this and more, in just a few clicks.

So whether you’re an agent or landlord – when you think rent payments, think PayProp.

10 Things NOT to Say to Your Tradies!

On a property project, your relationship with your tradespeople is crucial. Here’s our guide to what to avoid saying if you don’t want to get their backs up…!

Clive Holland, broadcaster on Fix Radio – the UK’s only radio station dedicated to tradespeople – knows just how important it is to have a good relationship with your tradies when you’re supervising a project. He’s experienced it all, and research backs him up, saying that ‘cowboy customers’ cost tradespeople thousands every month.

Fix Radio, the Builders’ Station is the home of entertainment, music and information for UK tradespeople. Since 2017 the station has been built from the ground up with tradespeople in mind, providing a mixture of authentic trade voices, up-beat music and a schedule designed around the tradesperson’s day.

The station’s schedule includes some of the biggest talent in the industry, including social media influencers the Bald Builders, Clive Holland of the BBC and formerly Cowboy Trap, the country’s most famous plasterer Chris Frediani from DIY SOS, plumbing influencer Andy Cam, electrician turned YouTuber Thomas Nagy, carpenter, craftsman and social media influencer Robin Clevett and TV presenter and builder, Mark Millar.

Broadcasting nationally on DAB since May 2022, Fix Radio has an average reach of 451,635 tradespeople each week.

So Clive Holland knows what he’s talking about when he says that when engaging with tradespeople, what you say matters. Whether it’s a plumber, electrician or carpenter, certain phrases can ruin a harmonious and professional relationship.

Like any other relationship, there’s potential for hiccups if not handled properly. After revealing close to a third (28%) of tradespeople say that they have lost over £1000 due to clients not paying for the work they have done, Fix Radio has outlined the top 10 biggest pet peeves of tradespeople, and laid out the Top Ten things you should avoid saying to your tradies.

BEFORE THE JOB:

“Can you pass on the discount you get from a supplier?”

Haggling over prices might seem like a money-saving tactic for the client, but the tradesperson is highly likely to find this offensive. Prices are set based on various factors so bargaining can compromise quality. Respecting their expertise is key for a better outcome. It’s like going into a restaurant and asking the manager if you can have the individual items of food at cost price.

“But the other guy was cheaper”

Bringing up other professionals with lower rates can make the tradesperson feel undervalued. It’s best to focus on the skills of the tradesperson you’ve hired after the price has been agreed.

“No, you can’t park on the drive”

Telling your tradesperson they can’t park

on the driveway can cause unnecessary logistical problems. It disrupts the work and may imply you don’t trust them. Instead, discuss parking arrangements beforehand to make life easier for everyone.

DURING THE JOB:

“Do you mind if I watch?”

Hovering over your tradesperson is likely to make them uncomfortable and impact their work – plus it’s a health and safety nightmare. Give them space to work efficiently and trust their ability to get the job done successfully.

“Can you keep an eye on the kids while I pop out?”

Your tradesperson is there to do their job, not to babysit. It can distract them and cause safety issues. Allow them to focus on the task at hand.

“Can I just add this to the job?”

Asking tradespeople to do extra work on the spot can cause delays for other customers. It’s better to discuss additional tasks upfront and agree on a timeline to keep the project on track.

“Do you mind if I borrow your tools?”

Asking to borrow your tradesperson’s tools can be awkward and impolite. Tradespeople need their tools to get the job done

successfully, and lending them to the public may lead to damage, losses or safety issues.

AFTER THE JOB:

“I know I said I would pay you today, but how about next month?”

Paying tradespeople late can strain their finances and harm your relationship. Remember that most tradespeople are small businesses and their cash flow is vital. Prompt payments show respect, ensuring professionalism and quality work.

“Here’s your invoice for the coffee, tea and biscuits”

Your tradesperson is there to work, not to cover extra costs. Instead of expecting them to pay, see offering refreshments as a gesture of appreciation.

“I know what I said, and I know it’s last minute but I’ve changed my mind”

Tradespeople schedule their work based on an agreed-upon plan, so sudden changes can be difficult to accommodate. Communicating what you want clearly from the start ensures a smoother project.

So, remember that if you treat your tradies with respect and professionalism, it will keep the work going smoothly and ensure everyone is happy at the end of the working day! ■

Show Me the Money!

Financing a property purchase can involve more than going to a building society for a mortgage. We look at some of the situations where a specialist can help

For many of us, buying a property will involve going to a bank or building society for a mortgage, and once the conditions are satisfied, moving in and starting to repay the mortgage. But there are many situations where the purchase isn’t that straightforward, and specialist finance is needed to help handle a purchase.

Sometimes, even a ‘first charge’ mortgage for a residential property may need specialist help – perhaps the customer has adverse credit, or the purchase is of a new build, a right to buy

property or a non-standard property. The borrower may be self-employed, an expatriate, or an older buyer – in all these circumstances, a specialist can help with finance.

But one of the most common situations is where a buyer wants to purchase a property not to live in themself, but to rent out as a single property or an HMO (House in Multiple Occupation). These rental property types are more complex and there is more legislation involved, so obtaining a buy-to-let mortgage usually requires the expert knowledge of

a specialist who can consult a panel of possible lenders. Similar conditions can apply in the case of properties purchased as holiday lets, or MUFBs (Multi-Unit Freehold Blocks), where the building has a single freehold title, but yields come from individual units within.

BRIDGING LOANS

Another situation where specialist finance may be required is in bridging loans. These are often required when you have not completed the sale on one property before you need the money to

pay for another one. Bridging loans are short-term finance, normally lasting up to 24 months, and are a good solution for borrowers who need finance temporarily and quickly, used to ‘bridge’ a gap when funds are needed quickly. They are ideal for refinancing, auction purchases, refurbishment, and acquiring land or semi-commercial/commercial assets, but have to be handled carefully, as they are relatively expensive and have penalties for overdue repayments.

There are two main types of bridging loans: regulated, designed for purchases, refurbishments or refinance of residential properties only, and unregulated, best suited to property professionals, landlords, investors and developers. Another variant of short-term loan is the refurbishment loan, which is ideal for covering the cost of anything from redecoration to renovating a property which is regarded as unmortgageable.

SECOND CHARGE

Another form of loan requiring specialist financial advice is a Second Charge Mortgage, essentially a form of equity release. This applies to property which is already under a primary or ‘first charge’ mortgage, and so is only available to property owners. The second charge mortgage can be a faster way to raise finance than remortgageing or a further

advance, allowing a flexible approach to the property owner’s circumstances and offering more generous income multiples than other forms of finance.

Second charge mortgages can be applied to residential or buy-to-let property, and are sometimes applied where a client has been declined by the High Street lender and cannot access a further advance or remortgage because they are self-employed, have a poor credit record, are at salary multiple limits or need to raise capital for a purpose not accepted by conventional lenders. A property owner may also not wish to take a further advance or remortgage if their current mortgage has a penalty to remortgaging, is Interest Only so changing to a repayment mortgage could be more costly, or is a bank base rate tracker, where the client’s current rate cannot be beaten.

Other forms of specialist finance could be for property development, such as refurbishment projects or construction of anything from houses and flats to warehouses and shops, to commercial mortgages, where property or land is being purchased for business purposes by a business, individual or partnership.

In all these cases, consulting a property finance specialist can cut out the complexities and ease the way to solving your complex lending requirements. ■

Martin’s Tips

Investing in real estate is a lucrative opportunity, but with so many properties available on the market, it can be tough to know where to start.

One alternative that many savvy investors turn to is the ‘off market’ property scene. This refers to properties that are not listed for sale publicly, but through private connections and networks.

Build relationships with estate agents who have access to properties that may not be publicly listed, network with other real estate investors, utilise online resources that can help you find ‘off market’ properties, and look for distressed properties such as repossessions or properties in need of repairtry “Driving for Dollars”, driving around neighbourhoods to identify distressed properties, and contacting the owners of these properties to express your interest in purchasing the property. This can be an effective way to find ‘off market’ properties, especially if you’re looking for investment opportunities.

Reporting With Confidence

Property reports can be time-consuming, but are an essential tool in rental management. Can landlords maximise efficiency by handing over the process to a specialist?

Apersonal visit to a rental property is often the only way to assess how it is being occupied and maintained. A landlord may want to carry out such a report every three to six months, but as the portfolio becomes bigger, it’s common for the process to be handed over to an independent inspection company. In most cases, the company will use an automated system to generate a report which the landlord can read at leisure.

One of the benefits of using an independent company for reports and inventory is that the report is objective, and the landlord can keep a professional distance. Should major problems arise in the report, the landlord can step in. This has the advantage that minor problems such as leaks can be headed off before they turn into floods, saving money in the long term.

An inspection report mid-way through a tenancy will give the landlord a sense

of whether the property is being kept in good order and whether the tenant should be kept on when the term comes to an end. The tenant and landlord should both receive a copy of the inspection report, and this can be in the form of written document, emails and digital images.

OVERVIEW

A comprehensive report will include a general overview of the condition of the property and an inventory of its contents, plus checks on the identity of the tenants, whether conditions around pets or smoking are being followed, and requirements for maintenance work. It gives tenants a chance to raise matters which they might otherwise ignore, such as damp spots, which could later turn into health-threatening mould infestations.

If the inspection is done by an independent company, it can retain an audit trail of reports, offering the landlord more certainty should any conflicts with tenants arise.

Some reports are of course mandatory under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, and aspects such as fire regulations, gas and electrical safety can be made part of regular inspections. While it is not mandatory, it is also wise for all movable electrical items supplied to have an annual portable appliance test (PAT), and any items that aren’t in good condition or not fit for purpose should be replaced. A registered electrician should also carry out a visual inspection of the electrical system between tenancies, including checking all sockets and light fittings. ■

Take the out of your Inventories STRESS

Helping you create comprehensive Inventories, and Check-out reports without the stress!

30 seconds of video per room

Alongside our detailed Inventory and Check-out reports, KPR enables you to take a 30 second video per room, this allows you to highlight any issues found and offer a video at the time of the Inspection to compliment the comprehensive report you can produce.

side-by-side views

Our side-by-side views also save you time whilst doing your Check-outs, as they show the inventory as a comparison view from the time of move in.

WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MORE OF OUR TIME SAVING FEATURES? CONTACT US TO SPEAK TO A MEMBER OF OUR TEAM!

Partners of RICS, ARMA, Propertymark

Made in Heaven

Freddie Mercury’s London pad is for sale, but the walled refuge of Garden Lodge will set you back at least £30m

IMAGES: Knight Frank

One of the greatest rock frontmen of all time, Queen’s Freddie Mercury was famous for his theatrical style and four octave vocal range. When he died in 1991, part of his legacy was Garden Lodge, a stunning Neo-Georgian mansion which served as Mercury’s “country house in London”, a sanctuary from his high-intensity life on tour. Meticulously preserved for thirty years by Freddie’s friend Mary Austin, this time capsule of music history is now being offered for sale for the first time since his purchase in 1980, with offers expected in excess of £30m ($38m).

