All Feedback articles – Page 5
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InsightGove’s cheap blast at social landlords not helpful
Editor: No doubt it was well intentioned, but housing secretary Michael Gove has played a dangerous hand in the social housing blame game. It was a cheap blast to accuse social landlords of neglecting their tenants, even as he shirked the suggestion that government cuts were partly to blame.
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InsightMEES: how to stay ahead of the curve
Editor: Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) are now in force across England and Wales, and commercial properties that have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating below ‘E’ will no longer be granted tenancy, unless eligible for an exemption.
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InsightFlexible office space is ripe for green investment
Editor: With offices now requiring a minimum ‘E’ energy efficiency rating, it is estimated that around 8% of all commercial stock is now unlettable, equating to around 10,000 commercial spaces in London.
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InsightCollaboration key in decarbonisation
Editor: I read with interest your recent article ‘Industry urges lease shake-up’ and wholeheartedly agree that urgent action is needed to make renting commercial property easier and cheaper.
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InsightHousing ministry is needed to speed up delivery
It is clear that the creation of a dedicated Ministry of Housing is not just necessary but critical to provide a core plank of what the public expects from the government.
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InsightCharging drive is vital for EV uptake
The government’s recent commitment to £380m of investment in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure as part of its net zero policy package is a welcome shift in focus. But let’s not kid ourselves that this is enough to power an EV revolution. Without a widespread upgrade of the country’s charging ...
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InsightCladding makers must pay for crisis
While some developers have now committed to housing secretary Michael Gove’s contract to pay for unsafe building repairs, it’s critically only one piece of the puzzle.
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InsightSmart tech can make heritage assets sustainable
I share the concern expressed in your article ‘Government urged to back heritage retrofits’. Retrofitting is essential to mitigate the environmental harm caused by the built environment, especially considering that 80% of the buildings that exist today will still be in use in 2050. The greenest building is the one ...
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InsightEco upgrading offers opportunities
The office sector is truly being hit while it is down. Covid-19 sparked a destructive spiral and now the next level of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) comes into effect on 1 April, meaning all buildings will have to have a minimum EPC rating of ‘E’ – and from 2030, ...
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InsightBudget had an upside for commercial investors
It is clear that Jeremy Hunt’s recent spring Budget favoured commercial property investors along with those who specialise in serviced accommodation.
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InsightThe office is still central to business
Editor: Working from home was necessary during the pandemic, but does it really need to stay this way for good?
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InsightBTR and PBSA sectors are not interchangeable
Editor: Build-to-rent (BTR) developer and operator Moda Living’s recent venture into the purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) market comes as no surprise.
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InsightGood data is key to decarbonisation
Reading your story on the British Property Federation and JLL’s Towards Net Zero report, it’s clear the industry wants to deliver on climate goals, but this is currently reliant on individual efforts. More government incentivisation and greater regulation are needed to accelerate change.
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InsightTime for a crackdown on rogue rating advisers
It is time the government stepped in to regulate the rating surveying profession to protect customers from cowboy ‘rating advisers‘ that take advantage of vulnerable businesses.
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InsightNPPF reforms will hit the economy
Editor: Proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) will not only lead to fewer homes being built, they will also destroy the UK’s plan-led approach to development and deliver a significant hit to the economy (‘BPF warns of “clear contradictions” in NPPF consultation’).
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InsightTime for property owners to take action on ESG
Editor: Commenting on the new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) set to come into force on 1 April, the inner London analysis from BNP Paribas concludes that up to 8% of commercial stock is unlettable under new EPC rules.
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InsightProperty must embrace levelling up
It’s a testament to former prime minister Boris Johnson’s ability as a storyteller that his most abiding legacy will be the levelling up agenda, which, although less of a priority for Rishi Sunak’s government, is still visible.
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InsightLet’s keep best features of Landlord & Tenant Act
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Anthony Ratcliffe’s well researched letter about abolishing the 1954 Landlord & Tenant Act.
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InsightPurplebricks’ DIY model doesn’t work for us Brits
Purplebricks was the forerunner of DIY estate agency in the UK and since its highly publicised launch on AIM in 2016, the share price has gone from 100p, to 500p and now to a lowly 10p.
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InsightBeds and sheds don’t belong together
On the surface, combining ‘beds and sheds’ seems like a quick fix for the government’s pledge to build more homes. With land in our cities growing ever more scarce, these multipurpose schemes appear, on the surface at least, to be able to maximise development potential and meet the needs of ...
