With the offshore wind industry rapidly deploying scaled-up turbines – swelling from 2MW versions in 2000 to potential 20MW+ variants by 2030 – new operations and maintenance (O&M) challenges threaten to undermine profitability, efficiency, and safety in the sector. At the same time, an aging fleet of wind farms now
THE NATIONAL Home Decarbonisation Group (NHDG) has issued a ministerial briefing note to outline its 10 key recommendations that the new Labour government must make to successfully deliver on its manifesto commitments in energy efficiency and retrofit. The recommendations are: Derek Horrocks, chair of the National Home Decarbonisation Group, said: “There
For Everyday.Life (FE.L) presents its award winning design ‘Housing Salinas’ during London Design Week at the Material Matters Fair for the first time since it was presented at SXSW in March 2024. ‘Housing Salinas‘ is one of the winners of Initiative 99, a global architecture competition to design affordable housing
WTW, a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company today announced a partnership between its Affinity Insurance business and Kayna, the award-winning insurance infrastructure platform. The partnership has been developed to enable delivery of innovative WTW insurance solutions to SME clients in the UK and US through Vertical Software-as-a-Service (‘vSaaS’)
Derbion, Derby’s leading shopping and leisure destination, has announced that work will soon commence on creating a striking new gateway to Derby city centre, following final funding approval from Derby City Council. The Eastern Gateway project, a partnership between Derbion and the government’s Future High Streets Fund, will introduce a
Real estate investor, developer and asset manager, Firethorn Trust, has acquired a purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development site in Hackney Wick London, under its growing Living platform. Firethorn purchased the site for an undisclosed sum, with planning permission to develop 204 high-quality student beds, 35% of which will be affordable
By Andrew Leah, General Manager of Duraproducts As World Green Building Week draws to a close, it’s imperative to reflect on the industry’s progress and the challenges that lie ahead. The shift towards sustainable construction is driven by a growing awareness of the urgent need to address climate change and
A landmark agreement has been signed for the first ever affordable housing development of its kind on Portland. Dorchester-based Koori Limited, part of the Redtale Group of companies, has joined forces with Portland Community Land Trust (CLT) and East Boro Housing Trust (EBHT), part of the Aster Group, for this
Ipswich-based facilities management company OCS has acquired Exclusive Services Group, a leading provider of contract cleaning services across the UK and Ireland. This marks OCS’ fourth acquisition within the past year, following the acquisitions of Accuro, Abate Pest Management, and Profile Security Services. The addition of Exclusive Services Group allows
As the country girds its loins for what Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has warned will be a ‘painful’ October Budget, trade press headlines and social media channels have been inundated with more doom and gloom for the Private Rented Sector (PRS). The prospect of rises in Capital Gains and Inheritance
With the offshore wind industry rapidly deploying scaled-up turbines – swelling from 2MW versions in 2000 to potential 20MW+ variants by 2030 – new operations and maintenance (O&M) challenges threaten to undermine profitability, efficiency, and safety in the sector. At the same time, an aging fleet of wind farms now require either repowering or intelligently modified O&M strategies, adding significant layers of complexity to their ongoing viability and financial success. These dual challenges are part of the focus of a new white paper released by Shoreline Wind; How Robust O&M Plans Boost the Profitability of Offshore Wind Farms. “The industry is at a crossroads. Larger turbines have increased energy production and reduced costs, but they’ve also introduced new O&M risks. A single failure in these larger turbines can lead to significant downtime and financial loss, an issue already seen in onshore, and now emerging offshore. Combined with aging assets, the need to review and update offshore O&M strategies is more vital than ever,” says Michael Bjerrum, Chief Commercial Officer and Co-Founder at Shoreline Wind. The white paper explores how larger turbines require a more sophisticated approach to O&M as well as managing balance of plant, including maintenance of larger foundations, Offshore Substations and cables. Bigger turbines demand a seamlessly integrated O&M approach, where every component, must be meticulously evaluated and managed to avoid costly disruptions. Additionally, over 8GW of offshore wind farms are now more than a decade old – a figure expected to triple in the next four years. Asset owners need tailored O&M plans to cope with the numerous and nuanced technical issues experienced by older machines. On top of this, owners may have to manage these turbines themselves once the initial OEM service deal expires. Considering these twofold challenges, the paper advocates for early and proactive O&M planning that begins even before a wind farm is fully commissioned. As the scale of offshore projects increase, there is a growing overlap between construction and operations activities, making early O&M planning essential to avoid costly delays and ensure a smooth transition from construction to full operation. The paper simultaneously highlights the importance of adapting O&M to regional nuances and conditions, as new markets open up and the unique challenges presented by older assets become apparent. It offers guidance on how to tailor O&M plans to diverse geographies, accounting for differences in local conditions, climate, and supply chain constraints. In addition to larger turbine and aging asset challenges, Shoreline Wind’s white paper addresses several other critical topics, including: How Robust O&M Plans Boost the Profitability of Offshore Wind Farms is available to download at Shoreline Wind’s website. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