Garden Lodge at Logan Place in Kensington, London W8 is a detached house that was built from 1908–09 for the painter Cecil Rea and his wife, the sculptor Constance Halford. The house has had several notable inhabitants since Rea, including Peter Wilson, the chairman of Sotheby’s auction house.

The house was designed by the architect Ernest William Marshall and built in the NeoGeorgian style. It is two storeys high with eight bedrooms, and a pedimented studio wing with a large bay window as a notable feature. The builders were M. Calnan and Son of Commercial Road.

Garden Lodge is set in an acre of landscaped grounds. An eight feet high wall surrounds the garden with a dark green door set into it that provides an entrance. The wall has been adorned with graffiti and messages from fans of Mercury since his death.

QUEEN

Born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar, Freddie fled to England with his family in the wake of the Zanzibar Revolution, in which many Arabs and South Asians were massacred. Settling near London, he studied graphic art and design (which he would later use to design Queen’s logo) and sold secondhand clothes with future Queen drummer Roger Taylor at the Kensington Market. He fronted a series of bands, but his career really took off in 1973, when he joined with Taylor, guitarist Brian May, and bassist John Deacon to produce Queen’s first selftitled album.

He would perform over 700 shows with the band, thrilling sold-out stadiums with his unique style and strong connection to his audience. He died of AIDS in 1991, but his music lives on, with Queen’s Greatest Hits the best-selling album of all time in the UK, two of his songs We Are The Champions and Bohemian Rhapsody voted best songs of all time in major polls, and his induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

GRAND

Mercury left his Kensington home to his former partner and long-time friend Mary Austin. Though he would pursue romantic relationships with men, he considered Mary the love of his life and common-law wife.

Garden Lodge’s centrepiece is a twostory drawing room, which once housed the grand piano on which Mercury composed his signature hit, Bohemian Rhapsody

French doors lead from the Japanese sitting room to the beautiful gardens. Every room of the house is infused with Mercury’s vibrant personality, with design choices made personally by the artist, including citrus-toned yellow walls in the intimate dining room, and floor-to-ceiling mirrors in the lavish dressing room that once housed his extensive collection of stage costumes. Surrounded by stone walls, the chance to own this unique cultural landmark is a oncein-a-lifetime opportunity.

According to Austin, “This house has been the most glorious memory box, because it has such love and warmth in every room. Ever since Freddie and I stepped through the fabled green door, it has been a place of peace, a true artist’s house, and now is the time to entrust that sense of peace to the next person.”

Kensington is an upscale London neighborhood known for its stately Victorian homes. Nearby options for entertainment include the Natural History Museum, the Design Museum, Kensington Palace, and Kensington Gardens. The chic boutiques on Kensington High Street and star-studded concerts at Royal Albert Hall are both within walking distance. Popular with celebrities, the neighborhood’s notable residents include Eric Clapton, Stella McCartney, Rowan Atkinson, and Dido.

The Garden Lodge property is being offered for sale through Knight Frank, www.knightfrank.co.uk ■

Right and Proper

Do you know your rights as a tenant of a property? The experts from professional body Propertymark can fill you in

It certainly pays any tenant or landlord to know the rights of tenants, particularly in a market where rental accommodation is proving hard to obtain. In England and Wales, currently, a landlord must give tenants two months’ written notice once their fixed-term tenancy has come to an end. The landlord must be able to prove grounds for eviction in court if they want you to move out before your tenancy ends, and also give notice using the prescribed information on form 6a. Landlords and agents cannot harass you or try to force you out of a property without a court order.

You have the right to challenge rent increases that you feel are unfair – the process is slightly different depending on where in the UK you live.

To prevent unfair rent increases, landlords must abide by the following rules:

h They must notify you before they increase the rent

h The rent increase must be fair (i.e. on a similar level to average rents locally)

h They must give you at least six months’ notice or one month if you are on a periodic tenancy

If you feel the rent increase is unfair, you should first speak to your landlord or managing agent and try to come to an agreement. If you cannot agree, you can ask a tribunal to decide for you. Visit the Citizens Advice website for more information.

TENANCY INFORMATION

Don’t forget that as a tenant you are entitled by law to specific information about your tenancy. Make sure you are given:

h A copy of the gas safety certificate (if the property has gas)

h A copy of the Energy Performance

Certificate (EPC)

h The Government’s How to Rent guide (England only)

h Local authority licence (if the property is subject to a landlord licensing scheme)

h Prescribed Information (see below)

The UK Government introduced measures to make sure tenancy deposits are protected whilst they are with the landlord or letting agent. The Prescribed Information is everything you need to know about the protection of your deposit. It will vary depending on the scheme used but will outline that your deposit has been protected and how you can check its status online. Having paid your deposit, it must be protected within a given timeframe and this will generate the Prescribed Information to then be issued to you.

SAFE PROPERTIES

Regardless of where you are renting in the UK, as a tenant you have the right to live in a property that is in good condition and safe. The main safety concerns surrounding fire and carbon monoxide alarms you need to be aware of and the legal obligations that must be adhered to are in the Landlords section of the Propertymark website.

Landlords also have a legal duty to ensure that any electrical items provided in a rental property are safe throughout a tenancy. As well as all appliances, landlords must also ensure all electrical systems such as sockets, switches and light fittings are safe.

In England, all fixed electrical cables and equipment will need to be inspected and tested by a qualified person in accordance with the 18th edition of the wiring regulations.

This includes appliances that are fixed directly to the electrical supply, such as

showers or fitted kitchen appliances. Once a qualified person has carried out their inspection and tests, they will provide an Electrical Installation Safety Report to the landlord or letting agent. A copy of this report must then be supplied to each existing tenant of the property within 28 days of the inspection and test, and supplied to any new tenant before they move in. The most recent report also needs to be supplied to any prospective tenant within 28 days of receiving the request.

QUIET ENJOYMENT

You have the right to live in the property undisturbed and what is dubbed as ‘quiet enjoyment’. This means that you have the right to use the property without unreasonable or unnecessary interference from the landlord or their letting agent.

The law continues to change in the sector and there are currently proposed changes going through Parliament offering extra protection for tenants. Therefore, it’s important for tenants to keep abreast of how these may affect them.

If you’re searching for a property to rent, you need an agent that you can trust and rely on - the quality of the agent makes a real difference. Propertymark members have voluntarily chosen to become regulated to showcase their commitment to higher standards, and you can use the search facility on the Propertymark website to find a Propertymark Protected letting agent in your area.

Nathan Emerson, CEO of Propertymark comments: “It’s crucial that tenants understand their rights when renting a privately rented property from a landlord whether that be through the landlord themselves or via a letting agent. Regardless of who you’re in communication with as a tenant, the same rules apply and all legislation in place

protects you from poor-quality homes or rogue operations.

“We urge tenants to use a Propertymark Protected agent when renting their next home to ensure the property they live in will abide by legislation and keep them safe and secure.”

HOW TO COMPLAIN

When tenants feel the conduct and service of an agent or the condition of a property is not up to scratch, they should first, as with any complaint, contact them directly about the problem.

This gives the agent a chance to put the situation right and is the fastest route to getting your complaint solved. All agencies must provide a complaints procedure for their business by law, ask them for a copy directly if you cannot find it on their website.

It’s best to put your complaint in writing and you should receive a response within 15 days. Keep copies of any

correspondence and ask them to confirm:

h Who is handling your complaint

h What they propose to do to resolve it

h How long it will take to resolve

It is a legal requirement for property agents to belong to a Governmentapproved independent redress scheme.

There are two schemes to look out for: The Property Ombudsman (TPO) and Property Redress Scheme (PRS) and most agents display which one they belong to on their website.

If your complaint has not been resolved by the agent, having been given a reasonable time to do so, then you should contact the redress scheme.

Redress schemes have the authority to ensure that the agent takes action to remedy any problem arising from a complaint. If the redress scheme supports your complaint, they can also impose that the agent grants you compensation.

If neither the agent nor the

independent redress scheme has provided a satisfactory outcome to your complaint then, provided the agent is a Propertymark member, you can send your complaint there. Propertymark will investigate complaints against its members where there is evidence that the agent has breached its conduct and membership rules, this includes:

h Misuse of client money

h Failure to uphold high standards of ethical and professional practice

h Failure to protect and promote clients’ interests

h Conflicts of interest

h Failure to answer correspondence

h Any act of dishonesty or conviction of a criminal offence

More information on tenancy deposit protection, electrical safety requirements, complaints procedures and other tenancy legal matters can be found on the website at www.propertymark.co.uk ■

Home Trends

40 YEARS OF KITCHENS

Kitchen specialist James R.A. Herriot’s book, Insights to Kitchen Design: 40+ Years in the World of a Design-led Kitchen Specialist, has been launched by Callerton, Extremis Publishing Ltd. and Potton’s Self Build Show Centre.

From digital pictures to classic kitchens,

the latest products and style ideas for your home

Attendees at the launch had the unique opportunity to engage with James Herriot, delving into his four decades of experience in the kitchen design industry and discovering the inspiration behind the book.

Insights to Kitchen Design explores twenty seminal projects from Callerton, the company James co-founded with a friend some forty plus years ago. The book offers a unique retrospective with a forward-looking angle on kitchen design. Raiding the Callerton archive, each case study is reimagined with two alternative interpretations, highlighting the limitless possibilities within the same spatial confines. James’s narrative extends beyond traditional design, incorporating insights from industry leaders and showcasing the collaborative essence of creating spaces that resonate with both functionality and aesthetic appeal.

As James remarked during the event, ‘This book is the culmination of a lifelong journey, reflecting not just my vision but the collective wisdom and creativity of our industry.’

Find out more at www.callerton.co.uk/insightstokitchendesign

PICTURE THIS

Why hang a picture on your wall when you might be bored of it in a week? Vieunite combines the power of art with the innovation of technology to deliver a connection with creativity. Encompassed in a slender modern wooden frame, the easy-to-mount 27” digital canvas is available with either a pine, birch, walnut or black finish, allowing you to match the canvas with your home’s décor.

Straight out of the box, the digital canvas is easily set up by being plugged into the mains and paired with the intuitive Vieunite App through to your home’s WiFi network. Here, users can choose between contemporary pieces from Vieunite’s growing artists’ community, including moving images, as well as classic artworks and even their own family photos and videos. Using the app, users can schedule what art is shown when and even programme to turn the canvas off automatically, only using power when needed.

Its ever-expanding artist community allows Textura Digital Canvas owners to purchase and display the very best of modern art in their homes through a unique marketplace that helps support the UK’s creative economy. This community allows artists to sell their artworks directly to art fans in a secure platform, via the Vieunite App, which supports artists with commission fees that are much lower than traditional galleries.

The Textura Digital Canvas is available now from vieunite.com for £490.

