Focussing on Consumer Detriment and the Risk of Rogue Traders

Following its successful COVID19 impact survey, the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) has today launched its second nationwide industry survey to better understand the impact the COVID19 pandemic is having on householders.

The COVID19 impact survey, launched on 9^th April 2020 saw 85% respondents comment that they were seeing an increase in consumer detriment as a result of the pandemic and that 50% believe opportunism by rogue traders neglecting Public Health England (PHE) safe working guidance and social distancing rules was a significant risk, especially in vulnerable households.

“Current PHE and Government safe working guidance for construction makes no differentiation between occupied and unoccupied buildings or sites and states that work can continue, but that safe working guidance and social distancing rules must be followed” says Anna Scothern Chief Executive at the NHIC.  Continuing she says “This can be extremely challenging for professionals in the home improvement and RMI sector who primarily work in customer homes while householders are in residence and as a result, many of our member companies have made the decision that work cannot continue safely and have closed their doors for the duration of the lockdown.  This leaves the door open if you like for rogue traders to target households with the promise of works completed; often for cash, with no warranty or insurance backed guarantee and not delivered by a member of a competent person scheme and we believe this puts householders at significant risk of consumer detriment.” Summing up Scothern adds “This our second in a series of surveys will help understand the scale of the problem so we can work across our membership with government and partners to provide an evidence base with which to develop cross-industry and consumer protection solutions.”

The NHIC is an ambassador for collaborative action working to improve the home improvement and RMI sector. Representing 100,000 home improvement and RMI professionals while working across the sector, wider industry and consumer groups to raise all homes up to modern living standards while inspiring and supporting householders to renovate, refurbish and improve their homes with confidence.

The consumer detriment survey can be found at https://nhic.org.uk/home-improvement-covid-19-consumer-detriment-survey/ and will be live until 30th April 2020

The full COVID19 impact survey findings can be view at https://nhic.org.uk/covid19impactsurvey

For more information please contact the NHIC chief executive directly at annascothern@nhic.org.uk

MAKING THE CASE FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE HOME IMPROVEMENT SECTOR

The UK Government has committed to ‘net zero’ greenhouse emissions by 2050. That gives just 30 years to get our homes in order, and with UK housing accounting for almost 1/3 of carbon emissions the refurbishment maintenance and improvement (RMI) industry has a big part of play.

It would be hard to argue that there is no ethical and moral obligation on those working in the sector to find ways to reduce the climate impact caused by the maintenance and repair of homes; but is there an opportunity to support householders further providing information on the operation as well?

Other industries have shown that a viable alternative can be realised in the transition to low carbon, such as renewable energy production now being cheaper in the UK than coal or gas, and electric cars are anticipated to be significantly cheaper to buy and run than traditional ones by 2030.

That’s why during 2020 NHIC events bring together panels of experts from all sides of the home improvement sector to debate the case for a revolution in our approach to tackling the climate emergency, attendees will hear from speakers discussing:

• The cultural change needed to embrace action
• The opportunities for adopting new technology and practices across the repair, maintenance and improvement of homes
• The role of the householder in enabling change
• The role of the policymaker and legislator in enabling change

Both events will be held in prestigious venues and will be hosted by NHIC President Rt Hon  Baroness Maddock and NHIC Chair Paul Everall CBE.

Through its corporate and associate membership, the NHIC represents almost 100,000 businesses carrying out millions of home improvement jobs each year, while delivering over 1million hours of CPD training each year. Representing 100's of trades and sub-trades NHIC
membership contributes over £13Bn each year to the UK Economy.

This makes the NHIC the most representative and influential body for Home Improvement professionals in the UK. The true voice of home improvement.

Anna Scothern Chief Executive at NHIC said “It's more than 40 years since the National Home Improvement Council was launched at a time when Britain's housing stock was in a very sad state. Over the years we have campaigned, lobbied and worked tirelessly across
our membership to help turn things around. But there remains much to be done and new challenges to address. This year’s events focused on the impact home improvements can have on achieving net-zero carbon ambitions will give members and non-members the opportunity to meet industry leaders and hear from thought leaders on making the case for action on climate change in the home improvement sector”.

The NHIC is an ambassador for collaborative action, working across the membership, wider industry and government to raise all homes up to modern living standards while inspiring and supporting householders to renovate, refurbish and improve their homes with confidence.

Both events, held in prestigious London venues will look at the benefits of adopting a fabric first approach to building improvements while also looking at green finance initiatives to fund home improvement works alongside the impact of technology innovations resulting from other low carbon initiatives such as the decarbonisation of the grid and the impact on future boilers to the introduction of electric vehicles and the impact on domestic energy storage and generation.

