THE president of an Oxfordshire rail campaign group is aiming to curb the surge in scrap metal thefts by getting the law changed.
Lord Faulkner, who heads the Cotswold Line Promotion Group, wants to make cash transactions for scrap metal illegal.
He has tabled a Private Member’s Bill and a series of amendments in the House of Lords to try to secure a ban.
Metal theft has surged in recent years due to record prices for copper and other metals, combined with a boom in demand in China, India and other Asian countries.
Thefts of copper signal cables have disrupted train services on the Cotswold Line between Oxford and Worcester several times in recent weeks.
Thieves have also struck at other public services and buildings around Oxfordshire in the past year.
Telephone and internet users in Eynsham and Chinnor were cut off this summer when cables were stolen, lead worth 100,000 was stripped from the roof of St Mary’s Church in Warkworth, near Banbury, in August, while schools, churches and council offices were targeted by lead thieves in Abingdon in September.
While the value of the metal stolen may be small, the costs of disruption and repairs can be huge.
The rail industry estimates cable thefts over the past three years have caused 16,000 hours of delays to trains and cost 43m, while the Association of Chief Police Officers says metal thefts cost the UK 770m a year.
Announcing his proposed amendments to the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, Lord Faulkner told the House of Lords: “The move to cashless transactions (for scrap) is seen by all the interested parties as an essential step in the process of getting this business under some sort of control.”
As well as banning cash deals for scrap, the peer wants sentencing guidance revised, so courts take into account the cost of disruption and repairs caused by scrap thieves, not just the value of the metal they take.
Scrap merchant Jonathan Smith, of AV Smith and Son, of Frogs Island, off Old Didcot Road, Wallingford, said: “I think cashless transactions would help cut down on the problem of metal thefts. I think it would be a good idea.
“I would like the trade to be as clean as possible.”
He added: “I would love to stop the thieves. It’s not just churches and businesses being raided, 3,500 of metal was stolen from our yard a year ago by someone who came in across the fields.
“But you also need to do something about people who are buying the metal without any checks. I always ask for photograph identification and take details of people’s vehicles, and record every delivery coming into the yard, so everything I buy is there in black and white.”
Oxford East MP Andrew Smith said: “Metal theft is a huge problem, hitting householders, local businesses and churches.
2011年12月11日 星期日
2011年12月5日 星期一
Small businesses turn to Square for credit transactions
Cabbie David Mendoza reaches for his iPhone and plugs in a spiffy Square Reader to process a ride's fare.
"When customers see it, they either say 'What is that cool device?' or 'Hey, that's Square,' " says Mendoza, 32, who used to struggle with a bulky payment device that was slow to pay him and hard to store records on.
Within a week of using Square, Mendoza was sold on the device — as were his customers, many of whom would rather pay with a credit card instead of cash. "I wanted simple, and got it," says the cab driver.
Mendoza is one in a growing legion of devotees to Square, a credit card-processing company co-founded by Twitter inventor Jack Dorsey. Merchants nationwide have snapped up the small, white plastic device to quickly and inexpensively accept payments.
Despite a struggling economy, Square has found a lucrative niche among small businesses and is becoming a go-to fixture for a variety of companies — ranging from those hawking quirky goods to vendors at local farmers' markets. Even some Salvation Army bell ringers collect charitable donations via the Square Reader.
This year, Square, which makes its money by collecting transaction fees, has helped merchants process sales for $2 billion worth of luxury goods, such as jewelry, and for specialized services, such as massages and goodies at vegan-doughnut shops. The average purchase on Square: $75.
But Square faces formidable competitors and major hurdles to becoming a force with big retailers and corporations. "While Square is new, it's just facilitating a 50-year-old payment mechanism — mag-stripe cards," says Nick Holland, an analyst at market researcher Yankee Group.
Mobile-payment transactions are expected to nearly double this year, to $86.1 billion from $48.9 billion in 2010, according to market researcher Gartner. Worldwide mobile payment users, meanwhile, will swell 40%, to 141.1 million in 2011, from 102.1 million in 2010.
Others have taken note of the trend lines. Google is the latest company to jump into the fray, joining PayPal, Intuit and scores of others. "It is a gold rush," Holland says.
Since its device and app became available last year, Square has gained more than 800,000 customers, who typically pick up Square for free through the company's website, or with a rebate from retail stores including Apple, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target and RadioShack.
Smaller businesses primarily use Square's small white plastic device, which plugs into the headphone jacks of mobile phones and tablets, to perform transactions.
The start-up has grown quickly by raising capital from the likes of Visa and venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and enlisting heavyweights such as Sun Microsystems co-founder Vinod Khosla and former U.S. Treasury secretary Lawrence Summers to its board of directors.
When Square landed $100 million in funding in June, some analysts pegged its market value at more than $1 billion. Virgin Group head Richard Branson invested an undisclosed multimillion-dollar amount in November.
