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Can I Add a Conservatory To My Property?

Muzahed I.
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Can I Add a Conservatory To My Property?

So here’s the problem – you’ve just moved into a new home and you’re considering building a conservatory to give you a little extra room,but you’re not sure if you can add an extension to your property. These days there are many building regulations to adhere to and you may need to obtain planning permission before you do make any concrete plans, otherwise you may be penalised. How do you know who to contact and when? Who is likely to provide the most accurate advice? Well, we’ve put together a brief guide to obtaining planning permission for all those who are keen to add a beautiful new living space to their home without running into trouble with the authorities.

Changes to Planning Guidelines

It’s useful to know that, since the local authorities made changes to planning stipulations in 2008, there is no difference between a conservatory, a single-storey solid roof extension and an orangery.

Key Terms

Before we begin, it is essential to understand what the two terms mean:

Planning Permission describes the permission need to erect or extend a conservatory.

Building Regulations describes how a conservatory for example must be built.

Preparing for Your Application

It is often a good idea to visit your local council at the very beginning for a comprehensive guide to making a Planning Permission application. As well as your application for Planning Permission, you will also need to supply:

  • A Certificate of Ownership (obtainable from local council)
  • An Ordnance Survey based Location Plan (scaled 1:1250)
  • A Design and Access Statement (DAS)
  • And sometimes a Flood Risk Assessment may also be required.

If you live in a listed building, you must obtain a Listed Buildings Consent before any work begins, as it is an illegal offense to start construction without one.

Conservatory Planning Applications

Here is a brief summary of the conservatory planning application process for those who are entirely new to the procedure.

  1. Visit the planning department of your local planning authority for advice
  2. Request an application form and decide on application type: a) outline application (submit “reserved matters” later, or b) Full application
  3. Submit the application with correct fees and necessary supporting documents
  4. The local planning authority then validates the application and requests any missing documentation
  5. The local planning authority acknowledges valid application
  6. The local planning authority public and consults on application
  7. The application is considered by Planning Officer or Planning Committee

And then:

  1. Permission is granted with conditions
  2. Application is not decided after 8 weeks
  3. Permission is rejected
  4. If full permission is granted or granted with conditions, start work within time limit (and comply with all conditions laid out)
  5. If it is granted with conditions; not decided after 8 weeks; or refused. You have the right to appeal
  6. If permission is refused; change proposal and submit new application
  7. If permission is granted, start work within time limit and comply with all conditions
  8. If permission is refused; seek more advice, change the proposal and submit new application from scratch

If your property is non-traditional you should thoroughly research the stipulations surrounding the building type before you submit a planning application. This applies to barns, flats/apartments (multiple dwellings), buildings situated in Conservation Areas and listed buildings. It is also strongly recommended that you visit your local council immediately for their advice.

Taking Easy Steps To Become The Binary Options Trader

Muzahed I.
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Taking Easy Steps To Become The Binary Options Trader

People may wonder what it takes to become a successful binary options trader. The honest and frank answer is that it does not take much. With the simplicity and quick turnarounds of binary options trading contracts, practically anyone can have a good chance of success. It is for these reasons that this form of trading has become the most preferred investment for traders in recent years.

If you are thinking about taking up investing and getting into binary trading then be sure to think about the following points.

1. Simplicity is the most important factor

Compared with other more complex investment choices, binary options trading is one of the simplest. You do not necessarily need any graphs or charts to become successful. There is of course some research you have to do. This will enable you to better understand the financial markets and news surrounding different companies that you intend to trade. This information will help you to determine what you think may or may not happen with the asset or commodity price over a certain period of time.

2. Knowledge is an important factor that follows simplicity

After you have done your research into the assets or commodities to purchase, you will then know more about the specifics of your trade. You will know exactly how long to place the contract for and how much you will gain or lose because binary options trading has a fixed pay-out. This is the reason why more investors are turning to these digital options. They do not have to worry about what they are going to lose. It is all written down at the outset.

