The Spoon Drawer

Following my parents decision to delegate the big responsibility of what will happen to our family home , to me – we have almost come to a final verdict. Renting is the strong contender here, but before anything is set in stone the property does needs some attention, whether we are selling or letting. It is structurally sound, however there are some aesthetic improvements that can be made to increase quality and efficiency of the property which will in turn increase the sale or rent value. With becoming a landlord comes great responsibility and there are important regulations that need to be followed. For example, proprietors are expected to maintain the roof, windows, ceilings and walls to a safe and secure standard . Recently, there have been some horrifying renting stories of rogue landlords not maintaining their properties, which the government are now cracking down on , by introducing a brand new set of standards and regulations. Period Property Problems ...

The festive season is nearly upon us and as we start to creep towards 2018 and the start of another year, there will be much soul searching. Are we happy with our lives? Could we be in better shape? Could our relationships be better? Better job? The new year is always the impetus for many people to begin to address where they want to go in life, many new year resolutions are made and fall by the wayside, but those resolutions that are the result of genuine reasons for wanting a change tend to become habit. However, there appears to be a growing trend and number of experts who are suggesting those wanting to switch jobs should not wait until January and consider doing it in December for various factors: Competition For many the thought of having job insecurity or interview hassle around the holidays is too daunting a prospect, but because of these reasons, there is likely to be significantly decreased amounts of competition. Some reports su...

Source Last week, Philip Hammond’s second budget was announced to the backdrop of the ever-increasing uncertainty surrounding Brexit, the continued squeezing of public finances, and the wider economic outlook worsening. This highly anticipated event was eagerly anticipated, and followed on from projected forecasts for growth being cut back with Britain sliding to the bottom of the G7 Growth table . This was Hammond’s first opportunity to strike back after falling victim to a steady and unrelenting stream of criticism earlier this year. His first budget in the Spring was met with a flurry of criticism across both the political and public spectrum as the Conservatives abandoned a pre-election pledge not to increase National Insurance contributions. However, the Chancellor then announced a series of measures to clampdown on tax breaks for the self-employed, which led to a sustained backlash from various quarters, and eventually, an almighty U-turn. Following on from There...

Now that I have reached the half way mark in my thirtieth year, I have been entrusted with a position of immense responsibility by my parents: I have been tasked with helping them decide what to do with the family home following their announcement that they are going to be retiring to the sunnier climes of the south of France in the new year.  Not only has this afforded me greater amounts of responsibility, it also feels as though I have been initiated into the world of  home staging thanks to my ever enthusiastic mother, as well as the world of arts and crafts and decorating , thanks for my girlfriend. Along with many of our fellow Brighton inhabitants, we have been immensely fortunate to have seen the value of our home soar in value since it was purchased in the late 1990s. It is estimated that average house prices in Brighton and Hove have seen a surge of 500% since 1995 , increasing from the average cost of £50,000 in 1995, to £300,00 in 2015. Recent re...

As readers of my blog, you will probably be aware that I am a strong advocate for transparency. This goes not just for politics, but also for charitable organisations, global industries, and in this case, clinical research organisations. This infographic has been designed with the intention of communicating why clinical research should be made public for the benefit of science, public health and innovation. S ources https://www.outsourcing-pharma.com/Article/2016/09/22/The-Final-Rule-clinical-trial-data-to-be-made-public https://www.alcura-health.com/ https://www.ft.com/content/ab6f100c-3c85-11e7-821a-6027b8a20f23

https://unsplash.com/photos/eDnJQL21amc It’s that time of the year again, many will have noticed the distinct change in the weather over the last few weeks. The temperature is dropping, the nights are closing in and some are beginning to see first flakes of snow. Those unhappy with the oncoming winter weather will be pining for summer adventures, leaving those behind in the land of always winter (or that's how it feels at least!) While Christmas produces the uncanny ability to make people relax and enjoy themselves in moments of celebration, it can be a stressful trying to find the perfect gift. The temptation is to either buy for the sake of it or simply throwing money at the situation, neither being a good idea. To help you with your planning this year, here are some thoughts on what to get the travel-obsessed in your life. 1.  A Boast-Worthy Map The changes to how we document our journeys has seen a dramatic change over the last decade, from journals and p...

https://stocksnap.io/photo/Q39IFHS1N6 In years gone by, the dream for many was to enjoy the luxury of working from home for one or two days a week. In the last decade, advances in technology have not only made that dream a reality for the entire week, but have also begun to open new avenues for individuals to make money working remotely.  The unprecedented growth in the encompassing complexity of the internet has given writing and photography roles incredible freedom. Now, every budding creative has a platform and a voice to broadcast their talents. In turn, seemingly infinite advertising opportunities have exploded into fruition, enabling content creators to receive financial reward for their passion.  However, remote working hasn't been constrained to just writing and photography. In fact,  a broad spectrum of professions have begun to re-evaluate their roles, and whether or not they would be able to carry out the same job on the move . Progra...