Sizzling summer kitchens
The recent hot, dry weather has turned the summer into barbeque season, with millions heading outside for some al fresco entertaining. Long popular with our continental cousins, summer kitchens allow you to cook properly in the open air with running water and gas power. Whether free-standing or as built-in units with a shiny domed barbecue at their hub, they have ice-cold drinks fridges, sleek teppanyaki hotplates, granite work surfaces, stainless steel sinks and elbow-height counters for guests to admire as you conjure up the feast. Small enough to sit in a corner of your garden or on your roof terrace, units are also made from durable materials to survive Britain’s coldest winter. For more information on Sizzling Summer Kitchens, email lee@urbansolutions.co.uk.
SAFETY FIRST
We know that those of you who are landlords or business owners want to ensure the safety of your tenants and staff, but you may not realise that the law requires that you do so with an annual test of all electrical appliances. Our experts can conduct Portable Appliance Testing - PAT Testing to those in the know - on all your appliances to make sure that they are safe to use. And if you give US a list of your electrical goods we can give you a set price to test the lot or a quote per item, whichever suits you best. We will give each appliance a visual inspection, as well as testing it to give it a pass or fail certificate. Also included in our price are minor repairs, such as upgrading the fuse to the correct ampage or replacing the flex if necessary. So, you can combine vital maintenance with having the peace of mind that your equipment is up to scratch.
HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?
Our good friends at Clifton Nurseries in Little Venice tell US that they have something extra to offer keen gardeners this summer. The nursery, which is one of the oldest in the capital, has just opened a Garden Room, a beautiful new shop that stocks everything you could possibly need to make your outside space an extension of your home. Alongside contemporary and vintage inspired garden furniture, there are outdoor textiles, rugs, ceramics and even china, glass and tableware. Visit Clifton's website at www.clifton.co.uk or call 020 7289 6851 to get more information.
ODD JOBS AND HOT DOGS
At Urban Solutions we occasionally get some unusual requests from customers, but we always strive to fulfil their needs. Most recently, a regular customer asked US if we could help out with a problem posed by their pet. Now, Urban Solutions has not diversified into pet therapy or dog grooming, but our customer asked if we could plumb in a hot water tap in the garden, with the supply running from the boiler, so that they could shampoo their dog with warm, soapy suds. Ever happy to oblige, we jumped to it and soon they had one happy and perfectly pristine hound. If you have a job about the house, do not hesitate to contact US to see if we can help. If it is possible, you can rely on US to provide you with the solution!
TIPS FROM THE TENANTS
If you are not a homeowner but rent your property why not let your landlord know what we can do for you both? If there is a job that needs tackling about the house, just contact your landlord first to get the thumbs up to use US and then we can arrange an appointment with you, the tenant, to get the job done. As long as we're sure that the permission to do the work has come from the landlord then we will forward the bill to the homeowner. The landlord has the satisfaction of knowing that a trusted contractor is being used, while the tenant gets the repair done without having to worry about settling the bill. For more information on this service or to book in a job, email US at info@urbansolutions.co.uk
GETTING TO KNOW US
We want you to know the people who keep Urban Solutions on track and this month it is the turn of our accounts administrator, Sara. How long have you worked for US? I've been here since March 2008. Well, both in the old office and here in the new one! What do you enjoy most about your job? Although I enjoy doing the internal accounts and seeing our final monthly figures, I do get a chance to speak to some of our customers, albeit usually in order to chase payments. It is always satisfying to hear how happy they are with the work - and, of course, nice to know that the money is on its way! What do you like to do when you are away from the office? Like so many girls, shopping is one of my favourite pastimes, but I'm also keen on travel. I've just got back from Agadir in Morocco, which was the perfect combination of relaxation, sand and sea.
VAT VARIATIONS
We are sure that you, like US, have struggled to keep up-to-date with the rate of Value Added Tax over recent times. It has bounced up and down like a yo-yo and now, thanks to the recent Emergency Budget, yet another change has taken place. From January 2011, VAT will increase from its current level of 17.5 per cent to 20 per cent, so if you have any major jobs planned it may be a good idea to book them in with US ahead of the tax hike. Tax experts have also warned that more people may be tempted to turn to cash-in-hand cowboys to dodge the imminent increase and paying VAT altogether. The difference with US is that you will pay VAT and stay on the right side of the law, but you also have the knowledge that you are dealing with an experienced and trusted operator. And we have hundreds of regular customers who can attest to that fact. Just visit our website at www.urbansolutions.co.uk to see their testimonials.
