Opinion – Page 425
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Comment
Bleak Bank figures confirm downward trend in homebuyers
More desparate news for house building as the evaporation of homebuyers in the UK housing market is further underlined with the release of the Bank of England figures showing mortgages approvals for house purchases in April diving to a new low.Just 58,000 loans were approved to homebuyers, half the figure ...
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CommentRomancing the stone
With fewer and fewer people opting for careers in stonemasonry, it could soon become a dying trade. It’s time we did our bit to attract today’s youth
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CommentWeb watch — Warren street
As Alice in Wonderland knew, following rabbits can lead you down a hole. But online you’re just as likely to be followed by the rabbit. Alex Smith introduces the surreal world of construction’s Twitters
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Comment
Exclusion clause: Regus (UK) Ltd vs Epcot Solution Ltd
This was an appeal from a decision that an exception clause in its standard terms was unreasonable and unenforceable under the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 (“UCTA”). The judge’s decision was reported in a previous briefing.Regus (UK) Limited (“Regus”) supplies serviced office accommodation. Epcot Solutions Ltd (“Epcot”) provides professional ...
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CommentSwallow hard
Open mike — Yes, moving to zero-carbon homes is going to be strange at first, but then again we’re living through strange days, says Matt Bell. Pretty soon it will all seem perfectly normal …
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CommentBuilding buys a pint … for WSP
We’re only a few minutes into this week’s “Pint” and already disaster has struck – Building’s camera is on the blink.
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CommentNew adventures …
... of construction’s own Indiana Jones, the strange case of the incredibly hairy bedfellow, and two very good reasons to turn down a job on the Southbank …
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Comment
Joint-names insurance: Capital punishment
Stuart Pemble explains how capitalisation of a single letter caused two of the highest courts in the land to issue contradictory rulings
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Comment
The lesser of two evils
Thank goodness for the common sense shown by Tony Bingham in drawing a clear distinction between bid rigging and cover pricing (16 May, page 64).
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Comment
What women want
What does a woman look for in a career? Security, a good working environment, prospects for progression.
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Comment
A load of hot air
The argument that spare office cooling capacity could be the solution for overheating on the London Underground (23 May, page 11) is fatally flawed.
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CommentJust no more U-turns, OK?
Gordon Brown is probably regretting a number of things right now – the 10p tax debacle, Crewe and Nantwich by-election tactics, and the sly assault on gas-guzzling cars in the last Budget spring readily to mind.
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Comment
Is the UK following the US into a housing market collapse?
The release today by Nationwide of figures showing house prices dropped by 2.5% in May will come like a kick in the teeth to house builders and estate agents.It is the last thing they want to hear given the fragility of the market. A drop of two grand or so ...
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Comment
Development slowdown hits small civils firms
The latest survey from the civils trade body CECA into the performance and prospects of its members very much reflects the pressures on the building sector, where housing and commercial building work is being squeezed by the effects of the credit crunch.While the outlook for civils is broadly positive, there ...
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Comment
US house price fall and fall
The latest stats from the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices show that US house prices are continuing to fall apace - down a further 2% in March 2008 across the top 20 metropolitan areas.This makes a continuous line of house price falls from August 2006 producing a total fall in house ...
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Comment
Just how exposed is the UK housing market
For those who like to take comfort from seeing the UK market in a global context I commend to you the latest round-up of international house-price indicators by the Economist.What is clear is just how far the UK house prices have boomed compared with most other countries. That the UK's ...
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Comment
Buyers "strike" continues as housing market suffers
The latest data confirms that potential homebuyers are still treating the current housing market with extreme caution resulting in fewer mortgages, fewer sales and lower prices.Hometrack data for May shows prices down nationally by 0.5% on the month after a 0.6% fall in April. But the more worrying trend for ...
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Comment
Contract payment mechanisms: Peter Mair vs Mohammed Arshad
The pursuers were seeking the sum of £8,730 from the defender, together with interest and expenses. The parties agreed that there was a contract within the meaning of the Construction Act and that the first invoice for £1,000 had been paid. The pursuer argued that two further invoices had not ...