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Party Vol

Party Vol

Assessment On Managing For Equality And Diversity In The Workplace By Increasing Opportunities For People With Disabilities

Introduction

Sanglin-Grant, S. (2003) explains that equality is the development of policies and practices that eliminate dissimilarity in any organization, institution or workplace. In this case, all persons within the organization are accorded equal opportunities and are also accorded equal treatment. Diversity on the other hand is all about embracing the value of individuals in an organization while at the same time making the most of their potential. Diversity encompasses all varieties of individuals from ethnic minorities, racial minorities, the elderly, women, persons with disabilities and persons with unconventional sexual orientations. When organizations embrace diversity, then they heighten their levels of creativity, innovation and overall success in their marketplace. Most workplaces have not accorded certain individuals equal opportunities on the basis of their background or physical attributes. This has resulted in various types of diversity such as cultural diversity, age diversity, gender diversity and so on. (Miller, Hagen and Johnson, 2002) However, for purposes of this research, focus will be on persons with disabilities.

Before examining the imperative issues in managing diversity within the workplace for persons with disabilities, it is crucial to understand the meaning of the term disability. The Disability Act of 2005 (UK) defines disability as a form of restriction in the process of conducting social, business or cultural duties due to physical, mental, health, intellectual and health impairment. Statistics conducted in the European Union found that the unemployment rate for a person with a disability is two hundred and fifty percent higher than a person without a disability. This impedes their ability to become self sufficient, socialize and develop a high self esteem. (Ross & Schneider, 1992) Consequently, persons with disability end up being isolated or end up falling in the poverty bracket. Such alarming outcomes should solicit action from employers and other stakeholders within the workplace. Employers need to ask themselves; what policies and procedures can they set up to encourage equality? What are the benefits of providing equal opportunities for person with disabilities?, what negative consequences can result from failure to comply (laws and regulations)? Lastly, what case studies can companies use to further this concept? (Holly, 1998)

Outcomes of according people with disabilities equal opportunities

Integrating people with disabilities within businesses should be a top priority for all companies in the country-whether large or small- due to the following reasons. First of all, it gives a respective company access to a different type of labor force. There is a growing misconception that persons with disabilities cannot perform within an organization's parameters. However, this is a grave misconception because many organizations have not yet tapped this category of individuals yet most of them are highly skilled. Kandola and Fullerton (1998) assert that the current American workforce has changed drastically. Gone are the days when there was an excess provision for labor. These days, organizations are competing to keep some of the best employees. Additionally, there is a need to fill in gaps in the labor force by tapping all potential resources available. (Elmuti, 1993)

Secondly, organizations that embrace diversity with respect to persons with disabilities can get a chance to keep qualified personnel who had no disability when they had started working for the organization but became disabled when they became part of the organization. Statistics indicate that eighty five percent of all cases of disability occur in adult life. Therefore, companies that have embraced diversity management are better prepared for such eventualities and can still retain their newly disabled employees. (Sanglin-Grant & Schneider, 2000)

Besides benefiting directly from the skills and expertise of the persons with disabilities, companies that have promoted an inclusive environment can create a positive image of their company in the eyes of their stakeholders. Suppliers, consumers, the local community, the government, investors and many other concerned parties will feel proud of such an organization and will continue doing business with them. This forms the basis of good social responsibility principles.

Organizations that employ or accord equal opportunities to persons with disabilities are also better prepared to do the same to the public. Such companies may go out of their way to handle consumers with disabilities and this can enhance their client base. (McNerney, 1994)

Consequently, such companies will become more competitive than others and will boost their profit margins. Similarly, managing diversity in the workplace is important for persons with disabilities because it can solicit extra funding from stakeholders within the industry. Many persons with disabilities have a wide access to grants and supports. This means that employers need not worry about tapping into their own resources in order to support such persons. (Ellis & Sonnenfield, 1993),