IMAGES: Dreamstime, Callerton, Vieunite

FRUITY AND REFRESHING

For a refreshing break from your decorating work, try the range of tasty Thai fruit drinks and beverages from brand Foco. Choose from a variety of flavours including mango, guava, lychee, passion fruit juice drink and more! Also available are Foco’s aloe vera juice drink and coconut water. Try them today! www.chadhaorientalfoods.co.uk

PRACTICAL PREVENTION

Secured by Design is the UK police service’s official crime prevention initiative. For practical crime prevention advice and products that have obtained police recognition, giving you confidence that they have achieved the highest levels of security, visit: www.securedbydesign.com/ guidance/crime-prevention-advice

CLEANER AND TIDIER

There’s a new type of home show scheduled for October 2024 – the Clean & Tidy Home Show is for people who want to declutter their lives rather than filling them with more bits and bobs. Meet your favourite cleanfluencers and learn their latest hacks, hear from expert organisers and see them in action, then shop the aisles with the latest storage and cleaning products on offer at discounted show prices. The Clean & Tidy Home Show runs from October 19th-20th at Excel London – find out more at www.cleanandtidyhomeshow.com

REAL TIME SECURITY

The uWatch security system sends real-time smartphone alerts and uses a range of remote sensors to monitor homes, cars and valuable property. Unlike Wi-fi systems and video doorbells, uWatch security cannot be disabled by thieves with radio-wave jamming technology. www.uwatch.co.uk

ORIGINAL FLAVOUR

Take a break from the building with a filling meal of Indomie Noodles. Indomie Mi Goreng are the first and original Indonesian Mi Goreng noodles. First produced in the 1970’s with the launch of classic Chicken Flavour noodles, Indomie has become a household brand name that is loved by everyone. Try some today! https://indomiedirect.co.uk

SPACE SAVERS

Save space inside the garage with Garador’s roller garage doors. Compact designs save space inside the garage and are electrically operated with two handsets for convenience. Choice of 20 colours and sizes up to 6000mm wide. Find out more at: www.garador.co.uk

TOOL TALENT

You have the talent, we have the tools! With National Tool Hire, customers can get easy access to the UK’s largest range of tools and plant equipment, all in one place. Celebrating 10 years of excellent customer service with everything you need, online, on time. www.nationaltoolhire.co.uk/ propertyandhome

Intelligent Design

Artificial Intelligence is breaking into interior design – but planners shouldn’t worry, it still needs their input to do the hard work

As in most other areas of life, Artificial Intelligence or AI is making inroads into the area of interior design. Designers, architects and planners are all finding useful smart software tools to help them in their work – but will AI actually put then out of a job? Maybe not.

As with all other areas of AI development, interior design software works by ‘training’ a system using huge volumes of data – in the case of interior design, of images, materials, floorplans,

blueprints and so on. The AI system works through this database using algorithms, patterns of control commands, and comes up with results based on key words and limits - so AI presents what may look like a finished interior design, but it’s still very much up to the trained interior designer to apply their own personal experience and insight to turn the AI ideas into a final result.

‘AI has been a great tool for our team during the conceptual stage. When drawing out design solutions our team will often plug our sketches into AI for a more hand-

drawn detailed perspective to share with our client. These visuals help guide the design direction before investing more time in rendering out the space in greater detail,’ say Kristine Renee and Deborah Costa, co-founders of Design Alchemy, speaking to Homes & Gardens

So though AI might not replace the role of the professionals in the design process, it can certainly streamline the beginning stages, kicking off conversations between designers and clients, and giving them a selection of baseline ideas to select from.

IRL

While giant interior design companies like IKEA and Dulux have already begun to harness the power of augmented reality to showcase their products in apps, allowing customers to place furniture, carpets or paint colours in their homes before purchasing, there is the problem that the super photorealistic renderings offered by AI software might not actually be achievable in real life, where limitations of materials, budgets and architecture may come more into play.

Interior designers also point out that furniture plays a great part in the finished result, and if an AI doesn’t have the right information to play with, it can’t take this into account. AI also tends to like to arrange items symmetrically, and this doesn’t always work in real life. Designers also point out that the instant results offered by AI can’t always be achieved so quickly in reality.

So according to AW Spaces Head of Design, Lisa Mcleod, AI can not render interior designers obsolete. “AI software has the potential to revolutionise the way designers work”, says Lisa. “Processes like sketching and idea creation that was once

very time-consuming have the potential to be replaced by AI-generated imagery, which, when utilised correctly, can be achieved in seconds.”

So will AI replace interior designers?

The consensus at the moment is that it will not, because the personal, creative and collaborative aspects of the interior design process are something that AI cannot (yet) offer. But AI will certainly become part of the armoury of most interior designers, who will find that it stimulates ideas and offers options previously unthought of.

AI TOOLS

So what are some of the most popular AI interior design tools? Online imaging tools like Midjourney, DALLE-2, and Stable Diffusion can create imaginative images, but are not practical design tools. Specific AI applications are needed to apply the creative process to real-world designs and architecture. Here are a few of the options.

Designedbyai.io

Designedbyai.io is an AI-powered platform that lets users quickly turn their interior design or architectural ideas into realistic images, providing interior designers,

structural engineers, and architects with a user-friendly experience. The tool has monthly and yearly subscription options.

Interior AI

Interior AI provides interior design inspiration and virtual staging. It can apply a room’s overall interior measurements and design details (walls, ceiling, beams) and generate design ideas. It can also virtually stage interiors from uploaded images in a selection of styles, such as Modern, Minimalist, Scandinavian, Contemporary, Midcentury Modern, Zen, Tropical, Sketch, Vaporwave, Tribal, Medieval, Halloween, Easter and more.

Architechtures

Architechtures is a web-based building design tool powered by AI for the residential sector. Providing an intuitive, cloud-based platform helps improve decision-making and reduce design time. Users can enter design ideas for the project and define and model the solution in 2D and 3D. The tool’s interface works with classic architectural design tools such as BIM and can be tied to cost analysis tools. »

ArchitectGPT

This AI-powered design tool uses uploaded photos to create visual designs for properties. The tool provides architects, real estate professionals, and interior designers with 10-65+ design themes, including Modern, Art Deco and Rustic. It also includes a drag-and-drop function for ease of use.

Getfloorplan

This AI-powered service allows users to create detailed 2D and 3D floor plans and 360° virtual tours. Users can upload a floor plan or sketch to Getfloorplan in under a minute, and the AI will handle the rest. The user-friendly service offers a widget accessible on all devices, along with rotating, researching and navigating tools.

AI Room Planner

This is an AI-powered tool for generating interior design concepts. Users can upload photos of a space then receive a rendered image of the same space in a different style, including Christmas, Cyberpunk and Tropical Interior. The platform also provides various room options such as living room, bedroom, kitchen, attic and outdoor areas. The designs created can be used as is or can be further modified.

Dreamhouse AI

Dreamhouse AI is an interior design and virtual staging tool that employs AI to assist users in redesigning their homes. Users can explore design options, personalize their spaces, and apply distinct styles, such as Zen, Modern and Minimalist. Each design is created using ‘inspiration’ and ‘mask’ modes to give users the most out of their experience. A Pro version offers extra capabilities.

Finch 3D

Finch is an AI tool using graph technology to optimize building designs. It provides immediate feedback on building performance, helps in the detection of errors, and offers optimal solutions early in the design process. The tool lets users repeat more quickly and explore multiple

mass and program variants easily. Finch can automatically fill in stories with plans, allowing you to compare different options in seconds. Finch saves architects time on Excel roundtrips to calculate key figures by providing instant feedback on unit and area distribution, carbon footprint, daylight simulation and other critical features. With Finch, users can design building mass in software like Revit, Rhino, and Grasshopper, while enjoying the benefits of bidirectional streaming of 3D data. This means that direct data feedback and changes can be made in Finch.

Decor AI

DecorAI is a comprehensive AI-powered interior design tool that helps users come up with new decorating ideas. Users can take a photo of their room and get up to

ArchitectAI

ArchitectAI claims to offer the world’s first AI architecture and interior design process. With a single click, it can transform photos and sketches of buildings, interiors and landscapes into a new style. This tool makes use of advanced AI technology to generate photo-realistic HQ renders, outstanding designs and ideas with stunning realism. ArchitectAI.app provides an AI instant makeover for interior design, making it possible to create amazing designs in a timely, cost-effective, and efficient manner. Users can generate concepts and visualize their ideas with realism by selecting from over 400 design styles. ■

five free design ideas. The tool is free to use subject to the terms and conditions of DecorAI.

Bathing Beauties

Is your bathroom boring? Trend it up with some of these design and fitting ideas, from flooring to rugs, and mirrors to hotel vibes

Whether you are thinking about your main or guest bathroom, or even a utility shower room, there’s no

reason why your facilities should be frumpy – in fact a well-designed and luxurious bathroom might make you want to linger longer in the suds.

FLOOR COVERINGS

A simple and clean bathroom design focuses on minimalism, functionality, and ease of maintenance. A calming woodeffect floor, such as the example seen right from cushion vinyl experts LeoLine, offers all the practicality and aesthetic without the worry of splinters and laborious maintenance. A simple wipe will help deal with the most common spills and mishaps, making it perfect for bathroom zones. Natural Trends, Toronto 585 cushion vinyl from £26 per m2 www.leoline.co.uk

We’ve come up with a few bathroom trends that are right on style and will add to the comfort and luxury of your bathrooms. Let’s dive right in!

VICTORIANA

To create a Victorian-style bathroom you need to think about clawfoot baths, ornate pedestal sinks and vintage faucets and fixtures. Ideally you would have a stone-effect floor, but cushion vinyl floors offer a comfy, affordable and realistic alternative to solid stone without the worry of cold feet. Seen left is Abingdon Flooring’s SoftStep Grey-Tex, Victoria cushion vinyl from £18 per m2 www.abingdonflooring.co.uk

MIRRORS

A carefully selected mirror is a must for bathrooms, but you must maximise its impact by choosing the right location. Before installing, think about where you want to place the mirror and how it will reflect light and space in the room. Placing mirrors opposite windows or light sources can help maximise natural light and make the room feel bigger. This is particularly important in smaller bathrooms where natural lighting may be minimal. Huddle Collection, seen below, offers a bespoke service where you can design your own mirror by selecting the style and finish using Farrow & Ball, Little Green or Dulux Heritage colour. Mirrors from £495 (Gloss or original finish). www.huddlecollection.com

IMAGES: Abingdon Flooring, Leoline, Huddle Collection

MIXED MATERIALS

Rather than digging out the paintbrush, consider creating a tapestry of interest by incorporating mixed material finishes into bathroom spaces. Terrazzo, herringbone and timber-effect floors can work seamlessly when paired with concrete, stone and plaster finishes. Seen below is Moduleo LayRed Herringbone, Country Oak 54875 from £50.99. www.moduleo.co.uk

RUGS

Select a rug that complements the decor of your bathroom. Consider factors such as colour, pattern, and texture to coordinate with other elements. The example seen left from Louis De Poortere highlights how easy it is to add a focal point and colour interest to neutral bathrooms.

