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Posts Tagged ‘household insurance’

Comfort is the key

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

When it comes to furnishing a new home there is little more that’s important than creating a comfortable main living space. It is the place where the family come together most often and where comfort encourages relaxation and openness.

Make sure it fits

The seating in this room is crucial and worth spending a little extra on to get right. It is important to choose a sofa that will look good and be proportionate in your living room, so take careful measurements and make sure that what you are buying is the best fit for your home before you make a final decision. You will more than likely have buildings and contents insurance so make sure your sofa is covered by it, if not then remember sofas are easily damaged by children and pets and a household insurance policy or special cover by the manufacturers should be bought.

Check interior and exterior

Whether you have pets, small children, and energetic teenagers, or live a quiet retirement life, your sofa should be well made to give you maximum comfort and value for money. The frame should be sturdy, preferably made of kiln-dried hardwood and should be screwed and glued. The support should consist of proper springs, preferably 8-way tied, and the upholstery should consist of good foam – an inner core of foam with an outer wrapping of feathers is one of the best.

All shapes and sizes

For arm style you can choose from traditional rolled arm, curved English arm, a straight Parsons style or armless. Curved English arm is very elegant while straight arm and armless are suitable for contemporary interior. A skirted sofa may suit French style interior with lots of drapery. Otherwise you can choose from a variety of leg styles ranging from chunky to delicately tapered and carved.

Material choice important

Patterned fabric is not so popular at the moment but can cover the dirt and stains. If you want a soft and durable material choose chenille. Leather is also durable and looks attractive. Velvet has a nice texture but can wear out within a few years. If you are on a budget choose a simply designed sofa and add variations with cushion and pillows. Many furniture manufacturers offer custom-made slipcovers which you can use for a seasonal change or keep as an emergency spare.

Tags: buildings and contents insurance, household insurance, interior decor, living room, sofa
Posted in Contents Insurance | No Comments »

Take time in organising insurance

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

For those families lucky enough to be purchasing new home insurance for the first time it is important they consider how much cover they need and exactly what sort of cover is requires.

Legal requirement

Of course the mortgage provider will insist that the skeleton of the home (bricks and mortar, fixtures and fittings) will be covered by buildings insurance. The inside of the home is a different matter completely and it is up to the new home buyer whether they want to buy contents insurance. Most neutral observers would advise that covering such a prized possession by some sort of insurance is a wise choice.

Don’t forget apparel

Insurance does not have to be expensive, there are hundreds of different companies offering thousands of different policies, and cheap home insurance is relatively easy to find, although you should always bear in mind what exactly you want covering. A new home usually requires a considerable amount of expense to fit out and it may well be worth adding up all the bills as they come in just to figure out how much your contents are worth. New carpets, curtains, and electrical items will quickly start the figure rising and then you should consider clothing. The clothing you bring with you to your home may well not be new; however, it has value, often great value, and the cost of replacing such items in a fire for instance would be urgent and necessary.

Consider the extras

Home insurance providers will often put a ball park figure of around £40,000 to £50,000 on a conventional three bedroomed house but it is up to the homeowner to decide if it is enough, or indeed too much. Remember accidental cover will cost more, as will cover for items away from the home, and items that hold exceptional monetary value. Make sure items are not covered twice, for example your TV may be covered under its warranty for damage and therefore may not need to included in items of outstanding value.

Use expert advice

It is always worth taking a couple of hours making a note of the value of your home, and making a list by physically walking from room to room is often the best way of getting an accurate figure. Your household insurance provider will be willing to help in this matter and it is often worth listening to the words of experts if insuring your new home is your first venture in the world of insurance.

Tags: buildings and contents insurance, Home Insurance, household insurance
Posted in Home Insurance | No Comments »

Parents prepared to pay over the odds to live near a good school

Thursday, August 25th, 2011

A report by one Europe’s largest banks suggests that home hunters are prepared to up their budget if it means securing a place in a good school for their children.

Budget breaker

The report by Santander bank revealed that people preparing to move home or buy for the first time have a set idea on just how much they want to spend when it comes to buying the home, organising household insurance, and paying council taxes, but they are prepared to go well over budget for the privilege of just one thing.

Children come first

It is not having good commuting links to work. It is not having a nice garden or even nice neighbours nor does it involve even being close to family and friends. No, the one thing that can persuade prospective homeowners to pay over the odds for a house is its proximity to a good primary school. The survey conducted by Santander asked couples in the process of buying a new home, or planning to buy one in the foreseeable future, what their priorities would be. On average the respondents to the survey said they would be prepared to spend £12,000 over budget on a home to ensure the light of their lives went to a good primary school.