Embracing diversity can go a long way in solving all the problem service and product development strategies. This is because such companies will attract perspectives from different types of people and this encourages creativity. In line with this argument, some markets are emerging as very crucial in the workplace yet most of them are made up of unconventional groups such as the persons with disabilities. This can go a long way in enhancing their business potential. (Thomas &y, 1996)

Also, if a business offers equal opportunities to persons with disabilities. Then they may challenge the conventional thinking methodologies in the workplace. This means that such companies will be eliminating boundaries present in other similar business. Also, they will be demonstrating that they are embracing strategic opportunities. (Storey, 1992)

Policies and procedures that employers can use to promote equal opportunities for persons with disabilities

Organizations should demonstrate equality and diversity management in their recruitment exercises. Companies need to ensure that the selection criteria utilized is such that it does not discriminate against persons with disabilities. This means that the method used e.g. an interview should be non-discriminatory. Besides this, the sole aim in any recruitment practice should be to enroll the most competent person and to recruit on the basis of other non-job related characteristics. Companies should allow job seekers and opportunity to demonstrate that they can do a job well without dismissing them unfairly. (Gardenswartz & Rowe, 1998)

Additionally, those companies who conduct recruitment through various channels or managers, need to ensure that all their representatives are well aware of equality and diversity in the workplace. This means that companies should educate or train their employees on diversity issues. They can do this by giving them a series of booklets or handbooks talking about diversity. They also need to back this up with courses and seminars about how to embrace persons with disabilities in the workplace. Seminars should not just be open to managerial personnel but should be for all employees. (Wilson et al, 1999) Organizations can also make statements (written templates) about persons with disabilities within their respective organizations in order to smoothen persons with disability's workplace experience. Additionally, organizations need to conduct regular check ups and meetings with their staff to guide them on diversity management. They could give them practical examples of how to wok with person with disabilities. For instance, writing documents in Braille, placing important files in lower aisles for person with disability to access among others. (Ford, 1996)

Organizations can also promote equal opportunities within the workplace by making infrastructural changes e.g. making office equipment more user friendly for persons with disabilities. For instance, organizations can transform their computer application to accommodate various disability aids. For instance, they could place screen readers where persons with visual disabilities can hear information in the company intranet through a speech synthesizer. Besides this, companies can offer their information in a black and white form so as to make it possible for color blind users to follow events within their workplace. Companies can show their support for person with disabilities by according them all the rights and privileges that other employees enjoy such as holiday packages, charity events and other company activities. (Twnley, 1990) etimes, it may be particularly difficult for a person with a disability to perform certain physical tasks, this means that they require the help of a third party. The government has passed a law that allows for ‘access officers' within any business to enhance the nature of a person's employment opportunities . The work of the access officer is to ensure that all person with disability are aware of the services entitled to them and are utilizing them effectively. Companies need to provide all the necessary infrastructure needed to support persons with disabilities. These may include according them custom-made desks, leaving enough corridor space for wheel chairs, modifying rest room facilities to accommodate them. (Bartz, et al, 1990)

Organizations also need to make the environment positive or unbiased with regard to a person with a disability. They should treat them with respect and dignity at all times in order to boost this principle. (Cassell, 1996)

Career development within any respective organization should be done fairly and transparently. There should be no room for discrimination on the basis of an individual's physical disabilities. The latter category of individuals should be given equal opportunity as everyone else to grow and develop within the organization. Companies need to have a set procedure for promotion e.g. they could conduct job analyses annually and then discuss career progression with respective employees. (Dodds, 1995) This means that persons with disabilities will also be given an equal opportunity and they will grow with the organization. Similarly, an organization ought to be flexible enough in the event that one of their employees become disabled. They should have mechanisms that allow employees to come back to their positions. This means that companies should be ready for such eventualities and should not change their treatment of such employees.

