Muirton Living Archives - Page 5 of 12 - Urban Union Ltd

 

Guidelines for letting tradespeople into your home

At this unprecedented time and with the situation changing daily, many people are wondering if it’s ok to allow tradespeople into their homes to make urgent or non-urgent repairs. The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Robert Jenrick has released the following guidance that you may find useful:

“Work carried out in people’s homes, for example by tradespeople carrying out repairs and maintenance, can continue, provided that the tradesperson is well and has no symptoms.

“Again, it will be important to ensure that Public Health England guidelines, including maintaining a two-metre distance from any household occupants, are followed to ensure everyone’s safety.

“No work should be carried out in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless it is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household, such as emergency plumbing or repairs, and where the tradesperson is willing to do so. In such cases, Public Health England can provide advice to tradespeople and households.

“No work should be carried out by a tradesperson who has coronavirus symptoms, however mild.”

This advice means is that if you require essential maintenance to your boiler or you experience a leak or emergency situation with doors or locks, you can go ahead as normal so long as you follow the guidelines. However, all non-essential work should be postponed including new kitchens, extensions and bathroom renovations. However, if you’re in the middle of these works it’s important to secure the area until you can continue.

We are living in a digital age and you may find that an electrician, plumber or gas engineer may be able to help solve your problem remotely. If you experience difficulties with your WiFi or television services and it can’t be fixed remotely, this isn’t deemed as essential work so you may have to wait until you can get someone to fix these issues.

  • If a tradesperson does visit your home follow these guidelines:
  • Keep your distance from anyone within your home.
  • Wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your face.
  • When the tradesperson leaves, clean thoroughly.
  • Cover your mouth and nose if you cough and sneeze and dispose of any tissues straight away.
  • Clean all objects and surfaces including door handles, switch and anything else a tradesperson has come into contact with.

During this unusual time where we are advised to stay at home where possible, families are spending much more time together. As a result we are all using the internet at once in order to work, study and play.  Here are some ways to maximise your internet speed:

Check your speed

A good broadband speed has never been more important, so the first thing to do is to check your speed. You can usually do this yourself using your broadband provider’s website. Check the speed you are paying for and check the speed you’re receiving. Sometimes there are quick fixes that your provider can carry out remotely to improve things.

Is your router in the correct position?

By placing your wireless router in the incorrect spot in your home can make a huge difference to its performance. If it is placed next to an electrical appliance, a window, a mirror, on the floor, in an extension or at the top of the property it can have significant interference and slow your speed right down.

Try and position your device near the centre of your home and close to the place that you rely on it the most – either close to your television or home office. Talk to your provider to make sure you have the latest model as this can also have an impact.

Don’t turn your router off

Make sure it’s on all the time unless you are going on holiday. If you keep turning it on and off you may find that it becomes slower because the local exchange will think your phone line is unstable and cannot deal with the high speeds.

Give it a kick start

If you find that it sometimes drops in speed, try turning it on and off again. It sounds obvious but this can make a difference.

Fit a microfilter

A microfilter is a small box that stops services interfering with each other – this is important if you use a home phone line.

Check your router settings

Talk to your Internet provider and find out how to remotely access your router settings. This will have settings that will enable you to make your router more efficient.

Change your username and password

Change your router name and password to something recognisable and memorable otherwise you could find it time consuming connecting to different devices throughout the home.

Make sure you’re on the fastest channel

Your wireless router will have several channels and some will be faster than others. If your neighbour has the same channel then you may find this slows yours down. Try different channels until you find one with a better speed – it’s trial and error with this one!

Use a booster

You can get hold of a wifi extender which boosts and carries your internet connection through your wiring and taking it to all corners of the home where the signal is otherwise weak. This is especially true for those with an extension. You can use these to create your very own wifi hotspot.

Use an ethernet cable

If you want a quick fix for a strong signal straight to your computer, use an ethernet cable from your router.

Check your data limit

A data cap limits your internet usage which can cause a slow-down in your broadband speed. To find out what this is and if you’re close to the limit, contact your broadband provider.

Check how many devices you’re using

Turn off any devices that aren’t being used as these can slow your internet speed considerably. Media pop ups can also be a culprit so make sure applications that aren’t being used are turned off.

The way we live and even shop for food has changed. We’ve all been advised to only go to the supermarket when absolutely essential and no more than once a week if you are only shopping for your household. This could throw up a few challenges and if you’re used to buying what you need when you need it, you might be interested in how to safely store your food.

There are lots of things that you can put straight in the freezer instead of the fridge and by being aware of how you can store certain foods, you may find that you enable your stocks to last much longer.

