Homes & Gardens

A recent survey from Rightmove.co.uk has revealed Exeter to be the Number One place to live in the South West in its Happy At Home Index, and in fourth happiest place to live across the whole of the UK.

Rightmove’s index uses 12 distinct factors to measure how the British public feels about where they live, covering their home (investment, well-being, pride and costs) their community (safety, amenities, recreation and neighbourliness) and their property (décor, space, contentment and value). Responses for each of the 12 measures are averaged to provide both a category score and an...

There are just under 100 declutterers registered nationally with the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers UK (APDO-UK). It is a new profession with a rising profile thanks to the glut of TV programmes about hoarding. However such programmes give the impression that you need the services of a declutterer when you are digging tunnels between rooms. This is not the case. So many of us are time deficient and the homes we work for seem to be shrinking for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the shrinking space is deliberate with a choice to downsize, but often our homes are taken...

Intelligent water monitoring systems could soon be in place across Europe thanks to iWIDGET, a €5 million European Commission project that will use cutting-edge smart-metering technology to improve water use efficiency.

The project aims to improve understanding of the potential that smart-meters have to reduce waste and bring down the cost of water in households and businesses.

The project, which will run for three years, is led by Professor Dragan Savić, Founder and Co-director of the Centre for Water Systems at the University of Exeter.

Professor Savić said: “As...

People only have a few days left to take advantage of Exeter's energy-switching scheme, Exeter Together, and make savings on their energy bills. The scheme closes at midnight on Sunday 17 March.

Launched by Exeter City Council, Exeter Together is helping people from Exeter and surrounding areas save an average of £220 on their fuel bills by joining the innovative collective switching scheme.

The campaign has gained support from the likes of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Ben Bradshaw MP, as well as leading regional businesses including the Met Office and Source for...