Homes & Gardens

What to Consider Before Adding Colour to Your Home

Choosing a new colour for your home is much more than just picking something that looks good in isolation. You need a tone that reflects your style and complements the architecture. Before you start splashing paint on the walls, there are a few factors to think about that can help you make an...

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Ash Mill Developments announces collection of luxury homes with private water frontage

Ash Mill Developments Limited has released a collection of three houses with private water frontage and running moorings in Newton Ferrers, South Devon.

Each house at Riverside Newton Ferrers will be different and all will all be finished to a high specification, offering the charm of period style whilst still having all of the amenities required for 21st Century living. Each house...

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ash mill developments

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Plymouth

SWW bills to fall to lowest level for 8 years

South West Water today announced that from 1 April its average bill for households will fall by 3 per cent, bringing it down to its lowest level since 2007.

At the same time, the company will continue to invest heavily in improving services.

As part of its 2015-20 business plan, South West Water also launched today a five-year Price Promise to peg average household bills below...

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bills

Devon

Purplebricks launches in the South West

Purplebricks.com, the modern model of estate agency, has launched in South West England following successful roll outs across the Meridian and Central regions of the UK.

The transparent estate agent combines the expertise of a Local Property Expert with a unique, 24/7, online platform at a fraction of the cost charged by high street estate agents.

Since its initial launch in...

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Under 18s urged to vote in youth election

Young people are being urged to vote in this year’s election to find the city’s new UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) representatives.

Seven candidates are set to battle it out to become one of four young people to represent the city’s youth at a local, regional and national level. The successful candidates will act as the voice of young people from 11 to 18 years old on topics like...

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Warning after serious thatch fire

The Service is issuing advice to the owners of thatched properties following a fire which destroyed a thatched cottage in Ide, near Exeter, on Friday (23 January).

Twelve fire engines were at the incident in Little John’s Cross and fire crews have re-visited throughout the weekend to dampen down hotspots.

Firefighters covered neighbouring thatched properties with foam to...

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British Gas Energy Trust helps tackle fuel poverty

The British Gas Energy Trust has been established since 2004 and has helped over 120,000 individuals and families facing fuel poverty to clear their energy debts or with advice to help them get back on their feet.

Over the past 10 years the business has donated £75 million to the charity which has enabled the Trust to award grants to people in need to help them clear their energy debts...

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British Gas Energy Trust

fuel poverty

Plymouth

Rise in failed deals prompts more to buy homes differently

Think buying a house and you think estate agents. But increasingly people in the South-West are turning to auctions to buy a home or land because they want the certainty a deal will go through.

The number of “fall-throughs” – the term used for when the house buying process falls apart for after a sale has been agreed – has increased by 12% since 2013. Combined with the popularity of TV...

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Young families locked out of home ownership for years

A young couple with a child would have to save for over fourteen years before they could afford to buy a home in the South West, Shelter says today.

Research for the housing charity looked at average wages, house prices, rents and spending on essentials to show the challenge faced by those trying to save for a home of their own in the region.

It found that couples without...

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Make a resolution to fit a smoke alarm

With the New Year underway, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service are asking people to make one of their resolutions in 2015 to check that their smoke alarms are up to date and are in the right place to protect their home.

Many people see January as an opportunity for a fresh start, and safety should be no exception. So this month we are encouraging everyone to make sure they...

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Private house building fuels growth in SW despite rise in skills shortages

Construction workloads increased in the South West in the final quarter of 2014, albeit at a slightly slower rate, and private housing saw the strongest growth despite the shortage of bricklayers reaching a record high.

Over a third (36% net balance) reported that workloads in the construction sector had grown in the region in Q4 2014 with 57% more respondents saying that the private...

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