August 17, 2021

Building Safety Bill: initial NHF response

The long-awaited Building Safety Bill, published on Monday 5 July, sets out the legislation for the new building safety regulatory regime to ensure the safety of people and their homes. The Bill introduces significant changes to building safety regulation, as recommended by Dame Judith Hackitt in her Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, and introduces the new Building Safety Regulator to oversee the

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COVID induced corner-cutting risks invalidating insurance for home movers

Gas safety campaigners are warning that a boom in home moving and improving, combined with a pandemic-squeeze on people’s finances and a lack of understanding about insurance policies, risks jeopardising health and wealth in 2021. With many entering 2021 suffering from the negative economic impacts of the Covid-19, pandemic, cutting

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Things to Take Note of While Selecting a Solar Installer

Installing a solar power system is a big decision. Finding out the right installer is a bigger decision. A solar panel investment is a matter of more than twenty-five years, and you cannot hire just about any company, which claims to install solar panels. It will help if you choose

Read More »

Why Every E-Commerce Company Should Invest in Email Marketing

When growing your business, it’s essential to know which marketing efforts are worth investing in. With more options available than ever before, choosing the best channel for your business can feel overwhelming. That said, email marketing remains a great tactic that helps eCommerce companies thrive in this saturated market. Aside

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Real Estate Photography: What You Need to Know

Are you just starting in real estate photography? If yes, we have some fantastic tips for you. Here are some things you need to know. ·         It Is a Lucrative Field  If you have been doubting whether you should go into property photography, don’t. It is a highly lucrative field.

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

August 17, 2021

Building Safety Bill: initial NHF response

The long-awaited Building Safety Bill, published on Monday 5 July, sets out the legislation for the new building safety regulatory regime to ensure the safety of people and their homes. The Bill introduces significant changes to building safety regulation, as recommended by Dame Judith Hackitt in her Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, and introduces the new Building Safety Regulator to oversee the new safety regime.  Responding to the publication of the Bill, Victoria Moffett, Head of Building and Fire Safety Programmes at the National Housing Federation said:   “We welcome the publication of the Bill as an important milestone. It is the next step in overhauling the building safety regulatory system to make sure a tragedy like the fire at Grenfell Tower never happens again.    “It’s positive to see the government acknowledge today that private developers are ultimately responsible for the poor workmanship which has led to so many safety issues. And, that these developers should therefore cover the costs of the work, rather than homeowners or those in social housing.    “But many questions remain about what will happen in practice.   “Giving leaseholders longer to pursue private developers for compensation could help some people, but unfortunately not everyone who is struggling to pay enormous building safety bills. There was also no announcement about other financial support for leaseholders today.   “The government has rightfully made it a legal requirement for building owners to pursue all other options before passing any building safety costs on to leaseholders. Not-for-profit housing associations have already been doing this but we are concerned to hear of cases where they have not been successful and housing associations will have no other choice but to still pass on costs to homeowners or shared owners in their buildings.    “There was also no funding for housing associations remediating social housing announced today. Charitable housing associations have so far been unable to access existing government funds. They are already diverting billions of pounds away from the upkeep of their social homes and away from building new social housing in order to make safe homes they bought in good faith.   “If the government want to avoid bills being passed on to homeowners and fewer affordable homes getting built over the next decade, they will need to cover all building safety costs upfront and claim the costs back later from the companies they acknowledge are responsible – such as private developers.”   We will continue to set out the case for funding for social housing providers to the government, MPs and key stakeholders. Our Policy team is examining the Bill, in particular what it means for housing associations, and we will be publishing a full briefing for our members in the coming weeks. If you would like to join the building safety mailing list for email updates, please login or create an NHF account, go to My Account and set your communication preferences. Alternatively, please email communications@housing.org.uk. Please note this mailing list is for housing association members only.  