If a particular company has any training , education or other work related development projects, then it should be their duty to provide this to all the employees within the company. No one, including a person with a disability, should be denied a fair chance to improve their job performing skills during their time with a respective company. On top of this, companies ought to make sure that they accord persons with disabilities all the work experience necessary to grow within the industry. This implies that companies should avoid firing such individuals without reasonable explanation. In relation to this argument, employers should make sure that their retirement packages, time frame and procedures are administered fairly to all employees regardless of their impairments. This means that no employer should unfairly get rid of a member of staff or forcefully retire a physically disabled employee. (Noon, and Blyton, 2002)

Companies need to recognize the fact that embracing diversity in the workplace should not just be restricted to staff members with disabilities. Their responses should also be directed to disabled persons in the community at large. This means that they should offer reasonable facilities and responses to suppliers, shareholders and customers with disabilities. This can be done within respective organizations in several ways (Kandola, 1995). First of all, they could avoid doing business with shareholders or suppliers who have no regard for diversity management and those who extend discriminatory practices against persons with disabilities. By doing this, employers will become advocates for persons with disabilities and may encourage other businesses to follow suit. Secondly, employers can depict diversity management in terms of the kind of infrastructure and services they offer their consumers. (Thewlis et al, 2004). If the company engages in the sale of items, then they could offer help filling up shopping items for persons with disabilities. Additionally, for those consumers with disabilities who can shop independently, it would help to avoid placing crucial items in the second or third floor as opposed to the first floor. This should go a long way in helping those individuals on wheel chairs. Lastly, employers could show their concern for diversity by giving donations to organizations or person with disabilities in order to facilitate their improvement even while they continue with their lives outside the organization. Gummerson, E. (1991),

Organizations should seek the opinions of disabled person within their organization when preparing an agenda for employment within the company. They should not be seen as the recipients of the policies and procedures but should also be considered as rightful stakeholders within the arrangement. (Iles, 1995) This means that companies should conduct regular meetings with person with disabilities to find out what their needs are and what the respective company can do to support them. This will transform the disabled employees role from a reactive one to a proactive one. The former approach was present at times when managing equality and diversity were a sole reserve of the human resource department. At that time, companies had to deal with numerous law suits and court proceedings relating to persons with disabilities. However, the latter approach is in line with current perceptions of diversity because it allows organizations a chance to identify potential problems and deal with them early enough. Kandola and Fullerton (1998) assert that it is possible to train certain persons to become champions of diversity. Person with abilities are a very appropriate choice for taking on this tasks. When organization trains such individuals, then they can stand out as the organization of choice within the workplace

One of the most important procedures with regard to persons with policies and procedures on diversity equality and diversity management is monitoring performance. Organizations ought to make sure that the latter benchmarks are adhered to at all times. Audits can be conducted annually to review some of the diversity objectives laid out in the persons with disabilities objectives.

Case studies of companies that have implemented diversity management

.

Kandola and Fullerton (1998) assert that diversity issues need not be seen as impossible to implement because there are many companies out there who are implementing this and have gone a long way in promoting diversity within their environments. Some of them include health institutions, IT firms, accounting companies and the like. All these companies have one feature in common; they have made managing diversity and equality as part of their driving force in the environment at all times. In the book, the authors identify some common elements that need to be adhered to by companies that respect diversity.

• Conducting an audit of buildings in terms of the physical attitudinal attributes  that favor person with disabilities
• An implementation of diversity awareness training in a personalized and individualized manner
• Provision of guidance with regard to both employers and employees

The overall purpose of such an initiative is to ensure that all employees/ potential employees with disabilities can access equal opportunities in the business. On top of that, companies are passing such policies in order to ascertain that they compaly to certain. As it can be seen from the bulleted list above, diversity management involves conducting an environmental audit, the second aspect is offering advice and the third is with regard to advice to all the current employees with regard to persons with disabilities. Sanglin-Grant, S. (2003)