Gallery Shapes collection, 9370 Secret from £205 (100 x 140cm).

www.louisdepoortere.com

NEUTRAL COLOURS

Escape from the stresses of modern life by taking inspiration from your hotel getaways. Aim for a serene and calming atmosphere by choosing a neutral colour palette with soft, soothing tones like white, beige, grey, or soft pastels to create a tranquil ambiance. Wood floors can work beautifully with this aesthetic as they offer subtle layers of grain and authentic patina and helps create that boutique hotel vibe. The Cascada collection seen above includes Light Chestnut Oak Extra Matt hardwood from £74.99 per m2 www.quick-step.co.uk ■

Protect your home with Police Preferred security products

Secured by Design (SBD) is the police-owned go to for practical crime prevention advice.

Only products that have obtained police recognition have our ‘Police Preferred’ logo, giving you confidence and peace of mind that they have achieved the highest levels of security.

SBD is the UK’s official police security initiative. Scan for crime prevention advice

Beating the Burglars

Securing your home properly is the best way to prevent burglary, and with thousands of security products on the market, it’s worth listening to the experts

The Police Crime Prevention Initiative is a police-owned organisation working on behalf of the Police Service throughout the UK over the last 20 years, to deliver a wide range of crime prevention and demand reduction initiatives.

In 2022/23 there were 275,919 burglaries in England and Wales, a slight decline on the previous year. Since 2002/03 there has been a clear trend of falling burglary offences, with the most recent year having the fewest burglaries in this time period. Whatever other trends are at work, it would be good to think that improved security measures are in part responsible for the decline.

According to government data, over a third of domestic burglaries across England and Wales are committed during the evening. The most common time for a burglar to strike is between 6pm and midnight, likely due to dark nights and the possibility that homeowners will be out of the house.

Statistically, corner houses with neighbours on only one side and houses that are concealed or covered by trees or architectural designs are more likely to be robbed.

POINTS OF ENTRY

The most common points of entry for home break-ins are the front door - 34%

of burglars twist the doorknob and walk right in; first-floor windows - 23% use a first-floor open window to break into your home; and the back door - 22% come in through the back door. Don’t forget that if your garage is vulnerable and has a connecting door to your home, that could also be a point of entry.

All you have to do is to make your home look like a difficult target, and a burglar will move on to another property.

One of the PCPI’s most valuable initiatives is SBD – Secured By Design - the official police security initiative working to improve the security of buildings and their immediate surroundings to provide safe places to live, work, shop and visit. »

SBD’s product-based accreditation scheme – the Police Preferred Specification - provides a recognised standard for all security products that can deter and reduce crime.

There are currently many hundreds of companies producing thousands of attackresistant crime prevention products, across 30 different crime categories, which have achieved Police Preferred Specification.

The Secured by Design logo and title ‘Police Preferred Specification’ indicates that a company or a product meets the high standards set by Secured by Design. Usage of the logo is restricted exclusively to those products that have successfully tested to Secured by Design requirements. The website www.securedbydesign.com has a searchable database of approved products and companies.

DATABASE

The database covers everything from alarms, CCTV and doors to electronic entry systems, locks, shutters and outdoor storage. Included are authoritative Design Guides to assist the building, design and construction industry to incorporate

security into developments to comply with the Building Regulations in England, Scotland and Wales and meet the requirements of SBD.

Advice is also available on a range of subjects from home and garden security to bike, vehicle and personal security.

Here are the PCPI’s top 12 home security tips.

1. The majority of burglaries occur when there is nobody at home; most are not planned but committed by opportunists.

When you leave your home, leave some lights on to make it look occupied.

2. Easily accessible windows, including easily accessible roof lights and roof windows, should meet Police Preferred Specification standards.

3. If you have a door connecting the garage to the house make sure this has the same level of security.

4. Ensure all keys, including car keys, are out of sight and away from the letterbox, as a device could be used to hook keys through the letterbox.

5. Always keep valuables like tablets and laptops out of sight from windows.

6. Store any high value items (i.e. jewellery,

passports) in a properly secured safe or offsite in a bank vault.

7. Make your valuables less attractive to thieves by using a property or police recognised forensic marking solution – this includes for valuable tools and bikes that are stored in outbuildings and garages.

8. Install a burglar alarm.

9. In the evening, shut the curtains and leave lights on.

10. Keep ladders and tools stored away; don’t leave them outside or in unsecured outbuildings where they could be used to break into your home.

11. Consider joining or forming a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

12. Always lock your doors and windows every time you leave the house, even when you’re just out in the garden, remembering to double-lock UPVC doors (lift the handle and turn the key).

For further advice about any of the security tips listed above, or to find out how to buy police-recognised property marking solutions, visit www.securedbydesign.com/ home-security ■

The uWatch system for full Home Security

COMPREHENSIVE AND FLEXIBLE

The uWatch Cube is the hub of the system. It is mains, solar or battery-powered providing security where ever you want it.

EASY INSTALLATION

The Cube is ready to go in just a few seconds after plugging it in. Connect 10 remote sensor ‘Tags’ to protect anywhere on your property.

STAY IN TOUCH

Get alerts directly from the Cube or on your phone with the feature-rich uWatch App.

MOBILITY

Reconfigure and move the Cube and sensors whenever you need to, even take the whole system on holiday with you.

MADE IN BRITAIN

The Magnetic switch tag on doors or gates alerts you when opened

Pressure mat tag tells you someone is at the door or on the stairs

The Solar Cube with LoRa works anywhere, this one with day/night camera

The 65mm³ Cube: its range covers a minimum of 30 hectares A

The Float Switch for floods, sumps and boat bilges

Expertly designed Garador SBD sectional garage door

• Robust and secure.

• Built in anti-lift kit prevents unauthorised entry.

• Double-skin steel door sections.

• Sealed all-round.

Choose from our full range of garage doors, in a comprehensive range of sizes and colours. Visit www.garador.co.uk for details

High security garage doors, for modern homes

Other SBD Products

Up & Over garage doors also available with Secured by Design accreditation.

Sectional

Doors of Perception

The garage door is important for the appearance and security of your house. What should you look for when choosing a new one?

If your garage door is insecure, worn or just aesthetically unpleasing, it’s time to think about a modern replacement. Modern steel garage doors are available in a variety of colours and designs, and can often come with matching side doors to improve the kerb appeal of your house no end.

Whether your garage is attached to your property or separated from your house, the contents could be at risk if it is not secured properly, leaving you and your valuables vulnerable to attack.

A burglar enters through the garage in one out of every five break-ins, and with burglars being mostly opportunistic, they rely on homeowners not providing the same level of security for their garage as they do for their home.

You may have old-fashioned wooden garage doors, which are extremely insecure and prone to weathering; or you may have a

more modern up-and-over retracting type. In any case, it’s worth thinking of a new one with more up to date security feature, and maybe enhancements such as automation.

HEADROOM

Sectional garage doors consist of panelled sections that are connected by hinges, and will roll up and over a curved portion of track to sit parallel to the roof of the garage when completely opened. These doors are often automatic and controlled with a remote.

Some modern types have an upand-over operation, but rather than sliding into the garage, extend past the wall of the garage to provide a useful overhanging canopy.

Roll-up garage doors are often used in commercial buildings where space is at a premium. The roll-up garage door is made of several steel slat sections that roll around

a drum that sits above the door opening. There are also slide-to-the-side doors, which instead of retracting towards the ceiling of the garage, retract to one side, a good option for garages with little headroom, and side-hinged doors which open outward, again saving space inside the garage.

When you buy a modern garage door, you can be confident that it will come with a number of security features that come as standard in all garage door styles and designs.

The type of door you have will determine the best type of lock, from T-handles which connect to bolts on the door’s tracks, to sliding drop bolts which shoot out into a slot drilled into the wall or floor, securing the door in place. It’s common to fit a secondary door defender in front of the garage to secure the bottom of the garage door to the ground - you can’t be too careful! ■

Hot and Bothered

With the increased cost of energy, heating efficiency has become a hot topic. We look at some of the myths and misinformation in the heating market

As gas prices rose in the last few months, people became understandably worried about the effect on their heating bills. We’ve talked before about how insulation, double glazing and other measures can reduce heat waste and allow you to turn down your thermostat – but what can you do to improve the efficiency of your heating system in the first place?

Misleading claims for performance of heating systems have been common for years; it’s not unusual for products to be

sold with inaccurate claims for the amount of heat they can provide, or the cost for which they can provide it. Perhaps more worrying recently has been a trend for promoting dangerous and idiotic ‘do-ityourself’ heating methods.

HACKS & SCAMS

Let’s deal with the dangerous social media trends first. Firefighters have warned households against following a viral TikTok heater trend, after the hack caused a fire to break out at a property in Derby. Tea

lights and terracotta pots were being used as part of what firefighters call ‘a dangerous trend’ which has gone viral on social media among those who are looking for alternative – and cheap – ways to heat their homes amid rising energy prices and the cost of living crisis.

About 50 people had to be evacuated when the blaze broke out on 30th November, with an investigation ruling that the fire started from a homemade heater made from tea lights being used to heat terracotta pots. »

The plant pot candle heater hack (seen above) involves putting several tea lights underneath an upturned terracotta pot to heat up a room. While experts had previously criticised the effectiveness of the hack, fire services are strongly warning against the use of these two products together.

The Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service said in a statement: ‘On this occasion, the heat released from the base of the tea lights was enough to weaken the terracotta plates they were placed on, causing the homemade device to collapse and the melted wax to ignite.

‘Using tea lights like this could also cause serious burn injuries, not only from

the heated terracotta pots but from the naked flames produced.’

Luckily, in this case, the individual using the homemade device was able to safely evacuate the flat before calling the emergency services.

Although these hacks may look like a good way to save money on heating bills, ‘they are very dangerous and we would urge people not to follow the videos posted online,’ said station manager Barclay Masterson, who has issued a reminder about the dangers that DIY heaters pose.

Another trend widely advertised on social media such as TikTok is for small, portable electric heaters. These are sold

under many names, but mainly originate from one Chinese manufacturer. They are sold with many unlikely claims, such as that they can ‘heat a whole room in seconds’ ‘save thousands of pounds on your heating bill’, or ‘have a thermal efficiency of up to 99 percent’.

Most of these small plug-in heaters, many of which boast some type of ceramic heating element, are simply making claims they can’t meet; their actual heat output is only enough to heat a small local area. Many are promoted using fake positive reviews, and some fail to meet safety standards.

CLAIMS

But misleading claims about heating also extend to distributors of central heating radiators which are often sold with efficiency claims which aren’t properly audited.

Rob Nezard of www.UKRadiators.com explains: “Under the construction products regulations, radiators must be CE/UKCA marked. In order to be marked, they must comply with the standard (BSEN442). This is not an optional standard. Part of the process for compliance with the standard is testing for rated thermal outputs, which has to be carried out by a notified body before a CE or UKCA mark can be legitimately applied.

“There is a specific format for the UKCA/CE label set out in the standards where the label must contain certain information. What is happening is that some brands are just printing the logos on their packaging, without the required testing having been done.”

Most radiators on the UK market are imported from China or Turkey, but it is the UK distributor’s responsibility to make sure that they are properly tested and certified.

