News Articles
- October 2008
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30-10-2008A recent survey from market research company Shape the Future has revealed that 70% of businesses have no idea what their customers really think about the service they receive. The research shows that while 70.3% claim to measure customer satisfaction,...
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A recent survey by Opinion Research has suggested that Britons intend to spend an average of £376 this Christmas - down on £393 last year. However we need to get extra work to find the cash, according to Peopleperhour.com. The...
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Female bosses work an average three hours longer per week than their male counterparts, according to new research. The results of a study by Abbey showed that on average men work a 39.5 hour week while women work for 42.5...
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29-10-2008Tenants who do not pay their rent would cause "horrific problems" for landlords, especially with the state of the housing market, one advisory service has claimed. The Residential Landlords Association (RLA), has highlighted the costs which the tenants' rents cover...
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With salaries remaining level during the credit crunch many people are reducing their spending, one insurance expert has claimed. According to Bright Grey, people all over the UK are being forced to cut back on their out goings as the...
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More than a quarter of small-to-medium business enterprises (SMEs) are contemplating going abroad in order to avoid paying excessive taxes, according to new research. Findings from a study by Tenon revealed that 26 per cent of the respondents are considering...
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27-10-2008Many small-to-medium business enterprises (SMEs) are replacing travel with technology, one transport expert has stated. According to the Business Travel magazine, firms are looking to tighten their travel policy for employees as the effects of the credit crunch begin to...
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Buy-to-let owners are at the greatest risk of being targeted by mortgage fraud, one housing expert has claimed. According to the Land Registry, mortgage fraudsters are most likely to target properties which are left unoccupied. Heather Edwards, PR executive for...
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It is not up to landlords to safeguard their properties from carbon monoxide leakages, one celebrity property expert has claimed. According to Kirsty Allsopp, presenter of television shows Location Location Location and the Property Chain, the responsibility currently rests with...
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Despite the effects of the global economic downturn on the housing market in the UK, many buy-to-let landlords remain positive about their investments, according to a new survey. Findings from a study by the Young Group showed that 98 per...
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22-10-2008The new Labour Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson, has come forward with new proposals to help small businesses through the credit crunch and looming recession. Speaking to the BBC, Mandelson said: "We want to help smaller businesses to plan for the...
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Workers are increasingly likely to bring a packed lunch to work due to the effects of the credit crunch, one food expert has claimed. According to the British Dietetic Association (BDA), a lunch brought in from home is going to...
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Publicans are being bled dry by high rents set by their Pubcos, according to commercial solicitors Ferdinand Kelly. 24,000 pubs in Britain are tied in to Pubcos such as Punch Taverns and Enterprise Inns. Tied landlords must buy all of...
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Many contractors and freelance professionals are disregarding best practice when it comes to ensuring their contracts are outside IR35 and in the process are putting themselves at risk of being penalised by the Inland Revenue. Research by ContractorCalculator.co.uk shows that...
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Blogs have developed into a way for businesses to talk with their customer-base, according to a social networking expert. The Social Media Portal (SMP) stated that initially blogs were online diaries and journals for individuals but have grown into a...
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20-10-2008Despite the strain on finances, businesses should not use redundancy as a money-saving measure if it is a knee-jerk reaction. It must be carefully planned according to one company. In the three months to August 2008, the Office of National...
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The buy-to-let property market is still attractive to investors despite the volatility seen in both domestic and global housing markets, according to new research. What Investment reported on the findings from a study by Spicehaart which showed that increasing numbers...
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The design of a website is central to the reputation of a small business and how it is perceived, one web-development agency has claimed. According to on-IDLE, businesses need to try and marry the style of how they look online...
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17-10-2008Figures from online takeaway service just-eat.co.uk have shown a 69.5% increase in sales on the previous six months, suggesting that takeaway restaurants are defying the crunch. The increase shows that the general public are giving up meals out in restaurants...
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If the financial services sector regains confidence following the government's bail out of the banks, then the economic downturn could be "more shallow" than expected, one accountancy body has claimed. According to the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), leading...
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The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) has launched a new fire safety campaign for landlords, a news story has said. According to 24 dash, the initiative has been started to support a report by the Local Authorities Coordinating Regulatory Service (Lacors)...
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15-10-2008Businesses should encourage staff to prevent stress rather than trying to treat it when they have already been affected, one corporate 'wellbeing' expert has said. According to the On Site Massage Company, specialist in work-based stress relief, employers are beginning...
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Effective communication and administration are the most important 'keys' to managing staff benefits, one independent financial advisor (ifa) has stated. According to Foster Denovo, organisations looking to run these schemes more efficiently need to focus on them from the 'bottom...
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14-10-2008The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has just launched a campaign to raise awareness of asbestos poisoning with building contractors and other tradesmen. According to the organisation 20 tradesmen die every week from asbestos related illness. Contractors are being warned...
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A property developer has been forced to take drastic action to cover the costs of building a luxury apartment development in Devon worth £1.7 million, thanks to the state of the property market. Cliff Rawlinson is giving away all four...