THE NATIONAL Home Decarbonisation Group (NHDG) has issued a ministerial briefing note to outline its 10 key recommendations that the new Labour government must make to successfully deliver on its manifesto commitments in energy efficiency and retrofit. The recommendations are: Derek Horrocks, chair of the National Home Decarbonisation Group, said: “There is an opportunity for the Labour government to bring further scale and ambition to foundations that are already working, while bringing fresh ideas and impetus to parts of the retrofit market that are not. “A great deal of thought has gone into the manifesto and priorities of this new Labour government with commitments to invest an extra £6.6 billion to upgrade 5 million homes for increased energy efficiency and lower bills, alongside the mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower. It is critical that these plans on which the new government has been elected are now put into action. “We hope that the briefing we have issued helps to highlight the number of areas that need to be addressed, but also that the National Home Decarbonisation Group members are ready to work with the new government on achieving high-quality, large-scale retrofit delivery across the UK.” The ministerial briefing includes further explanation on why each of the recommendations have been made and potential ways to adopt them, as well as including references to various different research studies into energy efficiency in the UK. The NHDG was established in 2023 and represents Tier 1 contractors and energy suppliers that specialise in retrofit residential decarbonisation at scale. The group aims to coordinate businesses providing residential decarbonisation at scale across all tenures of UK housing and focuses on three core areas; skills, innovation, and policy. To learn more about NHDG, its aims and its members, please visit the website at: https://www.nhdg.org/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
For Everyday.Life (FE.L) presents its award winning design ‘Housing Salinas’ during London Design Week at the Material Matters Fair for the first time since it was presented at SXSW in March 2024. ‘Housing Salinas‘ is one of the winners of Initiative 99, a global architecture competition to design affordable housing for under $99,000, launched by ICON the pioneering construction technology company based in Austin, Texas. Initiative 99 represents a pivotal moment for the future of housing, combining ICON’s 3D-printing technology with CarbonX, a new mortar based concrete developed in partnership with MIT to reduce the carbon impact of traditional concrete. When paired with ICON’s wall system and robotic construction methods, ICON’s CarbonX formula is the lowest carbon residential building system ready to be used at scale. The ‘Housing Salinas’ project by FE.L is more than architecture, designed in response to community displacement in Puerto Rico as a result of Hurricane Maria, it is the creation of a long-term solution that strives towards a future where residents can live, work, and flourish in an environment that embodies the highest standards of social and environmental responsibility. FE.L has already won in the Open Category of Phase 1 of the competition, and is now entered in Phase 2 to see the final concept built, as well as being featured in ICON’s CODEX, a new digital catalogue of ready-to-print home architecture that will allow builders, developers and home buyers to build with ICON quickly and affordably using world-class architecture. At Material Matters FE.L will showcase its submission which for context, is based on the widespread displacement experienced during Hurricane Maria in 2017, affecting around 135,000 people in Puerto Rico, particularly the economically disadvantages areas of Salinas. It is located on the site of a decommissioned coal power plant, which provides an opportunity to address long-term regenerative solutions to outdated infrastructure and better support local communities. FE.L’s solution is designed to adapt over time as requirements shift and communities change. Integrating with the landscape through texture, colour, and natural rewilding, each unit is positioned to create a variety of courtyard spaces, physically connected through use but independent when needed for privacy. Large windows at high level allow deep penetration of daylight without direct overlooking from adjacent units; creating a light, open, voluminous space far removed from the temporary nature of many post natural disaster housing schemes. Commenting on winning the prize, Colin Macgadie, Co-Founder of FEL said: “For Everyday Life is an emerging design studio and creative consultancy with a mission to “Shape what’s next”. Our ambitions could not be more aligned with Initiative 99 and ICON.” Jorge Mendez-Caceres, Co-Founder at FEL said:“The Housing Salinas project highlights our commitment to creating a vibrant and sustainable solution that could be measured against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The ambition is to provide more than just houses; there is an aspiration to cultivate a harmonious living environment that prioritises social inclusivity, environmental responsibility, and economic prosperity.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
