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Front Page News
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Today the Conservative energy policy has been published. RICS particularly welcomes measures which reflect what we've been calling for for long, such as the acceleration of the introduction of smart metering throughout the UK, a value for money approach to energy, and independent assessment of property given to households on their homes' energy efficiency. Overall, RICS welcomes the crucial importance given to the UK energy supply's security. However, RICS urges further consideration by The Conservatives of a wider range of incentives and financing required to tackle the huge scale of retrofitting required across the United Kingdom. RICS believes many global locations such as California, France and Germany can provide excellent examples of the types of best practice required. RICS is currently looking into more details at the rest of the report, and will publish shortly our full reponse to this report....
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This seminar forms part of the Northern CPD Programme. This lively half-day session will provide a timely reminder as to how valuations are constructed without the use of the computer. The session will examine various valuation scenarios with delegates undertaking a number of exercises to aid understanding. Topics will include both the investment method and residual method of valuation, the valuation of both freehold and lease hold interests and close scrutiny of surrender and renewals. In addition, there will be a reminder of the content of the Red Book and the importance that this plays in our valuation approach, as well as looking at valuations in a challenging market. Delegates are requested to bring along a calculator and Valuation Tables (if available). The session is suitable for APC candidates and seasoned professionals alike. The session will be delivered by Kevin M. Aspin MRICS, Chartered Valuation Surveyor and Training Consultant. This event is being held on: 21 April, Cedar Court Hotel, Wakefield Registration for this half-day event begins at 1230hrs, the seminar begins at 1300hrs and will finish at approximately 1630hrs and will include a buffet lunch, refreshments and a delegate pack. For further information contact: Lana Thorman, Yorkshire & Humber Events Administrator T: 01924 229 307 E: lthorman@rics.org Or additionally view the event webpage ....
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Service charges are a common cause of disputes between landlord and tenant, and even more so in the current recession. Tenants frequently complain that service charges are excessive or erroneous, budgets are not provided or are inaccurate and certificates are sent out late. It is therefore important for property managers to have a good grasp of the law concerning the interpretation and operation of service charges, the proper management and provision of services and the recovery charges. Particular issues to be examined include - recent cases and developments over and under payments the Codes of Practice and the law service charges and repairing obligations duties of the professionals sinking and reserve funds scope and interpretation of service charge clause - what is legally recoverable certificates and time limits reasonableness of costs apportionment management fees The speaker is Richard Smith, Sheffield Hallam University. This event is being held on: 4 May, English Institute of Sport, Sheffield 9 June, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Leeds Registration begins at 1730hrs, the seminar begins at 1800hrs and will finish at approximately 1930hrs and includes refreshments and a delegate pack. For further information contact: Lana Thorman, Yorkshire & Humber Events Administrator T: 01924 229 307 E: lthorman@rics.org Or additionally you can view the Northern Events webpage ....
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This seminar forms part of the Northern CPD Programme. In line with the Government and European policy Part L is being amended next year. This seminar will set out the Government's proposals and examine exactly what it means in practice to all those involved in the built environment. These changes will affect a great number of professional and the types of people who schould attend are designers, building surveyors, contractors, developers and facility managers. This seminar is a must in order to keep ahead of the changes. The speaker is Martin Conlon, Assent Building Control. This evening seminar will be held: 20 April, Holiday Inn Hotel, Wakefield Registration begins at 1730hrs, the seminar begins at 1800hrs and will finish at approximately 1930hrs and includes refreshments and a delegate pack. For further information contact: Lana Thorman, Yorkshire & Humber Events Administrator T: 01924 229 307 E: lthorman@rics.org Or additionally view the event webpage....
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The 11th RICS "Contracts in Use Survey" has been published. This survey covers projects with construction contracts started during 2007 in the United Kingdom. This research is the single most authoritative survey of construction contracts used in the UK Market. For the full survey For the previous Contracts in use Survey (2004) Also checkout the latest RICS e-books for further information....
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This seminar forms part of the Northern CPD Programme. Travelers Insurance Company are leading provider of professional indemnity insurance to Chartered Surveyors as well as being the preferred risk management partner to the RICS and its members. The speaker from Travelers, Michael Mortimer, will present a perspective as a Chartered Surveyor employed by a PII insurer whereby he is able to offer advice on reducing the risk of being at the receiving end of allegations of professional negligence. His presentation will draw on his own practical experiences and those of the professional indemnity insurance industry in dealing with allegations of professional negligence against surveyors. This evening seminar will be held: 30 March, Holiday Inn Hotel, Barnsley Registration begins at 1730hrs, the seminar begins at 1800hrs and will finish at approximately 1930hrs and includes refreshments and a delegate pack. For further information contact: Lana Thorman, Yorkshire & Humber Events Administrator T: 01924 229 307 E: lthorman@rics.org Or additionally view the event webpage ....