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The internet can be a "legal minefield" for small-to-medium business enterprises (SMEs), one business support group has claimed. According to the Forum for Private Business (FPB), many SMEs may not be fully aware of what they need to do to...
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13-10-2008The current economic climate does not mean that companies should reduce their advertising budget, an expert has said. Chris Lake, editor in chief at E-consultancy.com has said that online advertising is best for those looking to enter the advertising world,...
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Using email to settle disputes can make them worse despite the tool being an effective way to communicate, one IT expert has claimed. According to Impact Factory, a communications training company, emails can add to problems in the office as...
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Conflict between tenants and landlords is driven by "unrealistic expectations" from both sides, one property expert has claimed. According to Landlordzone, an online community for property letters, the tenancy deposit scheme was brought in to put an end to disputes....
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Household bills are one of tenants' top concerns, according to new research. According to a report on Residentiallandlord.co.uk, some 79 per cent of renters are worried about the price of utility bills, meaning that landlords with buy-to-let investments may want...
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09-10-2008A UK solicitors firm is warning businesses to think twice before agreeing to new bank terms that have been introduced since the credit crunch hit. Susanne Gilhooly, Associate Solicitor at law firm Harrison Clark LLP, comments: "It is clear that...
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Workers in the UK are increasingly prioritising their jobs over health due to anxiety brought on by the credit crunch, one healthcare expert has advised. According to Dr Serene Foster, an immunologist and registered medical herbalist speaking on behalf of...
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Just over half of mothers are in official employment, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics, but many of those who stay home to raise the children are now looking for work to beat the credit crunch. Peopleperhour.com...
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Buy-to-let hotel rooms are becoming popular due to the flexibility they offer both investors and visitors, one property association has claimed. According to the National Federation of Property Professionals (Nfopp), 'apart-hotels' are becoming increasingly popular due to the "decent return"...
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08-10-2008After months of speculation on the part of the business world and home-owners, the Bank of England has finally decided to reduce interest rates. The rate is now 4.5% - down half a point on the previous 5 percent rate....
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Small-to-medium business enterprises should find Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) software is cheaper than having a fixed phone line in place, one technology expert has claimed. According to Technology Means Business (TMB), VoIP is cheaper technology compared with some of...
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07-10-2008Businesses need to prepare now for flexible working changes that could see an extra 4.5 million parents asking their bosses for time off. Small businesses in particular should prepare themselves for the change in the employment law. From April 2009...
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A business needs intelligence throughout an organisation if it is to survive the economic downturn, according to one IT firm. Microsoft has claimed that business intelligence solutions can be implemented at a cost which is "significantly lower" than it was...
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Many small-to-medium business enterprises (SMEs) are looking to expand overseas to take advantage of new markets, one professional body has claimed. According to the Institute of Chartered Accountants, many businesses are still focused on growth despite the impact of the...
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06-10-2008Employment and work is still available in the financial sector despite the effects of the economic downturn, one recruitment agency has claimed. According to Hays, regardless of the financial downturn there will be never enough skilled workers to meet the...
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Women are more willing to take risks when setting up their own company, one business expert has claimed. According to the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs, more women want to take a chance and establish themselves as entrepreneurs as opposed...
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The fire which caused £10 million of damage to the 19th century boat the Cutty Sark was started accidentally, a new report has claimed. According to the police, the most likely source for the blaze was a vacuum cleaner or...
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Many small-to-medium business enterprises (SMEs) are scared of Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP technology), one IT expert has claimed. According to Technology Means Business (TMB), companies are fearful of this new technology as they do not know how it works, how much...
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03-10-200892% of employers would change at least one member of staff if they had the chance according to a survey by Skillzbase.com. In the survey of over 870 UK bosses, 92% of employers would change at least one member of...
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The buy-to-let property sector 'is not dead', according to the National Landlords Association (NLA). Despite the global economic downturn, the NLA said the buy-to-let market should weather the storm as many do not use mortgage loans for this market. This...
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Many small-to-medium business enterprises (SMEs) are being pursued by energy providers after having their meters miscalculated, according to one business advisor. The Forum of Private Business (FSB) has claimed that SMEs are being left alone to defend themselves from these...
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02-10-2008Increasing numbers of small business owners are looking to move their work to their home due to the current state of the economy, a new study has revealed. Findings from the research undertaken by O2 showed that one in eight...
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The merger between Lloyds TSB and HBOS shows that the credit crunch is becoming "a major crisis", one financial expert has claimed. According to the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), there has not been a global financial crisis...
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If small businesses ensure their direct marketing campaigns are aimed at the right people, they can reduce their marketing spend while getting better results, one statistical consultancy group has suggested. According to DataTalk Research, businesses are not going to spend...
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01-10-2008The credit crunch is having a major impact on overseas property owners, according to DirectHolidayBookings.co.uk. A combination of rising flight prices, cancellation of some low-cost routes and the failure of airlines such as XL and Zoom has resulted in people...
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Many small-to-medium business enterprises (SMEs) are unaware of peer to peer training as its benefits have not been widely publicised, one training expert has claimed. According to Business Link, there are a number of businesses operating which would benefit from...
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