Square's card reader and apps have caught on because of the "transparency and simplicity" the company has brought to transactions for businesses, says Keith Rabois, Square's chief operating officer.
Customers who purchase smartphones at Best Buy often pick up a Square Reader in the process, says Robert Stephens, chief technology officer at the retailer.
The feisty, 200-person private company based here, has no intention of ceding its place as a favorite among pop-up shops and individual entrepreneurs.
"Square is hitting its stride," says Holland. "When they first started, I thought: 'Not a chance.' But it has found many niche markets, it's free, and it improves cash flow for small businesses, which many live and die on."
Early adopters of Square attest to its simplicity. Says Miki Nishihata, owner of Hello Bicycles in Seattle: "There is no risk in starting with Square, and no cost to have it available, even if not frequently used."
"When customers see it, they either say 'What is that cool device?' or 'Hey, that's Square,' " says Mendoza, 32, who used to struggle with a bulky payment device that was slow to pay him and hard to store records on.
Within a week of using Square, Mendoza was sold on the device — as were his customers, many of whom would rather pay with a credit card instead of cash. "I wanted simple, and got it," says the cab driver.
Mendoza is one in a growing legion of devotees to Square, a credit card-processing company co-founded by Twitter inventor Jack Dorsey. Merchants nationwide have snapped up the small, white plastic device to quickly and inexpensively accept payments.
Despite a struggling economy, Square has found a lucrative niche among small businesses and is becoming a go-to fixture for a variety of companies — ranging from those hawking quirky goods to vendors at local farmers' markets. Even some Salvation Army bell ringers collect charitable donations via the Square Reader.
This year, Square, which makes its money by collecting transaction fees, has helped merchants process sales for $2 billion worth of luxury goods, such as jewelry, and for specialized services, such as massages and goodies at vegan-doughnut shops. The average purchase on Square: $75.
But Square faces formidable competitors and major hurdles to becoming a force with big retailers and corporations. "While Square is new, it's just facilitating a 50-year-old payment mechanism — mag-stripe cards," says Nick Holland, an analyst at market researcher Yankee Group.
Mobile-payment transactions are expected to nearly double this year, to $86.1 billion from $48.9 billion in 2010, according to market researcher Gartner. Worldwide mobile payment users, meanwhile, will swell 40%, to 141.1 million in 2011, from 102.1 million in 2010.
Others have taken note of the trend lines. Google is the latest company to jump into the fray, joining PayPal, Intuit and scores of others. "It is a gold rush," Holland says.
Since its device and app became available last year, Square has gained more than 800,000 customers, who typically pick up Square for free through the company's website, or with a rebate from retail stores including Apple, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Target and RadioShack.
Smaller businesses primarily use Square's small white plastic device, which plugs into the headphone jacks of mobile phones and tablets, to perform transactions.
The start-up has grown quickly by raising capital from the likes of Visa and venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and enlisting heavyweights such as Sun Microsystems co-founder Vinod Khosla and former U.S. Treasury secretary Lawrence Summers to its board of directors.
When Square landed $100 million in funding in June, some analysts pegged its market value at more than $1 billion. Virgin Group head Richard Branson invested an undisclosed multimillion-dollar amount in November.
Square's card reader and apps have caught on because of the "transparency and simplicity" the company has brought to transactions for businesses, says Keith Rabois, Square's chief operating officer.
Customers who purchase smartphones at Best Buy often pick up a Square Reader in the process, says Robert Stephens, chief technology officer at the retailer.
The feisty, 200-person private company based here, has no intention of ceding its place as a favorite among pop-up shops and individual entrepreneurs.
"Square is hitting its stride," says Holland. "When they first started, I thought: 'Not a chance.' But it has found many niche markets, it's free, and it improves cash flow for small businesses, which many live and die on."
Early adopters of Square attest to its simplicity. Says Miki Nishihata, owner of Hello Bicycles in Seattle: "There is no risk in starting with Square, and no cost to have it available, even if not frequently used."
2011年10月16日 星期日
Vacation Rental Payments Just Got Easier with DepositGuard
The vacation rental industry is about to get a major boost with a new secure payment process introduced by DepositGuard, a company steeped in real estate best practices, with executives who have transacted and protected more than $150 million.
Designed to deliver confidence for renters, homeowners and companies serving the vacation rental industry, DepositGuard is expected to fuel rental bookings and attract new customers with customizable options that will work across any sales platform or site.
DepositGuard is a patent-pending, web-based service that securely collects, holds and administers the deposits and pre-paid rents for vacation and residential property transactions, benefitting both renters and homeowners (including landlords, property managers and rental agents). No matter where homeowners or renters search and find accommodations, DepositGuard’s protected payment process can be integrated with calendar, compliance, travel insurance and other ancillary revenue or business needs of the homeowner, property manager or listing site.
