January 2013

Your VIeW INTo NorTh hampshIre LIFesTYLe Free

“New Year,

New Name,

New Ideas”

This month will see the

inaugural Basingstoke

Entrepaneur roadshow, an

event designed to help

people who want to start

their own business or who

have done so obtain help

to take it further.

North Hampshire Life

3

Contents page 5

“home energy monitoring systems”

page 6“New Year - New Ideas”

page 9“Looking for (free) Deliverance”

page 10“switching energy supplier”

January 2013 - Issue 9Firstly I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and all of us here at “North hampshire Life” would like to wish you a very

happy New Year. Now I’m not sure about you, but with most if not all shops closed for just one day over the Christmas

period, the holiday season seemed to fly by quicker than normal. Funny how people still seemed to be panic buying as if

the end of the world was upon us! and on that note, it’s good news to hear that Nasa has decided that aposphis is not

going to be paying us a direct visit in 2036 but it will be considerably closer than anything else has been in most of our

lifetimes. (apophis is a near earth asteroid weighing some 26,990,000,000 kilograms which Nasa at one point gave a

2.7% chance of coliding with the earth.  anybody else watch Bruce Willis in armageddon over Christmas?)

For those of you wanting to leave the workplace and set up your own business we have a great article about an event

which will be taking place on the 31st January 2013. some great guest speakers will be on hand to pass around their

knowledge and advice but with places limited, it is suggested you book your place in plenty of time.

energy does appear to be a central theme in our first edition of 2013 with an article on home energy monitoring systems

and another on the benefits of switching suppliers. Later on in the year we are hoping to have an article from a local

company which produces some of the best energy monitoring products in the world, based right here in North

hampshire.

so whilst you’re waiting for next months edition, start thinking of how you can become the next Branson or in a few years

time, the latest addition to Dragons Den.

regards

Chris & mike

Designed, produced and

published by

mike peates

Chris Wright

3 holman Close

Bramley

hampshire

rG26 5XD

01256 881452 (mike)

01256 881233 (Chris)

www.northhampshirelife.co.uk

editor@northhampshirelife

Twitter @northhantslife

https://www.facebook.com/locipannum

printed by:

Greenhouse Graphics

Bramley

01256 880770www.greenhousegraphics.co.uk

Contact us for all your

advertising or editorial news:

editor@locipannum.co.uk

Features editor

megan Collins Quinlanwww.collinsquinlan.co.uk

4

5

If the mainstream media are correct,

in-home monitoring equipment could

be the way of the future. In fact, we

could all be watching our energy use,

checking for water leaks and turning on

our heating from nothing more than our

mobile phone and an Internet connection

within a few years.

Wireless monitoring equipment may

sound like something from a star Trek

episode, but in just a few years all of our

homes will be fitted with a basic unit

thanks to a government program which

will offer us smarter energy systems. a

smart meter will be fitted in all uK

homes by 2019 and are designed to allow

us to keep a closer watch on our energy

use. They will also automatically send our

gas and electricity readings to our

supplier. The hope is that we will all be

able to use less energy because we have

better information about how much we

are using.

But this is just the beginning of this new

technology. If you want to be ahead of

the crowd, you can buy a system now

and start monitoring your home's energy

use from wherever you are – even the

other side of the world.

HOW dO tHey WOrk?

home monitoring systems use a router to

connect your home's information to the

Internet, where you can access it from a

secure site. The types of information they

can retrieve and store include what your

energy use is, what your water use is and

even what each individual appliance is

doing.

You will also

have access to

graphs and

your system

can even alert

you via text

message or

email when

you have

reached a pre-

set energy use

figure.

all of this is

achieved

through the

use of a

central hub in

your home

which is

connected to

the appliances

or meter you

wish to

monitor. If you

have solar panels or other renewable

energy sources, you may be able to

connect to these as well.

WHy is tHis usefuL?

over time you will be able to build up a

picture of what your energy usage is and

therefore you can learn about when and

how you can reduce

your spending. Clearly

this will allow you to

save money and to

moderate your use.