WTW, a leading global advisory, broking and solutions company today announced a partnership between its Affinity Insurance business and Kayna, the award-winning insurance infrastructure platform. The partnership has been developed to enable delivery of innovative WTW insurance solutions to SME clients in the UK and US through Vertical Software-as-a-Service (‘vSaaS’) platforms. Vertical SaaS platforms provide types of software solutions which are created for specific industries and the partnership between WTW and Kayna intends to provide full program administration for US and UK-based industry-specific platforms in the construction, legal, salon/spa, fitness and field service sectors, distributing tailored insurance solutions. Specialist WTW teams in the UK and US will lead the product development and broker all insurance offerings as the company affirms its primary focus to delivering next generation distribution for the fast-growing Affinity Insurance sector. The partnership between WTW Affinity and Kayna will enable WTW to distribute property, general liability, workers’ compensation, commercial auto and umbrella liability insurance solutions to industry-specific vSaaS platforms. The partnership aims to drive top-line growth for vSaaS platform providers by leveraging platform data to serve relevant, tailored insurance through a streamlined process direct to the customer base that use such platforms to run their day-to-day business operations. “This is Affinity Insurance 2.0”, said Paul Lubbers, Head of Affinity and Programs US at WTW. “Insurance at your fingertips, forms derived from the actual key data that informs insurance metrics, and a facilitated process that goes beyond the policy purchase to trigger alerts if coverage level needs to be updated to mitigate risk. Both WTW and Kayna are playing to our respective strengths in delivering a world-class solution that is set to play a pivotal role in our consumer and commercial programs across the US.” Anthony Borgman, Head of Affinity GB at WTW concluded, “WTW Affinity have been able to add our unique value and expertise to the delivery of a data-led, end-to-end insurance service to not only deliver value but provide greater confidence to SME’s seeking appropriate levels of protection. I am delighted to see our UK Affinity capabilities expand in this exciting way and to have this opportunity to build on our partnership for the long-term.” Commenting on the partnership, Paul Prendergast, CEO and Kayna co-founder, said, “This is all about driving lots of new types of data-led, automated, simplified insurance business, tapping into huge distribution opportunities and doing all the heavy lifting for vSaaS platforms and their customers. WTW powered by Kayna will be providing trusted full service, tailored insurance solutions direct to SMEs via platforms whose core business is not insurance but whose rich, curated SME data is the critical success factor in ensuring right-sized insurance cover.” Key aspects of the partnership include: ● Kayna technology empowers WTW-brokered products on any vSaaS platform. ● Kayna deploys low-code end-to-end orchestration layer. ● Kayna technology enables WTW insurance distribution and the ability for platform customers to engage with indicative quotes, pre-filled applications, and policy generation. ● vSaaS platform leverages its data via Kayna technology to provide relevant, right-sized policy offers for SME customers. ● Kayna technology allows WTW to provide real-time alerts on coverage exposure based on dynamic business changes across the life-time of the policy. ● vSaaS SME customers can manage their insurance policy portfolios with full access on the WTW platform to: Insurance documentation, certificate of Insurance and general account information – fees paid, renewal dates, claims status. ● vSaaS platform has oversight on activity via a comprehensive admin portal. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Derbion, Derby’s leading shopping and leisure destination, has announced that work will soon commence on creating a striking new gateway to Derby city centre, following final funding approval from Derby City Council. The Eastern Gateway project, a partnership between Derbion and the government’s Future High Streets Fund, will introduce a modern façade and urban garden, transforming the area opposite the bus station and Derbion’s eastern entrance. The project aims to revitalise the space, making it a more attractive and welcoming entrance to the city centre. Construction is set to begin this month, with the project scheduled for completion in the first half of 2025. Beth McDonald, Managing Director at Derbion, said: “The Eastern Gateway will provide a fresh, inviting entrance to the city centre, transforming the area into a vibrant urban square. We’re excited to begin the development and to see the positive impact it will have on footfall and visitor experience.” Councillor Nadine Peatfield, leader of Derby City Council and cabinet member for city centre regeneration, added: “I’m delighted that this project is moving forward, marking a significant milestone in the transformation of Derby’s city centre. This development will not only enhance the appearance of the area but also create an inclusive space that everyone can enjoy. It’s a key step in better connecting the city and ensuring Derby’s future is bright and full of opportunities.” The Eastern Gateway is part of Derby’s broader city centre regeneration, with £3 million allocated from the £15 million awarded to the council by the government’s Future High Streets Fund. Derbion is contributing an additional £1 million to the scheme. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Real estate investor, developer and asset manager, Firethorn Trust, has acquired a purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) development site in Hackney Wick London, under its growing Living platform. Firethorn purchased the site for an undisclosed sum, with planning permission to develop 204 high-quality student beds, 35% of which will be affordable accommodation. It will feature generous amenities, including modern co-working study spaces, common rooms and an outdoor roof terrace. In line with the London Plan, 51% of the accommodation, including the affordable rooms, will be nominated to a London university partner. The remaining beds will be available for direct let to students. The development will also create approximately 1,400 sq. m. of affordable and incubator workspace, working closely with community interest groups to support local businesses and entrepreneurs. With a focus on building quality living spaces with an enhanced specification, this is the second student accommodation scheme to sit within the growing Firethorn Living portfolio, following the acquisition of a 230-bed PBSA site in Leith Walk, Edinburgh earlier this year. Marcus Weeks, Director and Head of Living at Firethorn Trust, commented: “This acquisition reflects our ambition to create modern, sustainable living spaces in prime university locations across the UK. “We are pleased to be playing our part in addressing the significant supply and demand imbalance for high-quality, affordable student housing in London, and look forward to working closely with local stakeholders to deliver a best-in-class development that will make a positive impact on both students and the neighbouring community.” Set on the grounds of the former Broadwood piano factory, the development will preserve and incorporate the site’s historic brick chimney, originally built in 1902. Neighbouring the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Hackney Wick is a 15-minute walk to both University Arts London and UCL East. The area is a vibrant student hotspot, offering a mix of bars and restaurants, with the convenience of Westfield Stratford nearby. Work on site is expected to commence in 2025 and completion targeted for the 2027/28 academic year. For more information, visit www.firethorntrust.com Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
By Andrew Leah, General Manager of Duraproducts As World Green Building Week draws to a close, it’s imperative to reflect on the industry’s progress and the challenges that lie ahead. The shift towards sustainable construction is driven by a growing awareness of the urgent need to address climate change and reduce our environmental impact. However, sustainable construction is more than just building green infrastructure. It’s about designing, constructing, and operating buildings in a way that minimises their environmental impact throughout their entire lifecycle. This requires a holistic approach that considers factors such as materials sourcing, energy efficiency, water conservation, and waste management. One of the key challenges facing the industry is the need to balance sustainability with affordability. While sustainable building materials and technologies can sometimes have higher upfront costs, their long-term benefits, such as reduced energy consumption and lower maintenance expenses, can offset these initial investments and cannot be disputed. Another challenge is the lack of standardised metrics and guidelines for measuring sustainability. This can make it difficult for building owners and developers to compare options and make informed decisions. Developing a common framework for assessing sustainability can help to drive innovation and promote best practices. At Duraproducts, we believe Lifecycle Assessments (LCAs) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are essential tools for our sustainability journey. Since receiving these certifications in 2023, we’ve been able to expand our business further into Europe, thanks to the standardised assessment of our products’ environmental performance and impacts throughout their lifecycle. It’s also been encouraging to see a growing demand from architects, engineers, and designers for EPDs and LCAs, as they too recognise the importance of measuring and mitigating the whole-life carbon footprint of their projects. To overcome these challenges and accelerate the transition to sustainable construction, the industry must invest in research and development, promote education and training, and collaborate with stakeholders. Find out more about how Duraproducts contributes to a healthier, safer, and more sustainable built environment here: https://www.duraproducts.co.