Industry News ‘Right to Light’ planning law explained
Following the recent announcement that historic laws, which guarantee homeowners the right to enjoy light that comes into their homes could be changed, Steve Sadler, land manager at Waterfords Land explains what the law is and what changes could mean for homeowners. He comments: “As the current law stands, as a property owner you can acquire a legal right to a certain amount of daylight and within a home, just over half the room should be lit by natural light. Broadly speaking, the minimum standard is equivalent to the light from one can- dle, one foot away. Issues can arise when devel- opments, including neighbour extensions, take
place and threaten the entitled amount of light entering a home. “House extensions are a common cause of
‘right to light’ disputes, as homeowners may employ a local building firm to extend their prop- erty without knowing the development could affect their neighbours. Te most common prob- lem that we find is where the neighbour has a window to the side of their house to which the light is blocked by a high wall.” In revising the laws, Steve confirms that it
could leave homeowners in more doubt over their rights to enjoy light, ‘which is very impor- tant to people’.
TrustMark’s top tips for selfbuilders employing tradesmen
When undertaking a self build, one of the most important decisions you need to consider is taking on skilled and specialist tradesmen to help carry out the building work. With so many rogue traders out there, it's important that you find the right tradesmen, are clear about what you need them to do and develop a good relationship with them. TrustMark, the govern- ment endorsed quality mark signposting people to reputable tradesmen, has put together some top tips on how to deal with tradesmen:
• Always use reputable tradesmen who have been recommended to you, by friends, family or indus- try professionals and always check the quality of work they have had done. Make sure you're using a firm or tradesman that is registered for the partic- ular trade you require – TrustMark’s website has the largest database of accredited tradesmen.
• Be wary of a tradesman who say they can start work the next day or within a few days. A good tradesman is usually busy and will have work booked in advance.
• Where possible, source materials yourself, as tradesmen can sometimes introduce mark-ups. But if materials need to be bought in advance by the tradesman, it is reasonable that the customer is asked to pay a fair percentage of these costs as the job progresses.
• Always use a written contract as it offers you pro- tection if anything does go wrong and agree in writing any changes to the agreed contract value and ensure these are agreed in writing before the work is done.
• Ask for a guarantee and proof that the tradesman has liability insurance to work in your home and ensure the tradesman belongs to a pro- fessional accredited scheme that supports the guarantee he or she offers you.
• Ensure you receive a full written estimate or quo- tation, including a full job specification, which is broken down and fully understood by you. Remember a quote is the only way to obtain a fixed price for your job.
• Agree a time scale for the start of a job and duration and establish who will be working in your home, such as how many workmen or labourers will be included.
• Ensure you communicate with your tradesman even if you are happy, but especially if you are not. You should be very clear about what you need them to do, and what you expect, and they should tell you what they can do. Always keep two-way communication with your tradesmen to ensure they are on schedule and happy with everything.
• Check the tradesman’s work at regular intervals. Unless you are very confident, its always a good idea to check on their progress and the quality of work to make sure it is what you agreed.
• Do not pay more than 25 per cent of the job value if you have paid a deposit to allow your tradesman to purchase materials for your job in advance, and ensure that your deposit is protected and under- written by the organisation they belong to. If you have agreed staged payment ensure you have estab- lished at what stage the payments are to be made and do not make any payment if you are not happy that the stage or the standards you require have been achieved.
• All good tradesmen will operate a sign off proce- dure by checking with you on-site that you are happy with the completed work before final pay- ment is made. Tis is the final control you will have over your job and should form part of the finalising of your guarantee.
• Do your homework! Learn some of the key trades that you need, perhaps by reading a book or by tak- ing a short course, to become more familiar with some of the technical aspects of each trade and the jargon. Tat way, when you are talking with a tradesman, you have an understanding and are less likely to get smarted by a rogue trader.
• Develop a good working relationship with your tradesman – it’s very important. You need them to do a good job and they need to protect their rep- utation, so work together.
events
Eco Technology Show
14–15 June, The Brighton Centre, Brighton The UK's premier event for trade, building owners, occupiers, and the general public covering sus- tainable build, energy, transport and technology.
www.ecotechnologyshow.co.uk
World’s first Quiet House at Ideal Home Show
Te Ideal Home Show joins the Quiet Revolution this week with the World’s first Quiet House; a showcase of the quietest technology for everyday living. Te Quiet House will offer solutions to those looking for a peaceful life. Visit the Selfuilder & Homemaker news blog,
sbh-news.blogspot.co.uk, and enter the reference number below to view more information.
www.buildingconstructiondesign.eu 5
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