Industry News
EU Directive on Light Bulbs 28th August 2009
You have probably seen the headlines this week about the withdrawal of certain types of light bulbs. This is not new of course but here is a reminder of what is happening.
As of 1 September 2009, the first styles of light bulbs will disappear from the shelves. These will be all frosted models and light bulbs of 80 Watts or higher, as well as all frosted lamps except for frosted energy saving lamps (CFLi) energy efficiency class A. Every year after that, in steps of 12 months, further bulbs and wattages will be affected by the ban.
The EU directive plans a gradual withdrawal.
According to the directive, frosted bulbs (except for energy saving lamps (CFLi) with energy efficiency class A) and light bulbs of 80 Watts or greater can no longer be sold as of 1 September 2009. This means that from 1 September 2009, you will not be able to buy light bulbs of 80 Watts or higher. Year by year, more light bulbs with lower wattages will disappear from the shelves of shops within the EU. By 2012, all light bulbs of greater than 7 watts will be withdrawn from sale. Some special bulbs will be available for certain occasions (for example for the baking oven) but will need to be specifically labelled in the future.
Halogen lamps are not banned as of 1 September 2009. Excepted from the EU directive are all low-voltage halogen spot lamps. However halogen lamps with the efficiency class D will be sorted out step by step according to their watt and lumen value from 2009 until 2012.
There is of course no ban on continuing to use the bulbs you have already bought or are using; only a ban on the sale of certain ones.
Tenancy Deposit Protection withdrawn from Unregulated Letting Agents 5th January 2009
At the insistence of their insurers, The Tenancy Deposit Scheme will only provide deposit protection and alternative dispute resolution to letting agents who are members of recognised professional bodies.
From April 6, only regulated letting agents and corporate and individual landlords will be covered by the Tenancy Deposit Scheme and cover will be withdrawn from unregulated agents. Tenants are advised to ensure their landlords have made alternative arrangements to safeguard deposits as soon as possible.
The Scheme advises landlords and tenants to be certain either that their lettings agents are members of either the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA), The National Approved Lettings Scheme (NALS), the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA), or the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS); or that deposits are protected under one of the other government authorised deposit protection schemes: Tenancy Deposit Solutions (trading as mydeposits.com) or The Deposit Protection Service.
The Tenancy Deposit Scheme will shortly be writing to all its members who are unregulated agents to inform them that they will have to make alternative arrangements to protect deposits when their subscriptions end in April. It will also be writing to current tenants whose tenancy is shown to have been arranged through an unregulated agent to advise them of the change in protection that can be offered and the course of action to take to ensure protection as the law requires. The agents concerned should advise their tenants and landlords of what they intend to do on their behalf.
The Tenancy Deposit Scheme regrets the action it has been forced to take, but points out that it is due to circumstances that are well beyond its control.