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Known as the region's property 'Oscars', the awards celebrate the most inspirational regional initiatives and developments in land, property, construction and the environment. View the latest news on this year's shortlisted schemes! Location: Pavillion, Leeds United Football Club Date: Friday, 14 May 2010, 1900hrs for 1945hrs Dress code: Black tie For further information please contact: Lana Thorman, RICS Yorkshire & Humber Events Administrator T: 01924 229 307 E: lthorman@rics.org Or additionally you can view the event website ....
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At an event in Cambridge earlier this week, I raised the question of how Conservative plans will deliver long-term, strategic infrastructure, important for maintaining the competitiveness of UK plc. Caroline Spelman MP, Shadow Secretary of State for CLG, described how in their recent Open Source Planning Green Paper counties will be given responsibility for co-ordinating delivery of strategic infrastructure, delivered by local authorities and generated from local communities. In her response, she also described RICS as 'good....at stimulating debate on planning'. Although we welcome the aims of the Paper our concerns remain that the policy framework, as set out currently in the Green Paper, merely places control into a different set of hands and will not produce any improvements in certainty, process and the prospects for attracting much needed investment into new development infrastructure. Our aim therefore is to continue to advise and inform debate on this....
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RICS welcomes the initiative of The Carbon Trust, fund manager Threadneedle and developer Stanhope plc to partner in a new fund that aims to significantly increase the availability of high specification low carbon commercial property in the UK. This is a sign of the changes that are occurring within the market in regard to the low carbon transition. The Threadneedle Low-Carbon Workplace Trust (Threadneedle LCW Trust), launched last Friday, aims to raise £100m in the next 12 months and up to £350m within three years from institutional investors. It will refurbish up to 50 properties over the next five years to best practice low carbon standards. However, RICS thinks it is crucial that the industry is aware of all the information which will flow from this work; for example, the lifecycle cost associated with building or refurbishing to higher standards. RICS supports objectivity and transparency with the successes and failures openly available from researchs' findings. Indeed, the research the Carbon Trust is referring, apart from showing the benefits, also highlights some negative aspects in that green buildings tend to be noisier because of the hard surfaces from the concrete used to get a high thermal mass, and that they require more complex building controls....
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The RICS library has purchased several e-books on "building contracts". Building Contract Claims by David Chappell, Vincent Powell-Smith and John Sims, examines the legal basis of claims for additional payment, and what can and cannot be claimed under the main forms of contract, while Understanding JCT Standard Building Contracts (8th ed.) by David Chappell has been revised to take into account new contracts including JCT Standard Building Contract and JCT Intermediate Building Contract. You can also search the RICS library database for recent electronic publications, articles and webpages on building contracts. The RICS library also maintains a Hot Topic on JCT Contracts ....
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Did you know that the RICS London Bookshop is open to non-RICS members? As well as being the best place to purchase RICS books, guidance notes and forms, we have an impressive range of other publications which will be of interest to Surveyors and other professionals. Solicitors Solicitors working within the Property and Construction industry will find a variety of titles on Land Law, Legal Disputes, Case Studies on lease renewal and tendering as well as books on contracts. APC Trainees Those studying for an RICS qualification can rely on our bookshop for that last-minute purchase of tomes to guide them through their APC training and offer invaluable advice for the exams. Estate Agents Estate Agents might like to browse our collection of publications on the mortgage market, analyses of the Housing Act, in addition to books on renewal projects. RICS Gifts If you have a friend or loved one who is an RICS member and you would like to buy them a present, come down to the Bookshop and we will help you choose a gift for them. With a selection of RICS-branded items that includes ties, vanity mirrors, pens, clocks and umbrellas....
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European Housing Market 2009 was a year of two halves for many European housing markets. The first half was full of gloom, as reverberations continued after the world financial crisis; housebuilding collapsing; and the house price falls already witnessed in 2008 could only intensify. The second half of 2009 saw housing markets in many countries bottoming out and showing signs of recovery. The initial signs of recovery were often first observed in sales prices, rather than in transactions levels, mortgage finance or housebuilding. This was because in several places demand revived faster than available supply. For more information see this RICS report, 2010 European Housing Review , by Michael Ball. UK Housing Market The UK housing market and housing equity is compared by Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) with the property cycle in the 1990s. Their report Homeowner housing equity through the downturn estimates the scale of negative equity for UK homeowners and looks at what this means for market prospect and suggests that about 13% are now in some degree of negative equity. Negative equity does not of itself affect the ability to keep up mortgage payments or create a risk of repossession. It concludes that it is vital that borrowers do not voluntarily give up possession of their property when negative equity arises. Scottish Housing Market The housing market in Scotland is considered by the Scottish Parliament in this report, The Scottish Housing Market , by Lizzy Burgess. It provides information on house prices, the housing market, affordability, support for first-time buyers and homeowners, mortgage arrears and repossessions and the housebuilding industry. Causes of the Housing Market Downturn, 2007 - 2009 A recently published e-book Housing downturn: picking up the pieces: a guide for estate agents and developers , by Graham Norwood, gives more in depth look the housing downturn. In it representatives from all elements of the residential property industry including developers, agents, analysts, lenders, planners and pundits comment on what they believe led to the downturn from 2007 onwards. Compares the experiences of developers and estate agents and survival techniques such as downsizing, diversification and modernisation....
