Make your house a safer place

Forget house fires caused by cats being sick over television leads or freak electricity storms. Some of the most common causes of house fires include electrical appliances being left on, hobs not being switched off properly or smoking in bed. (fireandfloodrepair.com)

We have all seen the ‘pull your finger out’ and check your smoke alarm adverts fronted by Julie Walters. The government started the campaign to try and cut down the amount of fatal and non-fatal house fires in the UK that happen every year. In the adverts a serious Julie Walters urges residents to check their smoke alarms regularly to avoid the kind of devastation that house fires can cause families and communities.

It is true that many of us do not think to check our smoke alarms as often as we should do, a ‘to do’ that goes to the bottom of the list but never gets done. This is despite the fact that checking is a simple task that merely requires the pushing of a button once every now and again. If the lives of your family are at stake then it is not a ‘chore’ that should be overlooked.

Even if you manage to get out alive and safe and the home insurance covers the material worth of your home, a house fire can still be devastating. Many irreplaceable items like photographs, jewellery, artwork and similar possessions with great sentimental value will be lost forever, never to be replaced.

The idea of all your worldly possessions going up in smoke is terrifying for most people. Unfortunately for most of us, the possibility of this happening seems a long way off. We always think that it will never happen to us. But it can, all too easily.

If you don’t even have a smoke alarm then you can call your local fire station or the Fire Rescue Service and get them to come to your house and fit a smoke alarm for free. Testing your smoke alarm weekly, planning an escape route and checking that all electrical appliances are correctly switched off in your kitchen are some of the things you could do to make your house safer from the threat of accidental fire. Smoke alarms can save lives but only if they work!

Smoke alarms should be fitted on each floor of the property to ensure as much early warning as possible. Alarms that are battery operated should be changed once every ten years to avoid deterioration due to age and natural wearing. You could also choose to fit a mains powered alarm however these may cease to work during power cuts - a time where you may be likely to use candles.

If you want more advice on how to protect your home from fire then visit http://www.fireservice.co.uk/safety/ where various leaflets on fire safety can be downloaded straight onto your computer.

Why Does My Washing Machine Smell?

It happens to all of us. It's a glorious day, perfect weather to dry the laundry on the line, but then you notice it, no sooner are you pegging up the pillow cases before you realise that the wash seems to have caused the load to smell worse than it did before it went in. So what are the causes for a bad smelling washing machine? And how can this problem be stopped?

Put simply, the cause of a bad smelling washing machine is dirt. Mould, grease, and slime can all build up over time and have become more common in recent years with trends for users to wash only at 40 degrees in order to conserve energy and money. Not only does washing at a consistently low temperatures reduce the machine's efficiency at killing bed-bugs and the affects of non-bio powder, but the inevitable build-up of grease can have serious consequences for the machine itself - not just your laundry.

Washing machine repairmen warn that the worst effect this can have is the corrosion of the drum aluminium - this can lead to a broken drum arm and the need for a whole new machine. Other problems include rotting hoses and gaskets, as well as blockages that can lead to overfilling.

Manufacturers have begun to recommend maintenance washes. It is advised that as often as once a month it is a good idea to put a very hot wash on without any laundry, but with the addition of a detergent that contains bleaching agents that may not be found in the powder or liquid you usually use. Alternatively, it is also possible to use soda crystals which are available at most supermarkets.

Other reasons for washing machine smells can include a lack of u-bend in the plumbing and can even be caused by what exactly is being washed out of the clothes, such as chemicals or stubborn strong-smelling substances. If maintenance washes still don't rid your machine of those darned smells, distilled white wine vinegar in the soap dispenser has also been known to have good effects.

A more extreme case of dirt can also be recognized in the form of black mould, and of course this isn't good for your machine. Warm moist places are a haven for black mould and can be hazardous to your general health, so it is good to have a good inspection of your machine once in a while to check if there is any lurking. Black mould can be removed with a scourer or an old toothbrush, and to be extra safe goggles and a face mask should be worn. A frequent maintenance wash should stop black mould build-up in the future.

For repair tips check out Washer Help, for a new machine check out cheap washing machines at dealtime.co.uk

By Sarah Maple

Post Office Home Insurance offers 10% more at Christmas

Post Office home insurance has announced that it will bump up cover over Christmas to protect Christmas presents that usually add value to contents.

In fact, throughout December, Post Office home insurance is increasing its contents cover by 10 per cent to ensure households are covered over the Christmas period.

The cover extension is automatic and comes at no extra cost, head of home insurance at the Post Office Emma Baunach, said:

"At this time of year people often have more valuables in their homes than usual. Over Christmas you don't want to be worrying about whether or not you have enough cover on your home insurance, so we have made the extra cover automatic to make sure you are protected."

The news comes as moneysupermarket.com urges Brits to check that their home insurance cover will include Christmas gifts.

According to research from moneysupermarket.com, 'top up' periods can vary on home insurance, and some insurers do not automatically increase cover at all. Commenting, Andy Leadbetter, managing director of insurance at moneysupermarket.com said: "We're all feeling the financial pinch at the moment, but Christmas often brings out the generous streak in people.

"Insurance is probably the last thing on people's minds as festivities take over but with expensive gifts and gadgets aplenty this is a prime time for opportunistic thieves to strike."

Highlighting the need to compare home insurance deals, Mr Leadbetter said: "With so many variations between insurers on seasonal uplift checking the small print with a fine-toothed comb is always a must, especially to safeguard from being underinsured."

10 Things Surprisingly Good For You

We are forever being told that this is bad for you, that is bad for you. If you are like me and are sick to death of being told what to eat, drink then you will probably like this! Here are 10 things that people tell you are bad but actually have surprisingly healthy aspects to them.

10. Ice Cream
Ice-cream is a low GI (glycemic-index) food. This means that it is a slow sugar release food that keeps you satisfied for a longer period of time than a high GI food. For that reason, you are less likely to binge after eating ice-cream. 75 grams of Ben and Jerry’s Cookies and Cream ice-cream contains only 114 calories compared to a slice of cheesecake with 511 calories.

Furthermore, ice-cream is made of milk which contains many essential nutrients and vitamins. 1 cup of milk contains up to 30% of a man’s daily recommended intake. Other nutrients in ice-cream are biotin, iodine, potassium, selenium, vitamins a, b12, D, and K. Studies show a possible link between milk consumption and a lowered risk of arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease, colorectal cancer.

Interesting Fact: In the 5th century BC, the ancient Greeks sold snow cones made with fruit and honey in the markets of Athens.

9. Dirt
Throw away the rubber globes! Dirt is back in vogue! Remember the days where kids played in dirt, food was served with bare hands, and straws didn’t come in individual wrappers? It turns out - they were healthier days than our modern sterile ones! Early childhood exposure to bacteria, viruses, and parasites has been found to give a massive boost to our immune systems, making us less likely to get sick when we do come in to contact with various bugs. Research has found that children with a dog in the home are less likely to suffer allergies, and regular social interaction can reduce the risk of leukemia by up to 30%. Those are statistics not to ignore - so throw away the anti-bacterial cleaners and get dirty!