Rob’s argument is that while many radiators on the UK market may look the same and be rated the same in terms of heat output, in many cases they fail to come up to that standard.

“As a consumer”, he explains, “if you have calculated that you need a radiator that produces, let’s say 1000w, when

IMAGES: Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service; Dreamstime

comparing radiators to buy, if one has been overstated, what this will usually mean is that it is smaller than others that actually produce 1000w. Where it is smaller, it will likely cost less to produce and import and can be sold for less. In our independent tests, all the radiators featured, including the UK Radiators example radiator, were all approximately the same size, and all had a fairly similar output when tested - however the retailers were overstating the outputs of their radiators, making them a more attractive proposition for the consumer.”

So how can you make sure that the radiator you buy actually performs as claimed?

Rob Nezard is calling for the the Department For Business and Trade (DBT) and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to conduct a full investigation and to start enforcing the regulations that are already in place. In the meantime, consumers can ensure peace of mind by looking for verification of heat outputs from independent third-parties like ethy, an organisation that exists to verify sustainability claims. “As part of this they have a product efficiency verification

programme, so they have audited and verified all of our test reports and advertised heat outputs” he says. “We are also members of MARC (the Manufacturers Association for Radiators and Convectors) and to be a member you have to prove that your products comply in a similar way.”

You can support UK Radiators’ petition here: https://ukradiators.com/blogs/ buying-guides/the-lie-costing-britainbillions#signpetition, or search for The Lies Costing Britain £Billions – EXPOSED on YouTube.

COMPARISONS

With a plethora of options, it can be hard to know which type of heating system is most efficient and affordable, whether you’re considering gas versus electricity, or renewables (such as solar panels or heat pumps) against gas boilers.

Using solar panels to mostly (or entirely) power an electric boiler could significantly lower your heating bills, but you must make sure your systems are compatible, because powering a gas boiler with solar energy will do nothing to reduce your bills.

While solar power offers only 10-25%

efficiency at converting the sun’s energy into usable electricity, it costs nothing to run after its initial installation costs.

In comparison, heat pumps are the most efficient heating systems - they can be as high as 400% efficient, meaning that they put out four times as much in terms of heat as they use in electricity.

A gas-fired central-heating system can often be the cheapest option in terms of running costs; electrical heating costs considerably more per unit of energy. Gas is also relatively clean in its CO2 emissions, compared to oil or coal-fired heating systems.

But if your home isn’t connected to the mains gas network and you’re considering joining it up, it’s worth remembering that it can be expensive to do so. Electrical, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), oil or biomass heating might be better options.

If you only need to heat one room at a time, an energy-efficient electric heater could work out cheaper than some forms of central heating. But if you want to heat several rooms, central heating is usually less expensive than using individual heaters, even if they have the best energy ratings. ■

Moving With Pets

Moving house is stressful enough for humans, but it can be worse for pets. We look at some top tips for moving with your furry and finny friends

IMAGES: Dreamstime

Moving house with a dog, cat or even rabbit can prove to be difficult if you fail to prepare them for the experience. A pet’s life is often based around routine so this process can be very stressful for them, no matter what the species. By organising simple strategies in advance, you can prepare your pet for the house move and ensure you both settle into the new property as soon as possible. Here are some tips from www.comparemymove.com

DOGS

During the build-up to your move, there’ll be a lot going on around the house. To avoid causing distress to your dog, try a dog appeasing pheromone (DAP) plug-in diffuser or a collar.

A few days before the move, create a ‘safe room’ filled with food, water and toys to prepare your dog for moving day. Once you’ve arrived in your new house, it might take a while for your dog to adjust to the new location and they may even try to return to your old house. Notify neighbours and the new occupants of your house to keep an eye out if your dog returns. Register your dog with the local vet before moving in and update the details on your dog’s microchip.

On the day of the move, it’s important that your dog stays with you and not in the removal van or in an enclosed space. Once the bulk of the move has been completed, unpack your dog’s items first to ensure a familiar scent is in the home. Keep some of these items in the car with them during the journey too as it’ll be a great comfort.

CATS

Cats are very territorial animals that develop strong bonds with their environment, so a house move can cause them a lot of distress.

Get your cat used to the carrier by letting your cat play in it a week before the move. Leave a blanket and some toys with a familiar smell in it too.

You can also use pheromones to relax them, as you would with a dog. Plug-in diffusers and sprays will keep your cat

feeling calm and safe throughout the chaos.

If your cat is microchipped, it’s important that you change your address details on the central database. Make sure your cat has a collar with its name and your new address ready for after the move.

Before the move, clear out a room to act as a temporary ‘cat safe room’. This room will hold the cat on moving day so that it doesn’t go on a walkabout or get stressed when the removal team are in. Inform the removal company that this room isn’t to be opened.

Make sure you thoroughly clean this room and the other rooms within the house before your cat is introduced to them. If the previous owner also had pets, the clashing smells could add tension.

Once settled in your new house, your cat may feel uneasy due to unfamiliar smells. Rub a cloth over your cat and then on a few items in your new house so your cat can start to feel more at home.

FISH AND REPTILES

Transport reptiles in a well-ventilated case or box. Control light levels to avoid stress. Transport reptiles in a car, not a removal van. Bring heat packs, water and food in case of delays. Fish should be transported in a double water bag with some air. Keep the bag in the dark during transport, and on arrival introduce your fish to their new

environment following the routine for when you first bought them.

RABBITS

A safe and secure carrier cage should be introduced to your rabbit before the move so that their smell becomes familiar. Rabbits feel the safest when hiding somewhere dark so you could even cover the cage.

Note that rabbits are sensitive to heat, so when travelling, try to maintain an interior temperature of between 4.5C and 24C, especially during long journeys.

Most rabbits will be uncomfortable in the car as they can’t anticipate the motion of stops or accelerating. Try to drive smoothly and once at the new property, refill their food and water and let them stay inside the carrier while they get used to the new surroundings. Once they seem happy and it’s safe to do so, you can let them explore.

It will take a few days for your rabbit to feel completely at ease in the new home. You should create a ‘rabbit safe zone’ where they will be free to play and eat without any distractions. Keep their blankets and toys in this area to ensure there’s a familiar smell.

Follow these few tips and you and your pets will soon be settled happily into your and their new home! ■

Making kitchens safer

We’ve all experienced that unexpected knock at the door, the phone ringing, or becoming engrossed in a television programme while we are cooking. Our mind is taken away from the task in hand and we completely forget that we have just put a pan on the hob ready to cook some sausages or chips. It only takes a moment to be distracted, but that moment could have devasting consequences.

Is kitchen safety a problem in the UK?

In England during 2021-22, cooking appliances were responsible for 45% of accidental fires in dwellings. 67% of the fires in UK homes start in the kitchen, most of them having been left unattended. The risk of hob related incidents is present for all age groups; Research figures show 1 in 7 occupants of student accommodation have fallen asleep while cooking. More than 200 accidental fires per year occur in student halls, 80% in kitchens, 60% of these at night. However in domestic situations, the risk increases for those aged 75 and over, and further for those aged 85 and over.

A simple device to make kitchens safer.

These startling statistics led Prefect Controls Ltd. to develop a device that is mounted on the wall above an electric hob. It ‘watches’ the cooking surface, dividing it

into 64 zones. If the temperature anywhere on the hob approaches a dangerous level, the power is cut.

The device doubles up on safety, with two activation methods – a timer, that can be pre-set to 15-, 20-, 30-, or 120-minutes, and a temperature sensor.

HobSensus is easy to operate. A press of the red button sets the timer running. When the pre-set time elapses, the hob will turn off. But, in the meantime if the sensor detects that temperatures are becoming perilous, the power will be cut nevertheless.

Flashing amber lights and audible bleeping warns that trigger mode has engaged. If no action is taken by the cook, red LEDs flash, the bleeping becomes more intense, and power is cut - rendering the kitchen safe. When the cooking surface has cooled, HobSensus is simply reset with a press of the button.

HobSensus springs into action ahead of fire alarms being activated because it triggers before combustion,

or a build-up of smoke. This prevents pre-fire damage and inconveniences, such as the blackening of walls, lingering smoky smells, and evacuation. Not to mention fire crew callouts.

Simple installation.

The HobSensus system comprises two units. The Sensor Head mounted on the wall above the cooking surface, and a Power Switching Unit, which is installed, either on the wall or under the countertop, between the Isolator and the hob. The Sensor Head tells the Power Switching Unit when to turn off. The Sensor Head is powered, either by a low voltage cable, or where this isn’t practical, because of splashbacks for example, with 4 AA batteries (life expectancy 2 years). If batteries are used, communication is via Bluetooth. A competent electrician can install HobSensus in fewer than 45 minutes.

can be switched remotely, via a care-alarm system, if there are concerns for a resident’s wellbeing.

can be retrofitted, and its compliance with the EN50615 safety standard.

On winning the award, Adrian Barber from Prefect Controls commented:

Award winning.

Added safety through integration.

For properties with more than one kitchen, such as houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs), assisted living developments or student accommodation, HobSensus can be integrated with the fire alarm. If the alarm is activated, caused by a fire starting elsewhere, and evacuation is necessary, HobSensus will switch off all cookers in the building.

Likewise, connection to a door entry system ensures that when the occupant leaves the room, the hob will turn off. ideal in shared properties, or Airbnbs.

The volt free contact can also be utilised in care homes so that the hob

In 2023 Prefect was presented with the Safety Innovation Award by Electrical Safety First. The campaigning organisation aims to reduce death and injury caused by electricity. Recognised by Government and industry as the leading authority on electrical safety, ESF works with manufacturers, retailers, and consumer safety organisations to improve safety regulations and standards.

The Safety Innovation Award recognises excellence of product safety initiatives within the industry.

Although initially designed for student accommodation, it was this recognition that prompted Prefect to broaden the promotion of HobSensus.

The judges were particularly impressed with the system’s affordability, its robust design and manufacture, the ease with which it

Recognition from an authority such as Electrical Safety First demonstrates the scale of the issue that exists with kitchen fires. It would be reassuring if this type of device became as commonplace as CO2 and Smoke monitors.

Peace of mind for all situations.

HobSensus provides a genuine preventative measure in making all kitchens with electric hobs safer. But for those used by people who have a higher tendency to be distracted when cooking, for example students, vulnerable adults, or the elderly, it provides peace of mind to those responsible for their safety, that the kitchen is made safe before potentially catastrophic incidents happen.

Don’t Cook Your Goose

Fire safety in the kitchen is more important than anywhere else in the house. What can you do to make sure your food doesn’t turn into an inferno?

The London Fire Brigade reports that around 60 percent of fires in the home start in the kitchen, but it’s easy to enjoy cooking more safely with a little planning and awareness. One of the best ways to stay safe is to install the right alarm. Smoke alarms are a great choice for most rooms, but in a kitchen it’s recommend to fit a heat alarm. Kitchens can be smoky and steamy rooms, but a heat alarm won’t go off if you singe your toast or boil steamy rice. A heat alarm only goes off when it detects a rapid increase in temperature. You can buy them for under £10 online and at DIY stores.

