Retired renter numbers rockets by 200k in 4 years According to a new poll of private renters, the number of people living in private rented accommodation in retirement has soared by more than 200,000 in the last four years. Overall, the poll shows that the proportion of retired private renters
North Lanarkshire Council has announced its biggest investment in council housing for a generation. It will spend £159m adding a further 1,000 houses to its current programme, brings the total number of council houses to be built in the next 10 years to 1,800 and the total programme to 2150.
The decision by the UK to leave the European Union does not seem to have dented the French real estate sector with mortgage rates still low and currency differences still positive. Indeed, the vote coincided with a further drop for French mortgage rates to all time historic lows. These ultra-low
The Federation of Master Builders has released a comment on the Migration Watch paper that was published earlier this week. The Chief Executive of the Federation has said that the conclusions made by Migration Watch that there is no need for EU workers directly contradicts those who have experience of
Design2e the structural design and civil engineering consultancy has released a checklist of all of the different environmental consideration that are needed when designing a new building. The checklist has been released in order to support the construction industry and allow them to meet the environmental regulations that are in
With demand outstripping supply in the construction industry, the pressure on recruiters and sub-contractors to employ workers from outside of the UK is greater than ever, meaning that right to work checks have to be more stringent to combat modern slavery. Credas is a new app which has been created
Retired renter numbers rockets by 200k in 4 years According to a new poll of private renters, the number of people living in private rented accommodation in retirement has soared by more than 200,000 in the last four years. Overall, the poll shows that the proportion of retired private renters has grown by 13% since 2012 – approximately 220,000 – as more and more people turn to the private rented sector. 17% of the retired private renting population live in the South East – the area with the highest proportion across the UK. However, just 3% live in London – the area with the smallest proportion area across England and Wales for renting in retirement. There are almost four times as many retired renters in the North West (15%) compared to the North East (4%), and twice as many retirees rent property in the West Midlands (8%) compared to the East Midlands (4%). However, the proportion of landlords who let to retired renters has almost halved during the same timeframe, with 9% of landlords saying they currently let to retirees compared to 19% in 2012. The findings suggest that it could become harder for those approaching retirement to find suitable rented accommodation in the future, especially in high demand areas. Carolyn Uphill, Chairman of the NLA said: “More and more people are turning to private rented housing at every stage of their lives, including in retirement. Landlords appreciate the stability and assurances often provided by older households, but are finding it increasingly difficult to build businesses around the needs of potentially vulnerable tenants. Successive cuts to the welfare budget, uncertainty about pension provisions, and the devastating impact of the Government’s tax changes are likely to mean that private landlords will soon be unable provide homes in high cost areas like Central London for anyone without a well-paying job. As the proportion of retired renters continues to grow there’s a real worry that homes won’t be available in the private sector, forcing people to look further afield – leaving communities they have known and contributed to for decades.” Source link
North Lanarkshire Council has announced its biggest investment in council housing for a generation. It will spend £159m adding a further 1,000 houses to its current programme, brings the total number of council houses to be built in the next 10 years to 1,800 and the total programme to 2150. Of this, 633 units have already been built are under way. Councillor Barry McCulloch, the convener of housing and social work services, said: “This is a massive investment for the people of North Lanarkshire. As Scotland’s biggest council landlord we understand that modern, accessible housing is a key priority and I’m delighted we will be able to deliver 1,800 new houses by 2026. “We already had an extensive new-build programme in place, but we are determined to do what we can to meet considerable need. The quality of our new houses is unbelievable. They are energy-efficient, accessible and adaptable, which means the needs of people can really be taken into account. It means we can deliver a wide range of housing, including housing for older people, disabled people and young people setting up home for the first time.” A report to the committee set out the criteria for the sites of the 1,000 additional homes, which will be partially paid for with the assistance of Scottish Government grant funding. McCulloch added: “We will take into account housing need, acceptability in terms of planning legislation, cost of development and location, as well as the contribution more housing can make to wider regeneration priorities. The current programme is diverse and has sites across North Lanarkshire and clearly that’s something we would like to see continued. “There are huge advantages to planning in this way. We can make sure we get the maximum efficiency through early procurement and a programme of this scale will also create jobs, boosting our economy. The recommendations were the result of months of work by a member/officer group chaired by councillor Peter Sullivan. He said: “New council houses are badly needed but we had to work hard to identify the best and fairest way to deliver these in the current financial climate. “Access to good quality, affordable housing is a major priority for us and this programme – the biggest in a generation – goes some way towards meeting demand for homes. I’m delighted that many more people will be able to live in safe, efficient and accessible homes as a result of our announcement today.” This article was published on 19 Aug 2016 (last updated on 19 Aug 2016). Source link