Interesting Fact: There are as many as 10 times more bacterial cells in the human body than human cells! The vast majority of these are harmless.


8. Stress
Stress is universally considered a bad thing - in some cases people have successfully won lawsuits against companies for work-related stress. But, what most people don’t know is that a little stress goes a long way to making us healthier. In short doses, stress can help boost the body’s immune system. In the first stage of stress (the “alarm” stage - often known as the “fight or flight” response) the body produces cortisol - a stress fighting hormone which has many benefits to the body. Stress can give a feeling of fulfillment - when this is the case it is called “eustress” as opposed to “distress”.

Interesting Fact: The term “stress” and the mental properties of it was not known before the 1950s. Until that time it referred simply to hardship or coercion.


7. Caffeine
Not only is coffee tasty, it is a mild stimulant with many medical uses. Caffeine contains a muscle relaxant that is very beneficial to people with bronchial problems - it can alleviate the symptoms of asthma. Additionally, caffeine releases certain fatty acids in to the blood stream that become a useful source of fuel for muscles. It even seems that the only serious side-effect to too much caffeine is a small amount of body-weight loss - a danger if you are anorexic. Caffeine should be avoided by people with fecal incontinence as it loosens the anal and sphincter muscles.

Interesting Fact: Caffeine can be toxic to animals, in particular dogs, horses, and parrots. It also has a much more significant effect on spiders than humans.


6. Red Wine
Red wine contains a group of chemicals called polyphenols (once called Vitamin P) which have been found to be very beneficial for health. They reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Wine has also been found to be an effective anti-bacterial agent against strains of Streptococcus (found most often in the human mouth) which can help reduce infections. Some wine varieties have extra health benefits; Cabernet Sauvignon appears to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. In addition to the benefits already listed, wine is chock full of antioxidants which play a huge role in the health of the human body. The wines found to have the greatest benefits are found in the South of France and the Sardinia region of Italy.

Interesting Fact: Wine originated in the regions of Israel, Georgia, and Iran, around 6000 BC.

5. Chocolate
As a result of recent research into chocolate and health, it appears to be something of a panacea (cure-all) - coupled with the great taste and mood enhancing properties, it might be seen as a wonder drug! Cocoa or dark chocolate improves the overall health of the circulatory system, it stimulates the brain, prevents coughs, prevents diarrhea, and may even be an anti-cancer agent.

Like coffee, chocolate is toxic to many animals. A BBC study indicates that melting chocolate in your mouth increases brain activity and the heart rate more intensely than passionate kissing, with the effect lasting four times longer after the activity ends. Eating regular small quantities of chocolate reduces cholesterol and the chances of a heart attack. Sign me up for some of that medication!

Interesting Fact: Chocolate has been used as a drink since at least 1100 - 1400 BC.


4. Cannabis
Cannabis is said to be beneficial for over 250 conditions. For this reason it is legal on prescription in a number of Western countries. Cannabis is believed to help with arthritis, asthma, depression, glaucoma, and pain. It is also reported to be a good treatment for constipation. Cannabis is also useful in dealing with the sideeffects of treatments for cancer, AIDS, and hepatitis. Cannabis has been used medicinally for over 3,000 years! Strangely, the cultivation and use of cannabis is outlawed in most countries.

Interesting Fact: Evidence of the use of cannabis as a non-medicinal drug exists as charred seeds found in Romania dating back to the 3rd millenium BC.


3. Beer
The moderate consumption of beer has been associated with the lowered risk of head disease, stroke, and mental decline. In addition, brewers yeast (used in the production of beer) contains many nutrients that are carried through to the final drink: magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, biotin, and B vitamins. For this reason, beer is sometimes referred to as “liquid bread”. In 2005 a Japanese study found that low-alcohol beer may contain strong anti-cancer properties. Contrary to popular belief, a “beer belly” or “beer gut” is not produced by the beer, but rather overeating and lack of exercise.

Interesting Fact: Beer is one of the oldest beverages - dating back to the 6th millennium BC.


2. Smoking
Often referred to as “Smoker’s Paradoxes”, there are a number of therapeutic uses of nicotine or smoking. For example, smokers are less likely to need surgery to provide extra blood to their heart after an angioplasty, the risk of ulcerative colitis is reduced, and it even interferes with the development of Kaposi’s sarcoma (a type of cancer of the lymphatic endothelium). Perhaps most surprisingly, is that there are connections to smoking and a reduction in allergic asthma. There is also a large body of evidence to suggest that smokers have a dramatically reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s Disease. Nicotine is currently being investigated as a treatment for ADHD, and Schizophrenia.

Interesting Fact: Tobacco smoking has been a practice of humans since at least 5000 BC.

1. Pornography
Amidst the loud angry cries against pornography, a few serious scientific studies have been performed on the subject. It seems that men and women who view pornography, have improved sex lives, better sexual knowledge, and an overall better quality of life. Surprisingly, one study found that the more that pornography is viewed, the greater the improvements. In an extensive study performed in Australia, the majority of married respondents stated that they believed that pornography has had a positive effect on their marriage. While clearly not always linked to pornography, studies have found that men who had fewer orgasms were twice as likely to die of any cause as those having two or more orgasms a week.

Interesting Fact: Pornography (and the anti-pornography movement) as it is understood today is a concept of the Victorian era (19th century) which was extremely moralistic. Sexual imagery was not taboo before that time.

Final Note
Of course, moderation is the key! Everything in moderation! So in future when someone whines at you - you can point them in the direction of this webpage and have the last laugh!

Perhaps if you are considering life insurance and to get a cheap quote, do not smoke.

Sources:
1. Alzheimer’s disease is associated with non-smoking by Carol Thompson
2. Impact of Smoking on Clinical and Angiographic Restenosis After Percutaneous Coronary by Cohen, David J.; Michel Doucet, Donald E. Cutlip, Kalon K.L. Ho, Jeffrey J. Popma, Richard E. Kuntz
3. Smoking Cuts Risk of Cancer by United Press International
4. Caffeine: Perspectives from Recent Research by P.B. Dews
5. Using spider-web patterns to determine toxicity by R. Noever, J. Cronise, and R. A. Relwani
6. From psychological stress to the emotions: a history of changing outlooks by R. S. Lazarus
7. Effects of moderate alcohol consumption on cognitive function in women. by Stampfer MJ, Kang JH, Chen J, Cherry R, Grodstein F.
8. Beer as liquid bread: Overlapping science by Bamforth, C. W
9. A dynamic partnership: celebrating our gut flora by C. L. Sears
10. Dairy’s Role in Managing Blood Pressure by the National Dairy Council
11. Ice Cream - What’s in a Scoop? by Pat Kendall
12. The Lost Civilizations of the Stone Age by Richard Rudgely
13. Medical Use of Cannabis in California by Dale Gieringer
14. Dark Chocolate Could Help Hearts by Emma Ross
15. Chocolate can do good things for your heart, skin and brain by Marjorie Ingall
16. Chocolate better than kissing by BBC News
17. Polyphenols and disease risk in epidemiologic studies by Arts, I.C. and P.C. Hollman
18. Antibacterial Activity of Red and White Wine against Oral Streptococci by Daglia, M.; A. Papetti, P. Grisoli, C. Aceti, C. Dacarro, and G. Gazzani
19. For Life Insurance quotes, I recommend you visit the Post Office website at http://www.postoffice.co.uk
20. Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine Reduces The Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease by ScienceDaily
21. From red wine to polyphenols and back: A journey through the history of the French Paradox by D. W. de Lange
22. Now that’s what you call a real vintage: professor unearths 8,000-year-old wine by David Keys
23. Vice or Virtue? The Pros of Pornography by Matthew Hutson
24. Study concludes porn can be good for you by Nick Grimm
25. Sex and Death, Are They Related? by the British Medical Journal