You can get a battery-powered heat alarm you can fit yourself, or a hard-wired heat alarm, which would need to be fitted by an electrician, but could be linked to a

telecare system for added peace of mind. If you’re not sure if you, or someone you care for, has the right smoke and heat alarms in place to keep safe, use the London Fire Brigade’s Home Fire Safety Checker to get advice specific to your home.

BUBBLING PANS

With bubbling pans, open flames and maybe a little one or a pet underfoot, kitchens are potentially dangerous places. There’s a wide range of tools available to make your kitchen safer, from timers that switch off a hob automatically, to cooker guards. These aids can be especially helpful for people who have difficulties with their memory, mobility, vision or hearing. Take a look a the website at livingmadeeasy.org.uk for advice.

Here are our top tips to reduce kitchen fire risks:

Don’t leave cooking unattended on the hob or grill – if you have to leave the kitchen, turn off the heat. Particularly in HMOs, student accommodation or homes where there are vulnerable persons, it can be worth considering a safety system such as Hobsafe. Hobsafe is a simple timer which prevents a hob from being left on if the doorbell or a phone call causes a distraction.

Fires started in the kitchen by cooking appliances are responsible for 48% of the 37,000 house fires in the UK. However, in a survey, 38 percent of battery-operated smoke detectors did not sound during a fire because of discharged or disconnected

batteries. Hobsafe provides an additional measure of safety against fires, when used alongside fully-functioning, well maintained, frequently tested smoke detectors.

If you’re very tired, have been drinking alcohol or are taking medication that might make you drowsy, it’s safer not to risk cooking.

Loose clothing can easily catch fire, so take care not to lean over a hot hob, and always keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob.

Try to keep the oven, hob, cooker hood, extractor fan and grill clean – built-up fat and grease can ignite and cause a fire.

Double check the cooker and hob are turned off when you’ve finished cooking.

Check toasters are clean and not placed under kitchen cabinets or close to anything that can catch fire.

Never put anything metal in the microwave.

Always keep an eye on children and pets in the kitchen: don’t leave them unsupervised; put matches and lighters away; and keep saucepan handles out of reach.

SENSIBLE STEPS

The London Fire Brigade has also voiced concerns that some energy-saving cooking tips may pose safety issues. There are some simple ways to save money that can help reduce costs, your gas and electricity provider also has some top tips to help, for example:

h A slow cooker or air fryer uses less power (similar to that of a light bulb!) and a lot less energy than a cooker so you’ll easily save money with this switch.

h When using a kettle – only boil the amount of water you need.

h It’s never safe to use any type of outdoor cooking equipment like a barbecue or camping stoves indoors - it’s a huge

risk for both fire and deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

If clothes have caught light in a kitchen fire, don’t run. Try to remember ‘stop, drop, roll’ – which means:

h Stop – don’t run, you’ll make the flames worse.

h Drop – lie down on the ground at once. h Roll – in heavy fabric or a fire blanket to smother the flames, though just on the ground will help.

The LFB’s Home Fire Safety Checker will ask you a series of questions to work out the level of risk in your home, and will make a recommendation depending on your answers - that might be booking an in-person Home Fire Safety Visit, or carrying out an assessment of the home yourself. After you’ve assessed each room in the home, LFB will give you steps to take based on the information you’ve provided. Find the safety checker at www.londonfire.gov.uk/safety/the-home/home-firesafety/home-fire-safety-checker-hfsc ■

When you have a project and a need for a lift, look no further than Bourne Lifts, a leader in Bespoke Lift Installations, Repairs, Maintenance & Removal.

Operating from our new offices at 408 Wimborne Road East, Wimborne offering quality Italian made high spec elevators. Our installations speak for themselves.

We look forward to exceeding your expectations CALL US ON 01202 582923 FOR MORE

The Height of Luxury

What do you do when you have difficulty with stairs, but you don’t want to move to a bungalow? Fitting a home lift is an increasingly popular option

Mobility problems in later life, particularly for people who live alone, can mean that their homes become harder to navigate; particularly if they are on two floors, and the stairs are difficult. There just aren’t enough bungalows to satisfy demand, and in any case, you may not want to move out of your familiar home.

So what can you do if one or more of the occupants of your home has difficulty with the stairs? A common solution is a chairlift; easily fitted and customised to the shape of your stairs, chairlifts are a great solution for many. But is there a better one?

You could contemplate putting in a home lift. Dismiss thoughts of huge clanky cabinets with telescopic gates; modern home lifts are advanced in technology and design, and unlike chair lifts, can actually enhance the appearance and appeal of your house.

DISTANCE

A typical “residential elevator” travels smoothly and quietly on vertical rails through a hatch in the floor above. Travel distance is typically around four metres, but bespoke models can offer distances of as much as 13m, with a number of stops.

Because the rails are usually against the wall, the lift mechanism isn’t in your way when the cabinet is on the other floor.

Home lifts come in a number of different designs including partially or fully enclosed cabinets. One big advantage over chairlifts is that lifts can be big enough to take more than one person, or a wheelchair. They will be fitted with backup battery power so in the event of a power cut they can be returned to the ground floor and the door opened manually. Optional extras sometimes include a built-in phone, adjustable lighting, a tip-up seat and so on. »

It takes a couple of days to fit a home elevator, and it can usually be done without planning permission or much disruption to existing decoration. They can take up less than a square metre in space, and common options include fitting them from a downstairs living room straight up into the master bedroom, in a stairwell void to the upstairs landing, or even in a cupboard. They are usually self-supporting so need no load-bearing walls, and some designs can be fitted to the outside of buildings, and so also have applications in cases such as underground car parking.

So, could a home elevator give your life just the lift you need?

TYPES

A pneumatic, or vacuum, elevator moves the cabinet using changes in air pressure. It does not require construction of a pit, shaft, or machine room. A pneumatic elevator can be attached to a balcony or travel through a hole in the floor.

A vacuum elevator designed to carry a single passenger up to three stops will be suitable for most homes, requiring as little as under one square metre of space.

Vacuum elevators are an environmentally conscious option requiring minimal floor space and no pit below, and run completely on the power of air, offering a quiet, eco-friendly accessibility solution.

Vacuum elevators though do have some disadvantages; they tend to be slower and smaller than hydraulic elevators, will carry less weight and must be circular in shape. They cannot be concealed so they will always be a visible feature of the home. If there is a power cut, they will automatically descend to the lowest floor, which is a good safety feature unless, of course, there is a fire on the lowest floor.

A hydraulic elevator lifts the cab using a hydraulic ram, a piston inside a cylinder that is driven by a hydraulic fluid, typically oil. A pump forces fluid from a tank into a pipe that leads to the cylinder. If the valve is closed, the fluid is forced into the cylinder, which pushes a piston up and raises the elevator cab. When the valve is opened, the hydraulic fluid flows back into the reservoir and the cab descends. Though the cost of a home elevator will vary according to the requirements and the technology used, to give a rough idea of cost, a one-floor lift can be manufactured to order within a few weeks, may take only a day to install, and might cost from around £12,000. You will of course pay extra for additional features and customisation. ■

COSTS

Hydraulic elevators consume oil and need more frequent maintenance than other types of elevators. While they are more expensive than other types, hydraulic elevators offer quieter and smoother operation. Some hydraulic elevators require a pit and machine room.

Hydraulic elevators are more expensive than vacuum elevators, and may take longer to install. However they have advantages in terms of size, weight carried, and speed. Hydraulic elevators also have more options for shape than vacuum elevators, and are quieter in operation, though they may cost more to run.

IMAGES: Bourne Lifts

Why Buy When You Can Hire?

Have you ever said to yourself ‘I could do that job myself if I had the right tools’? With tool hire, there almost nothing you can’t do

While every home should have a well-equipped tool box, with at least a good selection of hand- and power-tools, it o en happens that you need more powerful or professional equipment for a particular job, but you can’t justify the expense of buying it just for the one project. That’s where professional tool hire can save the day.

Whether you want a rotovator to dig up your garden, a cement mixer to lay a patio or a plate compactor to level ground, it doesn’t make sense to buy a large, expensive bit of equipment you may never need again. Hiring it makes a lot more sense – it’s time-saving, money-saving and ecologically responsible.

Since a tool hire company will take care of repairs and maintenance, you don’t have to worry about things like that for a hired tool. You also don’t have to face the worries

of depreciation in the value of expensive equipment, or of long-term storage. Hiring rather than buying a tool also makes sure that you always have the most up-to-date equipment for the job, and that you can get help and advice on using it from the hire company.

Here are our five top tips for tool hire.

1. The Right Tool for the Job

Whether you need to work at height, cut or weld metal, demolish brickwork or drill through tough masonry, the right tool is available – get it right from the start by asking for help and advice from your tool hire company.

2. Checking Condition

Your hire company will check and maintain equipment, but it’s always sensible to check for signs of wear, damage or rust before starting a job.

3. Safety First

Make sure you have the safety instructions for your tool and follow them carefully. Use proper safety equipment such as boots, helmets, ear defender, goggles and gloves.

4. Check the Rental Agreement

Make sure you understand the terms, charges and duration for your rental agreement, and that you have scheduled your job properly so you hire the tools for the right time

5. Get Insurance

If it’s not covered in the rental agreement, consider rental insurance, especially for larger projects or high-value tools.

Renting tools and equipment can be a game-changer for your projects, but it’s essential to do it right if you want to be able to tackle every project with confidence. ■

Peach Fuzz Perfection

Pantone’s Colour of the Year for 2024 is Peach Fuzz. We come up with some suitable peachy products to decorate and beautify your home

Each year, industry colour specialist Pantone comes up with a colour it feels sums up design trends and social tastes for the year to come. It’s an enormously influential choice in

areas from interior design and furnishings to art and fashion.

This year’s Pantone colour selection is Peach Fuzz, described as “a velvety gentle peach tone whose all-embracing spirit

Peach Onyx Effect Tile

Walls and Floors

With bold veining and a charmingly delicate pink shade, these luxurious Peach onyx effect tiles are truly magical and perfect for opulent schemes. With a polished finish for a luxurious look, rectified edges for seamless finish and durable porcelain construction, the modern large 1200x600 format and 20 face variations make them suitable for interior walls and floors. www.wallsandfloors.co.uk

enriches mind, body, and soul”. So we’ve come up with a selection of fabulous fittings and furnishings to put your home right at the centre of this year’s coolest colour trend.

