uSwitch heating cover news July 2006

A survey by The Energy Saving Trust has found that 41% of new homeowners experience problems with old boilers, making it the second biggest problem after old windows (48%).

Such problems lead to UK homebuyers spending £1.25 billion each year on unexpected repairs - new boilers and insufficient insulation alone cost £228 million and £75 million respectively.

The survey also found that a third of home buyers pay an average £2,500 in hidden costs which they did not think to look for when buying their home. To combat this the Energy Saving Trust has teamed up with property experts Phil Spender and Kirstie Allsopp to create The Homebuyers Checklist, an impartial guide to help homebuyers look out for hidden and unexpected costs when viewing a property.

DIY enthusiasts beware! New rules aimed at curbing the number of deaths, injuries and house fires caused by faulty installations came into force on 1st January.

The building regulations, introduced by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), will affect anyone considering electrical work in the home. Minor jobs like replacing sockets and light switches in low risk areas will not be affected. However anyone thinking of carrying out electrical work in kitchens, bathrooms or outdoors or adding new circuits to any part of their house, for example, will have to get building control involved. The alternative is to get the work carried out by a suitably qualified electrician or someone who is registered with a "competent person" scheme.

Failure to comply with these new rules could lead to householders being required to bring the work up to standard and may make it more difficult for them to sell their homes.

You can find out more by reading the ODPM leaflet 'New rules for electrical safety in the home', which can be viewed online now at the ODPM website. Hard copies are available from local authorities and competent person scheme operators.