5 minute read
Why I bought a flat
the RetIReMent flAt
i bought a retirement property when my house became too difficult to manage. i decided on a brand new flat that i purchased from the developers. this meant i could choose my preferred bathroom and kitchen fittings which let me co-ordinate with the furniture from my house that i already had. i chose a retirement flat as i wanted to move in to a community. i had lived alone for a few years and missed the companionship. we have regular events including coffee mornings, dominoes, card evenings and ballroom dancing which most of the residents get involved in. rosemary Hazelock
the fIRSt tIMe buyeRS
we have been trying to get our foot on the property ladder for some time, but the prices have always been too high for us to afford our own home on our salaries. we had been keeping our eye on the property market when prices started to fall in mid 2009. in July 2010 we managed to locate our first home in a 2005 - built development of apartments in romford. the flat had been tenanted before we purchased it and needed a little bit of tidying up, but this worked for us as getting it at the right price was the most important thing. i imagine that when we decide to start a family we may need to consider moving to somewhere with more room – but for now it suits us just fine – we are so pleased that we managed to find something within our budget. max and sophie russell
the CoMMuteR flAt
when i was offered a new job in london i decided to buy a flat in brighton. i was struggling to afford a flat in london so started looking in the surrounding areas. in the end i chose brighton as it was a place i had visited for holidays when i was younger and the commute only takes around an hour. i try to use the commuting time for something useful, for example to catch up with my friends on Facebook, or to catch up with any work. i find this allows my time once i reach my apartment to be more restful.
James webley
the buy-to-let flAt
because the interest earned on my savings had virtually disappeared, i decided to buy a flat to rent out to supplement my pension. this is the first time i have bought a property as an investment rather than to live in so don’t have the experience to handle it day to day. i came across a local letting agent that a friend had recommended to me. this means my returns are good without any hassle.
frank shaw
the doWnSIzeR
after my husband died unexpectedly in 2005, i thought i would want to stay in our marital home forever. Fortunately, once the maintenance - particularly the gardening - got on top of me, my family convinced me that moving somewhere which is easier to manage was the best thing. i moved in to my flat in bournemouth in 2007. as i like gardening i decided to move to a ground floor property which had access to the garden. in the summer i can do as much or as little as i want. i haven’t looked back. i have two bedrooms, one for me and the other that my grandchildren stay in when they visit – i have plenty of space and masses of storage – i enjoy not having all the maintenance to organise and also the free time that this has given me. i joined a local social group when i moved in to my flat, where i met my second husband douglas in 2009 and we have just got married. we are staying in our flat as it has plenty of space for us both. irene thomas
SmartHeat valve insulation for communal heating
Free insulation for residential buildings
proven — Recommended by the
Carbon Trust, allows you to cut down on your tenants fuel bills and carbon emissions — SmartHeat has installed insulation to over 6,000 boiler rooms around the country
Theresa Anderson Property Manager South Kensington Estate
why is it worthwhile? — Improving insulation is simple — Valves are often overlooked when insulating heating systems — Each un-insulated valve is equivalent to a metre of exposed pipe - roughly like leaving a 100W light bulb running — Insulating a single boiler room can make genuine savings of hundreds if not thousands of pounds per annum — Quick-release fastenings for easy maintenance access
Sustain is a leading carbon reduction company. We reduce carbon to build organisational resilience in our clients.
For more information, please contact Adrian Newton on +44 (0)1934 864 824 Email adrian.newton@sustain.co.uk www.sustain.co.uk
This thermal image shows the reduction in heat loss after SmartHeat insulation jacket is fitted
Why waste heat? Improve your property heating for free
As the environment continues to move up the Government agenda, the property industry is under increasing pressure to build environmental concerns into everything they do.
The property manager can be a catalyst for change and, can make a real difference to the level of CO2 emissions from homes by installing energy efficiency measures. By acting early, property managers who commit to helping reduce energy consumption have the best chance of capitalising on the potential benefits for themselves and their tenants.
Property managers can benefit by reducing tenants’ energy bills as well as enjoying the prestige and positive media attention that comes with showing leadership and innovation in carbon reduction. SmartHeat Private is a venture launched by carbon reduction company Sustain earlier this year, which provides valve insulation for communal boiler rooms in privately-owned homes. Through the Government’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT), Sustain is able to offer full funding to landlords and property managers for this insulation.
SmartHeat Private identifies un-insulated valves, pipe work and hot elements in communal boiler rooms. Once identified, an Energy Savings Report is produced to show how energy could be saved by fitting SmartHeat Insulation. The tailor-made insulation jackets are fitted and the installation is then complete.
One example of how the scheme has been used is in a project for
South Kensington Estates - with two developments, Empire and Dalmeny House in; London. These sites had 361 un-insulated flanges and valves as well as 22 metres of un-lagged pipe work.
These have now been insulated and the savings are significant, with energy savings of approx 621,954 kWh/annum and projected cost savings of approx £15,000/annum with an immediate payback period.
