Max Hastings article on the Daily Mail website on Saturday 25th June 2011 was entitled “La-La Land Britain faces permanent economic decline unless we face threat from the East“. In his article Max Hastings draws our attention to the fact that while “the latest Merrill Lynch World Wealth report shows that, while 300,000 new Asia-Pacific investors with at least a million dollars of investable assets were created last year — a 9.7 per cent increase — Britain’s percentage increased by only 1.4 per cent.

This country exports more to Ireland’s 4.5 million people than to Brazil, India and China’s combined 2.8 billion population — this, despite a 20 per cent recent devaluation of the pound.

I often disagree with the brilliant but sensationalist historian Niall Ferguson. But he seems absolutely right to argue in his latest book, Civilization: The West And The Rest, that our societies have suffered a disastrous decline of the Protestant work ethic.

“Europeans today,” he says, “are the idlers of the world.” We work shorter hours than our Asian counterparts, take more holidays and are readier to strike. Workers in the United States take fewer holidays than us, but the average South Korean puts in 39 per cent more hours than the average American a week.

Neither President Obama nor anybody else has yet produced a credible solution to the problem that Detroit’s car workers — for instance — cost almost ten times as much as their Chinese counterparts to produce the same vehicles.”

I totally agree with Max Hastings when he summarizes “we are witnessing the end of the age of abundance, the first phase of a savage contest for energy, natural resources including water, and technological dominance. We shall need to work harder to have less, both as individuals and as a country. The divide between the rewards for the skilled and unskilled will continue to widen.

Unless we shed our British obsession with protecting losers as the foremost social priority; unless we breed instead a generation of school pupils and university students committed to winning, our prospects are bleak.

It is the nature of politicians to focus on getting through tomorrow, leaving the next decade to take care of itself. But in this scary new world, our leaders need to rise above this, to embrace a vision for Britain far beyond the next general election. Many of the things that need doing will be unpopular and even nasty. They represent the antithesis of nice-guy politics — of Cleggery, if you like.

But unless Britain raises its game dramatically, we face not Mervyn King’s seven lean years, but 70 of them. We must work harder, teach our children more, and sell far more goods which the world wants, not at a price determined by the lifestyle expectation of our workers, but instead by global competition.”

The warning signs are there, and if both the UK and Europe don’t heed them and take drastic action now to reverse these trends, then sadly I am afraid an Asian dawn will soon eclipse the United Kingdom, the European Union and potentially the entire West.
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Logically, my thinking is that if retailers or manufacturers offer you an extended warranty on any product (usually an additional 2-4 years), I assume they do expect their products to last at least that long, or surely they would not take the risk of costly repairs and/or replacement, despite the fact they will have had some monies upfront if consumers do take up their “offer” of an extended warranty.

In an article published on the BBC’s business website on 14th April 2011 entitled “Extended warranties face study from OFT” it states that “Currently, retailers have to make it clear that buying an extended warranty is optional and not compulsory; that customers can have up to 30 days to buy the extra insurance cover; and that there is a 45-day cooling off period so they can change their mind after buying the warranty.”

The BBC also advises that if say you buy an MP3 player and it “breaks down precisely 366 days after you bought it. The large electronics firm that sold you the MP3 player says that because the one-year guarantee had elapsed, there’s nothing they can do to help you. You’ll just have to buy another one.”

However the truth under the Sale of Goods Act is that electronic goods like washing machines and MP3 players are “expected to last a long time”. The Sale of Goods Act says that your MP3 player must be fit for purpose.

“It must be as described. It must be of satisfactory quality, sufficiently durable, free from any defects,” says Dr Christian Twigg-Flesner, a consumer law expert at the University of Hull. According to the BBC’s business website “If you’ve ignored the manufacturer’s warnings and have been leaving the player out in direct sunshine and wearing it in the bath, then you probably haven’t got much of a case.”

“But if the player has been lovingly treated and has still conked out that suggests something may have been wrong with it at the very beginning. It works like this. For the first four-five weeks you have a “right of rejection” – if the item you’ve bought breaks down, you can demand a refund.”

“For the next six months, you are entitled to replacement or repair of the goods. It is up to the retailer to prove there was nothing wrong with it if they wish to get out of having to do the work. And then after six months, there is still a duty to replace or repair faulty goods, but the onus is on you, the consumer, to prove that there was something wrong.”