Beckenham 3 Seater Chaise Sofa

Darlings of Chelsea

The Beckenham has a simple, classic square arm design and raised legs that gives it a modern twist. Available in 170 luxurious fabrics including this 100 Percent Linen Shell Pink, you can choose a look that will suit any interior style, and create a timeless, classic piece for your home. Hand-made here in the UK, the quality of the design shines through. www.darlingsofchelsea.co.uk

Peaches and Cream Wallpaper I Love Wallpaper

Hand-drawn fruit and leaf prints create a stylish and adorable pattern that looks timeless in a child’s bedroom, making this versatile, gender-neutral print perfect to hang in a baby’s or toddler’s nursery. Decorate the room with bright, zesty oranges and vibrant greens that really bring this colourful print to life.

www.ilovewallpaper.co.uk

Chambray Seat Pad

Walton & Co

This terracotta blush 38x38cm pad in 100% cotton chambray is designed to fit a standard dining or kitchen chair, and is buttoned to retain shape and provide support. Ties secure it onto the chair. www.waltonshop.co.uk

Peach Petal Mural

Origin Murals

Understated elegance is implied in this classic image, adding a contemporary touch to a timeless piece of photography while subtle shadowing and tone add depth. www.originmurals.com

Ohpopsi

Delicate hummingbirds and lush foliage combine in this striking, beautifully handdrawn design. Elegant and serene, it’s a perfect design to create a calming haven. Price is £47 per roll. www.ohpopsi.com

Suminagashi Original Marbled Print NAT MAKS

An original marbled print using the traditional Japanese Art of Suminagashi, meaning ‘floating ink’. The colours are placed on the water surface and begin to expand on the water. They are only encouraged to move by air, nothing else disturbs the surface. The colours move in an organic way - when a dynamic pattern has been shaped, Natascha Maksimovic makes a print by placing the paper onto the water. www.natmaks.com

Ellipse Freestanding Bath

Waters Baths of Ashbourne

At £3290, with the outer surface coated in colour and with a durable matt finish for an additional cost of £595, this is part of the Elements Collection. The contemporary curves of the Ellipse Freestanding Bath are designed to support your back and hug your shoulders, offering a truly restful bathing experience. Tactile and warm to the touch, the natural limestone and quartz composite ensures that water is kept warmer for longer.

www.watersbaths.co.uk ■

Hummingbird Rosewood Wallpaper

Garden Trends

From advice on growing your own fruit and veg to the most bird-friendly feeding products, all the latest ideas and trends in the garden market

GROW YOUR OWN

A good argument for growing your own fruit and vegetables at home - new research reveals that many common UK food items contain PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance) pesticides.

PAN UK, the Pesticides Action Network, analysed the latest results from the UK government’s residue testing programme, finding that ten different PFAS pesticides were present in spices and a range of fruit and vegetables including grapes, cherries spinach and tomatoes. Strawberries were found to be the worst offenders, with 95% of the 120 samples tested by the government in 2022 containing PFAS pesticides.

A family of roughly 10,000 chemicals, PFAS have been branded as ‘forever chemicals’ because of their ability to persist in the environment and accumulate in the blood, bones and tissue of living organisms, including humans. Estimates of the time it takes PFAS to fully degrade in the environment range from a decade to over 1,000 years. While they are generally used in household products such as non-stick cookware, certain pesticides contain PFAS which then make it into human bodies via diet.

And gardeners are being urged to get planting in their back gardens to help reverse a fall in wildlife numbers.

Garden Organic, a horticultural charity based in Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire, is encouraging people to grow more plants, flowers and trees to attract insects, birds and other creatures.

A report by the charity found there had been a 13% decline in overall wildlife numbers in the UK, as well as a 40% decline within individual species since the 1970s, mostly due to climate change and human use of land.

Fiona Taylor, chief executive, said “declining species” was a “bad thing for everybody”.

FEED THE BIRDS

In the summer your garden birds need both shade and water. Opossum Designs has combined bird feeders and baths in designs drawing on the expertise of Peter Berthold, one of Germany’s most renowned ornithologists. ”By setting up feeding stations, you are not only benefiting birds, you also experience relaxation and bring variety into everyday life” he says. In the combined bird feeders one porcelain bowl serves as a water dispenser, another as a food depot. Year-round suitable, easy to clean, and with their sleek, timeless design at a cat-safe height, these bird feeders are perfect for nature lovers and friends of modern architecture. Find out more at www.opossum-design.com

GARDENERS’ WORLD LIVE

Urban Gardens, a spectacular edible headline show garden by Adam Frost, orchids from all over the world, and new stages and workshops are just some of the exciting new highlights at this year’s BBC Gardeners’ World Live, returning to the NEC Birmingham from 13th-16th June.

It’s the perfect summer day out for green-fingered folks and first-time gardeners alike, with inspiring show gardens and floral displays to enjoy, achievable ideas to try at home, plants a-plenty to browse and buy, well-known gardening faces sharing expert advice and hands-on workshops to dive into.

BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost’s headline Show Garden, The Chef’s Table, is sure to draw a crowd at this year’s BBC Gardeners’ World Live. The large, walk-through garden will be a vibrant celebration of home-grown produce, featuring a rustic outdoor cooking and eating space set amongst an array of tasty plants. Adam will be hosting a daily programme of ‘plot-to-plate’ themed conversations and delicious demos on his garden with chefs and culinary friends from sister event, BBC Good Food Show Summer

New for 2024 and designed to inspire town and city types, the Urban Gardening space, sponsored by Blue Diamond Garden Centre group, is packed with ideas, plants and products for creative containers, brilliant balconies and wonderful window boxes. On the Urban Gardening Stage, Ade Sellars (AKA The Good Life Gardener) will be hosting daily sessions by a line-up of expert urban gardeners, and there will be a Showcase Garden showdown between the UK’s top young landscaping teams.

Orchid lovers will be thrilled to hear that BBC Gardeners’ World Live will be the new home for the British Orchid Council’s annual International Orchid Show. This exciting ‘show within a show’ will be a major highlight of the Floral Marquee and will feature displays by more than 20-25 specialist orchid growers and societies, offering breath-taking displays and expert advice for orchid lovers.

Also new for 2024 is the Get Growing Stage, an exciting, informal, drop-in space that’s dedicated to the joy of home growing.

Tickets for BBC Gardeners’ World Live include entry to the BBC Good Food Show Summer, and are on sale now at www.bbcgardenersworldlive.com

Summer Gardening

The summer months are peak gardening season – what projects should you be planning for May, June and July?

The summer is the time when we really get to enjoy our gardens, with the plants in bloom, lawns becoming lush and fruit and vegetables ripe for the picking. But it’s not all gin and tonic in a deckchair, there are plenty of tasks you have to keep on top of to ensure peak productivity. Here are some essential items.

MAY

May is peak time for flowering plants, with bluebells and roses among the first to put in an appearance. Put summer bedding plants in beds and borders, and if you have a smaller garden plant in containers and hanging baskets. Geraniums, busy lizzies, petunias and cosmos are colourful additions to your summer garden.

h Watch out for late frosts - tender bedding plants can be protected with horticultural fleece

h From mid-month, plant tender exotics, frost-tender vegetables and sweet peas under glass

h Keep up the weeding, hoeing and pest treatments

JUNE

In the hottest weather, it’s of course essential to keep up watering to prevent flowers wilting and lawns scorching. Make sure anything in your greenhouse is kept damp, as they can become very hot. Remember to spray water on your pathways and under greenhouse staging.

h Harvest growing vegetables such as spring onions, early potatoes,

overwintering onions, asparagus, lettuce, rocket, radishes and peas

h Keep on top of the weeding with a weekly routine of pulling them out by the roots

h Divide and stake tall plants such as herbaceous delphiniums to prevent them from collapsing

JULY

This is the peak month for enjoying your flowering garden, with decorative and climbing plants and late fruits and vegetables in full bloom.

h Care for wildlife by watering plants which are attractive to birds, insects and amphibians. Water in the evening to avoid evaporation

h Deadhead spent flowers to encourage further blooms

h Feed your lawn and use appropriate weedkilllers

h Train climbing roses by tying new shoots and spreading strong stems tied to supports so they will climb arches and trellises. Use plastic plant ties instead of string which will rot away

Before the summer ends, there are also a few tasks you should carry out to be ready for the autumn. Dig up and store springflowering bulbs such as tulips and hyacinths (daffodils, snowdrops and bluebells can be left in the ground, so long as they aren’t near plants which need watering). Spring bedding plants such as forget-me-nots and wallflowers will now have died off –but they make a good addition to your compost bin. ■

The Art of the Garden

BBella Hoare has turned her love of gardening into inspiration for her art. Now she’s planning a solo show in London

ella Hoare lives and works on the edge of the Stourhead Estate in Wiltshire, embedded in a richly forested landscape and is a keen gardener, and a fellow of the Royal Horticultural Society. This close bond with the seasonal cycles sustains and enriches her in making her artwork.

Throughout childhood, motherhood, widowhood and into a new chapter of her life, the annual renewal of the natural world has taught Bella that it is always possible to create a better future for yourself.

Bella Hoare has independently developed a distinctive style of painting, using modern cold wax medium with traditional oil paint to enable the construction of complex, multi-layered works. Her emotional sensitivity to colour is supported by intense study, demonstrated by the numerous hand painted colour wheels and charts lining the walls of her studio.

NATURAL WORLD

Her first solo exhibition A Di erent Green, inspired by her garden at Gasper Cottage will take place at Oxo Tour in May during the Chelsea Flower Show and has free entry. Bella presents 20 works that explore the beauty of the female form alongside closely observed natural references to forests, leaves and flowers.

Successive layers of paint build the final images as well as the visible history of that image’s construction while Bella’s optimism shines through in a celebration of feminine beauty and power.

“For Bella, portraiture is a process of drawing out the sitter’s inner life while also o ering space for audiences to bring their own ideas and interpretations” says art expert Anna Souter.

Plant life and the natural world are constant touchpoints. Bella’s series of “green goddess” paintings o er a feminist take on the “green man” figure of medieval

Pagan-Christian folklore and can be seen as a reminder of the possibilities of human and, more specifically, feminine intimacy with the natural world.

Her “Glasshouse” paintings feature five

portraits of women from The Glasshouse – a social enterprise empowering female prisoners through horticultural training. A passionate supporter of The Glasshouse, Bella’s paintings are larger than life-size images. The scale throws off viewers’ preconceptions, monumentalising these women from marginalised communities and emphasising their potential for growth. As both individuals and archetypes, they represent the opportunities for renewal offered by the natural world through horticulture and shared experiences.

Bella’s practice repeatedly turns to themes of renewal and hope. Under her brush, nature is not a benevolent force but a neutral one, indifferent to human lives but providing us with emotional and physical sustenance.

SEASONAL

Bella Hoare says: “As a child I spent long hours deep in the forests and gardens

around Stourhead that surrounded my home. As an adult the seasonal renewal of life has supported me through challenging times. This positive relationship between nature and feminine power is celebrated throughout my work.

“Colour is crucial as a way of expressing emotion. My memories of green light from deep in the spring-time forest, the vivid colours of summer flowers, or the infinite variety of browns and greys of mid-winter are all equally beautiful.

“The intricately textured surfaces of my work evolves over months with many layers of oil and cold wax medium. Representational when viewed across a room or on screen; in proximity you appreciate the successive application of abstract marks. We are all more interesting the closer you look.” ■

A Different Green runs at Oxo Tower London from 23rd May – 6th June. For more information visit www.bellahoare.com | @bella_hoare

Room With a View

A garden room can add value and utility to your home –but how do you decide on a design and specification?