Meat, poultry, ready meals, pasta, cheese, butter and bread can be frozen for when you need them. Here’s what you can freeze:

Dairy

All milk can be put in the freezer and defrosted before use. Make sure it’s sealed properly as it can expand and when you defrost it and avoid using a microwave which can cause uneven temperatures and could spoil the milk faster once it’s defrosted. Place it in the fridge overnight and in the morning you should be able use it as normal.

Many hard cheeses freeze well and maintain their structure through the process. However, many hard cheeses such as Parmesan do last for quite a long time so it may not be necessary. You can also freeze grated cheese allowing you to use what you need in sauces and dishes.

Baked goods

Bread, rolls, flatbread and wraps can all be frozen and flat packed tortilla and sandwich wraps are very easy to store, taking up very little space compared to a loaf of bread. You can also freeze things like crumpets, bagels and buns. Bread can be toasted from frozen. If you bake cakes, these can also be frozen whole or in slices.

Pasta

Fresh pasta can be stored in the freezer to ensure it keeps for longer – with egg content it usually only has a shelf life of a week or two. It can be cooked straight away in hot water without the need to defrost. Just note that a packet of fresh pasta takes up much more room than it does in dried form.

Fruit

If you make smoothies – frozen fruit is an amazing item to have in your freezer. It can be mixed with juice and yoghurt giving you a fresh, cold and healthy smoothie. They can also be used for baking in pies or served with ice cream.

Freezing meals

If you make a large pot of stew, soup, chilli, bolognese or pie, try and make extra and freeze it for future meals. Just make sure you only freeze and defrost them once.

Follow guidelines

If you do freeze your food, make sure you follow the guidance on the packaging and only freeze items that haven’t already been frozen. Make sure that meat and fish aren’t left in the freezer for too long – they can still go off.

 

In the war against COVID-19, it’s not just our hands and surfaces that need to be cleaned properly. It’s also important to wash your clothes especially as, at present, there’s no solid evidence about how long the virus can live on fabrics.

We have all been advised to stay at home where possible, so if you’re not a key worker you will at home and limiting your contact with the world outside your household. The advice is to take one walk a day within walking distance of your home, shop for food just once a week and use deliveries to minimise contact with people.

This is having a serious impact on our daily life, so we thought we’d offer some advice on how to ensure your clothes are clear of all germs and bacteria to help you get through this difficult time without getting ill.

Clean everything

Make sure you thoroughly clean all bedding, towels, sportswear, soft furnishings and sportswear to be on the safe side. While it’s important to use high temperatures to kill germs, it’s not always necessary to use the highest temperature especially as this can be harmful to the environment. Tests have shown that washing your clothes at 60°C, with a good detergent, is sufficient.

Check the instructions carefully

Check the label to ensure clothes can be cleaned safely at 60-degrees otherwise you could cause damage or shrinkage. If they can’t be washed at 60-degrees in a washing machine, check guidance on the label of each item to be washed and make sure you use a good quality and quantity of laundry

Wash as you go

Make sure you regularly clean clothes without letting them pile up otherwise it’s tempting to use a quick wash and if you wash things straight away it’s better than having clothes with germs hanging around within the home.

Outerwear is just as important

Don’t forget outerwear, as these items can be neglected when it comes to washing and can still have germs present as they are usually worn every day. Make sure your hats, scarves, coats and jackets are cleaned regularly too. If items are dry clean only, use an antibacterial spray in the interim.

 

 

Our Response to COVID-19

In response to the current situation regarding COVID-19 we wanted to take this opportunity to reassure you that Urban Union is continuing with business as usual.

The health, safety and wellbeing of our employees, customers, consultants, supply chain and those who come into contact with our business is of the utmost importance to us and we are complying with Government guidelines whilst ensuring that we continue to operate as normally as we can.

We wanted to share with you some of the steps that we are taking to ensure that we can continue to operate and deliver whilst managing any risk associated with COVID-19.

• Business Continuity Plans are in place for each part of our business
• All business-related travel has been put on hold; this includes travel to other locations within our business
• All meetings are being held via audio and video technology
• We are restricting the visitors to our premises
• All social functions and corporate entertaining have been suspended until further notice
• Home working has been enabled, with our office teams being split 50/50 with each alternating between a week home working and a week in the office
• Increased deep cleaning at all Urban Union premises as appropriate.
• Site activities are being staggered to eliminate large gatherings, this includes start, stop and break times
We are monitoring the situation daily and amending any current plans accordingly.  If we feel that these will have an impact on the work that we are doing with you,we will notify you at the earliest opportunity.