3. Quick turnarounds are another factor

With it all written down on paper, you already know the expiration time when you purchased the asset or commodity. These times can range from as little as sixty seconds to the end of the trading day. This fast pace can potentially make the investor a lot of money in just one day if the price continues in the expected direction. This fast pace is completely opposite to the traditional form of investing. You have to determine if this is the right way to meet your individual financial objectives.

4. Risk is however still a factor

However by staying current with financial news, your risk level is a bit lower than traditional investment options. Binary options trading typically does not involve the actual stock of a company. Instead, you are attempting to predict the future direction of an assets price movement. For example, the binary options trader could purchase an option when he or she hears company XYZ is about to hold a press conference to announce a new product. He many then trade to profit from an expected rise in price.

5. A potential for high pay-outs is another important factor to consider

These high returns have made binary options trading very appealing to the average investor. The returns may go anywhere from 60 to 90% on the traditional trading form. You can expect to earn even more when using one of the more specialist contracts. On these high yielding choices returns, though rare, can even be up to 1000%.

Besides these five main factors, the binary options trader should also remember a few more things to help them achieve success. Take things slow, invest in what you know and manage your money responsibly are three additional rules to adhere to when trading. The high returns offered can go to a trader’s head. It is always important to trade sensibly as if you don’t, you could end up losing your whole investment.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Kuwait Government Flexes Financial Muscles to Help Citizens with Mortgages

Muzahed I.
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Kuwait Government Flexes Financial Muscles to Help Citizens with Mortgages

Kuwait’s real estate market, which is witnessing a resurgence this year, will get another shot in the arm when the laws proscribing issuance of visit visas and family visas to citizens of Afghanistan, Iran, Lebanon, Pakistan,Syria and Yemen goes into effect. The move is designed to stop the influx of refugees and ease the strain on the country’s budding real estate market. Many countries especially developed and prosperous countries have issues with immigration. Immigrants generally put a strain on local economy and overstretch resources. Therefore, if we look at these measures from a Kuwaiti perspective, we will see that will probably have a positive impact on the local population.

Kuwait is one of the most developed states of the Middle East. It’s not on par with Dubai, but it certainly has potential. Kuwait is amongst the top ten oil producing countries of the world and maintains a very strong currency exchange rate – probably the strongest after Saudi Arabia.

The new moves come with a battery of supplementary solutions designed to ease the burden, and help locals buy a home; for instance:

The Kuwaiti government has approved a tranche of measures aimed at providing better access to the home loans for Kuwaiti citizens. Home loans for the women living in the Gulf State have been increased to KWD70,000 (US$246,000) from KWD45,000; while citizens can now borrow anywhere between KWD 5,000 to KWD 35,000 for home renovation. It is a far cry from what it used to be in the past.

The government has also instructed the Credit and Saving Banks to amend its policies and increase the ceiling of mortgage loans from KWD 300,000 to KWD500,000.

Living expense was a key issue in the wave of political conflict that swept Bahrain and other Arab States last year. The Arab Spring cost leaders in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya to fall, and lead to widespread convulsions across the Gulf. High property prices played their part;therefore these moves are designed to deflate the issue.

Finding a company, bank or institution that offers reliable financial advice is often a difficult and confusing task. The sheer volume of solutions offered and available can leave most utterly perplexed. Therefore, checking government affiliated services or accessing reputable Kuwait Financial Investment Companies is the best practice.Go ahead, seek advice before investing in the real estate market of Kuwait.

Image source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwait_City

Top Tips on looking after your investors post-investment

Muzahed I.
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Top Tips on looking after your investors post-investment

It will come as no surprise to know that many investors feel kept in the dark once they have invested a lot of money. True, many investors will request monthly or quarterly updates on where their assets or money has gone well into the future. But in some transactions where there is no interest on that parties investment, whether it be a donor or a fund-raiser that investor is simply forgotten about once the ‘good deed’ has been closed. Here is a small list of top tips to keep your investors happy once the deal has closed, for both interested and non-interested parties.