The decision by the UK to leave the European Union does not seem to have dented the French real estate sector with mortgage rates still low and currency differences still positive. Indeed, the vote coincided with a further drop for French mortgage rates to all time historic lows. These ultra-low long term fixed rates have in effect nullified the changes in exchange rates for British buyers and offer the opportunity to lock in long term value, according to John Luke Busby, private clients director at French Private Finance. He pointed out that a French repayment mortgage can now be found in the region of 2.15% fixed for 20 years nationally and perhaps down to 1.55% in Paris for some profiles. ‘This means that over a 20 year fixed rate mortgage period British buyers are now still ahead versus the highs of the pound against the euro last year,’ Busby said. ‘It is important to note that we have not had any withdrawals or cancellations on the basis of the referendum result from any of our ongoing applications. Whilst there will clearly be reflection around making new investment decisions in the French market for some UK buyers, investors from around the world are continuing with their purchases in France,’ he explained. ‘This trend is particularly noticeable in Paris where prices are starting to increase again, after a lull, and for investors earning in Dollars the euro is substantially cheaper. US dollar holders can now benefit from the double whammy of a strong currency and ultra-low interest rates,’ he added. Busby believes that overall there seems to be a quiet confidence emerging around the future of the UK economy whatever the result of the negotiations in Brussels or the UK Parliament. ‘There is confidence that, as of today, we remain in the EU so to all intents and purposes it is business as usual,’ he said. He also pointed out that all of the tax treaties relating to property are independent of EU membership for the British, who remain the largest non-resident buyers of French Property. Many regions in France are now starting to see growth in property prices, which herald larger gains once the EU economy can get going again,’ Busby added. ‘The mixture of the romance of French property ownership combined with soft property prices and ultra-low interest rates still conjure a compelling purchase proposition which is hard to ignore over the long term,’ he concluded. Meanwhile, one of the largest sellers of French property to British buyers has reported a 21% rise in sales in the first six months of 2016. Leggett Immobilier also says that since the referendum result enquiries have remained high with over 1,000 enquiries coming into the sales support team in the past seven days. Coupled with this Leggett Immobilier have had 34 offers accepted in the past week, a figure which is well above the weekly average. The firm’s figures show a 21% rise in sales agreed in 2016 so far compared with 2015 with sales agreed up 7% since the referendum was announced and a 44% rise in its fee income pipeline. ‘We have received over a thousand client enquiries on properties since the referendum result; and our agents across France have been agreeing sales to British purchasers all week,’ said Trevor Leggett, chairman of Leggett Immobilier. He also pointed out that the latest sales figures released by BNP Paribas International show that there has been a 29% increase in international buyers last year, which was led by British and Irish buyers who now account for 35% of the international market. ‘Although many people may be feeling uncertain in the wake of the referendum result, it seems that the British love affair with the relaxed French lifestyle, the wonderful culture and climate and the beautiful affordable property available here remains as strong as ever,’ Leggett added. One recent purchaser of a French home in the Dordogne Chris Matthews said; ‘We think it’s important to show our commitment to the EU and would not allow Brexit to get in the way of what we want to do with our lives’. Source link
The Federation of Master Builders has released a comment on the Migration Watch paper that was published earlier this week. The Chief Executive of the Federation has said that the conclusions made by Migration Watch that there is no need for EU workers directly contradicts those who have experience of the construction industry. The construction sector is experiencing a significant skills shortage that in a number of areas in the country, the consistent flow of EU workers has helped to mitigate with the result of allowing the economy and the industry to continue to grow. After Brexit, the free movement of people will stop, however the Government needs to make sure that they are being both realistic and flexible when assessing the likely need for workers in areas such as the construction industry. The shortage of skilled workers in the UK construction industry is becoming more of a barrier for SMEs looking to develop and expand their businesses. The lack of skilled workers is also preventing the construction of houses around the UK that are desperately needed in order to reduce the housing deficit. The Federation of Master Builders has recently carried out research that has shown that over the course of the next three years, with Brexit expected to take place in less than 18 months, and the repercussions of this becomes a reality, it is thought that half of SME house builders will find the skills shortage a barrier to their growth as opposed to more traditional concerns such as the planning system. Research has shown that more than a third of SME house builders currently employ EU workers. This figure rises to 70% in London and the South East. A third of these employers feel that the end of the free movement of workers after Brexit could act as a major barrier to their growth.