Case studies

Many companies located within the European Union and The UK specifically have spearheaded the cause of equality and diversity management. Consequently, other companies that may not be certain of the route to follow can use these examples. ?(Jewson & Mason, 1994)

A health institution in the UK decided to embrace diversity with regard to person with disabilities by giving them equal opportunities. They did this by changing their recruitment polices. This company offered positions to a large number of persons with disabilities. Of all the one hundred and eight person recruited within the company, a whooping forty percent either had a health condition or had a disability. The company has been doing very well lately because they were able to attract a very skilled workforce. After the success of the initiative, this company had decided to provide other groups equal opportunities through according interviewees with sound opportunities in the workplace. (Cassell, 2006)

Additionally, a communication company within the UK decided to deliberately seek employing persons with disabilities in their organization. The company realized that so many people had not been tapped there and it wanted to embrace that opportunity by making the most of this labor force. They told most of their old employees to advice person with disabilities to apply for the vacancies. Also, advertisements placed in local newspapers indicted that the company wanted to recruit persons with disabilities The company testified that  they were happy with the overall result s of the recruitment be cause al the individuals taken in attended regularly and were also highly motivated (Paddison, 990)

Conclusion

The country has embraced the issue of diversity within the business environment; consumers, shareholders, suppliers and investors all expect business to manage equality and diversity. (Lane and Piercy, 2003).Even legislations designed to protect person with disabilities from discrimination have been passed. Consequently, employers who fail to oblige may land in trouble. Employers should not imagine that Equality and diversity management will benefit employees alone; it is equally benefiting to the business. Managing diversity theories can be implemented in a variety of ways through training, policies and procedures and through infrastructural changes.  All employees within the organization need to be aware of diversity management. Consequently, policies, ideas and theories need to be made transparent for all individuals.

references

Miller, S., Hagen, R. and Johnson, M. (2002). Divergent Identities? Professions, management and gender. Public money and management,25-30.

Cassell C (2006) ‘Managing Diversity' in Contemporary Human Resource Management eds Redman and Wilkinson, FT Prentice Hall

Noon M and Blyton P (2002) The Realities of Work Palgrave (chapter 10 ‘Unfair Discrimination at Work)

Sanglin-Grant, S. (2003). Divided by the same language? Equal opportunities and diversity translated. Runnymede Trust

Thewlis, M., Miller, L. and Neathey, F. (2004). Advancing Women in the Workplace: Statistical Analysis. EOC Working Paper Series no. 12. Manchester: Equal Opportunities Commission.

Lane, N. and Piercy, N. F. (2003). The ethics of discrimination: Organisational mindsets and female employment disadvantage. Journal of Business Ethics, 44, 313 вЂ" 325.

Bartz, D.E., Hillman, L.W., Lehrer, S., Mayhugh, G.M. (1990), "A model for managing workforce diversity", Management Education and Development, Vol. 21 No.5, pp.321-6.

Cassell, C. (1996), "A fatal attraction? Strategic HRM and the business case for women's progression", Personnel Review, Vol. 25 No.5, pp.51-66.

Dodds, I. (1995), "Differences can also be strengths", People Management, Vol. 20 April pp.40-3.

Ellis, C., Sonnenfield, J.A. (1993), "Diverse approaches to managing diversity", Human Resource Management, Vol. 33 No.1, pp.79-109.

Elmuti, D. (1993), "Managing diversity in the workplace: an immense challenge for both managers and workers", Industrial Management, Vol. July/August pp.19-22.

Ford, V. (1996), "Partnership is the secret of progress", People Management, Vol. 2 No.3, pp.34-6.

Gardenswartz, L., Rowe, A. (1998), "‘Why diversity matters", HR Focus, Vol. July pp.s1-s3.

Gummerson, E. (1991), Qualitative Methods in Management Research, Sage, London, .

Holly, L. (1998), "The glass ceiling in local government – a case study", Local Government Studies, Vol. 24 No.1, pp.1-73.