13 Foods With Drug Like Effects

Over the years my diet has change a lot , from my college days of eating mostly pizza and wings to now were I eating mostly vegetables and meat(chicken, steak, pork, ham, turkey, etc.) And doggone it, it is going to get better.

I’ve chosen the follow foods because they appear to have almost drug like effect on the human body. Eat them as often as you can, as once a week is better than zero times a week. Of course, the better you adhere to the training program or the nutritional program, the greater are the rewards, be they in physique, athletic ability, or iron-clad health.

1. Grass-Fed Beef
Cows that been fed grass have a better fat profile vs. cows that have been fed corn. Grass fed cows have less Omega-6, and more Omega-3. It also contains significantly higher amounts of CLA, which helps to lower your risk of cancer and has less saturated fat than corn-fed beef. Grass-fed beef also contains high amount of creatine.

2. Blueberries
The antioxidants content of this little berry, is greater than any other vegetable or fruit. One serving of blueberries contains as much as fives the antioxidant of apples, broccoli, carrots, or squash. Eating blueberries every day have been link to preventing cancer and cardiovascular dieses, and better control of motor skills.

3. Broccoli
Consumption of broccoli has been show to reduced the size of tumors by 75% and prevented the development of them by 60%. Broccoli is also high in polyphenols (antioxidants) and Indoles (estrogen blockers). Broccoli also has the ability to boost the immune system, fight birth defects, build bones, and prevent degenerative eye diseases.

4. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil has been shown to contain five times the polyphenols, and is superior to regular blended olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil increases arterial wall elasticity, and has many of the same benefits as walnuts. Extra virgin olive oil is also the king of all oil, when it comes to mono unsaturated fat, with 72% of the fatty acid being mono unsaturated fat.

5. Flaxseeds
Flax seeds are probably the best source of planet-derived Omega-3 fatty acids. Besides being rich in plant based Omega-3 fatty acids, Flaxseeds also contains fiber, protein magnesium and lignins (phytoestrogens.)

6. Mushrooms
Mushrooms in general contain zinc, essential amino acids and host of other vitamins. While Shiitake mushroom appear to posses anti-viral and anti-cancer properties. Shittake extract called Lentinan, which the Japanese have license as a anti cancer drug, has shown promising effects on bowel, liver, stomach, lung and ovarian cancers. Lentinan works by stimulating the production of T lymphocytes and natural killers cells.

7. Canned Pumpkin
Canned pumpkin is actually more nutritious than the raw version, and is available all year round. Pumpkin contains the richest supply of carotenoids known to man, is high in fiber, and low in calories. Pumpkin also has a really cool bend of synergistic phytonutrients, which are suspected to help in modulate immune responses, enhance cell to cell communication, protect against various cancers, and even has been suspected by some to slow aging.

8. Spinach
Spinach is far better for you than your typical Romaine or iceberg lettuce salad. Spinach is another vegetable that nutrients and phynotruients display wonderful synergy. Spinach is high in carotenoids such as zeaxanthin and beta-carotene, along with antioxidants like CoQ10 and glutathione, and the insulin modulator alpha lipoic acid(ALA). Not only that, but spinach is fairly rich in plant-derived Omega-3 fatty acids, too. Spinach can help lower your risk for many types of cancers, degenerative eye disease, and lowers your level of homocysteine.

9. Tomatoes
Men, eat your Tomatoes. Tomatoes contain lycopene, which is a member of the carotenoid family and could be a silver bullet in preventing prostate cancer. Lycopence is also a powerful antioxidant and also has properties that have been shown to raise your natural skin’s SPF(Sun Protection factor.)

10. Turkey Breast
Lean, mean, fighting machine. Turkey is practically the leanest meat you can buy. Turkey is high in tryptophan, protein and selenium, but very low in saturated fat, with only 0.2grams per 3oz.

11. Walnuts
Walnuts have been shown to reduce heart attacks and possible even reduce all death. Walnuts are rich in plant based Omega-3 Fatty acids (alpha linolenic acid), high in plant sterols, which helps to reduce cholesterol, and also have the ability to help keep the insides of your blood vessels smooth (arginine). And if that was enough, they also are the nut with the contains the high amount of antioxidants, and are very rich in magnesium and copper, which is deficient in most diets. .

12. Wild Salmon
Unlike it bastardized farm raised cousin, wild salmon is really good for you. Wild salmon is high in Omega-3 fatty acids, reduces the risk of coronary artery disease, controls hypertension and inflammation, helps to prevent cancer and degenerative eye diseases, and it possible could boost your metabolism, which helps you lose fat easier.

13. Plain Yogurt
Gastrointestinal problems are at the root of a lot of health problems, and have been linked with your bodies inability to fight other diseases such as cancer, allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers and diarrhea. After all, if you cannot digest food, assimilate its nutrients and dispose of waste, how can your body immune system protect you? Yogurt that contain live active cultures of bacteria encourages the growth of good bacteria and hampers the growth of bad bacteria.

Some different types of cavity wall

Black & Decker presents new Autoselect tool!

The Autoselect Screwdriver (3.6V), is an extension to the Autoselect tool family. It's a collection of power tools that take the guess work and uncertainty out of everyday jobs and reduces the need for in-depth knowledge of torque, gears and speed.

The Autoselect family includes a cordless drill, a range of jigsaws and now a screwdriver. They are pre-set by experts to make them easier and faster to use. Simply turn to select the application and they adjust to the optimal power and speed, ensuring the less experienced or not so confident DIY enthusiast achieves a perfect finish every time.

It boasts a lithium ion battery which not only makes it lightweight and easy to handle, it also ensures that the tool stays charged and ready to use for up to 18 months. As with the other tools in this range, it is controlled by a series of task led settings displayed on an easy to read picture dial. Another key feature is the magnetic retractable screw holder. This holds the screw in place so it can be used with just one hand. This tool is ideal for taking the hassle out of everything from flat packed furniture to a range of quick fix household DIY jobs.

