February 19, 2018

Fire Safety Obligations of Property Owners

As a property owner or landlord, there are legal obligations that you must adhere to when it comes to fire prevention and safety in buildings, in order to ensure that the property in question is safe to live or work in. However, it is not as simple as simply fitting a few smoke alarms in a building, as different buildings entail very different fire safety risks that must to be considered.

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JosTecGeneral
December 13, 2017

Permitted Developments Explained

Permitted Developments are projects afforded rights which do not require their acquiring specific Planning Permission in order to proceed and progress. Typically, major and ‘heavy’ works and refurbishments need to be granted specific permission from the Local Planning Authority (LPA) after making the necessary applications. Contained in the Town and Planning Act, 1948, planning permission is a crucial element for any project that requires it.

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JosTecGeneral
December 4, 2017

Types of Property Insulation

There are fewer scenarios worse than living-out the chilly winter months in a poorly-insulated home. The function of thermal insulation is to reduce heat loss and gain by separating environments that differ in temperature using effective materials such as glass mineral wool. A well-insulated property is a cost-effective property, since the levels of heat escape are vastly lessened and so energy bills can be cut down.

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JosTecGeneral
October 27, 2017

What is Asbestos and Why is it Dangerous?

Asbestos is a synthetic, fibrous material of a blue, green, brown or white colour that has for many years been used in buildings and premises for fire retardant purposes. Being a very effective way to stop the spread of fire, asbestos and asbestos-derived materials are still present in thousands of buildings of all nature in the UK alone, although it is no longer used in new buildings and premises due to a number of implications and issues that have been uncovered.

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JosTecGeneral
October 2, 2017

Tips to Pass a SAP Assessment

The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) is the UK government’s recommended methodology for measuring the energy rating of residential dwellings. It calculates the typical annual energy costs for space, water heating and internal lighting. The CO2 emissions are also calculated for building regulations. The SAP rating is a scale from 1 to 100+, with dwellings that have a SAP over 100 being net exporters of regulated energy.

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JosTecGeneral