Iles, P. (1995), "Learning to work with difference", Personnel Review, Vol. 24 No.6, pp.44-60.

Institute of Personnel and Development, IPD (1996), Managing Diversity, an IPD Position Paper, IPD, London, .

Jewson, N., Mason, D. (1994), "Race, employment and equal opportunities: towards a political economy and an agenda for the 1990s", Sociological Review, Vol. 42 No.4, pp.597-617.

Kandola, B. (1995), "Selecting for diversity", International Journal of Selection and Assessment, Vol. 3 No.3, .

Kirkton, G., Greene, A.M. (2000), The Dynamics of Managing Diversity: A Critical Approach, Buttterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, .

Liff, S. (1999), "Diversity and equal opportunities: room for a constructive compromise", Human Resource Management Journal, Vol. 9 No.1, pp.65-75.

Merriam, S. (1988), Case Study Research in Education: a Qualitative Approach, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA, .

McDougall, M. (1998), "Devolving gender management in the public sector: opportunity or opt-out?", The International Journal of Public Sector Management, Vol. 11 No.1, pp.71-80.

McNerney, D. (1994), "The bottom line value of diversity", HR Focus, Vol. May pp.22-3.

Paddison, L. (1990), "The targeted approach to recruitment", Personnel Management, Vol. 22 No.11, pp.54-8.

Ross, R., Schneider, R. (1992), From Equality to Diversity – a Business Case for Equal Opportunities, Pitman, London, .

Sanglin-Grant, S., Schneider, R. (2000), Moving On Up? Racial Equality and the Corporate Agenda, Runnymede Trust, London, .

Storey, J. (1992), Developments in the Management of Human Resources, Blackwell, Oxford, .

Thomas, D.A., Ely, R.J. (1996), "Making differences matter: a new paradigm for managing diversity", Harvard Business Review, Vol. September-October pp.79-90.

Townley, B. (1990), "A discriminating approach to appraisal", Personnel Management, Vol. 22 No.12, pp.34-7.

Wilson, E.M., Iles, P.A. (1999), "Managing diversity – an employment and service delivery challenge", The International Journal of Public Sector Management, Vol. 12 No.1, .

PPU VIDEO PARTY - VOLUME ONE - OFFICIAL TRAILER - 80s FUNK FOOTAGE

Karaoke Party

Karaoke Party

Home Karaoke Machines Shopping Guide - Facts You Must Know

First you have probably been to a lot of karaoke bars and parties and noticed the difference in the music. If you are becoming a karaoke fan you have probably inquired into this, and found out it has to do with the different companies that produce the discs.

Being as the background music isn't the original artists, this is where the difference comes in. Now when it comes time to purchase your karaoke machine you are going to have to decide on the type of discs you are going to play. You are going to be faced with a choice as some handle CDGs or CD+G or just plain karaoke song DVDs.

You need to familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantage of these, when you are making your decision. Actually some with have built in music while others use Mp3s. Check around with your friends who have karaoke machines and see what type of discs they play. If you find a variety of them to check out, it will help you choose which method you like the most.

Features are another issue that is going to be important to you and a lot will depend on what you are going to be using it form. Sort of keep an open mind here, because you may have intentions for using it for one thing, then down the road start adding other uses to it. For example you may initially be buying so you can practice your own singing on. If that's the case then there are many features you are not going to need. But then 6 months down the road you might start having karaoke parties, then the other type features you are going to need.

You need to decide whether you want to be able to turn vocals on or off. Some of the music you buy may contain vocal for you to practice with then as you get better you can turn the vocal off. Your karaoke machine must have the option to do that. Of course you are going to want volume control. When it comes to microphones you are going to have to choose between wired or wireless, or even headset microphones. The price range of these vary, so that will be another deciding factor as well. Then there are things like being able to score the singer. Some karaoke machines have that capability built right into there.

