It pays to keep your Trees under Control

Trees are a much-loved and vital part of our landscape. They not only provide us with a pleasing vista that draws the eye, but they offer a functional value too - in their various guises trees absorb road noise, encourage wildlife into our towns and cities, and help to protect our planet by reducing the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide. You could almost say that these leafy towers are the ultimate multitaskers – keeping our lives and the planet in check while looking serene and calm in the process!

 

But for all the good that trees bring into our lives, for some property owners they can be their worst nightmare. All it takes is for one tree to be planted too close to a building, or to be allowed to grow unchecked and – BHAM…an instant problem is yours as roots tangle with your property’s foundations or cause the ground around the building to subside. It is stressful and costly to correct – and what’s worse, the damage could be caused by a tree that you don't even own!

Trees and the law

The courts are littered with cases involving disputes over neighbouring trees. Property owners have taken each other to court, and have even taken their local councils to court - all because the owner of the tree failed to keep it under control.

 

In the eyes of the law tree problems either amount to trespass or nuisance.

 

Trespass tends to apply to any direct action that impedes upon a neighbour's land or property - overhanging branches and tree roots being prime examples. If the owner of a tree allows a tree's branches to hang over their property boundary then, by law, those branches are trespassing on the neighbouring property's airspace. The property owner who is suffering the trespass can cut back the tree to the boundary without seeking the permission of the tree's owner, so long as the lopped branches (and any fruit) are returned. However, it is strongly advisable to first communicate your intent to your neighbour to avoid any bad feelings!

 

Nuisance is defined as an indirect effect - a consequence that, in this instance, can be traced back to an offending tree. For properties in clay soil areas it is quite common for nearby trees to soak up ground moisture in the summer months to the extent that the soil shrinks in volume. This can cause subsidence and can weaken a building's foundations.

 

Sometimes, the situation can become so severe that the property's owner will need to have the foundations underpinned. If the tree is on a neighbour's property and no compromise agreement is reached, the complainant is perfectly within their rights to sue the tree's owner and claim for the cost of underpinning the foundations. If taken to court, the law will most likely interpret the charge as 'nuisance', even if the roots physically trespass under the complainant's land.

 

Trespassing tree roots

 

Trespassing tree roots that cause direct damage by way of blocking drains, rupturing paving slabs and interfering with a property's foundations are a serious problem for both tree owners and neighbours alike. The main issue is that, for property owners, the extent of a tree's roots underground cannot normally be seen. This makes it difficult to monitor their growth and reach. In some cases it might only be when actual damage is caused to the property that the size of the root system becomes apparent.

 

For neighbours who are worried about tree roots trespassing onto their land and under their properties they have the right to chop the roots along their boundary - even if the tree dies as a result. However, great care should be taken to ensure that the tree does not become dangerous or unstable in the process - and the local council may need to be consulted if the tree is in a conservation area, or if it is protected by a tree preservation order (TPO).

 

Before taking action it is therefore best to talk to your neighbour and, if possible, come to a friendly agreement on what should be done to head off the problem. To help you assess the impact of cutting through the tree's roots you should also consider enlisting the help of a professional tree surgeon,also known as an Arboricultural Consultant. If your neighbour is uncooperative, or if damage has already been caused by trespassing tree roots, you might want to get your solicitor involved.

 

 

 

 

 

Safe compliance with HIPS: Advice for Vendors

Home Information Packs (HIPs) became mandatory on August 1, 2007. Vendors advertising properties for sale with four or more bedrooms must now commission a HIP to accompany their property to the market. Come September 10, 2007 the same regulations will apply to three bedroom homes in England and Wales.

 

If you are planning on selling your property soon you'll need to get familiar with HIPs - and importantly, how improving the safety of your property for a visit by the Home Inspector can help you make it more attractive to buyers.

 

HIPs - The Facts

 

It is the seller's responsibility to arrange a HIP for their property when they advertise it for sale. In practice, vendors can enlist the services of their estate agent to make the arrangements on their behalf. Alternatively, the property vendor can order their HIP through a specialist HIP provider, or through their solicitor.

 

The idea behind HIPs is to make the process of buying and selling property easier and more transparent. With this in mind the government has outlined a number of compulsory and optional documents that are to be contained in the Home Information Pack.

