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Housing changes the UK hopes to see
Before the election, property experts Rightmove carried out a survey to ascertain what this new government’s priorities should be when it comes to housing. Here is a roundup of what the nation is hoping for.
Speed up housebuilding
One of the top recommendations was making improvements to the housebuilding process1. Buyer demand has increased by 15% since 2019, but the number of available homes has not increased at the same rate. In fact, supply is 6% lower than before the pandemic. The rental market has experienced a similar challenge – tenant demand is 32% higher than 2019 but supply of rented homes is down 38%. As a result, asking prices and rents have increased. To solve this, Rightmove’s property expert Tim Bannister suggests “smoother planning processes to transform the delivery of new homes and produce more affordable housing”.
Help for first-time buyers
Another top priority was providing better support for first-time buyers (FTBs). It is perhaps unsurprising that this was the most popular request from renters, as now is a particularly challenging time to get a foot on the property ladder and the average age of FTBs is increasing2. Rightmove’s mortgage expert, Matt Smith commented,“it’s critical that the government works with regulators and lenders from day one on any mortgage solutions, to ensure buy in and take up, which will in turn create more options for first-time buyers.”
Reform Stamp Duty
Many have called for changes to Stamp Duty1. FTBs in England and Northern Ireland have been exempt from Stamp Duty on homes up to £425,000 since 2022. But this exemption (due to end in April 2025) is not beneficial for most FTBs in the capital, where house prices are higher than the rest of the UK. With this in mind, Tim Bannister reflects, “With such regional differences in property prices, increasing Stamp Duty thresholds in line with these regional differences would seem a logical first step for Stamp Duty reform.”
Make homes greener
Homeowners and renters would like to see the government put some incentives in place to encourage people to make their properties greener. Following Rishi Sunak’s announcement that private rented properties will no longer have to meet the minimum EPC rating of C, many landlords have put their plans to improve energy efficiency on the back burner. Rightmove commented, ‘Homeowners also need better and easier access to schemes that enable them to make green improvements, with the recognition that each home requires different improvements and that currently the upfront costs are a big barrier to change.’
We’re here for you
As the UK settles into the new government, we are here to help you through any changes.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage
1Rightmove, 2BSA
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Last year, Acres was delighted to celebrate its 20th anniversary of supporting the Royal Sutton Fun Run.
Our team of 22 entrants raised £730 for our chosen charity, Motor Neurone Disease Association and we also contributed £200 to Brain Tumour Research, the chosen charity of our selfie competition winners, Pink Mad Hatters.
We were thrilled to learn the 4000+ entrants in last year’s 40th event, raised £187,100.
This figure was more than double the total raised in 2022, and takes the total distributed to charities and voluntary organisations to an astonishing £5.1million since the first event in 1982.
Acres is thrilled to be supporting this year’s event on 2nd June, its traditional date on the Sunday at the end of spring half term.
Fun Run Event Director, Tracey Spare said: “We’ve enjoyed fabulous commercial support from Acres as a supporting sponsor since 2003.
“They have sponsored the very distinctive mile and landmark signs around the course, which, for most people, are a crucial indicator of how many miles remain to complete the challenging 8.5-mile course.
“Back in 1982, the Fun Run was created to provide a vehicle for people to enjoy an event with family, friends and work colleagues whilst offering the opportunity to raise money for a charity or voluntary organisation of their choice.
“Acres has consistently embraced that model by entering a large team and raising thousands of pounds for its chosen charity Motor Neurone Disease Association.
“Alongside all our commercial partners, we’re indebted to Acres for its support, both as a commercial partner and team entrant.”
Part of the appeal of the annual Royal Sutton Fun Run is that it’s not a race. There are no restrictions on who can participate and they welcome participants of all ages and abilities, including those with learning, physical or emotional life challenges.
Online registration for the 41st Royal Sutton Fun Run opens over the first weekend of February via www.royalsuttonfunrun.org
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What I like about Acres is their straight, no nonsense approach. Believe me, current markets are difficult, but they got the job done ! Hats off to the team! This might sum it up better-paraphrased ( from the A-Team Tv series )
If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... the A Team (Acres Team)
Thanks Nigel and Team!
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As the days grow colder and the nights draw in, it's the perfect time to turn our thoughts to creating a cosy haven at home.
As we prepare to turn on our heating but monitor our energy usage, we have focused on clever ways to keep our homes feeling even snugger this autumn season. With so many choices on you can certainly ramp up the cosy factor with some cost effective choices, and transform your home into the perfect sanctuary.
Rugs can be simple yet impactful
Rugs are a firm favourite, whether you have hard floors or carpet – they can instantly add warmth and a feeling of comfort. A brightly coloured or textured rug can act like a piece of 'floor art' and give a room real personality and a focal point. Layering rugs is also an option for a feeling of deep pile sensuality underfoot. Rugs are really versatile and can work in every room, and you can play with large and smaller sizes to suit your style and budget. With thousands of rugs to choose from you are bound to find your perfect one.
Add warmth with lighting
As the daylight fades and the darker evening draw in we rely more and more on artificial lighting. Our lighting works harder in the autumn as it needs to illuminate our space as well as creating the right atmosphere. Having a mix of light providers, either floor, desk or wall is a great way to be able to dial up and dial down a room's ambience depending on your needs. Light bulbs also play a key role, so selecting the correct wattage for the light can be another way to add extra warmth to your room.
Comforting colours and textures
Colour and materials can instantly change the feel of a room, and adding pops of warmth with cushions and throws can be really cost effective. If you are feeling brave you can mix and match or you can keep the overall look neutral so as not to distract from your rooms' decor. Throws are really versatile and can be used to snuggle under on colder evenings, or can be artfully draped over furniture during the day to add personality to your space.
Cosy curtains
Curtains not only provide privacy and frame our windows, they also play a role in keeping the heat inside our homes – preventing it leaking out of our windows. Thermal curtains and blinds can really help solve this problem and can reportedly reduce heat loss by up to 25%. They can also work on internal doors, preventing heat loss to porches, hallways and conservatories.
Create a sleepy sanctuary
Seasonal changes always prompt us to re-think our bedding. Swapping to a higher tog duvet and flannelette sheets help us all get more cosy and achieve the perfect nights sleep. By adding extra layers with warm blankets and throws it means you can add more or take them away so that you are the perfect temperature as you drift off.
Article courtesy of https://www.bairstoweves.co.uk/blog/market-update/get-cosy-for-autumn/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=octobernews&utm_content=ufurnish-cosy-autumn-F4#/