DIY needn't be a daunting or difficult task, as the Autoselect technology simplifies the process enabling everyone to make changes to their home, something which is becoming increasingly popular as consumers opt to improve -- not move.

33 signs that you are addicted to DIY

• You show pictures of your shelves at parties.

• You start moulding intricate kitchen suites of your mashed potato at dinner, accessorising with peas.

• You know over 25 handy and unusual ways to stop flesh wounds from bleeding.

• Writing a pros and cons list of different nail gun models before you make a decision on which one to buy. In doing this you go over 5 pages of A4.

• You secretly wish for your house to fall down so that you will have a legitimate reason to build an elaborate tree dwelling.

• You looked at your neighbour’s new £500,000 orangery and thought “I could make one of those, easy peasy.”

• When you overhear an attractive girl talking to her friend and mentioning the word “stripping” you interrupt to remind her to wear gloves and work in a well ventilated area.

• You set up your own nifty blog site that you call “Home Heroes”, so that you can upload photographs of your own handiwork to share with others of like mind.

• You haven’t actually got round to uploading anything onto “Home Heroes” yet because you have been so engrossed with enthralling new DIY projects.

• You dream about staring in your own Tim Allen-style home improvement TV show and have already picked a theme tune.

• Waiting until your wife is asleep you shuffle furtively out of bed to go and look at pictures of power drills on the internet.

• You name your twins Black & Decker.

• You name your dog DeWalt

• You have wet dreams about variable speed hammer drills.

• You have 5 ongoing DIY projects all 90% finished.

• You use Duct tape to wrap birthday presents.

• You invest in designer safety glasses.

• You lust after Batman’s utility belt.

• You have regular nightmares about running out of ammunition for your nail-gun in a critical DIY moment.

• You constantly lust for more power and higher rotations.

• You spend more money on tools and wood than it would cost to get a builder in.

• You don't have a pair of shoes without paint splatters on them.

• You've been electrocuted. More than once.

• You've had a homemade flood. More than once.

• Your home insurance company refuses to give you the standard rate.

• You have the outline of all your tools drawn on the shed wall where their meant to be put.

• Whenever mashed potato is served, you ‘plaster’ it over everything else on the plate.

• You and your friends have DIY parties that involve BYO bottle and drill.

• You feel sorry for power tools that you’re not using very much.

• You know that the guy who mixes the paint in B&Q has a wife, two kids and a dog called Brian.

• You suffer from drill bit envy.

• You know precisely how many spare nails you have left.

• You have at least two spare batteries for your power drill, and one’s charging right now.

Can't be bothered to do DIY for lodgers anymore

I rent out a couple of properties to tenants and have done for the past five years. I have recently been thinking of selling due to the amount of DIY time it can suck up, but obviously at this current time its not an easy time to do such.

I have delayed selling to wait for the outcome of the Treasury and its potential changes to Stamp Duty.

Arguably many BTL properties fall below the £125,000 threshold, so would not be impacted, but the sale of some of these properties may be held up as buyers moving up the property ladder await any reduction in Stamp Duty on higher value properties.

There are good reasons to believe that the house sector is weathering the storm:

• Tenant Demand
  
  Evidence of good rental growth across the UK can be found not only in the latest RICS Lettings Survey with a headline of "Lettings market shines bright in housing gloom" but also in Paragon's Buy To Let Index for July where yields across the UK are 6.4% with average growth in the last year of 9.3%. Additional demand is being driven by the reduced availability of mortgages at 100% or above for first time buyers who will need to rent until they can save up the necessary deposit and with higher interest rates being charged on borrowing at thee 95% level , it may be more expensive to pay a mortgage than rent for the time being.



• Mortgage Funding
  
  Current funding is based on the known performance of the Buy To Let mortgage book and the recently released CML figures look relatively benign with only 1.1% of loans in arrears over 90 days compared to the broader market figure of 1.33% but still up from 0.73% at the end of 2007. Any significant deterioration would cause lenders to re-trench further at a time when BTL landlords are probably the best hope for the property market absorbing the CML predicted 28,000 repossessions in the second half of the year.




• Mortgage Availability
  
  One year on from the credit crunch, the BTL sector has fewer lenders with tighter credit criteria and risk based pricing encouraging landlords to invest more capital in return for better interest rates. Pricing as low as 5.09% for a 2 year fix at 60% loan to value with higher pricing is applied by those lenders still willing to lend to 85% but with increasing dependency on retail deposits to fund new lending the cost is reflected with rates more in the range 6.5% to 7.5%.




• Preferred Property Sectors
  
  The new homes sector had always been popular with investors in a rising market - where there was no property chain and the opportunity to buy off plan with completion up to eighteen months away held out the prospect of capital appreciation for little risk in the early years of the new millennium. By early 2007 some developers were creating artificial incentives to lure in investors leading to concerns over the true value of developments where upwards of 40% of the units were sold to investors. This has led to rental problems and geographical concentration risk and lenders have placed a 75% LTV restriction and full transparency on the component parts of the transaction. This is bound to impact the house building sector and the results of Taylor Wimpey on 27 August announcing a 96% fall in pre-tax profits and exceptional items of a further £1.5Bn must reflect some of these issues. Effectively the development of sites has mostly ceased as builders concentrate on selling existing stock before developing subsequent phases. Whilst house prices have eased there are not sufficiently large volumes of properties being sold to suggest a collapse of the broader market.



• Market Confidence
  
  Paragon's July Trends Review reveals that investor sentiment towards acquiring further property remains strong with twice as many landlords looking to add properties than intending to sell. This is driven by a belief that they can secure a lower price as well as being high tenant demand being a key factor for 39.3% of them.



• Feel good Factor
  
  There is one additional confidence element that impacts the whole country and that is the somewhat unexpected "feel good factor" that has been created by the well deserved success of Team GB in Bejing. Not only has it dominated the headlines and pushed away the doom and gloom headlines on the property market and economy at large but has created a genuine interest in London 2012. When France won the Football World Cup in 2006 the GDP growth in the next quarter was 0.5% above the predicted rate. The benefit to the UK may last sufficiently long enough for other potential positive measures to show through such as a Base Rate reduction of 0.25% in early November or, heaven forbid, the Government untangling the Stamp Duty fiasco with a stepped aligned on price bands and a raising of the "zero" band to £250,000 - is that too much to hope for ?

“Sumbunny sabe me!”

20040806-rabbit.jpg (JPEG Image, 300x348 pixels) via kwout

A rabbit might save your life but it won’t compensate you when your house burns down.

Anyone else hear about the Australian house bunny that saved a couple from burning to death in their own home? Well, if you haven’t, the story goes that Mr Keogh and Miss Finn, blissfully asleep in their bedroom whilst their house was burning around them were woken up by the pounding of rabbit feet on their bedroom door. The rabbit, inventively named “Rabbit” saved the day by alerting his owners to the fire that had started in one of the back rooms of the house. Unfortunately for the couple, Rabbit couldn’t save the thousands of pounds that the couple spent on renovations that had just been completed days before the fire broke out.

