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Autoquest · Last edited by Autoquest on Thu Jan 17, 2008 2:36 pm; edited 1 time in total

Thank you Waggy. One of the great mysteries to me is why EU fanatics are quick to jump on anyone who dares mention their beloved 'directives' Sad

Germany are upgrading their housing stock to be carbon neutral at a rate of 5% per annum, they started in 1995 and will be complete by 2015 - The UK however, has no idea of the scale of the problem (hence the HIP) we are to introduce legislation for new builds to be carbon neutral in the next few years.

It is estimated that the UK will have carbon neutral housing stock by 2160 Shocked

EC Directive 2002/91/EC - How's that for scaremongering?

Interestingly, Article 7 of said directive lays down the validity of a HIP for 10 years.... Gold plating by our Beloved Leaders has reduced that to 6 months - If it takes 18 months to sell then you pay for three surveys - Nice!

Steamdrivenandy

OldGitRay

I thought that (apart from the energy thing) the original idea was to stop gazumping as:
a) It "peed" people off both financially and morally and
b) in allowing gazumping it forced house prices up and hence inflation

In reality, it has failed.

patman

[Do I detect, on the forum, a strong feeling that 'if the government does it, it must be wrong'?
After ten years of New Labour lies and inaction would you be surprised if there were?

How quickly the horrors of the Thatcher years are forgotten.[/quote]
Thatcher took difficult decisions that were needed to rebuild an economy that was shattered by the last Labour govt, all done without the dithering and spin of this Labour govt. And now that this bunch have squandered the low tax, productive economy they inherited it mat go full circle again
Regards Patman

teamsaga

please sir
I am the village dunce, what is carbon neutral housing stock?

Steamdrivenandy

This is on a sort of tangent from the original post.

We live in an ex council house.

Next door but one is the only remaining council owned property out of the cluster of 10 in our village. Recently the old chap who lived in it died suddenly (he was 93 and still riding his bike daily when he passed away). He'd been living in it since it was built in 1948.

We expected the Council to use the opportunity to refurbish the property with central heating etc, it already had double glazed replacement windows and doors.

What we didn't expect is that they'd start by getting contractors in to remove the chimney breast and flues from the lounge and bedroom 1 which are on a joint wall with the privately owned house next door. We know the lady who lives next door and she's had to put up with a tremendous amount of noise for 2 weeks and is worried that the work will affect the structural integrity of her house.

Nobody can understand why the council are undertaking such a large, noisy, messy project. If it's to stop tenants having carbon emitting open fires/stoves then they could've just blocked up the flue and made it a term of the lease that it shouldn't be unblocked. Also, thinking logically the amount of CO2 an open fire might produce is probably akin to to CO2 used in making the mortar and plaster they're using in the current work.

From a financial point of view I can't believe that the Council will get any more rent from a tenant just because the chimney breast isn't there anymore.

I was speaking to a structural engineer friend at a 'do' last night and he said the contractors should've served the neighbour with notice of the work under the Party Wall Act and should supply her with plans and pay for any review of them by her independent agent. I don't think they've done that, possibly thinking the house next door was still Council owned.

Sounds like a cock up on the building front to me.

Andy

Waggy