No guarantees

There is no absolute guarantee that your child will go to a certain school unless you are prepared to pay for the privilege, but with fee paying schools now charging on average over £3,000 a term then it is no surprise in the current financial climate that families are prepared to go over budget on buying a house if it is in a good schools catchment area. The bad news is catchment areas for schools change!

Moving the school gates

Catchment areas are very much dependant on the number of places available at the start of a school term. So a school that as a good record and becomes popular with couples in the surrounding area may suddenly declare that instead of the catchment area being within 1 mile of the school gates, as it was in the previous year, it is now only three quarters of a mile because of the number of children flooding into the area. This scenario happened in many schools last year in England’s major cities and couples who had bought a home insurance quote on a property specifically because it was near a certain school suddenly found it was not near enough. There is very little parents can do except to move as near as possible and also to bear in mind that once they have one child in the school other siblings should be guaranteed a place in the future.

Tags: Catchment areas, household insurance, Parents, Primary Schools
Posted in Home Insurance | No Comments »

Lighting the way

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

Moving into a new home is an exciting proposition. Once contracts have been exchanged and the basic essentials such as home insurance quotes, utility contracts and mortgage payments have been sorted out, it is time to get down to decorating your home.

Creating an atmosphere

Of course everyone has a budget and everyone has their own ideas about where that budget may best be put to good use. For many people creating the perfect atmosphere in a room is the most important feature and for this, use of lighting is paramount.

Lighting is one of the most powerful mood makers. It may be part of the décor during the day, but at night it can change the face and feel of the room dramatically.

Recessed lighting

Recessed lighting is what you would like to have if you live in a modern house or flat. Recessed ceiling lights are the most common and popular. They generally illuminate the room and can create stunning lighting effects against a wall. Unlike traditional central lighting there is no longer a surface mounted or hanging fitting in the middle of the ceiling which makes the room look and feel expansive.

Chandeliers make a statement

If you want to create a gorgeous focal point in your room a chandelier is a good option. It is very important that you choose a right-sized chandelier for your room for maximum effect. You need to take into consideration the height of your room and the sizes of the chandelier and other furniture. For a dining room the balance between the chandelier and dining table would be crucial. Crystal chandeliers are possibly the most expensive, and one of the most gorgeous and traditional looking kinds of chandeliers. Chandeliers often do not provide enough lighting for the whole room and you will need other accent lights.

Evocative candles

Candle flames create such a comforting, warm and romantic atmosphere which no other lighting methods can do. Long, slim and tapered candles in elegant holders are suitable for a romantic dinner for two, or formal dinner occasions. Votive candles look very pretty and cheerful and may be suitable for younger crowds. Aromatherapy candles would be perfect for bathrooms and living rooms. When handling candles health and safety issues are paramount and great care should be taken, no-one wants to be claiming on their household insurance because they were careless with a naked flame.

Tags: Chandeliers, household insurance, interior decor, lighting
Posted in Home Insurance | No Comments »

Low rates set to stay with us for some time

Thursday, August 18th, 2011

Homeowners already paying record low interest levels on their mortgages can breathe yet another sigh of relief after the Bank of England’s (BoE) Monetary Policy Committee decided to leave interest rates at 0.05% earlier this week.

Committee solidly behind chairman

They can also plan ahead a little more comfortably as the prospects of any rate changes seem to have disappeared for the rest of this year. The committee voted unanimously to keep the rates on hold, the first time it has happened this year, and a sign that the entire bank is solidly behind Mervyn King and his approach to the financial pressures embroiling the UK. It now seems more likely that quantitative easing will be the preferred option on bringing the UK back to more comfortable growth figures. The committee believe inflation will peak at around 5% and start falling back in the winter.

Stable rates should boost home sales

With some city experts now predicting rates to stay low throughout 2012, it does open the door for homeowners to make plans for the future. Many in the housing sector will hope the predictions of city analysts will kick start home sales, and that prospective home buyers will at long last be tempted to buy household insurance on a brand new property. Certainly estate agents across the country have been quietly noting a small increase in sales over the last couple of months and in Cornwall, holidaymakers have not only been spending their time on the beaches they have been spending it on holiday home insurance quotes as properties that have been on the market for many months are suddenly flying off the shelves.

Banks hold the key

There have been bargains galore for several years in the housing market but the restrictive offers made by lenders have made it almost impossible for young investors to get a foothold on the property ladder. If just a few decent mortgage deals are put forward by lenders, estate agents now feel the market would open up very quickly. The signs are certainly there and a buoyant housing market would certainly give some impetus to the economy. The question is will the banks let the purse strings loose?