“And the key time span is six years. That’s how long goods may be covered by the Sale of Goods Act. It all depends on what “sufficiently durable” means. If a light bulb goes after 13 months, the consumer is not going to be overly gutted. If their washing machine goes after the same time span they are going to be livid.”

The government’s guidelines say: “Goods are of satisfactory quality if they reach the standard that a reasonable person would regard as satisfactory, taking into account the price and any description.”

“And be aware that if you go to the washing machine repairer, spend money attempting to diagnose an inherent fault, and find out you have been using it the wrong way, then you are going to be out of pocket.”

A key fact is that your relationship in the Sale of Goods Act is with the retailer, not the manufacturer.
“The retailer likes shepherding you off to the manufacturer,” says Dr Twigg-Flesner.

Hazlemere Window Company offers all its customers a robust ten year guarantee on all their aluminium and UPVC windows, doors and conservatories. Click here for details
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This highly responsible and varied accounts role involves a bi-weekly SAGE payroll for two companies, SAGE Line 100 Accounts (sales ledger, purchase ledger, nominal ledger, sales order processing, job costing), preparation of monthly Management Accounts for 3 companies (Trial Balance, Profit & Loss, Balance Sheet reporting), as well as all VAT and PAYE returns.

The role also entails full audit preparation & implementation, payroll year end, P35’s, P11d’s, P14’s, P60’s etc. monthly HMRC Returns PAYE & CIS, so knowledge of how to operate the CIS Scheme a distinct advantage. Responsibilities also include credit control, plus an overview of Creditors and Debtors Ledger.

Experience with accounting packages (preferably SAGE) vital. Ideally the Hazlemere Group are seeking to add a key member to its existing Management structure, one who has the necessary experience of running a small team of account clerks dealing with thousands of invoices every month.

Good Excel and Word skills/experience essential, along with a proven track record in accounts management. Salary, holidays and benefits package etc. commensurate with experience.

As Hazlemere is a family firm with a reputation for high quality, honesty and integrity, these attributes are essential in successful applicant.

Please post your current C.V. for the attention of Michelle Hanson, the Human Resources Manager to: The Hazlemere Group, Wellington Road, Cressex Business Park, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP12 3PR or email: vacancies@hazlemere.co.uk attaching your CV and a covering letter stating why you are applying for this position and why you believe your particular skill sets and financial experience are particularly relevant to this highly responsible position. Please call Michelle on 01494 897619 if you have any specific questions about this role.
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The terror threat remains Worldwide, with mankind’s hatred of one another seemingly generally on the increase, so I do fear for society, in what seems an increasingly politically correct, yet immoral planet. As my dear old mum used to say “Evil triumphs when good men do nothing.” But hey ho, onwards and upwards into 2011, as I sincerely hope I am proved wrong and it ends up being a happier year for all, the recovery starts in earnest, jobs are created and the UK economy leads the way with sustained steady growth.

Looking back at 2010, the double glazing industry I work in went through enormous changes due to the introduction of far more stringent new building regulations on 1st October 2010, which made so many products obsolete overnight. It wasn’t that these products weren’t any good (as I have them in my own home!), it is just that the technological advances in energy efficient glazing, combined with the drive to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions, thereby saving energy, meant that they could not perform to the new higher standards required by the new legislation.

The good news is that double glazing is now so thermally efficient it really does cut down heat loss and save property owners money on their energy bills. The slightly bad news is that these products do cost more to produce/buy than the old obsolete ones, plus VAT from 4th January 2011 is 20%, so sadly the capital costs of all home improvements will go up overnight. Despite this slight negative, the return on investment in home improvement is far cheaper than moving house, so whilst there needs to be upfront expenditure in say properly insulating a property, the short term saving on running costs, combined with a more pleasant living environment and eventual long term return is surely well worth the investment?

As to whether 2011 will be a happier year than 2010 for us here in the UK, well it seems to be that’s rather up to all of us to approach it in a positive, tolerance manner. One of my favourite sayings is “Champions don’t give up, they get up”, so lets hope 2011 is a year of new champions in both UK society and commerce.
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According to the report on their findings on the Which? website, their undercover investigation found that “some salespeople in the £1.2bn-a-year industry were making dodgy claims – such as saying they were part of a government scrappage system that doesn’t exist – and pressurising people with discounts into signing up.”