  1. Avoid hidden fee’s

Remembering that investors are people is something that is all too often overlooked by entrepreneurs and investors. With their eye on the prize and dollar signs lighting up there soul they are almost impervious to the needs of others. I am talking of course about hidden fees and unnecessarily complicated payment options. Hidden fees will almost certainly put an investor off any future involvement as the feeling of being cheated is not one easily rendered. Also, by implementing complicated payment structures (out with the investors’ knowledge) put a strain on that person’s patience – something you want to avoid at all costs!

  1. Don’t forget about me!

If you forget about your contributors you may live to rue the day further down the chain. As an investor, don’t be surprised if after 6 or 12 months when you look for follow-up interest that person has turned away because of a lack of follow-up or correspondence. Simply thanking that person after the deal has closed and providing monthly updates on progress and changes is enough to allow you scope for follow-up involvement. Not much to ask I know but could be the difference to your investment opportunities well into the future.

  1. Take it a bit further.

Investors love to be asked about social and societal involvement for their contributions. The opportunity to be recognised as 1.An investor and 2.As a good contributor to good causes, business and entrepreneurship. A simple invitation to attends open days – a hospital, school or even a book launch will enhance theirs and your public relations. This is what will keep their interest in your portfolio for investment opportunities for the future.

  1. Remember where we were once!

Many investors were once entrepreneurs like you. Forget this at your peril. They may not shout about it in the interests of scoping you out, so tread weary around investors. Because they have been there before they will know how they should be treated and despite knowing every trick in the book will appreciate your involvement and updates. Just be expected to play hard ball.

  1. It’s their idea

The final point is related to your management skills and influence. When looking for a capital injection remember that your investors and shareholders will no doubt have to approach others themselves. Take advantage of this by contacting them yourself or by at least keeping everyone involved up to date. Also, convince your investors that it was their idea (or at least involved in the decision) to raise the amount of capital. You can bet they will be much more likely to follow-on with any future investment if things go well.

As an entrepreneur, it is your job to look after your investors. With these easy steps you can rest assured your investors will continue to monitor your progress with interest and look for continued investment well into the future. Shareholders deserve this attention too, even more so for majority shareholders from your point of view. Take this opportunity to build your contacts, investment portfolio and profile by making sure you keep those responsible for your rise to monetary success front of mind.

Image courtesy of Renjith Krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

3 Marketing Must Haves for the Business Start-Ups

Muzahed I.
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3 Marketing Must Haves for the Business Start-Ups

Last year in 2012, we saw a serious boom in the web-based start-ups and among the investors along with the venture capitalists. They all were sitting around the negotiation table with the blank checks and with an eager smile.

The year 2012 all the experts said that – If you have a great idea then you could make many things happen in favor of you. If the idea gets into rolling then the story becomes something different. You come across so many web-based tools, apps and business trinkets in the headlines. You can initiate the various search engine-marketing activities to make your business enter the next level.

You need to have a robust plan of attack for the new business start-ups. Not everything goes viral like the Facebook. Most of the websites are there that requires a swift kick to get the online visibility and have the business rolling.

Look on the three marketing must haves for the new start-ups, to set their business on track:

1.       Plan All the Phases at the Same Time

Many will advise you to have a well built and an oiled website in order to have an impact in the business space. Some of you like to do that isn’t it? Some of the start-ups in the today’s business space are consistently evolving their site, their functionality and the layout. Plan all the phases of action at the same time.

Phase 1 should gain some traction and the phase 2 should go live when you are already in the work. You have so many technologies around you, to make the sites work faster. Convert better and communicate every time to keep things fresh as your business grow.

Do not worry about your rival if they do the same thing. Since every company has their own set of culture and goals. You should keep on improving your website to meet the demand of your web traffic.