Some people have pointed out that Rabbit was probably just trying to save himself rather than altruistically trying to rescue his sleeping owners. This is probably right however there have been various claims to suggest that our bouncy fluffy friends have more carrot than we credit them for. There have even been accounts of bunnies helping other species, by alerting their owners to floundering fish that have propelled themselves out of their bowl.

Amazing I know but still, I would rather rely on a fire alarm than a giant house bunny to wake me if there was (god forbid) a blaze at my house. You would have thought that what with all the expensive renovations the hapless couple might have thought that installing one was probably a good idea-considering. If you have the money to improve living standards then why not improve safety standards while you’re at it?

Let’s just hope that the unfortunate couple had home insurance eh? They don’t sound like the brightest nails in the hutch and you could say they might be a carrot short of a picnic (I could do this all day but I won’t torture you with it) but I certainly think that a few lessons could be learned here.

Lesson 1) Smoke alarm step ONE, renovations step TWO
Lesson 2) Home insurance is a GOOD idea
Lesson 3) Rabbits save fish

There have been other cases of pets saving their owners as I am sure you know. Acts that make Rabbit’s act of self preservation look piffly in comparison but I expect that the main reason everyone is so surprised is because it is rarely assumed that rabbits are that intelligent.

I had always been a huge fan of the film Watership Down when I was a kid. Even now, whenever I hear Simon and Garfunkel singing ‘Bright Eyes’ I get a little sniffly. Who could fail to be similarly warmed by the Velveteen Rabbit escaping the bonfire and becoming real? I hope I didn’t ruin the ending for anyone there.


Long live the rabbit I say, and in this case long live its lucky owners too!

Expensive Car Insurance Claims

In the history of car insurance claims, this collection of expensive car crashes begs the question, did they have car insurance?

Sexism in the Olympics?

Due to me being at work all day every day for the past few weeks without access to my beloved widescreen LCD TV, I have been watching the Olympic feeds on my computer. At the last Olympics the variety and clarity of these feeds would be nowhere near the quality now available to me from websites such as CNN the BBC or the Guardian online. I find I can watch races, interviews and commentary of the games in my lunch break right from the comfort of my desk.

Copywriters (me) spend a lot of time scouring the net for research purposes or reading online newspaper articles for up to date inspiration. Recent net surfing has uncovered an Olympic sized debate about the way that female athletes or their events are reported by the media. Simon Barnes the chief sports writer from the Times Online started it with an article about his 'crush' on athlete Yelena Ishinbayevaand and whether or not he had the right to have an ogle at her body and then write about it (along with her performance) in the sports section.

Sports writers should stick to sport and facts rather than looks and opinion. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and sport is not about looks, it is a job and it is about ability. You would not catch war reporters commenting on the attractiveness of soldiers would you?

Sports professionals have enough to worry about without wondering what journalists are going to write about their appearance. Athletes work to hone their body to perfection not to attract the opposite sex, but to achieve maximum performance in their chosen profession. It would be patronising and beside the point to include comments of a writers individual and personal feelings towards the way an athlete looks.

Many people commented that this kind of 'appreciation' of the female body would be fine if the same attention were paid to men. I disagree with this on two counts. Firstly because the same goes for men when competing in sport; ability and not looks should be the real cause for plaudits. Secondly women are all too often judged for their looks where men are not. How often do you see wrinkly older women present the news alongside dashing young men?

The judging of females on their body, youth and looks is far more ingrained in society than many people realise because they are so used to it. When comments are made about a woman's looks it reduces her to be defined by her sexual appeal rather than by her achievements. In this day and age men and especially women should be encouraged to judge themselves on their personal achievements and to only rely on their looks as a last resort.

Before I am accused of being a bitter or ugly woman with a grudge I can assure you that this is not the case. As a woman I understand that although female athletes want to be appreciated for their looks off the playing field, maybe to their boyfriend or husband or to a good looking young man on a night out with friends. They do not however, want to be examined or sexually appreciated by middle aged journalists whilst they try to do their best and be recognised for their working achievements on the field/track/pool/court.

Leave the leering to the lads-mags and the red tops. No one wants to see this kind of backward outlook coming from respected newspapers that should not patronise their readers by assuming we can't see what we like for ourselves.

A brief guide to home insulation

Home insulation is something that you should never skimp on. Whether you are restoring, building or extending a house, this is the area that in the long run, if you do it properly now, will save you the most cash.

Obviously it is easier to install effective home insulation during the building process. However it is also possible to effectively retrofit existing houses with insulation materials in attic and ceiling spaces and suspending floor.

The more effective the insulation is, the less heat will be lost from heaters around the home, this will reduce the energy you need thus saving you money and reducing the associated greenhouse gas emissions.

Two different types of standard insulation exist although there are lots of variations and options to choose from. Most of the time though, types either fall into the reflecting heat category or the absorbing heat category.

The type of insulation that stops heat escaping can be made from a large variety of different products, some of which materials are recycled or recyclable. This is a good way to be even more eco friendly! This type of insulation traps air and prevent the flow of heat through the outside walls of the house and between floors.

Reflective insulation works by reflecting some of the heat radiation that falls onto it, as the name suggests.

It is also worth making a note of the fact that many houses that were built after the 1920’s were built with two layers of outside walls with a small gap or cavity in the middle. If this gap is not filled with insulation materials then your home will be less energy efficient. A much larger amount of heat will escape through the walls and your house will be much more prone to indoor condensation on the walls and ceilings. Also in summer, your house will heat up significantly in accordance with the amount of heat it receives from the sun causing it to build up inside your home. Cavity wall insulation can pay for itself in only 4 years and financial help may be available if you want to make energy saving improvements to your home.

The Government, local authorities and energy suppliers all offer grants to help you put into practice energy saving measures in your home. If you can’t make improvements for free then you may at least receive help with any costs.

It is thought that if all of the houses in the United Kingdom with unfilled cavity walls had them filled with insulation, the energy saved as a result would be the equivalent of the heating for one million homes each year.

These are not the only measures you can take to ensure you have an energy saving, money saving and eco-friendly home. Installing large windows on the Northern side of the house encourages warmth when the sun shines but make sure that they are double glazed. Ensure all the other windows in your house, including your roof or loft, are also double glazed. Under floor heating and heat sink materials such as brick and concrete are also excellent ways to ensure that your home is more energy efficient and makes use of effective insulation.

A simple guide to loft insulation

Loft insulation is often overlooked by many householders but is one of the main ways that we can avoid man made carbon emissions. The running and heating of homes is said to account for almost one third of all man made carbon emissions in the UK, according to The Energy Saving Trust.

This means having loft insulation will undoubtedly save you money. In fact the combined cost that can be saved from effective loft insulation can be up to £155 a year.

The British government has pledged that all new homes built by 2016 will be carbon neutral – but what about those of us that live in older homes? If you are planning on making improvements to your home in order to save energy then very often financial help will be available from the government in the forms of offers or free insulation grants so it is something worth looking into.

