Monthly Archives: October 2020

Latest data shows that Citizens Advice dealt with over 32,000 consumer issues and complaints relating to the home improvement sector over the last 12 months to September 2020.

What is also disappointing for the sector is that out of all defined categories in consumer goods and services, ‘building repairs and improvements’ came second with over 8,500 issues alone. Top was practical energy efficiency advice with over 9,000 issues.

The statistics also show the most complained about issues within the building repairs and improvements category. We have put together the top 5 by volume, with complaints and redress being accountable for nearly 5,000 complaints and faulty, dangerous, and unsafe services received over 2,000 complaints from October 2019 to September 2020. 

Being an accredited member of a reputable home improvement consumer protection scheme, such as HICS, not only helps increase conversion rates but shows a commitment by the firm to providing customers with trust, confidence and peace of mind before, during and after their installation.

HICS members, and their customers, receive FREE award-winning alternative dispute resolution. With an average resolution time of just 3.59 days, HICS helps members save time, money and improve reputation. As a part of your membership you will also get FREE Ombudsman access and FREE independent inspections.

Source: https://public.tableau.com/profile/citizensadvice#!/vizhome/AdviceTrendsSeptember2020/Cover

Paint photo created by welcomia – www.freepik.com

A recent survey, commissioned by Origin (manufacturer of aluminium doors and windows), has revealed that homeowners in Britain are willing to spend an average of £13,000 on special features on their homes.

But what exactly are the features that homeowners are willing to spend on? The results revealed 54% of homeowners prioritised an abundance of natural light, followed by 53% storage and then 52% en-suite bathrooms.

Top 10 most desired features by homeowners in Britain

1. Natural light
2. Storage
3. En-suite bathroom
4. Large garden
5. Garage
6. Outdoor seating area
7. A great view
8. A quality front door
9. Walk-in wardrobe
10. Kitchen island

The results also revealed that 87% of homeowners would pay more money for added extras with 1 in 10 saying they would be willing to reduce other household expenditure to afford the upgrades that they desire.

What are the features that British homeowners are most likely to pay for?

1. A large garden, 41%
2. A garage, 39%
3. A view, 39%

In addition to this, over 3/4s of British homeowners agree that they would compromise on the size of the house as they consider a large garden, a garage, and a good view more essential than square footage.

Ben Brocklesby, Director at Origin, said: “We conducted this research to get a clear picture of the work that homeowners want to do in order to improve their homes. This provides our partners with market insights that will help them further understand their customers and what homeowners want to achieve. With the trend for outdoor living continuing to rise, it came as no surprise to us that the features that are prioritised are those that link the inside of the home with the outside, including large gardens, outdoor seating areas and an abundance of natural light.”

To find out more about the research, visit www.origin-global.com/advice-centre/added-value

The Health and Safety Executive has announced that their inspectors will be checking that construction firms’ health standards are up to date. So, ask yourself, are you HSE compliant?

When are the inspections?

The inspections began on Monday 5^th October 2020 and will last for a full month.

Where are the inspections taking place?

The inspections are mainly targeting construction firms and the inspections will be taking place across Great Britain.

What will the inspections focus on?

The inspections are due to focus on respiratory risks and occupational lung disease. To do this the inspectors will be looking at what measures businesses have in place to protect their workers’ lungs. They will be looking at measures regarding the likes of asbestos, silica, and wood dust.

However, should a HSE inspector identify any other areas of concern that are not listed above, they will take necessary actions to deal with them.

They also want to check that construction businesses are protecting their workers from the risk of coronavirus and ensuring that the workplaces are coronavirus compliant.

Why are they carrying out inspections?

HSE has previously carried out this health-focused initiative 3 times making this the 4^th. HSE is carrying out inspections as a part of their longer-term strategy regarding health and work. They are carrying out the inspections to improve health within the industry.

Statistics

HSE reports that more than 3,500 builders die every year from work-related cancer. In addition to this, there are also many other cases of workplace sickness and working days lost as a result. ^[1]

Sarah Jardine, HSE’s chief inspector of construction, comments,

“Around 100 times as many workers die from diseases caused or made worse by their work than are actually killed in construction accidents.

Our inspection initiatives ensure that inspectors are able to speak to duty holders and visit sites to look at the kind of action businesses in the construction industry are taking right now to protect their workers’ health, particularly when it comes to exposure to dust and damage to lungs.

There are a few simple things that everyone can do to make sure they are protecting their health and their future. Be aware of the risks associated with activities you do every day, recognise the dangers of hazardous dust and consider how it can affect your health. We want businesses and their workers to think of the job from start to finish and avoid creating dust by working in different ways to keep dust down and wear the right mask and clothing.”

^[1]  https://press.hse.gov.uk/2020/09/24/health-and-safety-executive-cracks-down-on-dust

Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay