Retrofitting homes in London is a pipe dream without proper support

October 6th, 2021 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Home Improvements, Housing Policy, Landlords, Property Developers Comments Off on Retrofitting homes in London is a pipe dream without proper support

The Mayor of London has an ambitious target to make London a zero carbon city by 2030. One of the ways to meet this goal is to decarbonise all of London’s 3.5 million homes by upgrading and retrofitting – improving existing homes for high energy efficiency.

The London Assembly Housing Committee has been investigating the operational, financial and physical challenges of retrofitting in London. The Committee has also investigated the energy efficiency initiatives already established by the Mayor.

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What are the Conservative’s plans for stamp duty?

December 21st, 2019 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Housing Policy, Property Conveyancing, Property Market Comments Off on What are the Conservative’s plans for stamp duty?

With a brand-new majority government, the Conservative Party now has the mandate to carry out some sweeping reforms and this could well include an overhaul of stamp duty.

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Getting out of the Ground on Brownfield sites

February 21st, 2018 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Housing Policy, Legal, Property Developers Comments Off on Getting out of the Ground on Brownfield sites

Most people prefer to work with a fresh canvas. Imagine painting your masterpieces on someone else’s painting. This is probably why brownfield sites are not the most desirable land to start building projects on, commercial or residential. Greenfield sites are a clean slate, previously unbuilt upon and typically are cheaper and easier sites for construction, but as the countryside in the UK rapidly disappears and the population increases, it is time for developers to start re-considering brownfield land.

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Electrical Contractors & Air Permeability tests – How to make the right choice

July 26th, 2017 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Electrical, Energy Saving, Housing Policy, Property Developers Comments Off on Electrical Contractors & Air Permeability tests – How to make the right choice

Are you in the preparatory stages of a new build? Maybe you’re ready to bring in an electrical contractor but are worried about how they’ll fare coming up against Part L of the Building Regs? In this article, I’ll be covering how to choose an electrical contractor for a new build that will be required to pass an air permeability test.

What is Part L

In 2006 the government passed Part L of the Building Regs setting the standards for air permeability in certain new builds and extensions in the UK. The Regulation is concerned with the conservation of fuel and power through limiting heat gains and losses via the building’s fabric. Split into 4 parts the documents lay out guidelines for both new and existing buildings.
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Planning Applications for Home Improvements – What’s Hot and What’s Not

January 19th, 2017 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Home Improvements, Housing Policy, Property Market Comments Off on Planning Applications for Home Improvements – What’s Hot and What’s Not

In the latest house price index, it was revealed that property in the UK had seen an annual price increase of 6.7%, with the average property now valued at £217,928. Naturally, with a rise in house prices will come an increase in home improvements. Recently, home services marketplace, Plentific.com, ran a survey which found that 1 in 3 renovate their property with the aim of increasing its value. As such, whether buying a new property or updating their current one, many homeowners will plan to renovate to take advantage of the increasing value. Consequently, many areas will see an increased rate of householder development planning applications being submitted to the government. Through these statistics, we can see the latest trends of home improvements in different regions across the UK.

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Legal providers to publish prices online to help people moving house

December 15th, 2016 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Housing Policy, Press Releases Comments Off on Legal providers to publish prices online to help people moving house

MOVING house requires specialist advice- now the CMA is making it easier for you to find a suitable legal provider.

Relocating or buying for the first time are some of the most stressful times in life, so it’s essential that you have the right legal advice to rely on when you need it most.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has conducted a market study into legal services and found that home buyers and those moving house often don’t have the information they need at hand to make the right decision.

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Lords committee calls for government to refocus the planning system

February 19th, 2016 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Housing Policy Comments Off on Lords committee calls for government to refocus the planning system

Lords committee calls for government to refocus the planning system on high quality homes, not just housing numbers

  • TCPA welcomes report from Lords Committee on Built Environment which calls for government to consider development corporations and review compulsory purchase
  • Report stresses need for sustainable communities and environmental measures

A report published today by the House of Lords Built Environment Committee has stressed the importance of ensuring that the planning system creates good places for people, as well as tackles the housing crisis.

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Government housing policy short sighted and will not meet objectives

February 19th, 2016 HIP-Consultant.co.uk Posted in Housing Policy 2 Comments »

The House of Lords Committee on National Policy for the Built Environment has today asserted the importance of delivering a better built environment and criticised current government policy as unlikely to meet demand for either the quantity or quality of houses we need.

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