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COVID induced corner-cutting risks invalidating insurance for home movers

Gas safety campaigners are warning that a boom in home moving and improving, combined with a pandemic-squeeze on people’s finances and a lack of understanding about insurance policies, risks jeopardising health and wealth in 2021. With many entering 2021 suffering from the negative economic impacts of the Covid-19, pandemic, cutting costs this Winter is a priority. New research from the Gas Safe Register – the UK’s official registration body for gas engineers and gas businesses – shows that just under half of householders (49%) say the pandemic has made them thriftier, prompting 45% to try ‘doing it themselves’ rather than relying on qualified, legally registered professionals for improvements and renovations. However, these efforts to save could actually prove more costly – almost 90% of the 2,000 householders surveyed did not realise home renovations can impact their home insurance cover and large numbers can’t identify some of the most common things that could invalidate policies, leading to future claims being rejected. These include: Using faulty home appliances (61% were unaware) DIY damage caused by improvements such as such as re-locating a gas boiler, building a conservatory, or similar (50%) Not using a certified tradesperson for carrying out gas and electrical work or repairs in your home (48%) Accidentally invalidating your home insurance policy can be distressing, both emotionally and financially – but over half (51%) of Brits admit to never having read their home insurance policy in full. However, for safety reasons, gas, electrical and plumbing works must be carried out by a registered professional. Tackling these types of job unqualified can invalidate home insurance and warranties, leaving people significantly out of pocket if something goes wrong. In fact, according to data from the Association of British Insurers (ABI), 82.2 per cent of claims are accepted, while the average cash amount people claim for on their home insurance is £2,627*. The pandemic has sparked a sharp rise in people in wanting to relocate and change their housing situations, with a near two-fold increase in volume of agreed UK sales by last autumn alone*. This booming property market is set to see last year’s trend for renovations and DIY continue, as over a quarter (26%) of Brits plan to carry out major improvements in their homes over this coming year.   To help these millions of movers and improvers stay safe and save money, Gas Safe Register has teamed up with TV personality and DIY expert, Jo Behari as part of its Safety Starts at Home public awareness campaign. Behari says: “When moving home or deciding to make big home improvements, it’s easy to get caught up in the aesthetics or keeping costs down and let home safety take a back seat. Before deciding to embark on any work, I urge all homeowners to ensure that the tradespeople they hire are properly qualified to safely and legally carry out the work.  “Worryingly, two thirds of gas work carried out illegally – by people not registered with the Gas Safe Register – is found to be unsafe. At worst, the consequences can be devastating, but it can also invalidate your home insurance. People need to check their home insurance policies so they’re clear on how work might impact their ability to make a claim. Always make sure you use a Gas Safe Registered engineer for gas work, checking they’re certified and on the register. Like with our health, prevention is better than cure when it comes to gas safety and keeping you covered for the unexpected. Having your gas appliances checked annually by a registered engineer means you won’t risk invalidating your insurance by continuing to use appliances that have developed faults.” Jonathan Samuel, chief executive at Gas Safe Register says: “We’ve spent so much more time in our homes recently it’s natural people have looked to move and improve. We’re stressing the importance of not cutting corners when gas is involved, even when finances are squeezed. “While DIY-ing directly with gas appliances is the most obvious way to cause a gas emergency, there are other projects that can indirectly put you at risk. For example, accidentally drilling a hole through a gas pipe while attempting to put up shelving. “Whether it’s gas emergency, planned maintenance or improvements, it’s vital you seek the help of a registered expert. Gas engineers are listed as key workers and as such, are still conducting home visits, with the necessary precautions in place, during this period of social distancing and staying at home.” Kate Devine, insurance expert at MoneySuperMarket said: “Attempting home improvements yourself which involve significant building work, or even gas and electrical work, rather than using a legally registered professional can seem like a great way to save money. However, doing so, can easily leave you exposed to having a claim refused and significantly out of pocket, should you need to call upon your home insurance policy and you have unwittingly invalidated it.    “My advice is to always be clear on what your policy covers you for and what it doesn’t. Read the Ts&Cs and make sure you enter your own details correctly.” Download the Gas Safe Register’s free winter guide for useful information on how to stay gas safe during the colder months of the year.

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Things to Take Note of While Selecting a Solar Installer

