Get help, advice and information on all your Business issues. http://advice-and.info/Business/energy.htm Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:35:27 GMT en From October 2008 landlords offering property for rent will be required by law to provide prospective tenants with an Energy Performance Certificate for their property. The certificates (EPCs) will have to be provided free either when (or before) any written information about the property is provided to prospective tenants or a viewing is conducted. They will not have to be provided if the landlord believes the prospective tenant is unlikely to have sufficient funds to rent the property or is not genuinely interested in renting, or the landlord is unlikely to be prepared to rent the property to the prospective tenant. A new certificate will not be required on each let since, in the case of rental property, EPCs will be valid for 10 years. The requirement is being introduced to comply with the EUs Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) which applies to all property, including rented property. This became law in 2003 and allowed until January 2009 for full implementation so as to provide time for sufficient numbers of energy assessor to be trained. The Directives requirements have been introduced into English and Welsh law along with the controversial Home Information Pack regulations that require sellers to produce packs providing information about their title, local searched, plus an EPC. The full requirements are included in the Home Information Pack (No 2) Regulations 2007 and the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007. In Scotland, the Single Survey, the equivalent to HIPS, also includes an energy report requirement. So far as energy performance is concerned, the regulations require an EPC when a building is constructed, sold or rented out. When included in a HIP related to a property sale, the EPC should be no more than 12 months old when the property is first marketed. In other circumstances EPCs have a 10 year life. HIP requirements have already come into force so far as three and four bedroom properties are http://advice-and.info/Business/91463_G_Up_For_Energy_Performance.html Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:47:57 GMT Predicted further energy price rises of up to 40 this year could mean a total increase of 61 since January 2008, according to uSwitch. It would mean the average household energy bill hitting 1,467 this winter, up from 912 at the beginning of the year. The increase in energy prices would also plunge an extra 1.6 million into fuel poverty, taking the total to 6.1 million, a 36 increase. The bad news is that the spike in energy prices does not look like a temporary situation and consumers will have to adjust to paying far more for their gas and electricity. According to the Bank of England, wholesale gas prices have increased by 160 in the year to May. But unfortunately suppliers havent caught up with the increase in prices as they have yet to pass these on to consumers. Any respite from a downward trend in prices as demand drops during the summer months has, as yet, failed to materialise. Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch, said: The days of cheap energy are over. Hous eholds could see the largest ever increase in household energy bills this year. This is going to cause huge financial pressure and consumers will naturally expect their salaries to increase to help them meet the spiralling costs of living and working in Britain. The Government knows that this will simply exacerbate the situation, but it will have one hell of a battle on its hands trying to dampen down wage expectations. The outlook is grim. Consumers cannot afford to ignore this - they need to take action now to stand any chance of limiting the impact of higher prices. However, the best fixed and capped deals are disappearing fast so consumers need to act quickly. http://advice-and.info/Business/89750_Energy_Bill_Increases_Could_Hit_61.html Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:40:45 GMT Research by Moneysupermarket shows that pre-payment energy customers could be losing out on as much as 769m worth of savings. This is because the average pre-payment tariff is 150 more expensive for gas and electricity than the best value rate. A spokesperson for Moneysupermarket said: Pre-payment customers should not be punished for using this type of meter. It is painfully ironic that they pay a hefty price and are charged 17 more on average than those who pay by monthly Direct Debit. In the Budget this year the Government put forward proposals to treat pre-payment customers fairly. It is high time these promises are put into action. Energy providers should look to reduce prices for pre-payment customers, remove back charges completely and pledge to shield them from further anticipated price hikes this year. Following the price hikes this year, an estimated half a million more households have plunged into fuel poverty and without action from energy providers and the Government, it is likely that more could slip into this situation. For vulnerable customers who are struggling to pay for their energy bills I advise them to speak to their supplier who may be able to offer special social tariffs or give information on swapping to a credit meter, or advice on other discounts. http://advice-and.info/Business/89748_Pre-payment_Customers_Losing_Out_On_Energy_Savings.html Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:34:23 GMT The UK may see a 50 rise in environmental activity as a result of rocketing fuel and energy costs, according to Tescocompare. The car and home insurance comparison site has revealed that price rises for such items could push 22 million Brits to go green. A survey by the site showed 80 of Brits already believe they are above average when it comes to being environmentally friendly. Green actions by such consumers include recycling household waste (83), switching off appliances at the mains (66) and using energy-saving light bulbs (76). However, 61 still think they could do more for the environment, while 800,000 confess they do nothing at all. One in five Brits claims this is because going green is too expensive. But Tescocompare highlighted some environmentally-friendly activities that cost nothing, including washing clothes at 30 degrees, taking showers instead of baths and not overfilling the kettle. Paul Baxter, spokesperson for Tescocompare, said: Going green takes a little bit of ef fort but can reap huge rewards in the long and short term. The cost of living and household bills are creeping up, but there are lots of things that cost next to nothing that we can all do on a day-to-day basis to reduce our carbon footprint and energy bills. Simply turning gadgets off at the mains when youre not using them is a sure-fire way to save the planet and the pound in your pocket. http://advice-and.info/Business/89740_Rising_Energy_Cost_Spark_Eco_Action.html Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:34:42 GMT If you are a merchant looking for a wide variety of environment & energy products , one of the best places to find them is using the internet. While many businesses think using a common search engine is the best way to search for suppliers or manufacturers online, using the tools and resources that Made in China offers goes a step further giving you the edge that is needed to be successful in the global market. Here are some tips on how Made in China can help you grow your business selling environment & energy products. Made in China Keeps Your Business CompetitiveIn todays global marketplace a little advantage can go an extremely long way and Made in China gives any merchant looking to purchase environment & energy related products that advantage. Made in China is perhaps the most comprehensive B2B E-commerce marketing platform available today. http://advice-and.info/Business/86212_The_Best_Place_To_Find_Environment__Energy_Products.html Thu, 08 May 2008 00:59:27 GMT