New property management platform apropos, developed by UK letting Agent DJ Alexander, has launched. The platform hopes to take the experience of DJ Alexander’s letting agents and property managers into the digital realm. The application allows property owners to track and monitor their full rental portfolio online by using an
Since March, all tenants – whether in private or social accommodation – can now sue their landlords if their homes have health-damaging defects. This is thanks to the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Bill 2017-2019, which came into force for new tenancies from 20 March 2019 and, from now, applies
PLANNING has been submitted by a joint venture between Locksley Hotels Ltd and hotel group Ascena for the centrepiece of the much anticipated multi-million-pound Guildhall development in Nottingham, which will create more than 250 jobs for the city. Originally built in 1887, the Guildhall has hosted a magistrates’ court, police
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there is a recognized hazard when working on the roof or at heights. Minimizing the dangers of working in such areas starts with a deep-rooted understanding of the risks and deployment of the necessary equipment. There are various reasons why people
New property management platform apropos, developed by UK letting Agent DJ Alexander, has launched. The platform hopes to take the experience of DJ Alexander’s letting agents and property managers into the digital realm. The application allows property owners to track and monitor their full rental portfolio online by using an online dashboard which shows full visibility of all transactions. This is accessible 24/7 on mobile, desktop or laptop with live notifications. The team made the decision to launch this new system in spite of the global pandemic, hoping that the platform will help set the standard for what can be expected in a post-COVID world. Apropos believes that this will help them prioritise the wellbeing of landlords, staff and tenants during this difficult time. David Alexander, apropos joint managing director said: “Our day to day priorities remain the safety, security, and welfare of all our staff, landlords and tenants. We must operate in the most responsible and flexible way we can during these extraordinary times. “But equally it is important to recognise that the coronavirus outbreak, despite the current lockdown and difficulties it is currently imposing on all of us, will not last forever.” The platform helps integrate agents across the UK’s major property hotspots, including Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and London. The team is hoping to expand this reach over the coming months. Alexander added: “We believe that our platform, which draws on our 40 years of experience in the letting sector, is the future for property management backed up by outstanding service from our apropos agents. We now have 44% of the UK covered by our apropos agents and will be extending our network to cover the largest 100 towns and cities in the country.” Many other businesses are taking this time to launch new schemes. Insuraguest launched a vacation rental program guaranteeing coverage to a $5 million limit, and many hosts have responded to the uncertainty with platforms to create their own direct booking sites.
Since March, all tenants – whether in private or social accommodation – can now sue their landlords if their homes have health-damaging defects. This is thanks to the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Bill 2017-2019, which came into force for new tenancies from 20 March 2019 and, from now, applies to existing, historic tenancies too. “Landlords have had 12 months to consider the implications of the act”, says Hudson Lambert, managing director of Safeguard Europe – the UK’s leading specialist in damp and waterproofing, and masonry repair solutions – “and they’re running out of time to improve these properties before the law starts to bite. Our advice to any that haven’t done so is to assess properties as soon as possible and make the necessary repairs or modifications. No one should be living in homes that are damaging to health.” The Act sets out a raft of issues which, if defective, could cause harm to tenants, including proper ventilation and freedom from damp. The presence of damp and poor ventilation can both promote mould growth, and the relationship between ill health, damp and mould and the negative impact on respiratory health are well established. The English Housing Survey 2018-2019 found that 7% of private rented dwellings and 5% of social housing had some sort of damp problem. In certain sectors, that figure appears to be much higher. Research by the National Union of Students published in February 2019 found that 35% of students were living in rented accommodation with damp and mould. Previously tenants with damp and mould problems could attempt to legally address them by pursuing a statutory nuisance notice with local authority environmental health officers. However, the response to council intervention from landlords has often been to begin eviction proceedings against the tenants, which deterred tenants from complaining. Under the new regime, tenants can sue landlords, not