Our teams are available on email and telephone as before and we look forward to continuing to work with you through this period of uncertainty.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to email info@urbanunionltd.co.uk

We are thrilled to have been named finalists in the 13th annual Scottish Home Awards!

These awards celebrate new build housing in Scotland and this year there was a record high volume of entries from 109 housebuilders, housing associations and support businesses across Scotland.

The awards aim to reward placemaking and the creation of new home communities in Scotland and the finalists were carefully chosen by a judging panel of experts during an all-day session in Edinburgh which took place in February.

Urban Union has been announced as finalists for three of the categories:

  • Community Contribution Award – Pennywell Living
  • Affordable Housing Development of the Year (private sale) – Laurieston Living
  • Housing Regeneration Project of the Year – Laurieston Living

Chair of the judging panel, Dan Macdonald, CEO of Macdonald Estates, commented;

“The Scottish Home Awards celebrates the massive contribution that our residential development industry makes to our national economy, our wealth, our self being and our future generations.  The phenomenal growth in entries this year is testament to the health of the sector and the continued impact that it has in placemaking and the creation of new homes across Scotland.  I would like to thank the judging panel for their contribution in debating the merits of each and every entry and I congratulate all of the worthy finalists in this year’s competition.”

Andrew Cunningham, Managing Director at Ross & Liddell and a judge on the panel, commented;

“It is encouraging to see the continued growth of the Scottish Home Awards competition.  We have welcomed a record number of entries and firms this year which is testament to the credibility of this now well established and highly regarded awards programme.  We are proud to continue our support of the programme and extend our congratulations to all the finalists for their achievements.”

The winners will be announced at the annual celebration and awards ceremony on Thursday 11th June 2020 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Glasgow.  The awards are operated in support of ‘It’s Good 2 Give’ and The Ripple Retreat a luxury residential retreat on Loch Venacher in Loch Lomond.  The award-winning respite home is gifted to young cancer patients and their families for short stay visits.

Find out more about Laurieston Living and Pennywell Living.

Understanding LBTT

If you’re purchasing a first home, knowing what you need to pay in Stamp Duty – known as Land and Buildings Transaction Tax here in Scotland – can be confusing.

Land and Buildings Transaction Tax works the way as Stamp Duty Land Tax which is payable in England and Northern Ireland. The percentage charge increases with the price paid for the property with threshold amounts in place.

The current rates were introduced in April 2015 and the payment is linked to house price property bands. Depending on the price you pay, you’ll pay a percentage of the purchase price.

Here in Scotland, rates are different to those in the rest of the UK and the rates vary depending on whether it’s a main home, buy-to-let property or second home.

You won’t pay any tax on the first £145,000 of the price of your main property. Over that price, tax is charged at 2, 5, 10 and 12% of the remaining purchase price up to £750,000. So, if you are buying a property under £145,000 you won’t pay any LBTT. Over that, you will pay:

  • 0% on the first £145,000
  • 2% on the next £105,000 (Above £145,000 to £250,000)
  • 5% on the next £75,000 (Above £250,000 to £325,000)
  • 10% on the remaining £175,000 (Above £325,000 to £750,000)

If you already own a property and you are buying a second home or buy-to-let investment you will have an additional payment of 4% applied on each band above the initial tax free threshold of just £40,000. Where your additional property costs between £40,000 and £145,000, 4% will be charged on the full purchase price.

If you’re a first-time-buyer you’ll will receive a special rate in order to help you get onto the property market. In this instance, the 0% threshold applies to the property up to £175k of the purchase price, as the Scottish government is aware that the majority of properties for this type of buyer would cost less than this.

The rest of the tax percentages and property bands are the same as for home movers. Therefore, if you’re buying your first house and it costs £200,000, then you’ll pay:

• 0% on the first £175,000

• 2% on the remaining £25,000

If you are looking for your first home, talk to us at Urban Union. We have many options for first-time-buyers in Perth, Glasgow and Edinburgh. See our developments. 

Saving to Get Onto the Property Ladder?

According to a new report from Zoopla, the number of young people who have taken the first step onto the housing ladder has risen for the first time in a decade.

Over 40% of those aged between 25 and 34 owned a property in 2018/2019. This is great news considering that back in 2013/14 the figure was lower at 36%. This increase in home ownership rates reflects the availability of help from the government for first time buyers. These include the new First Home Fund and Help to Buy.