Installing a solar power system is a big decision. Finding out the right installer is a bigger decision. A solar panel investment is a matter of more than twenty-five years, and you cannot hire just about any company, which claims to install solar panels. It will help if you choose a solar installer who carefully looks at your requirements, your roof, stands behind their work, and honors any warranty. Take a look at the website and company values The company’s mission and vision statements, objectives, and values offer a glance into a business’s DNA, and you understand how you will be treated as a customer. If the values of the company match with what you are looking forward to, shortlist it. Look at their experience and longevity Gain information about the number of years they have been working in this field. If they are reliable, they will mention their past projects on their websites. Spend some time checking those and the certifications of the company. Examine the warranties Solarpower panels last for years without much maintenance. If an issue occurs, you should know who to contact. The solar energy system has several warranties, from the manufacturer warranties for various parts to workmanship warranties from installers.  The latter warranty adheres only to the specific work performed by the installer and usually spans over a period of ten years. Understand the warranty carefully to know what is included or excluded and check with the installer to learn about hidden aspects of the warranties. Also, ask the installer if you have to pay charges during the check or replacement of any equipment. Who will install the system? Full-service installers involve their in-house team members to complete the project – designing, installing, monitoring, and maintaining. Sometimes, solar installers depend on subcontractors to perform all or part of the work involved in installing the system. There is nothing to be disappointed by this as it is a normal practice in the industry. You have to pay attention to the level of transparency from the installers about who will install the system – the installers themselves or the subcontractors. Also, try to know why they use the subcontractor and what portion of the work will be done by the subs. Everything boils down to one point – who will be responsible if there is a problem and who will you go to for a solution. If they answer clearly, you can go ahead with the company or switch your attention to its competitors. Verify their online reviews and speak to their customers Never hire a company without listening to or reading the recommendations. You may talk to friends and neighbors who have also installed solar panels. The reviews about a company from its users and customers are a great way to know about its services. Check out social media platforms and Google reviews to get an insight into the company’s workmanship. Peace of Mind A purchase should never pressurize you. Is the installation company pushing hard? If yes, you may not be alarmed immediately as many reputable solar installers offer incentives to their staff with commissions. But, if you notice that the representatives are moving from door-to-door, insisting you sign a contract without reading it and convincing you that solar will be great for your roof while others refuse to install without repairing the house, understand that these are signs of high-pressure sales tactics. Keep your eyes and ears open for choosing a solar installer. Make sure that the company is reliable and has been in this industry for a long time.

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Why Every E-Commerce Company Should Invest in Email Marketing

When growing your business, it’s essential to know which marketing efforts are worth investing in. With more options available than ever before, choosing the best channel for your business can feel overwhelming. That said, email marketing remains a great tactic that helps eCommerce companies thrive in this saturated market. Aside from the fact that this strategy is 40% better at converting than some social media platforms, it is also an excellent channel for generating leads, making sales, and retaining customers. But before you set up an email marketing campaign, it’s essential to grow a reliable online presence for your business so customers can browse and shop in your online store without any trouble. A good start is the most suitable hosting for business and a relevant domain name. So if you’re wondering whether email marketing is the right marketing option for you and how well it would pay off, continue reading this article.  Generates the Highest ROI ROI, which stands for return on investment, refers to the incremental revenue per dollar spent. Implementing a high-generating ROI marketing strategy is essential to keep businesses profitable and running for the long haul. Compared to other marketing methods, email marketing tends to generate the highest ROI. For every dollar spent on this marketing tactic, businesses get an ROI of $40. In retrospect, search engine optimization (SEO) only generates $22.24, and mobile marketing yields at only $10.51. When done right, this practice benefits businesses in the following ways: Justifies marketing spend Compares marketing efficiency  Provides insight on what to spend more on With the correct information, businesses can plan a lucrative marketing strategy, spending less to gain maximum revenue.  Increases Web Traffic According to HubSpot, the most significant marketing challenge for businesses is generating traffic and leads. No matter the size of your business, having an email marketing strategy is vital. In 2021, there are 4.147 million email users and 319.6 billion sent and received emails per day. With that in mind, people worldwide are reachable through their email inbox, making email marketing a suitable strategy to drive more traffic to your website. The first step to email marketing is building an email list – a collection of email addresses from people who permit you to send them emails. Typically, people provide their email addresses in exchange for a special offer, valuable resources, or freebies. For instance, if your business sells kitchen appliances, consider offering a healthy recipe eBook in return for their email addresses. Next, make sure the emails you send are not spammy. Avoid sending them too often and including unnecessary information. Instead, keep them concise and provide a clear call-to-action button to drive targeted traffic to the pages you choose. Easy to Measure Measuring your marketing efforts is critical. It gives insight into what works, what doesn’t, and where to improve, allowing businesses to plan a better strategy for maximum results. Here are several email marketing metrics to measure to help improve the outcome: Open rate. This refers to the percentage of recipients who opened your email. Consider personalizing the subject line with the recipient’s first name to increase the open rate. Click-through rate. Shows how many recipients clicked on a link attached to your email. Pay attention to the anchor text, link placement, and button color choice. Unsubscribe rate. The percentage of recipients who unsubscribe from your mailing list. This is mostly due to unrecognizable sender, weak brand identity, and emailing too often. Complaint rate. This is the percentage of recipients who marked your email as spam. Reasons for high complaint rates include leaving out the unsubscribe link in your emails and sending irrelevant content. Conversion rate. The number of recipients who completed your desired action, such as purchasing a product, subscribing to a channel, or signing up for a course. Bounce rate. Shows total emails that weren’t successfully delivered, which is mainly due to the wrong email address, overloaded server, or full mailbox on the recipient’s part. Builds a Lasting Customer Base Aside from attracting new customers, it’s also critical to retain the existing ones. Not only will doing so help increase sales but a loyal and lasting customer base will also boost your company’s growth and brand reputation. A great way to achieve that by email marketing is through loyalty programs – a marketing strategy to encourage repeat orders and increase brand loyalty. Here’s a list of programs worth considering: VIP programs. Consider offering access to special deals such as coupon codes or early launch discounts to those who sign up as VIP members. Brand ambassador programs. Offer various perks such as invitations to brand events and access to exclusive communities to those who become brand ambassadors. Referral programs. Encourage customers to invite others to try your brand or service by giving redeemable points for every successful conversion. Email Is a Preferred Communication Channel 83% of customers prefer to hear from brands via email. That said, it’s important to pay attention to your audiences’ needs. For instance, 54% of consumers want businesses to make it easy to opt out of their mailing list. Therefore, include an easy-to-spot unsubscribe button for their convenience. Additionally, personalize your emails as this strategy boosts transaction rates by six times.  Customers also state they’re more likely to shop when offered personalized offers and product recommendations. A great example of this is Netflix, where they send emails based on the customer’s watch history. Without personalization, you risk losing customers, as 74% of them get frustrated when content has nothing to do with them. Boosts Sales When done right, email marketing can boost sales. To do that, consider using email segmentation, the practice of dividing your email list into different groups so marketers can tailor unique campaigns to each segment. As a marketer, you can segment based on a few criteria, such as signup date, group interest, or subscriber activity. That said, segmentation enables marketers to respond to subscribers’ behaviors and make customized messages relevant to their needs. This practice can garner 14.31% higher