For more information please contact the NHIC chief executive directly at annascothern@nhic.org.uk

• VAT cut on home improvements could generate £15bn in new taxes, create 95,000 jobs and unlock £1bn green revolution.

A coalition of business groups and organisations from across the property and construction sectors have joined forces to urge the next UK government to cut VAT on maintenance and improvement works to people’s homes.

Reducing VAT from 20% to 5% on home improvement works would unleash investment in housing, stimulate the economy and enable the UK’s transition to net zero carbon, groups including the Federation of Master Builders and the British Property Federation said today.

The coalition has today written to each of the leaders of Westminster’s four largest parties, asking them to speak for the Cut the VAT campaign during the remainder of the General Election campaign and to meet with the coalition early in the next Parliament.

This is vital, the coalition of built environment groups said, in order to green the nation’s homes, with domestic buildings responsible for around 20% of the UK’s carbon emissions.

In addition to improving the standards of older homes, this measure would also help unleash investment in new housing. Build-to-rent (BTR) is a relatively new asset class in the UK that provides high quality, purpose-built, and professionally managed homes.

The BTR sector has grown from fewer than 30,000 homes to 148,000 homes in the last five years – and delivered a quarter of London’s housing output last year. By reducing the irrecoverable VAT associated with maintenance and management of BTR, the sector can deliver, even more, the letter said.

Melanie Leech, chief executive of the British Property Federation, said: “Reducing the rate of VAT on all repairs, maintenance and management of residential property would have positive impacts across society, by greening our housing stock, tackling the cash-in-hand economy by removing it’s competitive advantage, and addressing the housing crisis. We, therefore, urge the next Government to cut the VAT.”

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “20 million floors, 8 million lofts, and 5 million cavity walls are all in need of insulating across the UK, according to the Government’s own figures. The four main parties must go further in their policy pledges to incentivise energy efficiency works, and given that homeowners tend to complete these as a consequence of a larger home improvement works, VAT must be cut across the board.”

The National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) President Rt Hon Baroness Maddock is hosting a Healthy Homes debate in Parliament. Entitled healthy Homes and the Role of Refurbishment, the debate will look at what needs to be done to raise awareness and standards to ensure UK homes are healthy, safe and efficient.

Taking place at the House of Lords on Tuesday 22 nd October 2019, the event is chaired by NHIC Chairman and LABC Chief Executive Paul Everall CBE. Following a keynote speech by Jim Shannon MP, APPG Healthy Homes Chair, speakers will include Simon Storer, Chief Executive at IMA, Lorna Stimpson, LABC Deputy Chief Executive, alongside Lords Rt Hon Andrew Stunell, and Rt Hon John Shipley and Cllr Jason Zadrozny, leader of Ashfield District Council.

Commenting on the debate, Anna Scothern, NHIC Chief Executive said: “We are so pleased to be able to host this debate in Parliament.  Through our membership, we represent almost 50,000 home improvement professionals and businesses across the UK and know that individuals and families living in well maintained, safe and efficient homes are physically and mentally healthier. This debate has underlined that fact continues the important work of getting the refurbishment of our nation’s homes onto the political agenda.”

Simon Storer, Chief Executive at Insulation Manufacturers Association said “Everyone has a right to live in a healthy home with better insulation, better ventilation, windows and doors, and more efficient heating systems.  And yet, to date, nobody in government has provided a financial model alongside regulation and legislation that is attractive enough and robust enough to enable owners, occupiers, landlords, housing associations and local authorities to invest the sums of money necessary to bring the nation’s housing stock up to the standard that is needed.  But there a moral and social imperative to do so and I commend the NHIC for hosting this Parliamentary Debate and raising the issue”.

Lorna Stimpson, Chief Executive of LABC, commented, “I congratulate NHIC for focussing on the healthy homes issue.  The cost and technical challenges of improving existing homes will be considerable and there are real dangers that work can be wrongly designed and badly built creating dangers to health and well-being. Sadly research shows that, even with the best intentions and best efforts, he performance of improvements actually fall far short of those promised.  Climate changes and social needs can’t wait.  We have to deliver.  So I believe this means improving the regulatory framework and raising standards – not dumbing standards down.”

The NHIC advocates home modernisation in line with energy efficiency and carbon reduction targets, and plays a major role in raising the standard and quality of the home improvement industry.

For more information about the National Home Improvement Council please visit
www.nhic.org.uk

The National Home Improvement Council is proud to announce the NHIC Educational Trust as this year’s sponsor of the category ‘Innovation and Education to Reduce Fuel Poverty’ at its 45^th Annual Awards. This category is open to all companies and authorities who can demonstrate innovative and educational practices which reduce the impact and effect of fuel poverty or reduce the number of households living with ‘heat or eat’ choices.

