RLA : RPI : Business rate assessments

News from the Residential Property Investor, the bi-monthly magazine for RLA members

other artilces from the February / March 1999 issue

Business rate assessments - February / March 1999

Business rate assessments will after all go ahead on the crucial assumption that the property is in a reasonable state of repair whatever its actual condition. Such confirmation, included in the Rating (Valuation) Bill now before Parliament was essential to prevent unfairness and practical difficulties, said Housing Minister Hilary Armstrong. Her action follows a Land Tribunal decision that valuations should reflect the actual state of business property. If left unchallenged this would have thrown next years five yearly revaluation into some confusion requiring a visit to each of the 1.7m properties on the non-domestic register.

A court case between warring neighbours that started with work on an extension has ended in both having to foot the bill for substantial legal costs. In the final of a string of hearings, a High Court jury found that while Dagmar Coward had been assaulted - and should be awarded 4,750 in damages - her former neighbours in Reading had been libelled - and were therefore entitled to damages of 4,750. They are to bear legal costs estimated at 100,000.

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council has won a court victory supporting its open space policy. This requires builders of any new homes - even single dwellings - either to provide recreational areas or where impractical, to make a payment towards provision of such spaces within the borough. Its right to make such a charge had been challenged in the High Court by the House Builders Federation.

Private sector renewal strategies, energy efficiency and empty homes are among those topics local authorities will be required to tackle by a Best value for housing framework published in draft form last month. Forming part of the Local Government Bill now before Parliament, the framework will require councils to ensure best value for taxpayers money in provision of housing services - a duty backed by a new Best Value Inspectorate.

Increasing local authority housing allocations by 3 per cent, Housing Minister Hilary Armstrong has announced a 1.4bn package for 1999/2000. This package will help to tackle the past serious under-investment in social housing, enabling local authorities to continue to improve their housing stock, she said.

Reinforcing its gas safety campaign, the Health and Safety Executive has published a new leaflet for landlords and launched a Web site. A guide to landlords duties: Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 can be obtained by ringing 01787 881165. HSEs Web page is at www.open.gov.uk/hse/gas/index.shtml.

Low income families with three children or more claiming housing benefit and other reliefs are among those potential high use groups to be protected from high metered water bills. We propose that the nature of the protection should be to allow such customers to have bills based on the average measured charges for the companies which supply their water services, said Environment Minister Michael Meacher (below) explaining the provisions of the Water Industry Bill.

Four in ten carbon monoxide poising deaths in the ten years to 1996 occurred in Wales, and the east and west Midlands, said Consumer Affairs Minister Kim Howells announcing a series of awareness roadshows.

One in eight respondents to a survey undertaken by MORI for the Council of Mortgage lenders said they believed owning a house was more secure than renting. And one in ten said owning was better value or cheaper than renting. Owner occupation became a more widely held preference during 1998, following a dip in 1997, concluded MORI.

other artilces from the February / March 1999 issue