Tags: Bank of England, Holiday homes, household insurance, Low rates, Monetary Policy Committee
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Memory stick lost after contractor stops for drink at his local pub

Monday, August 8th, 2011

Two London housing bodies are in trouble with privacy watchdogs after one of their contractors lost an unencrypted memory stick in a pub. The memory stick held data on 27,000 tenants of Lewisham Homes and Wandle Housing Association.

Privacy watchdogs revealed the unencrypted stick also held the tenants’ bank account details. Thankfully no harm was done because the lost stick was found by a Good Samaritan who handed it into the police. Despite this, both housing bodies have been publicly named and shamed over the lapse by the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office). The two housing bodies have been ordered to improve their data security and ordered to make sure all portable devices which are used to store personal information on tenants are secure and encrypted.

Sally-Anne Poole, from the ICO, said “Saving personal information onto an unencrypted memory stick is as risky as taking hard copy papers out of the office. Luckily, the device was handed in, and there is no suggestion that the data was misused. But this incident could so easily have been avoided if the information had been properly protected. Using a memory stick to transport sensitive information may be convenient but it’s certainly not secure.”

Both housing organisations will now be subjected to a stricter monitoring regime by the information commission. They have apologised to all tenants and assured them it will not happen again. Tenants are angry that the property they rent and protect with household insurance could have been at risk if the memory stick had been found by a less honest person, had this happened the repercussions could have been severe. Newspapers have reported similar cases over the last few years and it does seem that data protection is still not taken seriously by many companies.

Tags: household insurance, privacy, tenants
Posted in Home Insurance | 1 Comment »

Holiday period not the time to dispense with insurance

Thursday, July 28th, 2011

With the holiday season well and true upon us many people will be relaxing for the first time in many months and looking forward to a fortnight by the sea in some foreign clime. They won’t be thinking too much about affordable home insurance quotes, personal possessions insurance or even travel insurance, but they should.

Most people feeling the pinch

It is without doubt that many homeowners and holiday makers have had a troubled financial year. The austerity measures brought in by the incumbent Government have affected almost everyone. Even those lucky enough to have held on to their livelihoods have still encountered hugely inflated energy bills, unbelievably expensive fuel charges and motor and home insurance quotations that frankly shock!

Wrong Decision?

It is against this backdrop that many families have squirrelled money away to pay for their holidays, and there is no doubt that some will have decided to forego insurance protection to ensure the family gets a holiday. It is a decision that some will sympathise with but it could be oh so costly.

EHIC not a solution

UK residents travelling to European countries such as Spain, France and Germany may well believe they are covered by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) scheme, and to a certain extent they are. They will get cheap basic health care in any of the mainstream European countries; however, it is not travel insurance. It will not pay out if you miss your ferry, lose your luggage or break down in your car. It is handy but it is most certainly not travel insurance.

Personal possession a must

The same applies to personal possession insurance. For around £25 extra on a household insurance policy you can insure your valuables whilst you are away from home. Your laptop is another thing not covered by the EHIC, it may not even be covered by your travel insurance, but it will be covered by personal possession insurance, and so will be gold watches, mobile phones and anything else of value you take away with you.

Not worth the risk

A holiday is great tonic for hard working families; it is a time when they can relax and have fun together, unfortunately it is also a time when accidents happen. When we relax we are off our guard, this applies not only to our possessions but to our own personal safety it would be a shame to spoil a well earned break for the comparative cheapness of a good insurance policy.

Tags: Holidays, Homeowners, household insurance, Travel Insurance
Posted in Home Insurance | No Comments »

Council starts work on new housing development

Monday, July 18th, 2011

Merton Council has overseen the start of an important green housing development involving the erection of timber frames homes in Mitcham, South West London. When finished, the development will transform the former school site into a landscaped park for the public along with over two-hundred new homes.

The site will be a big step in the regeneration of the area bringing 131 family homes and 86 flats which can all be protected with household insurance. Each finished home will comfortably meet the high quality design specifications and will have solar panels on the roofs to help occupants reduce utility bills. The people who move into the properties will have a new community and medical centre within walking distance and residents will also benefit from state of the art insulation methods that will keep the homes warm in winter and cool in the summer.

Merton Council’s Andrew Judge said: “We challenged Crest Nicholson Homes to come up with an exemplary housing development with a construction cost of just £60,000 per house. These efficiencies have enabled investment in renewable energy, high spec design and the provision of the new park. Our new housing development will retain a locally listed building and provide new green space and wildlife habitat. This scheme will demonstrate that affordability goes hand-in-hand with quality and excellent contemporary design. I am sure this site will serve as an example of financially and environmentally sustainable construction which other local authorities and the construction industry will want to emulate.”

