Author: James Anderson, FRSA, CMgr MCMI

The service, run by a community group, is being set up to give residents in Cockerton and Branksome access to a low-cost maintenance and repair service. Repairs on offer are those that the resident is responsible for, not the landlord or council. The charge for work varies, but there is a pricing structure. The cost for labour is £6.50 per hour, plus any materials that might be required. But, unlike most handyman services, the client can pay by the minute rather than by the hour. All the handymen carry identification and will arrive in a van with “Handyman Service” written…

The HVAC firm says accelerated timeframe for high-GWP refrigerants will place pressure on heat pump manufacturers to redesign products   HVAC manufacturer Blue Star says Government plans to reduce fluorinated gas being placed on the UK market will require strategic planning and new design approaches from heat pump producers.  A consultation launched at the start of November proposed an accelerated timeframe to reduce HFC quotas, replacing a 79% reduction by 2030 with a 98.6% reduction by 2048. Blue Star’s vice president of sales, Jason Tinsley, said a rapid HFC phase-down would increase the need to design heat pumps suited for…

Feng shui is an ancient Chinese art of arranging spaces and objects in a way that promotes harmony. It’s also said to bring peace and prosperity. If you want to apply feng shui principles to your home, we’ve rounded up the feng shui kitchen tips designers want you to know.Improving your kitchen’s feng shui can be as simple as adding a few plants to your decor or sticking to a specific color palette. But if you’re looking to go big, like moving your appliances around the kitchen or adding windows to the space, these can also be effective ways of…

Residents have until New Year’s Eve to give their views on how one of their county’s landscapes should be managed over the next five years.The Quantock Hills National Landscape Partnership in Somerset has published its draft management plan, laying out how the area will be preserved and improved up to 2031.The plan includes measures to protect and conserve historic man-made elements.Partnership chair Hugh Warmington said: “This is an important moment for the communities of the Quantock Hills and those who love visiting here.”The Quantock Hills was the first part of England to be designated an area of outstanding natural beauty…

You can easily transform your home with a tin of paint or two but there are several ways you can make it more difficult for yourselfSophie Harris and Sam Dimmer East Midlands Head of Brand07:58, 18 Aug 2023Getting a decent finish when you’re painting is achievable if you prepare properly (Image: Tim Kitchen)A tin of paint can transform your home if you want to make a change but don’t want to shell out thousands on a total refurbishment. Just about anything can be improved with a lick of paint, with kitchen cabinets, wardrobe doors and radiators just crying out for…

Victorian Plumbing Group has reported another year of revenue and profit growth, reinforcing its position as the UK’s largest bathroom retailer and signalling further market-share gains despite a challenging consumer backdrop. The company posted record revenues of £310m for the year to 30 September 2025, up 5% from £295.7m, outperforming the broader repair, maintenance and improvement (RMI) market. Order volumes rose 6% to 1.1 million, although average order value dipped 1% to £287, recovering in the second half. Gross profit increased 4% to £153.2m, with margin easing slightly to 49.4% following the introduction of the Extended Producer Responsibility tax and…

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) received a concern after workers were observed carrying out roof replacement work without any scaffolding in place. The regulator identified unsafe work on a domestic roof being carried out by Steven Hendry, 40, from Liskeard, trading as Apex Roofing & Property Services. This led HSE inspector Hatti Shipp to serve a Prohibition Notice against him, legally stopping the dangerous work. Following the notice, more information was requested from Hendry under Section 20 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. HSE guidance explicitly states that individuals and companies must co-operate with inspections…

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has reached out to her father following his emergency leg amputation.Thomas Markle, 81. underwent a three-hour operation to remove his left foot and lower leg earlier this week, after the limb went black as a blood clot stopped blood circulation.Although Meghan, 44, has been estranged from her retired TV lighting director father – who now lives in the Philippines – since her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018, she reached out after hearing about his surgery.A spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex told Us Weekly: “I can confirm she has reached out to her father.”Thomas’ son…

Tirupati: A routine workday turned tragic at a tile manufacturing unit near Ellampadu in Srikalahasti mandal on Wednesday when a gas cylinder explosion claimed two lives and left several others injured. The blast occurred inside the Somany tile industry while workers were on the job. The sudden explosion left no time for those nearby to react, killing two labourers — Pothuraju (30) from Chirala and Panda (30) from Odisha — instantly. Several co-workers sustained injuries and were rushed to the government hospital in Venkatagiri. Soon after the incident, Srikalahasti rural police arrived at the factory and cordoned off the area.…

Two of the containers which fell from the Baltic Klipper off the coast of the Isle of Wight on Saturday evening have washed ashore at Selsey in West Sussex. The containers caused delays at Southampton port throughout Saturday and Sunday morning, with P&O Cruises’ Iona delayed from leaving for almost 24 hours. Bunches of bananas have been spotted on the shoreline with a huge emergency services presence in the area, consisting of the Coastguard, fire service and police. Two containers which fell off a cargo ship in the Solent have washed ashore (Image: Coastal JJ) A cordon has been set…