Sadly for the double glazing industry the “Which? experts were astounded by the tactics used”, which included:
a) six out of 18 salespeople made misleading claims, such as ‘We’ve been tested by the government and were chosen for its scrappage scheme’ by an Anglian salesperson
b) seven out of the 18 salespeople offered a discount if the undercover researcher signed up immediately
fifteen out of 18 offered significant savings, often half the ‘original’ price – the biggest drop was £16,926 from an Everest salesperson
c) many of the salespeople offered a lower price with a ‘credit deal’

Peter Vicary-Smith, chief executive of Which?, says: ‘As a homeowner, replacing your windows is one of the most expensive jobs you’re likely to face, which is why we’re so disappointed to discover salespeople from the biggest names in the double glazing business making outlandish claims and using hard sell tactics.’

I deplore all hard sell tactics, which continue to give the double glazing industry a bad name and unfairly tar many reputable local independent double glazing manufacturers and installers with the same brush, even though many have a genuine “no pressure promise” like Hazlemere Window Company in High Wycombe, Bucks. I find that the unprofessional behaviour (as exposed in the Which? probe) of some individual sales persons representing the “Nationals” actually is counter productive, driving customers away, as it is my experience that no customer wants any form of pressure applied to them when facing such an important investment decision – I certainly don’t!

Consequently, I am proud to work for a family run firm that does not tolerate any hard sell tactics, plus prides itself on being more than happy to leave a detailed written quotation with a customer for them to consider in their own time, and in their own space. Plus customers can browse unpestered seven days a week through our home improvement showroom on Cressex Business Park, seeing what they are going to get in relaxed environment before having to make any form of commitment.

This rather damming report on the national double glazing companies carried out by Which? serves as a reminder that there is sadly far too many selfish, pushy and uncaring people still working for the big boys. What I don’t understand is why don’t the National double glazing companies exposed by Which? clean up their representative’s acts? Surely they must see the damage it is doing to their brands and the entire industry? Maybe they don’t care about the industry or their repuation? Well boys and girls, as William Shakespeare wrote “something is rotten in the state of Denmark” (Hamlet Act 1 Scene 4) and needs sorting – fast!

NatWest Manager Phil Walls + Hazlemere Windows Managing Director Stuart Braham

Hazlemere Windows was founded in 1985 by Stuart Braham and his father George, who sadly passed away in 2006 leaving his three sons to run the business. Well known locally as an independent double glazing manufacturer and installer across South Buckinghamshire and Berkshire, the company has demonstrated impressive year on year growth and is bucking the trend by purchasing new premises adjacent to their head office factory and showroom on Cressex Business Park, High Wycombe.

The new 38,000 sq ft premises will be used to extend their manufacturing and production operation as well as improving their quality control. The company employ in excess of 75 people to work in line with their targeted £10m annual turnover and is set to create further jobs to work in line with their expansion.

The Hazlemere management team worked in partnership with NatWest to secure finance facilities for the purchase of their latest premises, which included costs for refurbishment as well as working capital.

Phil Walls, relationship manager at NatWest, has a strong relationship with Hazlemere and was fully on board with providing £1.3m to support their growth. The premises are complete and should be fully operational by the end of this month.

Stuart Braham, managing director of Hazlemere Windows, said: “When the Braham family started this business 25 years ago we never envisioned the rapid growth and the amazing support we would receive from the local community, which has undoubtedly fuelled our success and been the bedrock of our continuing business growth. We are very proud of our success and thank NatWest for supporting our latest developments. Having completed our initial move into our new premises we are excited about the opportunities this will present.”