Agarden room can be a relatively quick and cost-effective way of getting more space at home, cheaper than an extension or conversion. All you need is a garden with enough space to accommodate your needs, and with a huge choice of predesigned or custom buildings available, it should be easy to find a garden room to suit your needs.

The differentiation between a garden room and a shed or garden outbuilding is that a garden room usually has all the facilities of your home, such as heating, lighting, power, insulation and connectivity. A common use for a garden room since working at home became more popular is as a home office, complete with broadband and phone, but garden rooms can be ideal for use as fitness or yoga centres, games rooms, cinema rooms, hobby rooms, libraries and workshops.

The most popular uses for garden rooms, according to Which? members who already have one, are:

h 31% Multi-purpose space

h 19% Entertaining and socialising

h 13% Hobbies, including arts, crafts and music

h 6% Office

h 3% Home gym

h 28% “something else”, including playroom, bar, games room, photography studio, yoga studio or observatory.

Generally, garden rooms come under permitted development rights, so do not need planning permission, but there are exceptions such as flats, maisonettes, converted houses, some new-builds and listed buildings – so make sure you stay with regulations when planning.

For a home office, it might be necessary to run a network cable from your house rather than relying on Wi-Fi; you might also want running water for a cup of tea, but bear in mind that this can involve planning permission for plumbing work.

APPLICATIONS

While the applications for garden rooms are extensive, there are some exclusions; for instance you can put a pull-out bed in your garden room so that guests can occasionally stay there, but if you want to sleep in it regularly or to create a self-contained accommodation such as a ‘granny annexe’, you must apply for planning permission and meet building

regulations regarding fire safety, toilets and so on. For peace of mind you can apply to your local authority for a Lawful Development Certificate, which proves to your local authority and future buyers of your home that your project was legal at the point of construction.

Some firms will design, manufacture and supply a garden room for you, often to a basic design which can be modified to your needs. Alternatively you can employ an architect and a local builder to create a truly bespoke design, but this is bound to be a more expensive option. One advantage of working with an architect is that if planning applications or lawful development certificates are required, they should be able to handle it for you.

BUILDING REGS

Whether or not building regulations apply depends mainly on the size of your planned garden room and its position. Building regulations will not normally apply if the floor area of the building is less than 15 square metres and contains no sleeping accommodation, the space covered is 15-30 square metres, and your room is at least a metre from any boundary and constructed substantially of non-combustible materials. »

However, if your garden room includes permanent sleeping accommodation, building regulations approval will be required. Even if your design should be exempt, it’s often worthwhile to have an architect on board to advise on building regulation matters if there is any variation to the basic design of the garden room.

Even if your structure does not require the approval of a building regulation inspector, it may still require a Building Control Compliance Certificate if you are installing lighting and power, which will generally be the case. You can either have the electrical work done by a competent scheme-registered electrician, or checked by one. Like the Lawful Development Certificate, the BCCC is valuable to show that the work is compliant.

In instances where your garden room needs planning permission, your neighbours will be notified, and given the right to object. So long as you’re not required to apply for planning permission, your neighbours are not entitled to object to your garden room plans.

PROJECTS

Position can make all the difference to the use and comfort of your garden room. A good suggestion for the planning stage is to mark out the proposed space with bamboo canes in your garden, so you can see how visible the building would be from

the house, and what the view would be from inside. Check where the sun is in your garden both in summer, winter, morning and afternoon to help decide where you want to put it. Depending on your proposed use, you may want to position it as far away from the house as possible to ensure it feels like a separate space.

The time it takes to construct a garden room depends on the condition of the garden and how much work is needed to level off, build a foundation, provide drainage and so on; then the size of the building and whether it is a ‘modular’ design or custom. Modular designs are often manufactured off-site and erected in a few days, while if you design your own and choose professional construction, the project could take anything from two to six weeks.

Cost, obviously, depends on many factors such as the size, quality of materials used and additional utilities. A module room may cost anything between £2,000 and £30,000. An estimate for a custom design cost would be around £1,600 per square metre.

Think carefully about applications before you finalise the design – for instance you may not need double glazing or heating if you are just going to use the room on sunny days, but if you expect it to be comfortable throughout the winter, you will need all the bells and whistles.

Martin’s Tips

“For planning purposes, a garden room, in most instances, will be classed as an outbuilding, which does not require planning permission and falls into your “permitted development rights”.

But there are conditions - a garden room will be permitted development when it is single story with a maximum eaves height of 2.5 metres and with a maximum overall height of four metres with a dual pitched roof, or three metres for any other roof; and not on built on land forward of a wall forming the principal elevation. A garden room must have a maximum height of 2.5 metres in the case of a building, enclosure or container within two metres of a boundary of the curtilage of the dwelling/house, and have no verandas, balconies or platforms more than 0.3 m high.

Crucially a garden room must be on no more than half the area of land around the “original house”. Remember, you may not have built an extension to the house, but a previous owner may have.

Similarly, if you are going to use it as an office, music studio or workshop, you may need to spend extra on details such as security, soundproofing and upgraded power supply, and heavy gym equipment may require uprated flooring. ■

INSPIRATIONAL WORK SPACES

SPACIOUS GYMS

LAVISH OUTDOOR SPACES

Whether you’re looking for an office, gym, home cinema, bar or just space to chill out, we can help. Our garden rooms have everything you need included, are fully insulated and at the end of the build you’ll be ready to move straight in.

Herts Garden Rooms also offer additional touches like concealed shed storage, ethernet & WC and ensuite options.

Here at Herts Garden Rooms we’ve taken our decades of residential build & design experience, and brought it together to create our high quality, fully-finished garden spaces.

Pond Life

A pond can add pleasure and value to your garden – but it has to be carefully maintained

Apond is an asset to any garden, acting both as an attractive centrepiece and as a magnet for wildlife. But it will need occasional maintenance to keep it in good condition.

POND DYES

Growth of algae can choke water features. Rather than laboriously clearing by hand, a popular solution is so-called ‘pond dyes’. These non-toxic dyes such as Dyofix (www.dyofix.co.uk), available in various di erent colours, filter sunlight falling on the water to disrupt the process of photosynthesis, making water weeds and algae unable to grow. Pond dyes are safe to use for humans, animals, fish, amphibians and insects, and can create stunning visual e ects such as bright blue hues or even a dramatic black.

Ponds rarely need a complete clear-out, unless they’ve become extremely overgrown or silted up, but keep a regular check on your pond and the plants growing in and around it, to make sure everything is thriving and in balance. Pond plants can be quite vigorous, so may need controlling, or if water quality declines, particularly in hot weather, pondlife may need a little help.

SEASONS

The seasons each require work to be done on your pond. Here is the Royal Horticultural Society’s suggested routine.

Spring

Add new plants from mid-spring to early summer, when the water is warming upthey should settle in well and grow rapidly. Divide and re-pot deep-water aquatics with floating leaves, such as waterlilies, if they’ve become too large. If plants such as waterlilies flowered poorly the previous year, consider feeding with a specialist aquatic plant food, but avoid feeding if not required.

Summer

Cut back excess plant growth if necessary – aim to keep about 50 per cent of the surface free of vegetation. Snip o any tatty leaves within reach, and fading flowers too, so they don’t decompose in the pond. Thin out excessive growth of underwater oxygenating plants – four to five bunches (each containing three to four stems) should be su icient for each square metre/yard of pond surface.

Autumn

Remove fading leaves and stems of plants in and around the pond as they die back, to avoid decomposing vegetation building up.

Winter

Melt surface ice with a hot pan or install a bubble fountain to maintain oxygen circulation for fish and supply drinking water for wildlife. Prune overhanging branches to ensure light reaches the pond, check water levels and repair leaks in liners or fibreglass moulds. ■

Make Your Money When You Buy

In a topsy-turvy property market, are there still opportunities for investment? Martin says yes, though he’s riled up over the lack of support for landlords…

Things continue to be slightly topsy-turvy in the world of property. However, as I travel up and down the country, still filming Homes Under the Hammer, and seeing all these lovely properties bought at auction, it’s clear that there are still numerous opportunities out there, and endless chances for you to secure your financial future by investing wisely.

There is a saying that ‘you don’t make your money on a property when you sell it. You make your money when you buy it’. So now more than ever, when the market is still slightly uncertain and the perfect storm of high interest rates and increased utility charges hasn’t completely abated, you need to make sure you are securing the best possible deals for yourself.

Every week I meet excited property enthusiasts who bought their properties at auction, have a clear idea of the process and costs of renovation, and will come out the other side showing a profit.

PROFITS

I’m often asked if we only feature the successful properties on the show, as most people seem to do OK?

Absolutely not! We do our best to show everything - warts and all - and I quite like it when things don’t quite go to plan on the profit front, as it shows some balance.

However, the reality is that if the people we speak to have done their research and bought their properties wisely, it’s not surprising that there is great potential for some profit to be made once any renovations have been carried out. They will probably

end the renovation process with more money in the bank than when they started. In some cases, they will benefit financially to an amount that’s considerably higher than the average annual salary in the UK.

Property renovation isn’t for everyone, and there are obviously many risks, but I do think it’s worth considering how much effort it takes to work for a year, compared to carefully researching and renovating a property bargain, and walking away with a similar amount of money in, perhaps, less time.

For many people, it’s also not just about financial gain, to the point where if they walk away having broken even, they would still consider it worthwhile for the experience gained and the fun they had doing it.

SKILLS

You can pretty much work to your own agenda, setting your own daily routine to suit; You can involve family members and utilise any particular skills they may have, such as garden or interior design; and for a lot of people there is a huge sense of satisfaction in creating a home for someone to live in, where there was previously a derelict shell.

Which is why it riles me even more when I see the support given to the private residential landlord sector gradually being eroded by the powers that be, who do not seem to understand the bigger picture. A small army of often one- or two-property landlords put their own time, effort and money into creating lovely places for people to live. And yet it sometimes feels like they are unfairly treated like pariahs and moneygrabbing criminals.

And my huge fear is that as the insidious pincer-movement of onerous and overlycomplicated regulation, and increased building and renovation costs and utility bills, pushes more and more people out of the arena, the only effect will be to reduce the available housing stock, especially for renters. And that can only be bad.

DEBATE

We’re already seeing rental prices skyrocketing, and each new rental property that comes on to the market being greeted by an army of potential tenants, all fighting for the chance of securing a roof over their heads.

Nobody is there to step in to fill the void that will be left if private landlords throw in the towel en masse. So, when will the situation be given the serious discussion and cross political and interested parties debate that it so desperately needs? It has to be soon. ■

Martin Roberts is a UK-based property expert, author, and television personality with over two decades of experience in the industry. With a wealth of knowledge and a commitment to excellence, Martin provides expert property advice to clients looking to buy, sell or invest in property.

In addition to his work in the real estate industry, Martin is committed to giving back to his community. He has supported numerous charitable organizations and partnerships, including launching the Martin Roberts Foundation which is aimed at supporting carefully selected educational and well-being initiatives for children and young people.

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