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RICS members and staff held a meeting on 10 March at HQ with Steve Quartermain, Chief Planner at Communities and Local Government. The meeting, which was arranged to discuss a number of key planning policy and practice issues, covered topics ranging from the delivery of national infrastructure, viability at the heart of planning and the Community Infrastructure Levy and S.106. A further update meeting will be arranged later in 2010....
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This week the CLG Select Committee published its annual review of CLG's performance , welcoming the Government's efforts to address calls for rental housing reform, but restating its long held view that Government should consider the long-term future of the balance of housing tenures. RICS very much welcomes this announcement, as has been for long calling for effective standards to be put in place to ensure letting and managing agents are required to act in a professional manner. Regulation should be risk and principles based, requiring letting agents to provide certain information, rather than telling them how to operate. Unregulated agents lead to serious flaws in consumer protection in an essential area, and action should particularly be taken to protect vulnerable consumers. A regime for regulating letting agents must include qualification and entry standards, protection for client’s money and tenant’s deposits along with a redress scheme if things go wrong. Also, RICS is calling for changes to Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), such as allowing their listing on the Alternative Investment Market. A recent press release from CLG stated that the Government is 'committed to legislating at the earliest opportunity on these commitments to increase the protection and practical help available to tenants in the private rented sector', which reflects what RICS has been calling for in its policy and influencing work for the past few years....
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RICS West Midlands have arranged a site visit of the RICS Award winning Castle House building conservation project. This project also won the 2009 Project of the Year award. Date: 25 May 2010 Time: 1400 - 1600 Venue: Castle House, Ludlow Castle, Ludlow Cost: RICS members £20.00, Non members £24.00, *Concession £16.00 *Students, probationers and retired members More details and how to book a place can be found on the event webpage...
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RICS Marches Local Association annual seminar is looking at making property work. This seminar will look at sustainable communities and how they work, lending and valuation, planned environments and climate change. Date: 22 April 2010 Time: 1500 - 1900 Venue: The Lord Hill Hotel, Shrewsbury Cost: Member £40.00, Non Member £48.00 More details and to book a place can be found at the event webpage...
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Date: 18 May 2010 Location: Hilton Treetops Hotel Time: 1000 - 1445 The Aberdeen CPD Day aims to give surveyors in the region easy access to the hottest topics in construction and property. We've had some great feedback from you about what you'd like to see in the programme and we've introduced a new flexible format for the day. Confirmed topics so far: The Aberdeen City Local Plan Professional indemnity: recent developments in claims against surveyors Non-domestic Energy Performance Certificates - now and in the future Property law update More topics coming soon! For further details please contact Emma Mathieson t +44 (0)131 240 0837 e emathieson@rics.org...
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Perth CPD Day Re-scheduled to 18 March 2010 Due to the adverse weather conditions of 25 February we have re-scheduled the Perth CPD Day. The programme remains exactly the same. There are still places available, so if you didn't get round to booking the first time around now's your chance! Green Leases SUDS New development plan for Perth and Kinross Ethics and the rules of conduct Valuations in a changing market Construction law update For further details please contact Emma Mathieson t +44 (0)131 240 0837 e emathieson@rics.org www.rics.org/perth10...
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Once again RICS Beds and Herts and CIOB are jointly hosting a Question and Answer Session with Tony Bingham. Tony is an Arbitrator, Adjudicator, Mediator and Barrister, writer, commentator and lectuer. He is a knowledgable and entertaining speaker and his talks have always proved to be popular in the past. For more details and to book a place at this event you need to go to the CIOB website details below. Date Wednesday 26 May 2010 Venue Room N105 De Havilland Campus, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Herts., AL10 9EU Time 1900 Contact Sam Briggs sbriggs@ciob.org.uk 08450 755053 To book a place and for more details go to http://www.ciob.org.uk/events/view/4354...
