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Councils may soon have greater freedom to build more homes under plans going out to consultation today.

Under the proposals announced by Housing Minister Margaret Beckett, councils would be able to keep all the rental income from any homes they build, as well as keep the receipts from any of those homes which are later sold through Right to Buy.

The extra money could free councils to invest in the building of more council houses, helping to deliver more homes for families in need.

Councils currently only build a few hundred council homes a year, with the majority of new social homes being built by registered social landlords. The consultation proposals would seek to boost this build rate by removing some of the financial barriers stopping councils from building new properties and increasing their housing stock.

Housing Minister Margaret Beckett said she wanted local authorities to play a bigger role in the delivery of council housing and invited councils interested in building more homes to discuss their ideas with the Homes and Communities Agency.

Margaret Beckett said:

“We are determined to help keep house building going in the current climate, as the long term need for more homes is not going to disappear. These new freedoms will encourage councils to play a bigger role in driving forward the delivery of new affordable homes for families in housing need.”

The Government recently announced it would invite councils to bid for a share of the capital grant given to social landlords to subsidise the cost of new housing. The new financial rules will make it possible for councils to compete for this funding alongside other providers of social housing such as registered social landlords.

As a Commercial EPC is now required on all properties being marketed for sale or rent, we have created a database of Non Domestic Energy Assessors. If you are a Non Domestic Energy Assessor and would like to register with our database for free please click here.

If you would like to place an order for a Commercial Energy Performance Certificate or get a quote please telephone 08700 500 820 or email mal@paliltd.com

All commercial properties* on the market for sale or rent on 4^th January 2009 will need a Non-Domestic Energy Performance Certificate, also know as a Commercial EPC. Many people are not aware of this fact. If you own a commercial property which you are currently marketing for sale or rent, but is exempt from an EPC as it was marketed before the relevant commencement date, you will need to have one in place in less than three weeks time. Failure to provide a commercial EPC could mean you face a fine of up to £5000.

If your commercial property was marketed on or after 1^st October 2008, you should already have an EPC in place again if this has not been done you could face a fine of up to £5000.

The only people able to provide you with a NDEPC are accredited Non-Domestic Energy Assessors.

If you would like further information on Energy Performance Certificates, would like a quote or would like to place an order, please telephone 0151 691 1170 or email search@paliltd.com

*Possible Exemptions:

• Places of worship

• Temporary buildings with a planned time of use of less than two years

• Stand-alone buildings with a total useful floor area of less than 50m2 that

are not dwellings

• Industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings with

low energy demand

• Buildings to be demolished within two years