only to force them to fix health-damaging defects, but also for compensation. The courts will decide on the timeframe for any required works, and what the level of compensation will be. For landlords and their advisors seeking expert advice on damp, Safeguard offers a CPD seminar programme on the major causes and effective treatments. The headline CPD, the RIBA-accredited Dealing with Dampness, is an overarching introduction to the problems of rising and penetrating damp that will give landlords, specifiers, builders and others enough information to help them tell the difference between the two and determine sources, while giving options on how to act to cure the problem. For details of Safeguard’s CPD programme, visithttps://www.safeguardeurope.com/training-courses/cpd-seminars
PLANNING has been submitted by a joint venture between Locksley Hotels Ltd and hotel group Ascena for the centrepiece of the much anticipated multi-million-pound Guildhall development in Nottingham, which will create more than 250 jobs for the city. Originally built in 1887, the Guildhall has hosted a magistrates’ court, police station and fire station during its history. The planning application submitted by Ascena and architects RPS Design Group reveals a 162-bed, four-star hotel, which will include a rooftop fine dining restaurant, spa and wedding and conference facilities to bring the building into its next lifetime. John Wilby, project lead for Ascena, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have now submitted planning for the exciting development of one of Nottingham’s most iconic buildings and we hope, all things being well, that work on the site will commence later this year. “It is a landmark development for the city and a key destination for people across the East Midlands. Following close work with heritage consultants Turley and Historic England, we’ve ensured that the plans submitted will see a sensitive restoration of the Grade II listed building. The Guildhall is an amazing building and we are naturally delighted to be working with the city council.” The development will house larger than average (28 square metre) luxury hotel rooms and existing courtrooms in the building will be converted into bar and restaurant facilities, retaining the original listed features. The designs for the modern extension to the northern elevation of the existing building will also utilise high-grade materials to give a nod to Nottingham’s lace heritage. The Guildhall building itself will house the hotel, while more modern extensions at the back of the building would be demolished and rebuilt. Jack Turton, director for Ascena, added: “With the building sitting derelict for the best part of a decade, we’re absolutely thrilled to be working with the city council in taking steps towards bringing this iconic Nottingham building back to life – it’s been a long time coming!” City Council Leader, Councillor David Mellen, said: “This is a site that we have long been keen to see developed with a mix of uses, including a high-quality hotel within the main Guildhall building itself. We therefore welcome the fact that a developer is putting forward proposals which could reinvigorate this prime city centre site. “The Guildhall is one of Nottingham’s most distinguished buildings and there has been a great deal of interest in what its future holds. The proposal for a high quality, sensitively restored hotel is an appealing prospect as we continue to transform the city centre into a new destination for residents, businesses and visitors. “It shows ongoing confidence in Nottingham as a city to invest in even during the coronavirus crisis and would complement our wider ambitions for the city’s growth.” Ascena owns and runs a number of luxury hotel and restaurant facilities around the UK, one of which is the Birmingham restaurant Opheem – one of only ten Indian restaurants in the UK to achieve a Michelin star. Opheem which is run by Ascena business partner Aktar Islam. Aktar, who is a former winner of The Great British Menu and The F Word, will be running the rooftop restaurant of the Guildhall development.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there is a recognized hazard when working on the roof or at heights. Minimizing the dangers of working in such areas starts with a deep-rooted understanding of the risks and deployment of the necessary equipment. There are various reasons why people might be on a roof, especially on a commercial building rooftop. For example, maintenance workers could be inspecting the rooftop air handlers, or there might be project construction workers that need to finish a project. Whatever the reason, the property owner must still be able to protect and ensure the safety of the people who might be on the roof of their building. Take note that falls are one of the most common causes of severe workplace-related deaths and injuries. Fortunately, there are several ways to protect whoever is on your roof. Below are some of the ways to avoid fall-related accidents when on the roof. Fall Protection Guardrails Safety System Items which are not carried or worn like anchor points that protect against the risk of fall is under the fall protection safety system. One of the best examples