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The Carbon Trust had a Scottish launch of its research findings on the future of low carbon non-domestic buildings across the UK. Entitled Building the Future, today the research’s finding state that the UK’s non-domestic Co2 emissions can be reduced by 35% from 2005 to 2020 using options which already exist, and that by accelerating reduction 80% could be achieved by 2050. Ambitious targets have now been set by the Carbon Trust including calling on the Government make all buildings have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and a Display Energy Certificate (DEC - currently only used in England and Wales but not Scotland. It’s similar to an EPC takes into account actual Co2 emissions over 1 year and not just the potential) by 2015. The two certificate types, the research concludes should be used together. This would be a big change as currently only properties that change hands by sale or rent require an EPC which is valid for 10 years. Click here to download the full report (23 pages) (registration required). Last week the Energy Savings Trust (EST) held a stakeholder forum to update on their current activities (mostly in the domestic sector) including the Energy Advice Network and the range of assistance programs they run funded by the Scottish Government. Enquiries to their free phone line have increased over the last year which provides a wide range of energy saving measures such as domestic and small business loans which provide interest free finance for making energy saving improvements. Click here for more information...
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The Government has mentioned RICS in its Household Energy Management Strategy published today, setting out its plans for meeting its target for a reduction of 29% in carbon emissions from the household sector. The report highlights RICS' ongoing recommendations for both Government and property professionals so that the energy performance of a property starts to be better reflected in its market value. The strategy responds to the consultation conducted on Heat and Energy Saving last year, and sets out plans to ensure that, by 2015, every household will have installed loft and cavity wall insulation where it is practical to do so, and by 2020 up to 7 million homes will have received more substantial eco-upgrades, including improvements such as solid wall insulation or renewable energy generating technologies. RICS welcomes the report, and reiterates the need for more sustainable, efficiently run homes. As consumer demand for sustainable development increases, RICS believes it can make a major contribution in ensuring sustainability (including energy efficiency) is better reflected in property valuations. Also, quality independently provided information, protection for consumers and easier access to green finance will be key to ensure that a successful step change brings about the market transformation desired by government....
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We have some exciting promotions in Parliament Square bookshop this week. On 2nd March, the " Investigating Defects in Buildings Seminars " is held at the RICS Headquaters. Trevor Rushton and Geoffrey Hunt will be speaking, both have previously written books published by the RICS on the topic of the seminar. We are giving a 10% discount on the above titles on 2nd March but hurry as it is a one-off promotion which will only run on the day of the seminar. Rushton, Trevor "Investigating Hazardous and Deleterious Building Materials" (2007) Hunt, Geoffrey. "Residential Building Defects" (2009) Rushton, Trevor "Investigating Defects in Commercial and Industrial Buildings" (2009) Further 10% Discount - "Case in Point Series" Also, we are selling the titles from the "Case in Point Series" at a 10% discount until the end of this week. Customers visiting the RICS London Bookshop will receive this discount on each Case in Point publication until Friday 5th March. Take this chance to browse our impressive range of books and contracts. Your Bookshop Team RICS Bookshop Parliament Square SW1P 3AD T +44 (0) 20 7334 3776 E: bookshop@rics.org...
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Read one of the valuation textbooks now available as e-books (member only access). Property valuation: the five methods (Scarrett) is a well established introduction to valuation methods. Residential property appraisal (Parnham) is an older but still valuable handbook for surveyors involved in residential property valuation for lending purposes. Real estate appraisal: from value to worth (Sayce) takes a new approach to property appraisal by exploring the pricing mechanism in relation to property. Property valuation: in an economic context (Wyatt) focuses on the valuation of commercial and industrial property across investment, development and occupier markets. Mass appraisal methods: an international perspective for property valuers (Kauko) addresses property valuation problems common to different countries and approaches applicable in both developed and emerging economies. Agricultural valuations : a practical guide (Williams) is the standard handbook on the subject, analysing recent changes to tenant right valuations, improvements, fixtures, milk quotas and dilapidations....
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RICS chief economist Simon Rubinsohn appeared in an expert panel alongside John Healey MP, Housing Minister earlier this week. The discussion, hosted by the Social Market Foundation, explored the impact of the credit crunch on households, in particular first time buyers, and the role of mortgage providers in supporting entry in to the housing market. In his speech, the Minister spoke of innovative ways of encouraging housing development; looking beyond traditional housebuilders; and the Treasury consultation on increasing investment in the UK private rented sector (see previous post). Simon reiterated the need to support a vibrant and sustainable market containing a variety of tenure, including a wider choice of private rented accommodation. To listen to the podcast, visit http://www.smf.co.uk/ ....
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Birmingham Local Association have arranged a tour of the new facilities at Smith's Wood Sports College on 20 April 2010, 6-8pm. The new Smith's Wood Sports College opened in Sept 2009 as part of the Government's flagship Building's Schools for the Future programme to rebuild or remodel every secondary school in England. Cost RICS member £10.00 Non member £12.00 Further details available from the event webpage...
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