 

Briefly these are…

 

• 
  

  Statement of Sale

  
  


• 
  

  Evidence of Title including Title Plan

  
  


• 
  

  Property and Land Searches

  
  


• 
  

  Lease Documentation (if leasehold)

  
  


• 
  

  Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

  
  

 

Optional documents are…

 

• 
  

  Home Condition Report

  
  


• 
  

  Guarantees and Warranties

  
  


• 
  

  Fixtures and Fittings List

  
  

 

The HIP provider will compile all relevant information as required and requested into the Home Information Pack. It is they who will liase with the solicitor or conveyancer for search information, and it is they who will organise a qualified Home Inspector to visit your property to perform an Energy Assessment and to produce the Home Condition Report if needed.

 

Energy Performance Certificates and Home Condition Report

 

The Energy Performance Certificate is a central document in the HIP. It is an energy audit of your property to assess its energy efficiency, and to determine how cost effective the property is to run. The EPC will grade your property on a sliding scale between band 'A' and band 'G'. Band 'A' ratings denote high-energy efficiency and low running costs. Band 'G' ratings show the property to be poor on energy efficiency and costly to run.

EPCs have been a long time in their arrival. Back in 1997, at the tabling of the Kyoto Protocol in Japan, a framework agreement was put in place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including Co2 - these are seen as the main contributing factors to climate change. Member states of the European Union signed up to the agreement, and, in an effort to meet reduction targets, have focused EU directives at lowering energy consumption in buildings. In the UK it is estimated that around 50% of all the country's energy is consumed by lighting, heating and electrical appliances used in our homes and at work. The government and its advisors believe that the introduction of more energy-efficient products into the home and workplace, and improvements in regulating ambient temperature in living spaces so less energy is used, will help the UK meet its carbon emission targets.

Enter then the EPC. It is hoped that by making an EPC a mandatory part of the Home Information Pack that home buyers and sellers will have a greater awareness of their energy consumption, and thus their personal contribution to climate change. On the certificate is an energy efficiency rating and a environmental impact rating. Both will have the current rating of the property and a 'potential' rating. The 'potential' is what could be achieved at the property should the recommendations noted on the EPC be implemented.

 

The Home Condition Report is much more familiar. It is a physical inspection of the property - a form of basic survey if you will. This report is included in the HIP on a voluntary basis by the seller and will highlight any health and safety concerns at the property.

 

Improving Safety for a more attractive HIP

 

As the EPC and Home Condition Report rely on the visit of a Home Inspector to the property, vendors have an opportunity to make some improvements to the property ahead the visit - improvements that could make the property safer, more energy efficient and thus more attractive to potential buyers from the start.

 

On the energy front for example, you could look at the safety aspects of your boiler. An old boiler, especially if not regularly serviced, could be a threat to your health. Parts might have corroded leaving the boiler dangerous and certainly inefficient to run. By replacing the boiler with a new high-efficiency condensing boiler, you'll not only make your property safer but you'll get full marks from the Home Inspector too.

 

If you've opte
d for the Home Condition Report have a think about health and safety issues at your property. Are slates and tiles loose on your roof? Is the chimney stack in need of some attention? Is your guttering secure, or do you have damp areas on internal walls and ceilings? If you can identify these potential safety hazards and take action to correct them, that Home Condition Report in your HIP will have buyers falling over themselves to buy your property!

 

 

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning -- The Facts

Each year more than 250 people in the UK are accidentally poisoned in their homes by carbon monoxide gas from a boiler or cooker. On average, around 50 of these poisonings will be fatal - although some sources suggest the number of fatalities to be higher. Of those who survive a significant number end up enduring long-term injuries and disability that stay with them for the rest of their lives.

 

Nausea, headaches, dizziness and tiredness are the common symptoms to look out for. If you're feeling ill in your home but feel better outside, at work or on holiday, you could very well be suffering the effects of low-level carbon monoxide poisoning. Frighteningly, exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide wreaks havoc very quickly. Within a couple of minutes of exposure we could suffer serious illness. A few minutes later we could lose consciousness or worse.

 

The statistics certainly make grim reading - and the chief reason why is that carbon monoxide, to all intents and purposes, is invisible to the human senses. You can't smell it. You can't see it. You can't taste it. Basically, if you don't know that it is there you may not realise that you've been poisoned until it's too late!

 

The causes of carbon monoxide poisoning

 

Carbon monoxide is a by-product of burning fossil fuels such as gas, oil, coal and wood. When burning takes place in a confined space or in a room without adequate ventilation, the oxygen in the air is used up in the burning process. This results in the release of carbon dioxide (Co2).