The only way to reduce

your energy bills is to

use less energy and

knowledge is power

when it comes to this.

There is a very good

chance that you will

remember to turn off

your lights if you get a text message

reminding you – for example.

any draWbacks?

at the moment these systems can be

pricey and you may be expected to pay

an ongoing fee to get access to the

website to see your information

remotely. It is possible that you will end

up saving enough money to make this

worthwhile however.

There are also some concerns about

privacy issues with regards to home

monitoring. The fact is that a third party

will have knowledge of your energy use

and could possibly save or sell this

information. There is also a possibility

that your home could be open to cyber

thieves who could hack into your Internet

connection. some privacy groups have

expressed concern regarding this, but it is

up to you to ensure that your privacy is

protected and to never go ahead if you

are worried. Just ask your supplier what

their checks and balances are.

WHat is tHe future?

Well the future is already here, but is not

necessarily available to all of us. It is

expected that home monitoring systems

will be able to link to your burglar and

fire alarm as standard and will even allow

you to monitor the functions of your

home – turning on your heating, opening

your curtains and switching on lights all

at the touch of a button on your mobile,

tablet or computer.

Whether you want to get as technical as

this is up to you, but in the meantime,

simple monitoring of your energy use is a

great start and could even save you

money. What more is there to say?

Home Energy Monitoring Systems

an example of an OWL home electricity monitoring unit

The Future Is Here Megan Collins Quinlan

6

as this article is being written, it is

that quiet pause between the

Christmas and New Year

festivities when some will be back at

work others will be enjoying a break.

No matter which category you fell in to,

it is the time of year for new hopes and

dreams to be explored and resolutions

to be made.

Did your resolution include ‘Firing Your

Boss’ and setting up your own

business? or maybe you do not want

to go and work for someone else

and would rather set out on

your own? The

thought is

exciting but

the

reality

can

appear

daunting.

Whether you

want to turn a

hobby into a

business or you

have invented the

next ‘big thing’,

getting started is the

biggest step and greatest

leap of faith. But it needn’t

be a leap onto the unknown.

This month will see the

inaugural Basingstoke

entrepreneur roadshow, an event

designed to help people who want

to start their own business, or have

done so and decided they need some

help to take it further. Not only do the

exhibitors have products and services

to help you, in the main they are

people just like you and can pass on

invaluable experience. They have

travelled the same path and can pass

on the lessons they have learned.

In addition to entrepreneurial

exhibitors we also have an extremely

inspiring line up of speakers all of

whom have a different background

and are now successful

business owners. You may

remember a previous

article on

Basingstoke

Laughter house,

the owner, Jan Jack,

will be telling of her

transition from secretary to

comedian. Linda Cheung is the owner

of local business Cubesocial, one of the

fastest growing start ups in the last 12

months. Linda has recently spoken at

conferences in Berlin and Greece.

agnes Cserhati is an entrepreneur

Coach, she landed on these shores

aged 17 and by the age of 19 had won

her first entrepreneur award. michelle

rodger is travelling all the way from

scotland to demystify ‘Crowdfunding’

an alternative form of finance for your

business. all of these ladies have an

inspirational story to tell and places

are limited.

The roadshow itself is an example

of what can be achieved with no

start up money, no experience,

an idea, a passion and hard

work. It started as a

solution to help small

(micro) businesses

showcase their

products and

services to larger

businesses

without having

to lay out

large

amounts

of cash

to do

so.

The

roadshow

has given them

the opportunity to do

so at a fraction of the cost

of other local exhibitions. Whilst

the primary aim is to help local

entrepreneurs, larger businesses are

invited to discover products and

services available locally to them.

If you want to ‘Fire Your Boss and Ignite

Your Imagination’ go to the website

www.yesyoucanevents.com for more

information and to register for this free

event. alternatively, turn up on 31st

January at Viewpoint, Basing View,

Basingstoke from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Basingstoke entrepreneur roadshow is

being sponsored by Be offices and

Dream Idea uK.

