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08
May
2012
Green regulations could strangle housing growth
Introducing green guidelines to all new homes could stifle the already weak housing market.This is Linden Homes', the housebuilding division of Galliford Try, response to the government consultation into new building regulations.The aim of the new rules is to increase efficiency in order to get a step closer to the target to make all new homes carbon zero by 2016.But Linden Homes warns that the regulations could increase the cost of each new build by around £30,000."The extra...
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02
May
2012
Councils fail to approve planning applications
With many electrical contractors working in the construction industry, their fate is directly tied in with the approval of planning applications by local authorities However, companies may of late have noticed a dip in demand. Although the recession is partly to blame for the stagnating housing market, it has emerged that the number of planning applications declined by local councils could also be a contributing factor. In the period October to December 2011, 111,500 applications were...
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30
Apr
2012
Is the IR35 a scare tactic?
The IR35 business entity test is a scare tactic for freelance workers, according to one industry expert. Gerry McLaughlin, chief executive officer of ITContractor.com, stated: "It looks as if the government's and HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) endgame is to scare as many freelancers as possible out of limited companies and into umbrella companies." If more freelancers went into umbrella companies, it could potentially generate an extra £5 billion for the economy. ...
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30
Apr
2012
Industry pessimistic over new green targets
The construction industry has voiced its pessimism over the government's proposals for energy efficiency standards for new buildings. Since the consultation on proposals to increase the carbon reduction target for developments by eight per cent closed last week (Friday April 27th), businesses and organisations have come out in opposition to the plans that would change Part L of building regulations, Building.co.uk reported. Under the changes, non-domestic buildings are required to...
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26
Apr
2012
Double-dip recession: Is it time to panic?
The past couple of years have seen electrical contractors facing financial pressure, as the UK became entrenched in the global financial crisis. However, it seems that the nation isn't out of the woods yet, as it was announced yesterday (25th) that country is back in recession. The double-dip is concerning for tradesmen, who thought that the light at the end of the tunnel was in sight, as confidence returned to the market. Fear is primarily centred around the implications of the...
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25
Apr
2012
Govt tries to make it easier for first-time employers
When electrical contractors start their own business hiring those first initial staff can be a daunting prospect, made more so by the need to navigate through unfamiliar and complicated employment procedures. In a bid to encourage more people to take on new staff, the government has launched an online tool to simplify the employment process for those people hiring for the first-time Employment relations minister Norman Lamb announced the new program today (April 25th), which will offer...
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24
Apr
2012
BIS launches offensive against anti-competitive businesses
The government is launching a new offensive against anti-competitive businesses, under new proposals to give companies and consumers more power to challenge operations. According to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the plans will make private actions much easier, in the attempt to empower small businesses to tackle behaviour that is stifling to them and to promote fairness. Currently, private actions are considered to be ineffective, because of the complexity and high...
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23
Apr
2012
Will you elect for early automatic enrolment?
In the UK, businesses will soon have to comply with automatic enrolment regulations, which will require companies to ensure that all workers are part of pension scheme. The date at which a firm must begin to use automatic enrolment is determined by the size of their largest PAYE scheme as of April 1st 2012. However, some electrical contractors may find that this date does not meet their requirements for a variety of reasons. To ensure that businesses aren't inconvenienced, the...
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20
Apr
2012
Don't mislead consumers with your trading name
Electrical contractors looking to start their own business or considering a rebranding must remember to comply with new guidance on misleading trading names. Issued by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), the specifications are designed to stop companies from using names that create confusion about their commercial status, specifically if it could imply that they are a charity, advice bureau or government body. For example, the name "Electrical Helpline" could imply that a company...
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18
Apr
2012
Planning guidelines to be made simpler
When undertaking work, electrical contractors have to be abreast of planning guidelines but can easily get bogged down in the complicated myriad of rules and regulations. Luckily, the government has pledged to make complying with guidelines simpler, as they put the finishing touches to the condensing of thousands of pages of regulations, Building.co.uk reported. Greg Clark, decentralisation minister, stated: "We're now conducting a review of the underpinning guidance, which will...