What is loft insulation?
Essentially loft insulation is just a piece of material that is laid into your roof or on the floor of it. This material can be made of lots of different things, including recycled material as long as it is comprised of long thick fibres. You can pay someone to install this material or you can do it yourself as a D.I.Y project. If you do decide do it yourself make sure that you take the proper safety measures.

• Make sure that you are wearing protective clothing and a mask to prevent inhalation of the fibres or skin irritation.
• Make sure that the floorboards or supports that you are working on are secure platforms to do the work.
• Ensure adequate ventilation and good light.
• Don’t insulate under a cold water tank or pipe work.
• Do not put insulation around wires or in very close proximity to them as overheated wires can cause a fire hazard.
  

To ensure that the job is done properly most people who are not experienced at this type of installation hire a trained professional that they can trust to do the job to maximum effect. Another drawback of doing the work yourself is that in nearly all cases you will not be eligible for a grant. The work must be done by a qualified professional company.

You can obtain information on further energy saving by calling your local Energy Saving Trust advice centre on 0800 512 012 for free and impartial advice on saving energy in your home. They also offer advice on all other types of insulation and energy and money saving techniques.

Energy Saving Tips to cut fuel costs

With household energy bills on the rise, insurance broker Confused.com, is offering the following tips to help consumers to reduce their monthly payments for energy in their home:

Start switching your supplier
Around half of the households in this country have never switched gas and / or electrcity supplier, leaving some homes paying 30% more for their fuel than they should be.

It is possible to reduce that overspend straightaway simply by - there are more than 14,000 to chose from - which does not even always mean changing supplier. By switching to the best deal available, the average customer, who has never before switched energy suppliers or tariffs, can make a saving of £284.62, according to Confused.com.

Consider capping
The wholesale cost of energy is almost double what it was last year - Centrica's Interim Management Statement on 12 May 2008 admitted, "On average the month-ahead prices for gas and power were 92% and 100% respectively above those for the same period of the previous year. Against this backdrop all major energy suppliers increased residential energy tariffs during the first quarter of the year.

Further increases in gas and electricity prices are expected, which means that now could be the time to switch to a capped-price tariff. If utilities companies up their prices again - and rises of between 10% and 20% have not been uncommon - that mediocre capped rate from your energy supplier could suddenly be very reasonable. If you need some consistency in your monthly spending, consider capped rates.

Check your appliances
If you are looking to buy the latest plasma screen, or American- style freezer, take a moment to read the booklet that comes with it. Some household appliances guzzle up electricity so it is worth having a look around your home to see if there are appliances which might be significantly increasing your energy bills.

Check your meter regularly
Energy suppliers are only legally obligated to read your meter every two years, which means that your gas and electricity bills are based on what they think you might use up. Make sure that you check your meter on a regular basis and let your supplier know the reading. Their lines are often open 24-hours-a-day and they will amend your bill accordingly.

Don't inherit someone else's supplier
A classic mistake to make when you move into a new residence is to stay with the previous owner's supplier. Make sure that you read the meter as soon as you move in, and investigate the previous occupier's energy supplier.

Unless that supplier is offering the best deal, look to change to a better tariff, or even change supplier altogether. If you want to save money, dont be lazy - start to investigate whether switching makes sense.

Shop around
In order to really save money, you need to search the whole market and all of the available tariffs.

How to Find the Rebuild Cost for Your Home

When taking out buildings insurance you will be asked for your home’s rebuild cost, and this amount will decide how much you need to insure the property for. There are two main ways to find your home’s rebuild cost: hire a surveyor or use a rebuild calculator.

Hire a Surveyor

The best way to get an accurate rebuild cost is to instruct a chartered surveyor to carry out detailed measurements of your house and then prepare a professional Rebuilding Cost Assessment. This should set you back around £200, and you can find a local surveyor here.

Use a Rebuild Calculator

A second option is to use a rebuild calculator. Though simple and free to use, the drawback here is that you only get a rough idea of your home’s rebuild cost. This is important to bear in mind because if you underinsure and then, for whatever reason, your home requires a rebuild, you would only be paid up to the amount your home insurance covers, leaving you to cover any shortfall.

Likewise, don’t make the mistake of over-insuring, i.e. don’t insure for the amount you paid for your home or its current market value, both of which are likely to be much higher than the rebuild value. You only need to insure your home for its rebuild value.

To use the calculator you’ll need your home’s external floor area for both upstairs and downstairs. To find the ground floor area: go outside, measure the length and width of the downstairs walls and multiply these two figures together. If the upstairs is identical to the downstairs, simply double the ground floor area. If different, calculate the upstairs area separately and add it to the downstairs result.

Once you enter the above information, plus answers to a few other questions, simply hit ‘calculate’ and you’ll be presented with the approximate rebuild cost of your home.

Important:
The calculator is based on five house types (detached, semi, terraced, detached bungalow, semi bungalow) of average quality and standard construction. You should consider hiring a surveyor to find the rebuild cost for:

• Houses not built of brick
• Properties with basements, cellars or more than two storeys
• Houses with special design features
• Houses other than of average quality
• Houses of greater size than those described in the tables in the leaflet 'ABI Buildings Insurance for the Home Owners'
• Houses containing hazardous materials within their construction, e.g. asbestos
• Historic or listed buildings

Flats and Maisonettes

The calculator is not suitable for finding the rebuild cost of flats because construction methods vary too greatly. A surveyor may be your best bet in this instance. However, as most flats are leasehold there should already be buildings insurance in place through the management company/building owner, and paid for via service charges. If you have a lease, check the contract just to make sure.

Regularly Check Your Home’s Rebuild Cost

It’s important to periodically check that your buildings insurance amount still covers the rebuild cost. Some insurance providers automatically do this by ‘index linking’ the policy, i.e. premiums will adjust in line with fluctuations in rebuild costs. Also, any extensions to the property will likely increase the rebuild cost.

The point is, if the rebuild cost increases without your buildings insurance increasing to match, you could end up underinsured – again, a big problem should the property require a rebuild and you have to make up the shortfall.

What to do in event of a fire

According to the Association of British Insurers, every day in the UK 200 homes suffer a fire, and one person dies and 40 are injured as a result of fires in the home. Regrettably, many of us will be involved with a house fire in some way in our lives, and it’s not likely to be much fun. But there are preventative steps that we can take to avoid this undesirable situation, and also steps we can take to limit the damage if we’re unfortunate enough to have a house fire.

BEFORE: Precautions you can take

Document your possessions
For the purposes of potentially claiming on your home insurance, it’s by no means a terrible idea to keep receipts, or take digital photos of individual items around the house that you may have to claim for. Don’t forget that many mobile phones can double-up for this purpose. Obviously, this precaution isn’t fire-specific – you may well thank yourself for having done so if you get burgled, for example.

Forewarned is forearmed
Fitting smoke detectors to each floor of your house is a good way to raise the alarm in the early stages of a fire. If you do this, be sure to regularly check that they work and the batteries are functioning – there is little point in a purely decorative smoke alarm.