2.       Set The Conversion Goals

There are start-up sites that are well designed and convert well, whereas there are some, which have no conversion goals. Depending on the web traffic goals, you have to lead down the traffic at all times. You have lots of paths to send down the traffic. You may send them to your Twitter account, or Facebook account to find multiple extensions of your brand. Create the un-cluttered paths to find a concise layout that can benefit your followers.

3.       Become a Social Butterfly

Companies that are in the business space for many times can offset the use of the social media platforms, because they had been handling the business for so long, utilizing the other modes.  The new start-ups, which are taking birth every day, should be conducting more social media than the oldies. Social communication for business start-ups is paving the way in digital space and has to put it in the man-hours with a robust social media strategy.

Social media strategies that the business start-ups must use are:

  • Facebook Communication
  • Embedded Document Sharing (Slideshare, Scribd, DocStoc)
  • Twitter Interaction
  • Daily Updates of the Social Business Profiles
  • Social Influence Growth
  • Brand Personality and the Culture

If you are start-up and eager to get the business rolling, then you have to be robust in your approach and have many extensions of your brand in the search space. The business goal is to get audience bumping into you in as many locations as possible.

Image courtesy of renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

How to Deal With Taxes When Self Employed

Muzahed I.
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How to Deal With Taxes When Self Employed

Having a boss does come with its advantages. For starters they are responsible for calculating your PAYE, income tax and NIC deductions, meaning you don’t have to worry about contacting the HMRC every year.

However this doesn’t mean you can’t easily handle your taxes when you become self-employed. As long as you remember to do the following, it is possible to manage your taxes and workout what cash you are left with each year.

Things to remember when becoming self employed…

  1. You are responsible for paying your own tax and National Insurance contributions – keeping business records, invoices and details of your income will enable you to fill in a Self Assessment Tax Return at the end of each tax year.
  1. You will need to inform the HMRC immediately as soon as you become self employed (even if you already fill in a Tax Return). If you don’t, you may be charged penalties.- You can inform them by registering online for business taxes. This will allow them to set up tax records and a Self Assessment Online account.
  1. You will need to provide details of your earnings and other income each tax year using a Self Assessment Tax Return. Each tax year runs from the 6th April to 5th April and can be completed online or by paper.The HMRC luckily provide detailed guidelines on how to fill in this return online, but to make this process even simpler you can employ a chartered accountant to handle your accounts and submit this return every year.
  1. When you become self employed you will normally have to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions (a flat rate of £2.65 per week unless you earn under £5,595 per year (2012-13), in which case you pay nothing). If however your annual profits are between £7,605 and £42,475 (2012-13), you will have to pay Class 4 National Insurance contributions of 9%, and 2% on any profit over that amount.
  1. You may have to pay VAT if your business turnover is more than £77,000 (the current VAT threshold). In this case you will have to register for VAT.
  1. It is vital that you keep invoices of sales and purchases, receipts for business expenses and bank records to make filling in your tax return easier.

Bear these 6 points in mind, and taking the step to becoming self employed doesn’t have to feel so daunting.

However if you are genuinely worried about handling your own taxes and meeting the HMRC’s deadlines, then employing the help of a chartered accountant can help you to resolve your tax issues and make sure you pay the correct amount at the correct time.

Tips For Finding A Couple’s House In Hilly Areas

Muzahed I.
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Tips For Finding A Couple’s House In Hilly Areas

In the present times, couples are quite particular when it comes to buying houses for future living. The real estate factor has flourished over the years and given people many opportunities to attain the house of their dreams. Recently, there has been a sudden increase in the amount of people who want to acquire houses in the hilly areas due to the fact that they are closer to nature than the urban areas and do not face any problem and issues like noise pollution. Almost all of the percentages of the people, who are willing to go for hilly areas as their permanent residences, are couples. Couples can easily attain houses in hilly areas by following a few simple steps as they are quite essential in order to get the right property. Although, at times these steps do not work perfectly, as finding the perfect house in hilly areas is rather complicated. But given the fact that an agent is hired to carry out the task immaculately, it tends to be no problem at all.