Then it will come down to style and whether you are going to leave your machine at home all the time, or do you want to travel around with it. If its going to be a home unit you may want to look at a system that you can integrate with your home stereo systems. Then on the other hand, you may want to set it up in a separate area, so you will want a stand alone system. The draw back with this system is it can be quite bulky and take up a fair amount of room..

Then there are extras that you can add to it later on such as karaoke stands, which there are a variety of as well. If you are going to travel with it ,you will want to protect it as much as possible, so you may want to have some kind of carriers for your speakers. Also don't forget to protect your discs as much as possible.

Karaoke party 2°tempo.avi

Party Pack

Party Pack

Home Information Packs - are They Worth the Paper They are Written On?

Home Information Packs were first mentioned as part of the Labour party manifesto back in 1997 and were originally deemed to be the solution to the then common problem of gazumping. In the eight years that have followed, the reason for existence of HIPS is that they can speed up and simplify the current housebuying process. HIPs were finally introduced last August in a bid to simplify the home-buying process, but have received some very negative press since.

One of the main aims of the HIP legislation is to reduce the current high percentage of agreed sales (reportedly more than one in four) that do not make it as far as an exchange of contracts.  HIPS were intended to deliver this aspiration by providing key information at the beginning of the house buying process.

Recent survey has revealed that the majority of house buyers think Home Information Packs are a waste of time, with fifty-seven per cent of those questioned saying it is time to scrap HIPs and many blaming the cost of providing them as a contributing factor to the significant decline in the number properties being offered for sale in the UK.

A YouGov poll found that only 5 per cent believed the packs had delivered benefits, while 68 per cent said they had failed to make a positive difference.  The results of the survey are another blow to the controversial packs, which cost sellers anything from £200 - £400 and contain title deeds, searches and an energy performance certificate.

The scheme was opposed by estate agent trade bodies, solicitors and the Council of Mortgage Lenders.   Critics of HIPS say that some buyers have been forced to seek independent advice after finding the content of the packs unreliable.

A Conservative party housing spokesman Grant Shapps said HIPs had undermined the housing market.  “One year on, the public don't trust the paper these packs are written on”, he said.   Mr Shapps went on to say that “the only people who want to keep these broken HIPs are the vested interests who are peddling them, and the Government ministers who are falsely using the green fig leaf of the environment to justify this latest public policy disaster.”

A Spokesperson from the National Association of Estate Agents, said: 'Since their conception, the packs have been surrounded by a catalogue of disasters.  'And, so far, rather than helping to improve the home buying and selling process, they have served as a hindrance and nothing more than a purposeless piece of red tape.'

 

Confusion over the implementation of the packs forced former Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly to delay their implementation and exclude smaller homes from the initial phase of the scheme last year.

The troubled introduction of the HIPS scheme does not appear to have dampened the Government’s appetite for HIPS, as they have recently announced plans to increase the amount of information required to go into Home Information Packs.  This move will likely increase the cost of producing each HIP.

Government now wants to include a Property Information Questionnaire (PIQ) in the packs to give people more information about a property up front.  It hopes the move will reduce the likelihood of issues coming to light further on in the process and causing delays or sales to fall through.  The questionnaires would include information on any building work that has been carried out on the property, details on parking arrangements, council tax banding and information on the utilities connected to the property.  The Government aim to implement this extra requirement as a mandatory part of the packs on January 1, 2009.

Housing Minister Caroline Flint said: "Having the right information about a property at the beginning of the home-buying process is essential if we are to reduce delays and cut down on wasted costs for both buyers and sellers.  "Hips are an important first step in achieving greater efficiency and the Property Information Questionnaire will only improve on this, ensuring the buying and selling process is simpler for all."

The Government is also considering increasing the quality of leasehold information that is included in the packs.  New information on leaseholds would include details on ground rent, services charges, the cost of buildings insurance and any major works that are planned, as well as a copy of the lease itself.  There is currently only a temporary provision requiring a copy of a lease to be included in the packs.