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Real Estate Photography: What You Need to Know

Are you just starting in real estate photography? If yes, we have some fantastic tips for you. Here are some things you need to know. ·         It Is a Lucrative Field  If you have been doubting whether you should go into property photography, don’t. It is a highly lucrative field. According to insights from the United States Department of Labor, a beginner can take home as much as $40,000 every year. With a little more experience, earnings can rise to $100,000. Real estate photography is a niche area.  It tends to reduce the amount of competition you will have to deal with, so take the time to market yourself.  Come up with a unique offering that your peers may not have thought about.  ·         Diversify Your Income Look at other areas to diversify your earnings. Photo property images can make excellent online real estate magazines. You can also create 3D property tours for your client as an extra service. Another idea is virtual staging. Use your images to fill up empty rooms. The clients will find it easier to sell a house that looks like someone lives in it. Learn more about the fascinating virtual staging by clicking on this link.  ·         Invest In the Right Equipment Investing in the right equipment is critical as it will make your life so much simpler. Indeed, quality photography equipment is not cheap. But, look at it as an investment towards your career. Good quality will also give you long-term usage. You don’t have to keep replacing the equipment. You will need:- ·         Have a Website and Social Media Presence  A website provides so many advantages to real estate photographers. It is a fantastic way to get your name into the market. You also get to showcase your work on a professional easy to access platform. Take advantage of content creation to establish yourself as an authority. One particularly good example of a property photography business, that have recently been expanding their online presence is Photo Property who operate in the UK. They’ve been developing their website, making it look more professional and user-friendly, and creating engaging content for their social media profiles. Overall a fantastic strategy for gaining new business. As we’ve mentioned above, it’s important to have a strong social media presence. You get access to a broad audience base, who can end up being clients? Join relevant groups of like-minded individuals who work in real estate photography. Network like crazy so that you start to establish a name within the industry.  Do not forget to link the social media sites to your website. It is a fantastic way to build organic audiences for both platforms.  Conclusion Real estate photography can be challenging but very rewarding. With proper marketing services, you will never miss clients. Be consistent, professional, creative and unique in your service offering.  Good luck in your career. 

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