Take care in the kitchen
Fires in the home most commonly begin in the kitchen, usually from the heat given off in cooking. To this end, one should never leave things cooking on a flame unattended. It is now becoming more commonplace for households to have a fire extinguisher and fire blanket located in the kitchen, and it’s understandable why.

No smoke without fire
If you do smoke in the house, it will accordingly increase the risk of being involved in a house fire at some point. So be sure that anything you smoke is properly stubbed out when finished. Plus it’s best to avoid smoking when very tired, as it is commonplace for fires to begin when people fall asleep whilst still smoking. Certainly avoid smoking in bed.

Do a bedtime check
Fire presents a greater risk when you’re asleep – so check every room in the house for appliances left on, candles left lit and suchlike before going to bed.

DURING: Get out!

Have a plan, and stick to it
When the fire alarm sounds, workplaces insist that you get straight out without stopping to salvage anything, get you to a safe organised place and take a roll call – and with good reason. If the smoke alarm sounds in your house, then you should gather everyone in the house together, exit via the quickest escape route, and call 999. The biggest mistake you can make in the event of a fire is to go and find out what’s triggered the alarm. It is possible for people in these situations to open the door to a burning room, which may then cause the fire to spread quicker, or trap them from the rest of their family.

Don’t go back!
Too often, people return to the house to try and save pets or possessions. Unless pets cannot escape due to being in a cage or suchlike, then they almost always do without human assistance. And possessions can be covered by your home insurance. None of these things are worth endangering your life for by returning to a blaze.

AFTER: Damage limitation

Safety first
If you suffer from respiratory problems or feel unwell after a fire, go straight to see your GP or the nearest hospital A&E.

Returning to the scene
It is advisable not to re-enter your home after a house fire until you are told by trained professionals that it is safe to do so. Remember even when it has been declared safe, there may still be broken glass and sharp objects exposed.

Who to call
After a fire, it is best not to assume that anybody else is going to contact your home insurance provider. It’s best to do so as soon as you can in order to get the ball rolling in terms of recovery, and ideally do so before you incur any expense. You should also call close family or friends to inform them of what’s happened, but also reassure them that you’re ok.

The clean-up
Do not try to clean up any items until a qualified restoration service has a chance to evaluate the fire damage. If the incorrect equipment is used, then you may end up causing further damage. Your home insurance company are likely to come in handy here, as they will probably be able to put you in touch with specialist cleaners.

For more information concerning fire safety in the home, visit the Directgov website

Is Now the Time to Switch to a Fixed-Price Energy Tariff?

It is difficult not to notice that the cost of living has been escalating lately…Mortgage payments, fuel prices and the cost of food all seem to be throwing heavier punches than ever before – and the price of our household energy bills is also joining in the pummelling.

The wholesale cost of energy prices has almost doubled in the last year*, and bodies such as energywatch, OFGEM and British Gas are in agreement that this is the driving force behind recent and future price increases. So is now the right time for consumers to ensure that they’re on a fixed-price tariff, and hence shielded from future price fluctuations?

What if you’ve never switched?

By switching to the best deal in the marketplace, the average customer who has never switched energy suppliers or tariffs can make a saving of £226**.

The best capped deal is currently offered by EON, which is their Price Protection 2009 tariff – where prices can be fixed until the October 2009. However, this offer is still almost 14% more costly than the cheapest alternative tariff**.

And just because you have always been powered by the same energy supplier, this doesn’t mean that they are going to reward your past loyalty. On the contrary, the best deals tend to be offered to attract new customers – so it pays not to think of a long-standing supplier as a member of the family or part of the furniture. So what’s stopping you shopping around?

Is it worthwhile if you’ve switched before?

Market rates have been particularly volatile over the course of the last twelve months. It is worth checking for the best deal in your area because there are still a large selection of tariffs available – around 14,000 at the time of writing – and you may find that you’ve been lumbered with a tariff which is causing you to pay over the odds. It cannot hurt to check out comparison sites to see if you are still getting a deal you’re happy with.

Be sure to go to a site which has subscribed to the energywatch Confidence Code – a voluntary code of conduct which ensures that sites are independent from gas and electricity suppliers, show all available tariffs from all licensed suppliers, and show accurate prices with update dates clearly state. Click here for more info

If you go to a site such as Confused.com which has signed up to the Confidence Code, you will have peace of mind that you are getting the best available deals.

To cap or not to cap?

So should we be bracing ourselves with a fixed-price tariff such as that offered by EON? Although wholesale costs are reported to have doubled in the last year, and this is still an influential factor affecting the retail cost to consumers, it is worth bearing in mind that the best capped deal currently available is still a good 14% more expensive than the best uncapped tariff – which is a significant amount. That said, average price hikes of between 10% and 15% are still common, and as such a capped deal is worth considering for those who wish for some stability in controlling their outgoings.

But according to Gareth Kloet of Confused.com, “The forecast may seem a little gloomy, but it’s not all bad news. I think it’s always possible to get a better deal than even the lowest capped tariff, and those who regularly shop around may find that they stay on top of the game by paying beneath the odds.

“Around half of the households in this country have never switched supplier, which is ridiculous. In some cases, they can be paying an extra 20% premium on their fuel through their inertia***. Some can even make that kind of saving straight away by contacting their energy company, and switching to a better value tariff – without even having to change their supplier!”

Kitchen Improvements With New Worktops

If your kitchen is looking tired and dated, you do not necessarily need to rip it all out and start again. Replacing the kitchen worktops will instantly give your kitchen a major face lift whilst saving you lots of money and hassle.

There are many different types of worktop to choose from including granite, Corian (a composite of minerals and acrylic polymer, from about £400 a square metre), Raustone (similar to Corian, but less pricey), rubberwood (cubes of wood bonded together), stainless steel, Formica, real wood such as oak, beech, walnut, cheery, iroko and basic laminate. Granite, Corian, Raustone and stainless steel should be fitted by professionals.

Wooden kitchen worktops including oak, beech and walnut are the simplest option for those looking for the 'do-it-yourself' option because they are easy to cut compared to laminate, granite and stainless steel.

Oak worktops are the first choice for those looking for strength, durability and classic traditional elegance. Oak's rich colour and fine markings lend grace to any kitchen, maturing over the years to add character and warmth.

Walnut is a dark wood of immense warmth, with a rich grain and strong character. Walnut wood contains natural exotic patterns that set it apart from its contemporaries.

Cherry is an elegant and colourful wood, fast becoming one of the most popular choices for kitchens. Cherry worktops have a subtle autumnal red appearance that darkens gracefully over time to a rich maturity.

Beech is the most popular and versatile of all the hardwoods. The light tone and soft grain produce a bright feel that complements any style of kitchen.

Iroko - The dark hues of this rich African hardwood produce a stunning effect when used in the right kitchen environment. Often called 'African Teak', it is a most durable worktop due to its high resistance to staining.