The Help to Buy equity loan shows that 81% of those who have used the scheme since they first launched are first-time buyers. In addition, the number of people who are renting a property in the private rental sector has remained unchanged from the previous year at 4.6 million.

This is great news that more young people are able to purchase a property, but there has been a fall in the older groups in homeownership figures. Those aged between 35 and 44 were still most likely to be owner-occupiers at 55%, but the proportion who rent from the private sector has risen by 16% since 2008/2009 to 29%. There has also been an increase in those aged 55 to 64 who are renting with a 3% rise to 10% since 2008. This rise in older renters could be due to increasing divorce rates among this age group, with people unable to afford to buy a property after selling the family home and dividing up assets.

Looking for your first home? We have an exceptional range of modern starter homes with comfort, space and light at the forefront of design. Each development is in a regeneration area and close to many schools, amenities and transport links. Some properties are available to purchase using Help to Buy and the First Home Fund.

 

 

Scottish Property Growth Outstrips the UK

Scottish House Prices Rising!

House prices in Scotland rose at twice the rate of those in England last year, at 1.4% to £154,000 compared to the 0.5% increase to £249,000 south of the border. Overall, the UK as a whole saw the slowest average price growth since 2012 last year, 0.7% to £233,000. The other UK nations fared better, with Wales seeing a rise of 3.3% to £166,000 and Northern Ireland prises rising by 4% to £140,000.  The UK Price Index figures were released last December by The Office for National Statistics.

In a more detailed view, house prices rose faster in Scotland than the UK average, during every month bar three since December 2017, demonstrating how different the picture is here than south of the border, in England in particular which continues to see market stagnation.

However, commentators still note an overall decrease in sales volumes. Interest and borrowing rates are still low and so the issue remains to be lack of available housing across the board, with demand outstripping supply in most areas. Property professionals therefore are calling on governments to accelerate the number of new-build schemes to help more people onto the market.

There is a similar level of decrease in terms of sales numbers between Scotland and England in fact, with a 4% decrease in transactions in Scotland and 4.1% in England, with many accounting this to the political uncertainty surrounding Brexit and the general election late last year. It is predicted that, with a new government in place and resulting Brexit momentum, buyer confidence will gradually be bolstered again in 2020, however. With prices remaining affordable and on the rise, buyers appear to have faith that investment in Scottish property is still secure.

Those thinking of selling in Scotland should perhaps take stock at present, keep an eye on how their local market is performing and, with possible political uncertainty in the future, strike whilst the Scottish seller’s market remains strong.

Whether you’re a property investor, first time buyer or looking to move close to the city, take a look at our developments in Glasgow, Perth and Edinburgh, designed around the area’s community and its specific requirements.

Discover the beauty of you and your family living in a brand new Urban Union home at Laurieston Living Glasgow, Pennywell Living Edinburgh and Muirton Living Perth. Start the next phase in your property journey with Urban Union. Visit any one of our sites below for latest pricing, availability and to view a selection of our home styles in video.

 

Laurieston’s Living Legends

In December, local heroes from Laurieston in Glasgow were commemorated in a unique art installation which was unveiled at the Laurieston Arena. Here at Urban Union we were thrilled to be able to commission this initiative art organisation WAVEparticle.

Over the summer last year, the community was asked to nominate members of the public who live locally who have inspired a series of bespoke artworks celebrating community figures who have made notable contributions to the local area.

The local residents voted for people who have inspired them. In total, 16 people were selected from a shortlist of remarkable nominee stories. Among those selected were community leaders who have dedicated their care and service to the area. Each nominee has a truly inspiring story and shows that people really do make Glasgow, especially at a local level. The Living Legends installation encapsulates what the art strategy is about, using art as a means to express our gratitude to the community.

Each nominee was then photographed individually and a large two and a half metre portrait was made. The portrait was printed on metal and arranged in a circle facing one another.

This incredible artwork was seen day and night by residents and visitors to Urban Union’s Laurieston Living development and celebrates the extraordinary in the everyday. Basharat Khan created the art work and captured an engaging portrait of each person, resulting in an installation of 16 large-scale photographs facing each other in a circle, creating a concatenation, a suggestion of a community of people, strong and diverse individually and stronger again in close connection with each other.

Everyday acts of goodness are shown in strong communities like the Gorbals and Laurieston, and regeneration has to begin and end with a focus on the people who live here.

Neil McKay Managing Director at Urban Union, said: “Working with WAVEparticle to deliver this art installation in the heart of the Laurieston community has been a fantastic opportunity for us to say thank you to the amazing people living in the area who consistently go above and beyond to make it a better place to live.”