New Year - New IdeasMike Peates

Help for those starting OR RUNNINGA new business

7

8

9

The general public will get anything

delivered these days. You’ve

probably noticed that as you wait

behind a large van parked in your

street. Nearly every supermarket offers

to get your groceries to your door. The

sunday papers (usually late) slipped

through your letterbox, oil for your

heating, the weekly joint, a new

washing machine, something bizarre

bought on ebay… all are supplied at

your door.

Now you can get your pet food

delivered. No more emergency trips to

the supermarket or trudging down to

the pet shop on a wet evening to feed

Fido or get grub for the goldfish.

Companies like oscar pet Foods

actually specialise in delivery come-

hail-or-shine, preferring a free visit in

their colourful van to opening a shop.

But there’s a lot more to door-to-door

delivery nowadays. It’s not just about

saving you time and

petrol money, but

offering you a new kind

of personal service.

rather than being one

of the many miserably

meandering around

food aisles with a

trolley, you now get

individual attention

with advice,

information and a

friendly face.

Take the oscars

approach. of course, they deliver a

range of pet food to suit every breed

and budget, but they can also talk

about your pet’s nutritional needs or

behavioural issues. They can regularly

monitor your pet’s reaction to the

food. They ensure you are happy with

your choice and offer other kinds of pet

care. Delivery is not just about handing

over a bag of food once a month, but a

continual support to

benefit you and your

pet.

many people of

course love delivery.

For the elderly it is

the chance of regular

company and

conversation. Busy

mums no longer need

drag whining children

down to the shops. Working pet

owners can end a hard day’s work

playing with their pets rather than

shopping for them.

so why not consider delivery yourself

from the pain of shopping?

The oscars pet Foods franchise is a

leading nutritionist and pet food

supplier, offering free delivery and

personal pet advice on your doorstep.

each franchisee is specially trained to

offer its range of quality pet foods to

suit all animals. every customer

receives a free taste trial to ensure

they are completely happy with the

food, as well as advice about costs – for

example, feeding a Labrador with

oscar’s premium range is only 71p/day.

For more information contact Jean on

01256 880393 or visit www.oscar.co.uk

advertisement

Looking for (free) Deliverance

10

With energy prices increasing by

an incredible 7.6% on average

since last November and the

indication that prices are likely to

continue rising for the foreseeable

future, many of us will have considered

switching to another supplier either for

a cheaper tariff or for a fixed rate. add

to this the fact that energy companies

are now viewed in the same way as

real estate agents and car salesmen

when it comes to trust and we have

some very good reasons for not staying

loyal to any one company.

The peace of mind which comes from

knowing that your energy bills will be

set for the next year or two is

invaluable, but is the process of

switching really as easy as the

television adverts tell us? Well, in most

cases the answer is yes, it is easy, but

you need to be aware that it is a

lengthy process and may involve a little

legwork from you at certain stages of

the switch.

searcH Out tHe best deaL

Your first port of call should be a

comparison site to see which tariffs will

suit your needs. You will be asked a few

details including what you currently

pay for your energy or what specific

tariff you are on. You will also be asked

if you want any particular features

from your energy tariff. Your options

here include a green tariff, a duel fuel

tariff, a provide your own readings

tariff and a pay by a direct debit tariff.

In most cases, reading your own meter

and paying your duel fuel bill by direct

debit will cost you less.

If you choose not to use a comparison

site, you will need to call each of the

energy suppliers in your area. In the uK

we only have six major suppliers and a

handful of smaller ones, so this won't

take too long.

Don't forget that the cheapest deal

may not be the best one for you. You

should always take into account any

tie-ins, the cost of cancelling, the

reviews for the supplier in terms of

their customer service and whether

they meet your needs in terms of

extras such as insulation deals,

cashback or bonuses.

once you have your choice decided, you

simply inform your new supplier that you

would like to go ahead and they will start the

process of switching on your behalf.

nOW Wait...

This is the part where you may find

yourself waiting for phone calls and

emails and wishing the companies

involved would just hurry up.

realistically it will take 5 – 6 weeks for

the switch to be completed and during

that time you may hear very little from

either supplier.