Use an Agent Always

An agent is a person who takes care of all the important details when it comes to suggesting the perfect house to the clients. People are advised to go to agents, when they want the perfect house in the location they prefer, as they are highly knowledgeable in their field of expertise. However, a factor in finding the best couple’s house in hilly areas includes that before acquiring the services of an agent, it should be checked if the agent is well aware of the area or not since in the case of unfamiliarity, the whole point of the service would be quite pointless. Agents are known to handle the immense load of the paperwork which follows when a house is brought within the hilly areas, such as Stowe, as it cannot be simply managed by couples alone.

Spend a Good Deal of Money

One of the most important and rather essential tips for finding the best house of couples in hilly areas like is that couples should keep their pockets full. The real estate properties in the hilly areas are rather expensive in comparison with the ones that are present in the cities. It is because of the fact that hilly area houses contain majestic views and gigantic spaces. A stowe vermont real estate for sale that suffices needs of a couple will cost a fortune. Therefore, the realtors make sure that they charge their clients with a lot of money for purchasing these houses. For getting a great couple’s house in hilly areas, individuals should spend generously as it would greatly enable them to achieve an exquisite house in hilly areas without having to struggle too much or waste any important time in the long run. Given that all the right tips are followed adequately, couples can find a great house in hilly areas in record time.

Restaurant Loans for New Businesses

Muzahed I.
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Restaurant Loans for New Businesses

The food industry is forever thriving even in the time of economic crisis.  Many people have the desire to try new menus and revisit old restaurants on a regular basis.  Starting a restaurant is a rather lucrative business venture and can be accomplished after obtaining the right business loan from the right vendor.  A restaurant loan will not only help get a business off the ground, but it will help the business establish a better credit rating when just starting out.

A restaurant loan is great for new restaurants and renovating older restaurants.  It can also be used for setting up a franchise in a new location.  Expansions are also another great reason to utilize restaurant loans to make any business dreams come true.  There are several different loan options that are available to individuals wanting to pursue business in the food industry.  Working capital loans, secured business loans and business credit card advances are all viable options for starting up in the food industry.

Short-term and long-term loans can both provide the means to establishing a cash flow for a business.  Different loans can be used in order to replenish or start inventory, purchase materials or update information systems to comply with new technologies.  Staff salaries are another huge consideration to make when applying for the loan. The staff must properly be accommodated for while the business is still being set up and not currently receiving profit.

Restaurants are responsible for having both a high return on investment because of the low inventory costs and a very high risk due to market trends.  At one minute a certain food could be trending while a new product is being developed that could later harm the restaurant profits.  Individuals or business entities pursuing a restaurant loan can get a significant amount of information from professionals that have ran businesses and studied business finances for many years.

In addition to the excellent financial advice present online, financial advisers can connect individuals with investors that may have a better insight on how to finance a restaurant that can provide a great ROI or return on investment.  Taking out a loan for a restaurant business is probably the most difficult task.  If you are not a trained professional in the financial industry it could be hard to understand the terms on the loans and other aspects that may not make sense.

Newcomers to business loans could have a hard time finding the right loan if they do not consult with professional services and may even be hurting their business before it even gets off the ground.  The right loans found through a BBB accredited business with an “A+” rating can guarantee the best loan options for any business that qualifies.  Find the right loan today by utilizing an online loan calculator and a network of financial professionals who have been dealing with business loans for more than twenty years.

Image courtesy of worradmu / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A Guide To Classic Car Insurance

Muzahed I.
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A Guide To Classic Car Insurance

Most car enthusiasts have a classic car in mind that they dream of owning, like an original fifties Cadillac, a forties Morris Minor or even an eighties Delorean.