Plan Ahead

Before you begin on your kitchen worktop project you will need to work out exactly how much new worktop you require to get the job done. If the existing worktop is a good fit then this job is done for you as you can simply use this as the template. If the worktop not to replace an exiting worktop or you require extra then you will need a measuring tape and cardboard to create the template. Even in new build houses, unfortunately corners are rarely at right angles so you will need to check carefully. Remember to order all trims, brackets and fittings when you order your worktop.

Kitchen Worktop Saw Points

If you are cutting laminate, kitchen fitters recommend using a circular saw with the laminate facing down. A jigsaw is fine for cutting out big holes for example, the sink but be aware of it fraying. Many people choose to hire a circular saw from a local hire shop. However, you will require very steady hands to do a professional job. The other crucial thing with laminate worktops is getting the mitered joins just right. These can be cut by a joiner with precision equipment, for a small fee.

Kitchen Worktop Fitting

A spirit level is essential when fixing the worktops with their supporting brackets, timber battens, or KD blocks, used especially in kitchen fitting. Leave a fall of about 2 degrees away from the wall at the back to prevent spills and dirt accumulating. Do any wall tiling work after fitting the worktops, so there is a permanent level edge to work upwards from. Seal any cut laminate surface to stop damp and between joints with a compound. Use silicone sealant between tiles and worktop and put reflective aluminium tape around cooker/hob to protect from radiant heat; use waterproof seal - unless a rubber gasket is supplied - around the sink.

If all this seems a little labour intensive, you might consider getting a professional company to provide the kitchen worktop, cutting and fitting as a package. You can then take advantage of their experience and workmanship to make sure the job in done to the highest standard. The worktop will be cut and finished to your own personal needs which will save you time and inconvenience.

Wooden kitchen worktop choices

Oak Worktops
Oak is the first choice for those looking for strength, durability and classic traditional elegance. Oak's rich colour and fine markings lend grace to any kitchen, maturing over the years to add character & warmth.

Beech Worktops
Beech is the most popular and versatile of all the hardwoods. The light tone and soft grain produce a bright feel that complements any style of kitchen.

Walnut Worktops
Walnut is a dark wood of immense warmth, with a rich grain and strong character. Walnut wood contains natural exotic patterns that set it apart from its contemporaries.

Cherry Worktops
Cherry is an elegant and colourful wood, fast becoming one of the most popular choices for today's kitchens. Cherry worktops have a subtle autumnal red appearance that darkens gracefully over time to a rich maturity.

Iroko Worktops
The dark hues of this rich African hardwood produce a stunning effect when used in the right kitchen environment. Often called 'African Teak', it is a most durable worktop due to its high resistance to staining.

Kitchen Worktops - Which to choose?
Both colour and cost are the main factors when choosing a wooden worktop. Bear in mind however that some woods are more durable than others. You may get the price you want but regret not investing in a tougher top when the battle scars start to appear. Consider what colour your worktop doors and how bright is the room? These two questions both help define if the kitchen worktop should be a light, medium or dark wood. Do you want the wood to be a passive element of the overall project or a focal point requiring lots of character?

What is the best value for money hardwood?
The cheapest kitchen worktop would be a rubber wood. This is an entry-level hardwood for a kitchen Worktop. The best wood by way of character, durability and price would be Rustic Beech. A tough and very well priced worktop that with five coats of oil would create a fine warm and welcome focal point in your kitchen.

How often should I oil my Kitchen hardwood worktops?
Three coats on the flat surface of high grade Danish wood oil will make most kitchen tops thoroughly water repellent and provide a tough durable preparation work surface. Five coats around the edges will further protect these more exposed areas. Further coats on the flat surfaces will only serve to increase protection and enhance the character and the grain of the wood.

The benefit of this is more evident on character woods such as Rustic Beech, Iroko, European Walnut and solid oak. Ongoing maintenance of your worktop can be via three monthly regime or simply by judging the worktop and re-oiling when it looses its sheen effect and become matt in appearance. The areas most vulnerable are usually sunspots where the sun is more focused on a particular area of the worktop. Other areas to look out for are around cooking appliances, at the back above you fridge, at the front above dishwashers and below kettles and toasters.

Average kitchen worktop no cleaner than toilet seat

British home hygiene is so poor that most kitchen worktops contain more bacteria than the average public toilet seat, a study has claimed.

Research by the Hygiene Council revealed that 85 per cent of public toilets were cleaner than domestic food preparation areas. In fact, the average kitchen surface had 10 times more bacteria than the toilet seat.

Only three per cent of Brits believed the home to be the most likely source of infection with hygiene advice for homes being generally ignored, the study found. The report also found that only a third of Brits wash their hands properly after sneezing, handling pets, before eating, before handling food and after using the toilet.

The Hygiene Council was formed to help combat the growing incidence of the spread of infections, such as avian influenza or MRSA. It is made up of some of the world's top experts in areas such as virology, microbiology and infectious disease. More than 10,000 people across 10 countries across the globe took part in the research that focused on basic hygiene principles.

It found that the majority of Brits are not aware that they could encounter more bacteria in their homes than in public places. Only three per cent believed the home to be the most likely source of infection, with hygiene advice for homes being generally ignored.

The Hygiene Council's panel of experts warns that not washing hands at appropriate times can have far-reaching consequences. This is because hands are the primary carrier of various germs and pathogens, including E.coli and Salmonella.

But bacteria can also be found in unlikely places like light switches, door handles, the kitchen chopping board and other frequently-touched surfaces.

Men are the worst offenders, with only 28 per cent sticking to home hygiene routines compared to 42 per cent of women, the report found.

The study also found that most food trays on baby high chairs were unacceptably dirty.

A staggering 60 per cent were found to hold Coliforms - bacteria that indicate a surface has been contaminated by faecal matter, raw meat, soil or unwashed vegetables.

Ironically, in all the homes tested, the floors were cleaner than the high chair trays - with 40 per cent of them clean enough to serve food on.

Dr Lisa Ackerley, member of the UK Hygiene Council, said: "Your home may not be as clean as you think it is. It's not enough to simply remove the visible dirt you can see with the naked eye."

Researchers also tested baby high chairs in homes where there were children under three and found that all of those tested were unacceptably dirty.

Coliforms - which are bacteria that indicate a surface has been contaminated by faecal matter, raw meat, soil or unwashed vegetables - were found on a staggering 60 per cent of the trays.

Ironically, in all the homes tested, the floors were cleaner than the high chair trays - with 40 per cent of them clean enough to serve food on.

"Home hygiene should be regarded as a scientific approach in its own right. Scientific evidence shows that simple and good hygiene practices can reduce the risk of illness and infection at home and in the community, so we must protect ourselves by putting these measures into practice," commented Professor John Oxford, Chairman of the Hygiene Council and Professor of Virology at St Bartholomew's and the Royal London Hospital, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry.

The Hygiene Council has formed to help combat the growing incidence of the spread of infections, such as avian influenza or MRSA, by providing recommendations on good hygiene to help the public.

The council is made up of some of the world's top experts in areas such as virology, microbiology and infectious disease.