 

Carbon dioxide, while not poisonous in itself in this situation, does hinder the supply of oxygen reaching the burning fuel. This in turn makes the burning process inefficient. Fuel that is not fully combusted then begins to throw carbon monoxide out into the air. The silent killer is unleashed.

 

In the home gas burning and wood burning appliances have the most potential to bring about carbon monoxide poisoning. Gas stoves, gas boilers, wood burners, open coal fires and gas heaters all pose a risk, that is unless you take preventative action to tackle the threat.

 

Top safety tips

 

Regular safety checks on your fuel burning appliances is the solution that will stop you from becoming another carbon monoxide poisoning statistic.

 

First up check the flame colour of your gas appliances. The flame should burn a brilliant blue. If it burns more orange than blue then you have a problem. Switch the appliance off and call out a gas engineer immediately. For gas boilers and gas fires do get a corgi-registered engineer to service the appliances every year.

 

Gas flues should be checked to make sure that they are not blocked. It is not that uncommon for birds to choose the end of a flue pipe as a nesting site. This could restrict outflow of carbon monoxide fumes and lead to a build up of the deadly gas around the vented appliance. Likewise, if you have a chimney running off an open fireplace do keep a regular eye out for nesting birds. Employing the services of a chimney sweep can help you out here.

 

Check too that your air bricks and vents are free from blockages. This is especially important in your kitchen area and any other room where you have gas appliances or a gas boiler.

For the ultimate preventative measure do install a carbon monoxide detector in every room of your home where there is a fuel burning appliance. Detectors cost between £10 and £20 each and are fitted to the ceiling in the same way as a smoke alarm. It's a small price to pay for equipment that could end up saving your life.

 

 

Time for a Central Heating Check Up

When the leaves on the trees don their gold and crimson jackets it's a sure sign that winter is just around the corner. Cold days and frosty nights will soon be with us, coercing the central heating system in your property to start working overtime.  But, before the heating switch is 'thrown in anger' for the first time this winter, it is more than worth having the system checked over by a professional. A full central heating check up will reveal any potential glitches in your heating system - glitches that could give you a real headache in the depths of winter if left unchecked.

Potential Central Heating Troubles
Central heating systems are very much like cars. They're great when they are working, but to keep them humming along efficiently they need regular care and attention.
Neglecting the central heating system in your property is just inviting trouble. Anything from blocked pipes to carbon monoxide poisoning from the boiler could surface as a result. And believe me, if it is the latter, you'll be doing more than just kicking yourself for not having had your central heating system serviced this year.
So, what does a central heating check up involve? Ideally it should comprise the following inspection points…
Boiler: Efficiency of the boiler's heat exchangers should be checked, along with the boiler's seals and ignition system. Importantly, the boiler's burners must be scrutinised. If the burners are not fully consuming fuel a build up of lethal carbon monoxide may well be underway.
Flues & Ventilation: Flues and vents must be examined to ensure that they are free from obstruction. A flue blockage may cause a deadly cocktail of flue gases to collect in the room where the boiler is located.
Pump: The pump is at the heart of a property's hot water system. An inspection should make sure that it is operating as efficiently as possible. Sludge and lime scale are the chief culprits of pump inefficiency. These deposits reduce heat output from radiators in the property, beginning with the radiators furthest away from the pump.
Radiators: Radiators too may suffer from the build up of sludge and lime scale deposits. If the lower portion of a radiator remains cold when the central heating is on, it is likely that sludge and lime scale are to blame.
Should the opposite be true - that is the top section of the radiator is cool when the heating system is switched on - trapped air in the radiator unit is most probably the cause. This can easily be remedied by bleeding the radiator(s) in question.
Feed & Expansion Tank: Normally located in the property's loft space, the feed and expansion tank is an integral part of the central heating system. The ball valve and washer are subject to wear and erosion over time. This may lead to water leakage into the tank and out through the overflow pipe.
Central Heating Service Solution for Landlords
For landlords, keeping abreast of central heating checks is just one of the many commitments that must be juggled in an industry fraught with red tape. If your property has a gas-fired boiler you are of course obligated by law to subject it to an annual safety check courtesy of a CORGI registered engineer.
Forgetting, or worse, choosing not to book a gas safety check and central heating service could, quite literally, land you in hot water. Not only will you have unhappy tenants and quite possibly a large repair bill, you could, in the case of lapsing on your annual gas safety check, be fined and imprisoned.
Central heating service providers understand this, and is the reason why landlords are offered annual service contracts on their boilers and central heating systems. When the consequences are considered, skipping out on your boiler and central heating check up this year is simply not worth the risk.
© Pacedream Limited 18/0/2007 Tel: 08456 980044 Fax: 020 82111 782

Burning down the house!