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A landmark agreement has been signed for the first ever affordable housing development of its kind on Portland. Dorchester-based Koori Limited, part of the Redtale Group of companies, has joined forces with Portland Community Land Trust (CLT) and East Boro Housing Trust (EBHT), part of the Aster Group, for this trailblazing scheme. Nine affordable homes will be built for local people as part of the regeneration of Portland’s former Southwell Primary School site off Sweet Hill Lane. The CLT properties will be available to rent at below market rates to local people with a connection to Portland, giving tenants a chance to live in their community with peace of mind over security of tenure and affordability. The properties will not be available as second homes or as holiday lets. Koori has provided land and is building the development for the CLT scheme – the first on Portland – as part of its circa £15m May Bower Gardens scheme. The first phase of May Bower Gardens is on course for completion in the autumn of this year. CLTs, which are a form of community-led housing, are set up and run by people within their local communities to develop and manage homes as well as other assets. The CLTs act as long-term stewards of the properties, ensuring the homes remain genuinely affordable, not just for now but for every future occupier. Representatives from Koori, EBHT and Portland CLT have now signed a contract for the site. The first residents are expected to move in before Christmas of this year. The homes, a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom properties, will be built by Koori and managed by housing association EBHT on behalf of the CLT, which will own the freehold. Portland CLT board is greatly encouraged to see this project moving forward. They said: “We are aware that demand continues to increase for good-quality, affordable housing on Portland. “The aim is for May Bower Gardens to be the first of a number of CLT projects on the island. We’re very grateful for the support of all partners in the project.” There are currently 500 applicants being processed on the housing register who have a Portland connection or who have expressed Portland as their preferred option. Malcolm Curtis, Chief Executive the Redtale Group, said: “As a local business with its heart in the community, we’re pleased to support this pioneering project to create the first CLT on Portland. “The homes will match the high-quality and environmental sustainability of Koori’s traditionally built properties and where possible we use the best local materials, including Portland Stone quarried on the island, and tried and tested energy-efficient solutions as well as a local workforce. “Putting pen to paper with the Portland CLT is a significant milestone on our journey to deliver these desirable affordable homes for local people and marks another major step forward in the regeneration of this important site in a stunning location on the Jurassic Coast.” Kevin Hodder, Director of Partnership and Engagement at Aster Group who also oversees EBHT’s development programme, said: “EBHT specialises in developing small groups of affordable homes in villages within Dorset for the benefit of local communities. “CLTs are a brilliant way to deliver affordable housing which local communities both want and need. “We’re looking forward to working with Portland CLT and Koori to deliver these properties which will provide long-term security to those who eventually get to call them home. “With energy-efficient design and technologies, customers living in these homes will also benefit from lower energy bills. Coupled alongside the affordable rent, it should help keep overall costs down.” Councillor Gill Taylor, who is Dorset Council Cabinet Member for Health and Housing, said: “The site has been transformed from redundant school buildings on the old primary school site to provide nine affordable rented homes for local residents. “Dorset Council supported this work by providing a Community Housing grant and we worked collaboratively from start to finish with our partners including Middlemarch Community Led Housing, who have supported Portland CLT and EBHT. “This development demonstrates our commitment to community land trusts in Dorset and we hope it will encourage more community led housing to provide the affordable homes we need for local people.” May Bower Gardens will comprise 48 homes in total. The first phase of 14 properties – a mix of two, three and four-bedroom houses – on the 1.3 hectare site is due for completion autumn 2024. There are about 25 people working directly on the site, all local trades people including apprentices. The workforce also includes three specialist stone layers, all from Portland, who walk to work carrying on a generational tradition of stone laying on island. Stone used in the development is cut from Albion Stone’s Bowers Quarry, just up the road from May Bower Gardens. The development is due for final completion in 2027. The CLT homes form part of Koori’s affordable housing contribution for the site. The properties are being built using air-tight and thermally efficient construction methods along with low zero carbon (LZC) technologies. They include electric vehicle charging throughout and air source heat pumps. Portland CLT is a community benefit organisation run by an elected board of members from the community to meet the housing needs of local people. It is among several CLTs in Dorset, which work closely with the Dorset Council housing department to progress sites across the county. Koori Limited, as part of the Redtale group of companies, has a long track record of delivering high quality, well-designed and customer-focused developments. Koori’s recent property developments include The Grove, the multi award-winning Lorton Park and Monterey Place, all situated in Weymouth, Dorset. The nine-strong company aims to make a difference in everything it does. Its objective is to ‘do better: better planning, better by design, better build and better customer service’. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Ipswich-based facilities management company OCS has acquired Exclusive Services Group, a leading provider of contract cleaning services across the UK and Ireland. This marks OCS’ fourth acquisition within the past year, following the acquisitions of Accuro, Abate Pest Management, and Profile Security Services. The addition of Exclusive Services Group allows OCS to further strengthen its cleaning division, particularly in the education, data centre, leisure, media, and retail sectors. As a specialist in data centre cleaning, a key growth area for OCS, Exclusive also brings valuable experience in the leisure sector. Daniel Dickson, CEO of OCS UK & Ireland, commented: “Exclusive has built an excellent reputation for delivering outstanding service to its clients. Their expertise in education and data centres, along with their skilled management team, will enhance our ability to provide exceptional outcomes for our customers. This acquisition is a pivotal step as we aim to double our revenue in the UK and Ireland within the next five years. We’re excited to welcome Exclusive’s team to OCS and look forward to the opportunities this partnership will create.” Jim Melvin, CEO of Exclusive Services Group and former Chairman of the British Cleaning Council, added: “Exclusive has always been committed to delivering high-quality, tailored services to meet our clients’ needs. Joining OCS enables us to tap into the Group’s vast resources and expertise, which will allow us to enhance our service offerings and support further growth. This is an exciting new chapter for Exclusive, and we’re confident it will bring significant benefits to both our customers and employees.” The acquisition strengthens OCS’ position in the FM sector, enhancing its service range and industry expertise as it continues its ambitious growth plans. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
As the country girds its loins for what Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has warned will be a ‘painful’ October Budget, trade press headlines and social media channels have been inundated with more doom and gloom for the Private Rented Sector (PRS). The prospect of rises in Capital Gains and Inheritance Tax would appear to have sparked a flurry of selling activity among some landlords. Latest figures released by Rightmove revealed that the proportion of former rental homes moving into the sales market is the highest on record – at 18% of the total. But Rightmove insists this does not point to a mass exodus of PRS landlords, although it does say the situation will have to be monitored for any long-term impact. And I read the comment from Benham and Reeves’ Marc Grundherr with interest. He said that if the Labour government imposed a significant tax increase on landlords, this would be another blow to those who provide vital housing stock. He added: “Despite this, we’re simply not seeing the exodus of landlords that is so often reported…buy to let remains a strong investment – it’s certainly one that most take with a very long-term view and they expect ups and downs, but generally speaking, the returns are consistently good.” Luxury apartments This is the point – fundamentally, rental properties in the PRS are in short supply, demand remains strong and yields remain healthy. Added to which the property market is changing. From the latest figures available from Uswitch, a third of first time buyers are aged over 35, 20% are aged 35-44 and 13% are over 45. So renters are staying in the PRS much longer and individual tenancy lengths are increasing, too. This is just one of the reasons that Build to Rent has taken off so dramatically in the UK in recent years. Only last week, Legal and General announced that its Slate Yard development in Manchester was being offered as an investment opportunity with a guide price of £110 million. It comprises 424 luxury apartments across three buildings and provides a gym, a residents’ lounge, co-working spaces and 24/7 concierge service. Legal and General have deployed over £3bn of institutional capital into the sector in 24 schemes across 13 UK cities. Clearly, they believe there is a future in the rental market. ‘It’s all very well for the big boys, but what about the small private landlord?’ I hear you say, ‘The bureaucracy is becoming overwhelming.’ It’s true that there are political moves to introduce higher standards, warmer homes and to regulate the sector more thoroughly. But, in the long run, this can only be good for business. Build to Rent is predominantly focused on city centres, but who is catering for the suburbs and the hundreds of small towns and villages all over the UK? Don’t they deserve a thriving rental sector, too? And as for the bureaucracy, this is where technology comes in – it saves time and money and provides evidence of compliance. Reduce move-in costs Using ourselves as just one example, through integrations, flatfair Deposits utilises open banking technology and partners with the major UK deposit schemes to automatically register traditional deposits into the agent’s preferred scheme. Deposit administration can carry the risk of hefty fines, reputational damage and sometimes worse. flatfair Deposits removes the potential of missed deadlines and human errors while saving agents and landlords around an hour of admin time per tenancy. It also provides tenants with the important choice of a deposit alternative, to reduce their move-in costs by an average of £1000, while landlords double the protection on their property for potential damages or unpaid rent. flatfair Deposits integrates with leading referencing providers, HomeLet and Homeppl, and cross-references these results against our own criteria to ensure the highest quality tenants are occupying the property. Technology like flatfair Deposits is the solution and the way forward for the PRS. Increased regulation doesn’t have to mean an increased workload. We’re all going to have to work smarter, not harder. If that’s the brave new world for the PRS, we’re looking forward to it. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals