Feb 2, 2018 - of a building so much that it hardly needs any heating at all. The sun, human occupants, household applian
Eastern Daily Press, Friday, February 2, 2018
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PROPERTY 27
How does a passivhaus work? The Passivhaus concept was developed in Germany in 1988, and it’s becoming an ever more common feature of new-builds across Europe. The principle is to reduce the heat losses of a building so much that it hardly needs any heating at all. The sun, human occupants, household appliances and the warmth from extracted air cover a large part of the heating demand. Construction standards include good levels of insulation with minimal thermal bridges and well thought-out uses of solar and internal gains. Since the houses are highly airtight, whole house mechanical ventilation systems are installed to provide excellent air quality, with highly efficient heat recovery. Building this way means that traditional heating systems aren’t needed – a small unit, such as a woodburning stove, will cover any shortfall.
Andrew Conway, associate architect at Hamson Barron Smith, with the NVHR system which provides filtered fresh air around one of the Passivhaus homes. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY
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Buying a home with someone At some point in our lives, many of us will decide to buy a property with someone else. Along with all the other decisions to be made during the buying process, it is important to decide how you wish to co-own the property. This decision is important as it can affect how the property is split on a future sale, relationship breakdown or if one co-owner dies. The two options to decide between are joint tenants and tenants in common. Option 1- Joint tenants If you own the property as joint tenants, you will own the property in equal shares. Many married couples and some long-term partners choose this option. In the event that the property is sold, you will each be entitled to equal shares of the net sale proceeds, even if one has made a greater contribution. If one co-owner dies, the property will automatically transfer to the surviving joint tenant irrespective of any provisions made in the deceased person’s will. Whilst this option may appear straightforward and convenient, it will not always be appropriate and should only be chosen after due consideration. Option 2- Tenants in common If you own the property as tenants in common, you can agree to own the property in equal or unequal shares. In the event that the property is sold, the net sale proceeds will be split according to the owners’ respective shares in the property. On the death of one co-owner, their share will not automatically pass to the surviving owner, and will instead pass according to the deceased person’s will or in the absence of a will under the intestacy rules. This option should be considered if either co-owner has a child, the co-owners are unmarried, or the coowners are making unequal contributions to the property purchase or mortgage repayments. If you choose to own the property as tenants in common your solicitor will advise you to prepare a Declaration of Trust. This is a legally binding document that records the financial arrangements between the co-owners to ensure that each co-owner receives the same amount back on any future sale. The Declaration can also be used to record other agreed terms. When buying a property jointly it is also important to think about making a will to ensure your share of the property is left as you would wish. When a person dies without having made a will, the laws of Intestacy apply and your estate will be divided accordingly to these fixed set of rules, irrespective of what your intentions actually were.
Picture: LEADERS and extra large windows compared to the average new build. The four bedroom Eaton, for example, is 1382 sqft and offers office space and an airing cupboard as well as a really good sized hall and landing which developers often reduce to give more room elsewhere. It has a wrap around kitchen/living room and two bedrooms on the first and second floors. This is priced at £350,000. The three bedroom Waterloo, priced at £265,000, also has a large open plan kitchen/living room with a downstairs cloakroom, three bedrooms and a bathroom. The homes come with gardens and permit parking is available. Leaders can be contacted on 01603 709780 www.leaders.co.uk
Living, kitchen and bedroom areas in the three- and four-bedroomed Passivhaus homes at Rayne Park, Pictures: DENISE BRADLEY
If you would like any advice on this topic, wills or any other legal needs, please contact Spire Solicitors LLP on 01603 677077. This is not a statement of the law and you should always seek professional legal advice. Spire sponsors this column.