Finally towards the end of this time you

will be asked to supply a reading from

your meter for the new supplier who

will pass it on to your old supplier. This

will be the basis upon which your final

bill will be calculated. If you are lucky,

you may receive a cheque from your

old supplier or you may be one of the

unlucky ones who will need to pay

them.

at this point you should take an active

role in the switching process. Double

check that they have the correct

readings and that you are being

charged accordingly. It will be very

difficult to go back and challenge a

reading at a later date. also ensure that

your new supplier is starting you on the

correct reading.

aren't suppLiers being fOrced tO give us tHe

best deaL?

sort of... The regulator ofgem has

recently introduced some new

legislation which will ask the energy

companies to suggest the best tariff for

their customers on a regular basis. This

means that once a year you may

receive a letter which will tell you how

to switch to the tariff they think is ideal

for you. They are also being asked to

have fewer tariffs and to simplify how

they are worked out.

The government have claimed that this

new legislation will ensure that all

customers get the best possible tariff,

but in reality, it is up to us to make sure

that happens. Your energy company

may send you a nice letter telling you

about their plans and even explain to

you how to switch, but unless you pick

up the phone or click your computer

mouse and take the first steps, you will

languish on a higher tariff than you

need.

essentially, lowering our energy costs is

a challenge in the current climate, but

it is possible to get the best deals if you

are willing to accept that it is your right

and your responsibility to switch and to

do so on a regular basis.

Switching Energy Supplier Is it really as easy as the TV suggests? Megan Collins Quinlan

11

Dispute Resolutionadvertisement

With the possible exception of

september, January is usually the

busiest month for Family Lawyers

and, while the reasons for that are

obviously distressing, there is one positive

to bear in mind. For those of you who find

yourselves in the position of contemplating

separation, the dissolution of your civil

partnership or divorce – or who have

encountered difficulties with regard to

contact with children over the festive

period – there are now more options

available in the form of Dispute resolution.

Dispute resolution encompasses mediation

and collaborative law, both of which are

alternative methods to the traditional

approach usually taken by solicitors,

whereby relationship disputes are resolved

as a result of a formal application being

made to the Court.

The main difference between mediation

and collaborative law is that, with

mediation, both parties attend without

lawyers, while the mediator – who may

well be an experienced Family Lawyer – will

assist the couple to reach an agreement

which is best for their family, but without

giving legal advice or ‘acting’ for either of

the parties.

In the collaborative law process, by

contrast, the parties will attend meetings

with their respective legal advisors, both of

whom will be specially trained and must be

experienced Family Lawyers. The

collaborative lawyers will advise and assist

the parties in reaching an outcome which

suits them.

Both methods of Dispute resolution take

an holistic approach as to what is best for

your family, which is not necessarily the

‘best deal’ that one of the parties may

receive if the case went to Court.

The Government has changed the rules of

litigation so that, in most cases, anyone

wanting to make an application to Court, is

required to attend a meeting (called a

mIam) during which Dispute resolution is

discussed and encouraged, before the court

application can be made. Clearly, therefore,

the Government supports mediation and

other forms of dispute resolution as a cost-

effective method of resolving family

problems.

rowberry morris has an outstanding

reputation in conventional court litigation

and all of our Family Lawyers are very

experienced. however, we also have both

mediators and collaborative lawyers

available in our offices, so can offer a

complete range of services, not just

traditional litigation. We aim to ensure that

parties adopt the right approach at an early

stage in the process of resolving their

family disputes.

If you have need of our services, please do

not hesitate to call either myself or email

one of the team for an appointment. start

the year with a bold move!

If the spectre of separation, civil

partnership disputes or divorce cast a long

shadow over your Christmas, make sure

that the next festive season is a completely

different story from the last.

Julie Gallimore

rowberry morris, sherfield

house, mulford’s hill Tadley

rG26 3XJ

Free parking at rear of office

0118 9812992

www.rowberrymorris.co.uk

e mail: office@rmtadley.co.uk

Dispute resolution encompasses mediation and collaborative law