Some may be a labour of love and a fix up project over many years or it may have taken years of scouting classic car auctions and sites to find their perfect car.

But once you finally have your dream classic car, how do you go about acquiring classic car insurance? Here are a few tips:

  • Does your car count as a classic car? Different policies have different views on what counts as a classic car. So make sure your car qualifies as there is no fixed definition between all car insurers. In relation to tax, a classic car is over 20 years old and worth more than £15,000.
  • If your car is in your garage or driveway unused, are you still keeping within the latest insurance laws? Cars are now no longer allowed to sit uninsured and if they are taxed, they must be insured. If the car is not driven at all, the owner can apply for a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN), which will mean they won’t have to pay insurance.
  • Get your car valued before you take out the policy. This should be done by an approved and recognised industry expert. Most policies will agree to pay the market value of the car, but if the car is written off, it may not reflect the true value of the car. The best option is to agree a valuation with the insurance company before you take out the policy.
  • Classic car insurance can sometimes be cheaper than insurance for a modern vehicle, if you find the right kind of cover for your car. Make sure you look at as many different policies and read the fine print; if a policy is cheaper will it offer the same amount of protection?
  • Arrange to update the valuation of your car each year with your policy provider, so the cover stays as close to the true worth as possible.
  • If you don’t plan to drive the classic car often, arrange with your insurer if you can get a cheaper deal if you agree to a lower mileage limit.
  • Take what precautions you can to make sure your classic car is safe and secure. They are often the targets of thieves and vandals, so make sure it is stored in a garage or under cover.

© Pr2is | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

How Your International Business could be benefited with Help of a Qualified Translator

Muzahed I.
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How Your International Business could be benefited with Help of a Qualified Translator

The international business environment is quite complex and people need to understand that this is a whole new playing field. Many corporations have tried to make the global transition, but haven’t succeeded because they haven’t understood the rules, the tips and the tricks that apply to this new level. It’s very important to do your homework before taking this big step.

There are some things that you need to be attentive to in order to actually make it in this corporate jungle

#Understanding Economy!

First there is the idea of economy. You need to be able to predict, interpret and make some decisions about the economy that is specific to the country where you plan to start business. Think about it: everything is different in another country, from the culture, to the way things are handled, to the people and their mentality, and so on. You need to be able to interpret those particular variables and make decisions accordingly

#Trends & Directions

Second, there is the idea of trends and directions. This is also an aspect that you need to pay attention to, especially in a foreign country. Let’s take fashion, for example. Something that is in vogue right now in the USA might not catch on in Eastern Europe. This means that you need to watch trends so that the products or services you offer satisfy the needs in the region you want to market in.

#People, People, People

Third, there’s people. It’s essential to talk to the people of the country and notjust rely onthe figures and numbers that you have. This means that if you really want to play the game on an international level, you need to be prepared to hear what people have to say. Many think that this particular way of handling things is not necessary as they apply a general theory and assume that it will work. The successful companies in any field beg to differ. It’s all about the people, and they can help you measure how well you are doing and where you need to work harder.

#Handling Documents

When doing an international business, executives often need to handle documents written in foreign languages. It’s important to get full grasp of those documents to take any strategic move that could be vital for emerging businesses. In such case, it’s vital to work with a translator and you have to imply his/her knowledge to better for you

#Adaptability

Fifth, there is the idea of adaptability. This is a tip that has been given by the greatest coaches that there are when it comes to entrepreneurship. The fact is that there isn’t a golden rule to success and you always need to test the waters before actually heading into a situation like this. In fact, consulting a business coach is one way some businesses approach a major decision like embarking on international growth. These are some tips to consider when it comes to taking your business up a notch into the international environment. In summary, learn about the new culture, get to know the people, track trends, be prepared to change the content and delivery of your message as necessary, and always seek feedback from your target audience. Following these tips will put you on the road to success.

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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