House price fall predicted in the short term

A drop in house prices in the short term has been predicted by members of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) who work in estate agents, with the fall expected to last for the next three months.
The surveyors who expected prices to fall outnumbered those expecting a rise in prices by a majority of 10%.
The last time house prices fell on an annual basis was in late 2009.
The RICS attributed the likely fall to a combination of uncertainty surrounding the EU referendum and a cooling of the market since the changes to stamp duty which went through in April.
Simon Rubinsohn, Chief Economist at RICS, commented: "What we are looking at is a short term drop caused by the uncertainty resulting from the forthcoming EU referendum, coupled by a slow-down following the rush to get into the market ahead of the tax change on the purchase of investment properties."
London and East Anglia are said to be the most affected, followed by South West England and Yorkshire and Humber.
House prices aren't predicted to fall in all areas however, with Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Midlands and the North all expected to see a continued rise.
The number of properties coming onto the market is also at a record low, contributing to continued demand and the short term nature of the expected price fall in the areas mentioned.

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Paris landmarks threatened by flooding

The River Seine in Paris has broken its banks and floodwater is currently around 6m (19ft) above the normal river level.
The famous Louvre and Orsay museums have been shut so that priceless works of art such as the Mona Lisa can be moved to safety.
Emergency water barriers have been constructed along the banks of the river in an attempt to restrict the floodwater, several bridges have been closed and tourist river tours have been banned until the waters subside.
The last time the river was at this level was in 1982, the environment ministry confirmed.
Flooding has affected wider areas of the country and across Europe as well, with over 5,000 being evacuated from their homes in central France, and around 19,000 homes currently without power, according to reports by the AFP news agency.
Germany has also been badly affected, with several losing their lives to the devastation caused by floodwaters in the south of the country.
Belgium, Austria, the Netherlands and Poland have also experienced flooding this week.
The weather was described by French President Francois Hollande as a serious climate phenomenon and a global challenge.

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Olympic Construction win PCA Outstanding Customer Service Award 2016

We would like to congratulate Olympic Construction Ltd for winning the 2016 Outstanding Customer Service Award in the PCA (Property Care Association) Best Practice Awards 2016.
Olympic Construction is a family run company specialising in remedial treatments, and has been a TrustATrader member for over 4 years. The company is based in Oldham and has been serving the local communities for over 50 years, covering Manchester and the surrounding 40 mile radius.
In the photo are (from left to right) Steve Hodgson, Chief Executive of the PCA with Adrian and Simon Dawson of Olympic Construction Ltd.
Adrian Dawson of Olympic Construction says: "I have a hands-on approach to all aspects of the works undertaken by Olympic Construction from start to finish. You could say the buck stops with me!
"My staff and I are committed to undertaking all works to the correct specifications and to a high quality finish. To achieve this we only use time served tradesmen and qualified surveyors with industry recognised qualifications."
The PCA was established to promote high standards of professionalism and expertise within the industry through training and other support services. They work with government departments, respond to consultation documents and provide assistance with the development of new guidelines, all with the aim of improving outcomes and promoting best practice.
The PCA held its Annual Best Practice Awards Dinner at Rectory Farm, Cambridge on 12th May 2016. The evening was well attended by PCA members from all represented sectors as they gathered to hear who had triumphed in the Best Practice Awards categories as well as the Student of the Year categories.
The evening concluded with a charity raffle, which thanks to the generous donations of sponsors helped to raise over £3k for the stillborn charity, SANDS.

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Wall of Buckingham Palace climbed by convicted killer

A man caught in the gardens of Buckingham Palace on Wednesday evening was a previously convicted murderer.
Denis Hennessy, 41, from Wembley, managed to climb the 10ft wall surrounding Buckingham Palace while the Queen, Prince Philip and the Duke of York were at home. Hennessy was unarmed, Westminster Magistrates' Court were told.
Hennessy was reported to have been drunk, and cut his hand while climbing over the wall, also setting off the alarm in the process. He wandered the gardens for around ten minutes before being caught.
He later told police that he had "walked through the gardens admiring the view".
Hennessy's solicitor said that the unemployed man had drunk "four or five cans of cider" on the evening of the incident. He had also had another drink in a pub before deciding to climb the wall of the palace with the help of a nearby tree.
After pleading guilty, Hennessy was today given four months in prison.
Hennessy's previous conviction, for murder, came in 1992 when at the age of 17 he attacked a homeless person who had asked him for money. Hennessy was convicted in 1993 and released in 2002. He was then monitored by the probation service until 2013.

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