12,774 Square Feet Warehouse, Industrial & Office Space Available With Yard/Parking

The property available for immediate lease is located on Cressex Business Park, High Wycombe’s premier business park, less than one mile from junction 4 of the M40 motorway. High Wycombe town centre is approximately one mile to the north, offering a full range of retail and leisure activities and a train service to London Marylebone with a fastest journey time of 35 minutes. High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire is strategically centrally located on the M40 motorway approximately 30 miles to the west of London and forms part of the Greater Thames Valley region. Download a PDF of the full leasehold particulars

Hazlemere Windows 12,774 square foot property for lease comprises a detached warehouse/industrial unit, with a yard and parking. This property owned by the Hazlemere Group provides good quality modern accommodation with two-storey offices at the front and a large mezzanine floor in one corner to the rear. Additionally, there is covered external storage.

The specification includes, air-conditioned offices, kitchen and toilet facilities, 5.3m maximum eaves height, a separate secure gated entrance and loading doors at either end of the frontage. The property has the following gross internal floor areas
AREA SQUARE FEET (SQUARE METRES)
Ground Floor Offices & Production 8,643 (802.95)
First Floor Offices 1,084 (100.67)
Mezzanine 1,655 (153.80)
Store 1,392 (129.36)
TOTAL 12,774 (1,186.78)

If you would like to know more call 01494 536000 or email info@hazlemere.co.uk

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has made a robust stance in calling for a delay to this Value Added Tax increase. The BRC has reinforced the nationwide plea by many UK retailers not to raise the current 15 per cent to 17.5 per cent VAT at the end of the year, given it is the busiest and lucrative time annually for the high street, and could potentially damage thousands of businesses within the sector.

A report released by the BRC in May announced that the VAT cut to 15 per cent during 2008 cost the retail industry a staggering £90m to action, and when (as currently planned) the increase goes ahead in December, is likely to cost retailers the same again.

For some unknown reason the BRC are only requesting that the deadline be put back one month, but more significantly they want an instant freeze on all new business rate burdens and the reinstatement of empty property rate relief, as the many empty retail shop units in most high streets are a detriment to all retailers, looking to attract footfall.

“Changing VAT rates back to 17.5 per cent at the end of December will soak up a lot of effort at the busiest and most important time of the year for most retailers,” say Stephen Robertson, the Director General of the BRC. “For some shops post-Christmas sales were 50 per cent above normal, so it’s a time when staff should be focusing on serving customers. Re-pricing is very labour intensive and the need for overtime and bank holiday employees will make it a costly distraction for retailers. The Government should postpone the reintroduction of the 17.5 per cent VAT rate by at least a month.”

The VAT increase, combined with planned business rate rises and other rising costs, is likely to lead to further job losses. The retail sector has been the backbone of our economy for decades; providing one in nine UK jobs, so surely the Government needs to quickly recognise this and sustain the foundations and heritage that are now under serious threat of collapse.

Hazlemere Windows are one of thousands of businesses in the UK who could be affected by the increase. Paying the 17.5 per VAT wouldn’t just equate to a surge in their business rates, but could potentially lose us business. We provide windows, doors and conservatories to both the domestic and commercial customers, and are conscious the increase in VAT to 17.5% from 1st January 2010 could deter people from ordering in early 2010.

Mark Austin, Marketing Director, Hazlemere Window Company Ltd

Apparently, sales of the Mini in the UK were down 35% in January, so BMW decided to act without any consultation with the Unions or their workforce. Whilst these job loses at a major employer just down the road might be financially justified, the manner of the annoucement and treatment of the 850 ”temporary workers” is not. It is good that none of the permanent BMW Mini workforce are being made redundant – yet! All car manufacturers BMW seem to have done is create a Mini crisis!

A taxpayers insurance scheme for banks, according to Robert Peston’s article on the BBC News website on 4th Jamuary is under serious consideration. His article asks “Why would this encourage banks to lend more than they are doing at present?” and then goes on to give the two following very good reasons:

“First, the banks could take a bit more risk when lending, because the loss to them in the unlikely case that all the stinky stuff hit the fan at the same time would be knowable and manageable.” and

“Second, with the state sharing the risk, the banks’ capital ratios would look much healthier as their balance sheets expanded, because the formal regulatory risk-weighting of lending would be significantly reduced.”

Global financial markets all appear to be looking to shore up their home front, and therefore UK Banks are more likely to re-direct any loans they are prepared to make to the UK market where their money is going to be safest. It looks us British taxpayers who are going to guarantee the banks money, to give them enough confidence to lend us money to help regenerate the UK economy! Ironic huh!