Grenfell Tower block disaster

[PragueBlue]

They're talking about requisitioning some of the empty properties in Kensington to re-house some of the people who've lost their homes.

Maybe they should also be asking why foreign investors are allowed to buy up property in this country and then leave it empty whilst it appreciates in value. It's no wonder there's a housing shortage.

I doubt foreign investors are buying up property that would be in the budget range of those that are suffering due to the housing shortage.

 

[yeseye]

I doubt foreign investors are buying up property that would be in the budget range of those that are suffering due to the housing shortage.

What? You could make a dozen flats out of these properties .

 

[SpiritofBurnden]

I doubt foreign investors are buying up property that would be in the budget range of those that are suffering due to the housing shortage.

Those properties are priced in that 'budget range' precisely because foreign investors have got the cash to buy them. If they weren't allowed to, there wouldn't be as much of a market for them and the price wouldn't be as inflated.

There is a huge re-development going on in Hackney at the moment. Whole council estates being demolished to make way for private development. Something like 55% of the first phase of properties were marketed in Asia to foreign investors who will in all probability never live there.

 

[johnmc]

Where on earth do you get that from? You haven't read BS 9251:2014 have you?

It's about £1200 a flat to retrofit a block with sprinklers. Add in annual maintenance and spread the cost over 30 years and it's £50 per flat per year.

http://www.bre.co.uk/filelibrary/Sustainability through Planning/Callow_mount_Retrofitting_sprinkler_systems_Steve_Seaber.pdf

Sprinklers are often limited to communal areas in flats hotels and the like. Check it out next time you are in in a hotel. Someone else mentioned it earlier that his block is sprinklered but not in the individual flats. I'm not saying you can't have sprinklers in individual flats just would be rare.

I'd guess people don't want them going off accidentally in their property for starters and they may want to redecorate or what have you.

I would add however insurance companies will give big discounts on sprinklered properties so they will recoup a chunk of the outlay over several years discounted premium.

 

[mancityvstoke]

The problem with council blocks and sprinklers is the dickheads who would set them off with lighters.

sad but true

 

[Vic]

Question then - if you're buying a new house, would you want it to be £2000 dearer to have sprinklers?

We know whether it's worth it - £6.7m per life saved. (I think the stats for flats may have changed since yesterday.) Welsh government still went ahead.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-18266064

 

[Vic]

The problem with council blocks and sprinklers is the dickheads who would set them off with lighters.

sad but true

Well, that's why you'd have them in your own flat and not communal areas. (Or are you thinking they'd all go off? too many Hollywood films...)

 

[mancityvstoke]

Well, that's why you'd have them in your own flat and not communal areas. (Or are you thinking they'd all go off? too many Hollywood films...)

They will never fit them in council blocks .........not with the cuts

 

[johnmc]

Question then - if you're buying a new house, would you want it to be £2000 dearer to have sprinklers?

We know whether it's worth it - £6.7m per life saved. (I think the stats for flats may have changed since yesterday.) Welsh government still went ahead.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-18266064

I'm all for sprinklers in blocks of flats and high rise blocks but I'd question the value of it in a two storey house where smoke detectors are statutory. They would likely go off before the sprinklers. Guess it might limit the damage to the property.

 

[Hamann Pineapple]