The NHIC Educational Trust was established as a charitable foundation in 1980 to complement the broad objectives of the NHIC. It achieves this by extending the aims of the NHIC in educating central and local government of the need to improve the UK’s housing stock and also in educating homeowners on the benefits of improving their homes. Lester Corney, Chairman of the Trust said, “Reducing fuel poverty lies at the heart of our activities which is why the NHIC Educational Trust is delighted to sponsor this important Award.”

The National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) was launched in 1974 and today, through its corporate and associate membership options, it represents over 30,000 businesses carrying out more than five million jobs each year in and around the home.  Representing 100’s of trades and sub-trades, the NHIC membership contributes over £13bn to the UK economy while delivering thousands of hours’ training and professional development, making the NHIC the most representative body for home improvement professionals in the UK.

Anna Scothern, Chief Executive at NHIC, said “We are excited to welcome again the NHIC Educational Trust as sponsor of the category ‘Innovation and Education to Reduce Fuel Poverty’. Having an award which recognises the innovation and educational work which is carried out across the country to reduce fuel poverty, one of our key objectives, is an important part of our Annual Awards ”.

The NHIC works hard to raise the profile of high standards of energy efficiency and modernisation in all homes alongside the reduction of carbon emissions and promotion of the benefits of home improvement to householders.

Entries are now invited from across the spectrum of housing modernisation projects and associated activities in the following eight categories:

• Innovation and education to reduce fuel poverty, sponsored by the NHIC Educational Trust
• Delivering community benefit through home improvement, sponsored by Quality Assurance National Warrantees
• Campaign of the Year, sponsored by Haymarket Media Group
• Innovation and Initiatives to Promote Consumer Safety Through Compliance in Bathroom Products and Installation, sponsored by Bathroom Manufacturers’ Association
• Roofer of the Year, sponsored by Competent Roofer
• Individual Winners, sponsored by RetrofitWorks
• The George Clarke Medal, sponsored by NHIC

For more information and to enter visit nhic.org.uk/awards

The 45^th NHIC Annual Awards black-tie dinner will be held on Thursday 28^th November 2019 at One Whitehall Place,  London.  Information regarding attendance and booking can be found at www.nhic.org.uk/awards

The National Home Improvement Council is proud to announce Quality Assured National Warranties as this year’s sponsors of the category ‘Delivering Community Benefit through Home Improvement’  at its 45th  Annual Awards. This category is open to NHIC Members and non‐members who can demonstrate the real benefits to communities which home improvements can have. Entrants are asked to consider how their project, product or change in working practice improved living standards or generated enhanced community welfare and a positive sense of place.

“We are delighted to continue our sponsorship of the NHIC Awards this year which sees our 9th year of support. The awards are a key event in our calendar (QANW) because the NHIC and its members are committed to raising standards in the home improvement industry- something we share in common! We would encourage anyone with a project in mind to enter the awards. Good luck!” (Barrie Smith-Wright)

The National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) was launched in 1974 and today, through its corporate and associate membership options, it represents over 30,000 businesses carrying out more than five million jobs each year in and around the home.  Representing 100’s of trades and sub-trades, the NHIC membership contributes over £13bn to the UK economy while delivering thousands of hours’ training and professional development, making the NHIC the most representative body for home improvement professionals in the UK.

Anna Scothern Chief Executive at NHIC said “we are excited to welcome again Quality Assured National Warranties as sponsors for the category ‘Delivering Community Benefit through Home Improvement’. Having an award which recognises the hard work companies do to raise the standard of home improvements and the impact that work has on the wider community, is an important part of our Annual Awards ”.

The NHIC works hard to raise the profile of high standards of energy efficiency and modernisation in all homes alongside the reduction of carbon emissions and promotion of the benefits of home improvements to householders.

Entries are now invited from across the spectrum of housing modernisation projects and associated activities in the following eight categories:

• Delivering community benefit through home improvement, sponsored by Quality Assured National Warranties
• Campaign of the Year, Sponsored by Haymarket Media Group
• Innovation and education to reduce fuel poverty, sponsored by the NHIC Educational Trust
• Innovation and Initiatives to Promote Consumer Safety Through Compliance in Bathroom Products and
• Installation, sponsored by: Bathroom Manufacturers Association
• Roofer of the Year, sponsored by Competent Roofer
• Individual Winners, sponsored by RetrofitWorks
• The George Clarke Medal, sponsored by NHIC

For more information and to enter visit NHIC.ORG.UK/AWARDS

The 45th NHIC Annual Awards black-tie dinner will be held on Thursday 28th November 2019 at One Whitehall Place, London. Information regarding attendance and booking can be found at www.nhic.org.uk/awards