Conservative Shadow  Housing Minister Grant Shapps, said: "Home Information Packs have already strangled the housing market by discouraging sellers. Given its fragile state, the property market needs more bureaucratic red tape like a hole in the head.  "Behind the smokescreen of HIPs, Labour's real agenda is to build up a property database of every home. Property Information Questionnaires are most likely just another way of conducting Labour’s controversial council tax revaluation and re-banding by the backdoor.  "The public will be clobbered  twice - once for a costly Home Information Pack and then again in the form of higher council tax bills for home improvements and their parking spaces."

There is evidence that the controversial Home Information Pack (HIP) scheme has failed to speed up the house selling process, new figures suggest.

The packs, introduced a year ago despite huge opposition, are failing to be compiled in under a week – as the Government hoped would be possible – because local authorities are far slower at retrieving local searches than a year ago.   Searches are one of the key documents contained within a pack. They flag up any potential road schemes or developments that might scare off a home buyer from moving to the area.

 

The average time taken by councils to hand over searches has increased by a third, from 5.3 days to 7 days.  Some councils are taking more than 20 days to process a request, with the London Borough of Hillingdon taking 44 days on average.

Local councils increasingly poor performance in regard to providing search data is impacting negatively on HIPs in two ways.   Firstly, virtually all HIP providers now subcontract their searches to personal search companies to get the search component for the HIP completed as soon as possible.  This means that the search information contained in the HIP will usually not contain most of the relevant information as would be revealed by an official Council search.  Secondly, with more and more councils levying higher level of charges for official searches and length of time taken to deliver, there is a direct impact on HIP providers and, consequently, on the price paid by the consumer.

 

Sir Bryan Carsberg earlier this month, after spending a year investigating the housing market, recommended that HIPs should be scrapped, arguing that, "they don't make a useful contribution to the house buying process. They don't speed up transactions and they are in danger of becoming out of date too quickly.  "It seems to me to impose a cost, without bringing any benefit."

 

Shadow Housing Minister, Grant Shapps, said the slowness of the Local Authorities was proof that HIPs were not working.  "This shatters one of Labour's last remaining arguments about the benefits of Hips and adds to the mounting dossier of evidence against them.  "The industry doesn't want them and neither do the buyers and sellers - they are strangling the market at a time when it needs kickstarting," he said.

 

Conversely, a spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government said: "As a result of the increased transparency brought about by HIPs, we are already seeing a drop in cost for sellers commissioning searches – more than 160 local authorities have cut their prices by an average of £20.  "We have issued guidance to councils to ensure they are giving access to private search companies, to increase competition and provide the consumer with cheaper and faster searches."

 

However, as charges for official searches are between two to three times more expensive than the personal search option, it is doubtful whether any HIP provider will utilise the option of the more expensive official search in a highly competetive HIPs market.

 

Buyers of property may well find that the search information included within the HIP for the property they are buying is out of date or too vague to pass the scrutiny of the lender.  This situation will of course delay the selling process and defeat the object of HIPS.

 

For more information about HIPS go to http://www.hip-hips.co.uk

 

Wolfpack Party 2010 By The Pack

Dance Party

Dance Party

How many people would you invite to a birthday/dance party to consider it big?

Just wondering. I'm having my sweet 16 soon, it's going to be a dance party, and I'm just wondering how many people you would invite before you consider your party to be big?
and how big of a space do you think you would need?

This one guy I know had about 70 people come to his party, and that included family, friends, and neighbors. Other than that I think anywhere from 20-40 people is a pretty big party. I would definitely rent a hall with room for people to dance, and room for people to just chill out and talk.

Sasquatch music festival 2009 - Guy starts dance party

Live Berlin

Live Berlin

Where can i find Le Mans vs Alba Berlin Euroleague Basketball Live Stream link?

It says you can watch all games LIVE on euroleague.tv.

Pink Floyd The Wall LIVE at Berlin (2 of 6)