Author: Richard
England 29/07/2013 – More and more consumers, in the UK, are using car repair franchises rather than garages, and are doing so because of the way car repair franchisers have changed their business model. When companies like www.revive-uk.com first came up with the idea of offering people the opportunity to have their car’s bodywork repaired at home or in their workplace, many felt that it was step too far. They felt that the people simply would not have the confidence to use a mechanic that came to the house and worked from the van. Some experts in the car repair…
Australia 23/07/2013 – Small Australian firms are thinking outside the box to keep their overheads low and compete effectively with big business. Many are realizing that one of their biggest overheads, their business premises, can be slashed. More and more Australian firms are leasing a virtual office from thecluster.com.au and similar firms, throughout the country. The fact is that very few firms really need a permanent office. Studies show that even in large office complexes the occupancy rate of desks is only around 60%. People spend a surprising amount of time out on the road with customers, visiting suppliers, in…
England 12/08/2013 – This month the HMRC announced that self-employed contractors working as Ltd companies would be able to change their RTI status. Leading to many contractors and their ir35 accountants breathing a sigh of relief. When the HMRC introduced RTI (Real-Time Information), many UK contractors went from paying PAYE at the end of the year to paying it every week or every month or intermittently. Now it is possible, for those who qualify, to register for annual PAYE, solving a huge accounting headache. Many contractors who work under an Ltd company only pay themselves once a year, so filing…
England 12/08/2013 – These days most UK professionals are required to complete continuing professional development training in order to remain accredited and practice legally. The requirement is there to ensure that UK professionals, in particular those that give advice, stay abreast of changes to rules,regulations and standards within their industry. The amount of ongoing training each group of professionals is required to complete each year varies. For legal personnel who are governed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) the basic requirement is that they must complete a minimum of 16 hours CPD training each year. For new solicitors the training…
England 19/07/2013 – Tough trading conditions for commercial roofing firms has led some to switch the focus of their business, at least for now. A reduction in the number of commercial properties being built in the UK has created a problem for those firms who provide the roofs for these buildings. Since 2007, the value of the commercial building sector has fallen by an astonishing 32%. As a result, the demand for commercial roofing in Liverpool and other large cities has also fallen away sharply. For many roofing firms this has spelt the end of their business. Sadly, many firms…
England 18/07/2013 – Wallpaper is back, but not in the form, many people first think of. Today, wallpaper murals are the decor format of choice. They are being used in a range of settings to provide a backdrop for a room, create mood and ambience or to make a statement, and there are plenty of different types to choose from. Interestingly the most expensive wallpaper in the world is in fact a mural. If you have £24, 896.50 to spare you can go out and buy yourself a 32 panel mural called the Les GuerresDe’L’Independence from Zuber Wallpaper, who have been…
England 19/07/2013 – The Liverpool based Mums in Business network; set up a couple of years ago is going from strength to strength. When Claire Currie returned to work as a partner for Kirwan’s Solicitors after having her son three years ago she realised that there were lots of other mums who wanted to work. She realised that it would be a good idea to get them together to swap ideas and life management tips. However, when she looked around for a networking group she realised that the vast majority of networking events were held early in the morning or…
England 17/07/2013 – A year after the FSA report that highlighted the fact that UK firms had been mis-sold Interest Rate Swap products many have yet to log a claim. It seems that many firms do not realise they are running out of time to lodge a claim for mis-sold interest rate swaps. The Limitation Act of 1980 limits how long a business or individual has to bring a claim to Court. It seems that even those firms who know that a time limit exists do not necessarily know how long they have to make a claim. This is because…
West Sussex, United Kingdom (19th July, 2013) – A Local Printer, specialists in online printing services, comments on upcoming changes to the ISO 14001:2004 certification, which will introduce several new revisions. ISO 14001 helps organisations reduce their impact on the environment, providing a framework for achieving internal and external goals for Environmental Management. When the new ISO 14001:2015 standard is published, it will have a different structure but will still follow the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) rules. A draft of the revised standard is currently available on ISO’s website, and all users are being invited to provide input to…
16/07/2013 – With Forklift Training Wellingborough, companies can ensure that their staff are safe on the job and help to prevent accidents from occurring. Around 8000 accidents are caused by forklift trucks each year. This can result in some pretty nasty injuries and even fatalities. This is a tragedy for the people involved and can result in serious litigation for the companies involved. Luckily, Hitec Lift Trucks have put together an excellent forklift training package which will ensure that many of these accidents are a thing of the past; they are, after all, so easily avoided. All of the forklift…