Fire Kills - but YOU can prevent it. That is the leading campaign message championed in unison by government and the UK's Fire and Rescue Services. It is a message that is being heard loud and clear, and with increasing effect - in 2005 deaths caused by fire in the UK were down to their lowest level for 46 years.

 

The reason for this impressive decrease is obvious when you look at the government's fire statistics. Figures show that there are now more homes fitted with smoke alarms than ever before in the UK. Compared with 20 years ago this represents a ten-fold jump in smoke alarm ownership.

 

Still, there is much work to do in terms of promoting smoke alarm awareness. Not only are hundreds of thousands of homeowners and tenants exposed to fire hazards without any sort of smoke alarm device installed in their properties, but a significant number of householders who do have alarms fail to maintain their units, or even check that they are working properly. Is it time you had a look at your smoke alarm needs?

 

Choosing a smoke alarm

 

There are essentially two types of smoke alarm on the market today - ionisation alarms and optical alarms.

 

Ionisation alarms are the cheapest and most readily available. They are highly sensitive to smoke particles and will sound the alarm whenever a threshold number of particles enter the unit's ionisation chamber. But be warned - these types of alarms are easily set off by extraneous smoke from cooking. It is therefore best to place any ionisation alarm that you have well away from the kitchen area, otherwise you may find yourself constantly wafting a tea towel at it!

Optical smoke alarms are the alternative. These units sense fire by using an infrared emitting diode and photo diode to detect smoke particles entering the diode housing chamber. When the light beams are broken the alarm sounds.

 

For smouldering fires, such as those that involve the burning of foam-filled furniture, optical smoke alarms are the best. They can pick up on these sorts of fires much more quickly than an ionisation unit can.

 

Fire safety officers do recommend that both types of alarm be installed in your property. But, if you can't afford both, one alarm is better than none!

 

When making your choice you should also consider the volume of the alarm. All alarms have a a decibel (dBA) rating. This generally ranges from 55dBA (quietest) to 90dBA (loudest). In a normal situation where the alarm is needed to wake healthy adults from a deep sleep at 4am, an alarm of 55dBA to 65dBA will do the job. But, if you are hard of hearing a louder alarm is recommended.

 

Just to be sure that your smoke alarm will wake you from a deep sleep it is worth testing it out in your own home. You could have someone set off the alarm during the night to see if or how quickly you wake up. If you sleep through the noise, you need a louder alarm!

 

 

Positioning your smoke alarm

 

As smoke always rises a smoke alarm performs best if it is secured to the ceiling. Ideally, you should have at least one smoke alarm per floor of your property. These should be located in common access areas, such as on your landing and hallway or at the foot of your stairs.

 

For total peace of mind it is worth considering positioning a smoke alarm in every room where there is a large electrical appliance. This includes lounge areas and bedrooms.

 

Once installed, check your smoke alarms on a regular basis. Use the 'test' button on the alarm unit to make sure it is in good working order every week; change the battery every year, and replace the units completely at least once every ten years. Oh, and if you have the decorators in, do make a special effort to check your alarm after they've gone. If there's been dust flying about they might have removed the battery to stop it constantly going off.

Remember - a smoke alarm is only of any use if it actually works!

 

Dealing with the Impact of Flooding

Official Met Office figures place June 2007 as the wettest June on record. In some places as much as a month's worth of rainfall fell in a day. Flooding became a widespread problem through the North and East Midlands, and through Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, where thousands of homes and businesses became submerged under several feet of water for days on end. The situation became so severe that the Army was called in to help.

Official Met Office figures place June 2007 as the wettest June on record. In some places as much as a month's worth of rainfall fell in a day. Flooding became a widespread problem through the North and East Midlands, and through Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, where thousands of homes and businesses became submerged under several feet of water for days on end. The situation became so severe that the Army was called in to help.
London and Manchester escaped lightly, more by luck than anything else. The likes of Sheffield and Hull were not so fortunate. Damage to property is expected to run into the £millions in the two cities alone. Elsewhere, the floods claimed lives and cut off whole villages. The clear-up operation may take months, and for many who suffered life will never be the same again.