The wider community will also benefit from the green development as they will be able to use the new medical centre as well as the park. Like every other council throughout the United Kingdom, Merton Council has to face the challenge of a future with less funding but higher ecological demands, this green development promises to be the first of many that is built in the borough.

Tags: Crest Nicholson Homes, household insurance, housing development, new homes
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Homeowners look for bargains as inflation continues to rise

Thursday, July 7th, 2011

The dismal news for homeowners continued apace this week as the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium showed that food prices are still racing ahead as the headline rate of inflation hit its highest level for 30 months.

Largest increase for years

The monthly increase is the largest since 2008 and it seems as though anything that can adversely affect the price of food is happening right here and right now. The four horsemen of a modern day apocalypse seem to have been given full rein. Droughts in Russia and China have affected the grain harvests so much that China is becoming a net importer. In Australia cyclones and storms have destroyed crops, the horn of Africa is suffering yet again from drought and the worldwide increase in fuel prices is just metaphorically pouring oil on a burning fire.

Buy one get one free tops the shopping list

Back in the UK the BRC have noted that consumers are managing to keep spending under control by looking for bargains. Household costs such as home insurance and utility bills are being sourced from price comparison websites, while supermarket shopping by the savvy consumer means promotional offers are targeted for the bulk of the weekly shopping list. The BRC reckon about 40% of food purchases are now made from products on “offer”.

Down to the bare bones

Even basics such as milk, bread and sugar have risen sharply in price leaving the most vulnerable members of society with few cheap options for their shopping basket. It is at times like these that homeowners begin to cut down on products that they deemed as normal living costs but can no longer afford. Trips to the cinema, dining out and holiday bookings have all been put to one side by many families and some are still looking for other expenses they can cut away from their domestic budget.

Cancelling insurance can be a costly saving

There is no mistaking that household insurance providers are worried that households will begin to question if they can afford their current policies and will look elsewhere to see if they can procure a bargain, some are even considering not renewing their policies at all. It is a massive risk for any household to be uninsured and the news this week that many house fires have been caused by faulty fridges illustrates the point well.

Tags: Home Insurance, household insurance, Inflation
Posted in Home Insurance, Inflation | No Comments »

Now is the time to check your heating system works

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

At a time when many households in the country prepare to switch off their central heating systems as the early spring sunshine warms up their homes, few will consider maintaining the radiators and pipe work, but they should. Many people only think about their heating when it goes wrong and by then it is often too late. A cold house or even worse a leaking radiator that leads to a household insurance claim can be avoided by a little forethought and planning.

There are many simple things you can do to solve the problems with a central heating system before arranging an engineer visit or purchasing a new unit.

System running hot and cold

The most common problem is that your radiator is hot at the bottom but cold at the top. It means that air is trapped in the system preventing the efficient circulation of the hot water, so you need to bleed the radiator. You need a radiator-bleeding key which you can buy at DIY store. There are sophisticated automatic bleeding keys which cost around £10. I bought a manual bleeding key at a DIY shop for £1.99 which works perfectly. It is very easy to bleed a radiator and if you are not sure there are many how-to videos posted on YouTube and other DIY websites. You only need to bleed it once a year or so. This simple operation can save you a couple of hundreds on your energy bills.

Leaky valves can be sorted out

The other common problem is radiator leakage. Sometimes, especially in winter when the heating system is in constant use the pipes just wobble and the nuts and screws loosen which may cause a small leakage. In some cases the leakage might be temporary and stop in a couple of days – it happened to one of my radiators. If not you need to get a spanner and tighten the gland-nut and the cap-nut. If it still does not stop the leak then you can try applying PTFE tape down into the valve spindle, which can be done without draining the system. Again, you can find many video instructions on the internet.

When all else fails make sure you are covered

If the above methods fail then it may be time to call an engineer. It is worth watching out for leaks and checking radiator temperatures from time to time. It is also worth bearing in mind that central heating systems are made to last a long time and should do so. Many homes still house radiators and pipes that were installed in the 70s and 80s– and they are still in perfect working order.

It is always a good idea to make sure your home insurance broker includes heating cover in your policy as it can often be an emergency situation when the home loses all heating options, and that is why the system should be sorted out now.

Tags: heating system, Home Insurance, household insurance
Posted in Advice for Tenants, Home Insurance | No Comments »