Clarke and Son News

The Government has today announced that Home Information Packs (HIPs) and Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) will be rolled out to three bedroom properties from 10 September 2007.

HIPs and EPCs are being introduced on a phased basis to ensure a smooth transition in the housing market, and to begin the process of transforming the home buying and selling process in the interests of consumers and the environment at the earliest opportunity.

Following the introduction of the packs for homes with four bedrooms and above on 1 August 2007, the Government has today confirmed there will be enough energy assessors, nationally and regionally, to roll out to three bedroom homes next month, having taken into account the operation of HIPs in the market.

HIPs and EPCs will give house buyers energy ratings for homes for the first time, from A to G - similar to consumer friendly ratings for fridges, helping to lower fuel bills and reduce carbon emissions. The packs will also help to cut costs for consumers by increasing transparency and competition in the home buying and selling process.

A further announcement on rolling out HIPs and EPCs to other properties will be made in due course. Our key criteria will be ensuring a smooth implementation and that the necessary energy assessors, both nationally and regionally, are in place.

Communities Minister Baroness Andrews said:

“We are now ready to start rolling out HIPs and EPCs to the next part of the market as promised, and improve a home buying and selling process which currently is not working for consumers or the environment.”

“HIPs and EPCs can help families to save hundreds of pounds off their fuel bills, and cut a million tonnes of carbon a year. They also have the potential to reduce the millions of pounds wasted by consumers when buying and selling a home, by increasing transparency and competition in a process that hasn’t changed for a generation." 

Measures recommended in the EPC could save the average consumer £300 a year off their fuel bills, according to the Energy Saving Trust. Typical ‘green grants’ of £100 to £300 for energy saving improvements like loft insulation are available for many home owners.

A new system to make it easier for home owners to access these grants from energy suppliers was launched earlier this month. Energy suppliers are providing immediate access and information about green grants and offers to home buyers when they sign up to an energy contract. A new portal on the Energy Saving Trust’s website also allows consumers to tap in their postcode to find out offers available.

A snapshot of leading HIP providers shows packs are taking five days on average to produce. Many major estate agent chains are offering HIPs as part of their ordinary fees. Others are charging in the region of £300 to £350 plus VAT on an upfront or deferred basis - £200 to £250 of which is already paid for in the current system.

It’s now four months since Tenancy Deposit Protection became a mandatory requirement in the private rental market and the Tenancy Deposit Scheme already safeguards the deposits of over 225,000 tenants.

But, a recent survey for the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, showed that nearly a fifth of all landlords are still unaware of the mandatory nature of tenancy deposit protection.

This is despite there being less than two months to go before a likely increase in the number of disputes requiring Alternative Dispute Resolution.

This will follow the first significant tranche of tenancies to come to an end since deposit protection legislation was implemented in April. Even though the average tenancy now runs for 18 months, this six month deadline may be crucial as it is very frequently the initial length of a tenancy agreement.

Failure to comply means that not only will the landlord forfeit rights to possession but will also have to pay the tenant three times the amount of the original deposit taken.

(source - 24dash)

97 per cent of work premises inspected in the two weeks after 1 July were smoke-free following the no-smoking laws which came into effect last month, according to data by the Department of Health.

Enforcement officers visiting offices, restaurants, hotels and licensed premises found 97% were following regulations to prohibit smoking in enclosed premises with 79% displaying the correct signage.

Compliance in company cars was also high with levels at 98% and 84% respectively. Dawn Primarolo, minister for public health: 

“When we introduced the smoke-free law last month, we predicted that it would be largely self-enforcing based on experience elsewhere and the fact that three-quarters of the public supported the move,”

“These figures confirm that, just as happened previously in Ireland then Scotland. England saw very high levels of compliance in the first few days. All the signs are that businesses and the public have taken the new law in their stride.”

The compensation paid by employers who discriminated against employees fell by almost £1m last year, as the number of successful employment tribunal claims decreased for the second year in a row. (Personnel Today)

But the average tribunal award remained almost unchanged, dropping from £7,567 in 2005 to £7,500 in 2006.

Researchers analysed 313 awards under sex, race and disability discrimination laws and the 2003 regulations covering discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and religious belief.

In total, employers were ordered to pay a total of £4,150,225, rising with interest to £4,295,160. This is compared with £5.2m in 2005, and £6.2m in 2004.