The questions on everyone's lips right now is why did this happen? Floods are one of nature's most destructive forces. They often arrive silently and without warning. Intense rainfall is the cause. It saturates the ground and fills up watercourses to bursting point. If the rain continues to fall rivers then start to overflow, rapidly spreading water across their floodplains. Urban storm drains too struggle to cope. They bubble water back up onto roads and paths, adding to the unfolding flood chaos. When this happens, very quickly - sometimes within minutes - streets and houses can find themselves under water.
Will it happen again? Yes - without a doubt! Flooding is not an uncommon problem, although the areas affected are rarely as widespread as we saw in June 2007. North-west London succumbed to floods that closed roads and tube stations in August 2004. Thunderstorms last July brought a similar fate to parts of Manchester. Next time, it could be you!
Are you at risk?
Low-lying urban areas and locations that are close to rivers or on a river floodplain are most at risk from flooding. These are the places where floodwaters collect when it has nowhere else to go. The government's Environment Agency estimate that over five million of us live in these flood-prone areas, and are at risk of being affected by floods every time there is prolonged intense rainfall.
To help you find out if you are one of the five million at risk, the Environment Agency has published a flood risk map. It highlights all locations across England and Wales that are considered to be 'under threat' from future flood events. Areas are graded from high risk through to low risk. If you find yourself to be in a high risk area you'll need to take steps to counter the threat - and I'm not joking here. Scientists tell us that our world is warming. As a result, flooding in the UK is only likely to become more frequent. If you're in a flood-prone area chances are you'll experience those murky waters lapping at your front door sooner than you might have thought!
Preventative measuresSo, what should you do if you find yourself on the flood risk list? Well, you could always move! Failing this, the next best thing is to put in place some preventative measures. If the worst were then to happen and your home or business was flooded, you'd at least know that you'd have done all you could to limit the damage.
Your measures should start with a 'flood escape plan'. So, just as you would do in the event of a fire, plan your escape route away from the danger zone and make sure that everyone in the property knows exactly what to do and where to go. Your priority should be to get to higher ground or to a safe location away from the area's main watercourses. Before leaving your property it is important to turn off your electricity supply at the mains.
If possible, store valuables and irreplaceables in upstairs rooms as a matter of course and be sure to keep all of your building and contents insurance policies up to date. To cover the cost of vehicle damage by floodwater you'll need comprehensive insurance…third party insurance just won't cut it in most instances.
Consider too keeping all insurance documents in waterproof bags in an upstairs room. It will certainly make the claims process easier to handle should floodwaters inundate your property.
The aftermathAlways put safety first when clearing up after a flood. You should only return to your property once the floodwaters have subsided, and when you are confident that the building is structurally sound. If you did not have time to switch off the electricity before you evacuated the property then you should consult your energy supplier before re-entering. Stay vigilant too for gas leaks and, if wading through floodwater, be mindful of what might lurk beneath the surface.
Summer 2007 has certainly been a bit of a washout so far. Predictions from meteorologists are suggesting that the weather should improve as we move towards August, especially in the South and South-East. Further North and West though there is still the risk of some heavy rain and floods at times. For those planning to take a summer break in the UK this year then, it would seem that the closer you are to France the drier it is likely to be!

What is Damp Proofing?

Damp proofing is a process which retards or slows water penetration into foundations. Damp proofing is usually performed by applying unmodified asphalt coatings to the foundation surfaces. Most of these products become brittle when dry. Some of them can actually be dissolved by ground water. Virtually none of them have the ability to bridge foundation cracks. However, damp proofing compounds are generally very effective in stopping water vapor transmission. Untreated concrete or other masonry products readily absorb water from the soil around your house. This water travels through the concrete and evaporates from the inside surface of the basement wall. Frequently the walls will appear dry, however, the water is still being transmitted into your basement. Unless a water vapor barrier was installed beneath your floor, this same thing is happening with your basement concrete slab. That is why older houses frequently have "damp" feeling basements. The widespread use of damp proofing methods did not begin until the 1950's.

Source: http://www.askthebuilder.com/B15_Waterproof_Foundation_and_Damp_Proofing.shtml