Design2e the structural design and civil engineering consultancy has released a checklist of all of the different environmental consideration that are needed when designing a new building. The checklist has been released in order to support the construction industry and allow them to meet the environmental regulations that are in place. Looking to the environmental factors of a project should be the first thing to happen when structural design and civil engineering teams look into planning a structural project. The new building being designed needs to meet the strict regulations that are in place to protect the environment as well as reducing any potential flood risk and making sure that the area surrounding the development is kept clean. All construction projects taking place in the UK must go through an Environmental Impact Assessment, or EIA. This assessment makes sure that the project will only go ahead if it meets the standards laid out to protect the planned building itself as well as the environment. The guide that has been created by Design2e is an information tool for structural and civil engineers, helping them to consider the assessment requirements as a part of their design from the inception of a project. Identifying and overcoming any environmental challenges during the design stage will mean that problems are avoided further down the line, during construction or after. If the problems arise at a later stage there could be a knock on effect on planning permission applications, which will increase the time it takes to complete the project and therefore increase the cost. The works case scenario of an environmental problem being raised later in a development is prosecution. Design2e hopes to encourage all civil and structural engineers to design their projects with sustainability in mind. The checklist that has been created by the consultancy company is available online and can be accessed through any form of smart device as well as being available for printing for use in design meetings in order to make sure that the environmental factors are always a vital consideration throughout the design and construction process. The structural and civil engineering company also offer a range of services that aims to make sure that construction projects being carried out across the UK are cost-efficient and long-lasting. The company offers their clients a range of bespoke environmental services that can be used to protect and improve projects in order to boost the creation of a more sustainable environment.
With demand outstripping supply in the construction industry, the pressure on recruiters and sub-contractors to employ workers from outside of the UK is greater than ever, meaning that right to work checks have to be more stringent to combat modern slavery. Credas is a new app which has been created to help those who manage construction recruitment to save time and money and provide peace of mind that their employees and sub-contractors are verified to work in the UK. The Cardiff-based company uses real-time facial recognition technology to quickly process and verify over 4000 types ID to help construction companies to recruit ethically. Since the introduction of the Modern Slavery Act in 2015, all companies with an annual turnover of more than £36m must issue a Transparency Statement, detailing what they have done to ensure modern slavery is not present in their business or supply chain. Earlier this year, a Government report estimated that there are between 10,000 and 13,000 modern slaves in the UK*, and in a 2015 research report by the European Union, construction was second on the list of economic sectors in the EU most prone to labour exploitation.** Credas’ CEO Rhys David said: “Demand is currently outweighing supply in the construction industry, meaning the need for a scalable, quick and temporary workforce sees no sign of waning. “Consequently, the risk of a forced workforce entering the sector is increased, yet the industry still has a lot do when it comes to tackling modern slavery. It is an industry which relies on sub-contractors, and so is an easy target for traffickers. Due diligence is difficult to undertake, but essential, and construction companies are forced to go through long processes to avoid putting themselves at risk. “The main issue for construction companies is ensuring that all employees – regardless of where they are on the supply chain – have been properly verified before stepping on-site. By integrating the right technology and processes early on in recruitment, businesses can ensure they are compliant and that their staff are safe. “Firms face huge financial and reputational damage if they are found to be breaching modern slavery law. By putting in place facial recognition software and verifying staff documents early on, risk is minimised later down the line.” Credas gives project managers and recruitment staff the ability to verify new starters’ Right to Work documents quickly and easily, with a suite of products and services designed to cut the time and cost it takes to onboard staff by using real-time facial recognition. The Credas verification process consists of three simple steps – a selfie, a photo of the photo ID and a liveness test. Credas does the rest. The liveness tests ensure that the person is present when the verification photo is being taken. The Credas app is compatible with all mobile devices (iOS and Android), ensuring that the verification process can happen swiftly, safely and at any time that’s convenient to the client and user – even on-site.