is the guardrails. Guardrails are a stationary system used to safeguard workers from falls when working at height. This type of fall protection safety system is a preferred means of securing workers because they don’t have to be trained on how to wear, use, and inspect a personal fall protection system (PFPS). High-quality guardrails are a convenient and reliable means of fall protection since they act as a physical and visible barrier. Therefore, this fall protection system prevents falls between levels- from heights, stairwells, balconies, roofs, or open holes. The system is commonly used in many places, such as : warehouses retail shops construction sites shipping facilities industrial settings commercial buildings landscaping settings Handrails and guardrails are often used interchangeably. However, handrails and guardrails are not the same, even though guardrails usually have handrails. Generally, handrails are a handhold for people to support themselves when going either downstairs or upstairs. On the other hand, guardrails are specifically designed to prevent falls around the hazard areas. The OSHA has imposed regulations for when guardrails should be installed and specifications for how they must be implemented. By law, building owners or employers should comply with all regulations concerning fall hazards in the workplace provided by the OSHA. Moreover, this fall protection system must be used when people have access to unsecured edges of the following surfaces: Open edges of slab formwork for roofs and floors Around a mezzanine or balcony Around open platforms, raised platforms, or scaffolds Around elevated work surfaces If you are looking for a guardrail that can be installed temporarily, opt for a free-standing, portable, and OSHA compliant mobile roof safety rails. This safety guardrail is non-penetrating and meets the OSHA fall protection standards. Personal Fall Protection Equipment Items that are carried or worn, which protect users from falling, are under the category of personal fall protection equipment (PFPE). There are three PFPE types and methods currently of use. Each equipment focuses on a different risk level and work situation. The first type is called the travel restraint PFPE. It restricts or limits access to locations where a fall can take place. This restrictive PFPE is designed to prevent accidents such as falls. Travel restraint PFPE consists of the following: Anchor Rope Grab Lifeline or Lanyard Full Harness Make sure to pick an anchor that’ll fully support the force of the load. Also, it must be positioned correctly. Before you use the travel restraint PFPE, do the following: Determine all fall hazards in the area. Choose the right components like a snap hook, self-retracting lifeline, energy absorbers, and Y-lanyard. Find suitable anchor points. For example, an anchor point that is almost perpendicular to the hazard area. Ensure that a competent person inspects the equipment before and after use. If a single component of the travel restraint system is not working, that part should be removed immediately. The second type of PFPE is called the positioning PFPE, which enables the partial or total suspension of a worker. It is typically used to protect workers when climbing ladders, allowing them to work without using their hands to support them. The third type is called personal fall arrest systems (PFAS). This equipment isn’t designed to prevent falls from happening but stops the worker’s free fall from a working-walking surface. PFAS consists of self-retracting lifelines, personal fall limiters, connecting devices, and a full-body harness. Regardless of the type of equipment or method use, PFPS must be designed by an experienced and qualified person. An analysis or examination of the supporting structure must also be practiced. Quality Inspection There are several things to consider when examining fall protection systems and personal protection equipment. Has a fall protection system been correctly installed within the guidelines of the manufacturer? Are the calculations accurate to ensure safe load levels? Has it been constructed properly with the correct components? If the answers to these questions are no, then workers working at height may be in danger. Therefore, some problems that quality inspection must cover include: Signs of corrosion Checking damages in cables Energy absorbers inspection Inspection of harnesses and lanyards for cuts and breaks Re-tensioning of cables Checking damages to fittings Quality Training Although safety for people working at heights sits with the employer or building owner, the worker themselves must take responsibility for their safety. However, most of them lack the proper training or knowledge required to correctly identify whether a fall protection system or PFPE is safe to use. Failure in doing so could lead to severe injuries, or worse, death. Thus, quality training is imperative and is always the best form of protection. Takeaway Quality training, regular quality inspection, and the right equipment are essential. However, all count for nothing without the required safety methods and risk assessments considered in place. That said, all equipment must go through pre-checks. Consider hiring an external company