“DepositGuard aims to standardize the way money is handled for online vacation and home rentals,” said Alan Lane, DepositGuard’s Co-Founder and Director of Business Development.
According to DepositGuard, the 13% expected growth in the industry is grossly underestimated for 2011 and the $85 billion that changed hands for vacation rentals in 2010 represents only a portion of potential revenue based on new consumer data from a DepositGuard study. Seventy Eight percent of consumers polled indicate they would rent properties more often (or for the first time) if better payment security was offered.
“We’re positioned to help the industry gain back ‘lost revenues’ from the customer set who is uncertain or prefers more control over the payment process,” Lane said. “And we are dedicated to applying our existing expertise and success to this burgeoning niche in the vacation and tourism industries.”
If each homeowner loses one rental per year because of a “fearful consumer,” DepositGuard estimates an industry loss of $10.5 billion annually … at minimum.
Because there is no standard way of handling money for vacation rental payments, the disparate procedures make it more difficult for both homeowners and renters when making decisions and securing their investments. For homeowners, putting renters at ease while satisfying business needs, allows for greater reach and customer satisfaction.
“Renters' confidence in how their money is handled is key to the vacation rental business,” said Matt Neal, DepositGuard’s Co-Founder and Director of Operations. “By giving renters peace of mind, DepositGuard leads to increased occupancy and ROI for homeowners,” Neal continued.
Unlike other payment methods, a merchant account is not required to accept Visa/MasterCard payments and there are no fees for homeowners to use DepositGuard. Homeowners can simplify their rental business with DepositGuard’s automated and easy-to-use system for managing, tracking, and accounting for rental payments and deposits.
DepositGuard establishes a neutral third-party account where the rental funds are parked for safekeeping. Both the renter and landlord have full visibility into the account and must be in agreement before the account can be created, changed, closed or any money released. DepositGuard maintains a Fidelity policy through Travelers and a Professional Errors and Omissions policy with Lloyds of London to guarantee the safety and liquidity of all funds.
Designed to deliver confidence for renters, homeowners and companies serving the vacation rental industry, DepositGuard is expected to fuel rental bookings and attract new customers with customizable options that will work across any sales platform or site.
DepositGuard is a patent-pending, web-based service that securely collects, holds and administers the deposits and pre-paid rents for vacation and residential property transactions, benefitting both renters and homeowners (including landlords, property managers and rental agents). No matter where homeowners or renters search and find accommodations, DepositGuard’s protected payment process can be integrated with calendar, compliance, travel insurance and other ancillary revenue or business needs of the homeowner, property manager or listing site.
“DepositGuard aims to standardize the way money is handled for online vacation and home rentals,” said Alan Lane, DepositGuard’s Co-Founder and Director of Business Development.
According to DepositGuard, the 13% expected growth in the industry is grossly underestimated for 2011 and the $85 billion that changed hands for vacation rentals in 2010 represents only a portion of potential revenue based on new consumer data from a DepositGuard study. Seventy Eight percent of consumers polled indicate they would rent properties more often (or for the first time) if better payment security was offered.
“We’re positioned to help the industry gain back ‘lost revenues’ from the customer set who is uncertain or prefers more control over the payment process,” Lane said. “And we are dedicated to applying our existing expertise and success to this burgeoning niche in the vacation and tourism industries.”
If each homeowner loses one rental per year because of a “fearful consumer,” DepositGuard estimates an industry loss of $10.5 billion annually … at minimum.
Because there is no standard way of handling money for vacation rental payments, the disparate procedures make it more difficult for both homeowners and renters when making decisions and securing their investments. For homeowners, putting renters at ease while satisfying business needs, allows for greater reach and customer satisfaction.
“Renters' confidence in how their money is handled is key to the vacation rental business,” said Matt Neal, DepositGuard’s Co-Founder and Director of Operations. “By giving renters peace of mind, DepositGuard leads to increased occupancy and ROI for homeowners,” Neal continued.
Unlike other payment methods, a merchant account is not required to accept Visa/MasterCard payments and there are no fees for homeowners to use DepositGuard. Homeowners can simplify their rental business with DepositGuard’s automated and easy-to-use system for managing, tracking, and accounting for rental payments and deposits.
DepositGuard establishes a neutral third-party account where the rental funds are parked for safekeeping. Both the renter and landlord have full visibility into the account and must be in agreement before the account can be created, changed, closed or any money released. DepositGuard maintains a Fidelity policy through Travelers and a Professional Errors and Omissions policy with Lloyds of London to guarantee the safety and liquidity of all funds.
2011年8月14日 星期日
Poor economy has some tenants living in substandard units
Empty 40-ounce malt liquor bottles are strewn across the floor, mixed with discarded clothes. Hair clippings from an impromptu haircut litter a backroom floor. Next to the hair is some old bedding, evidence that someone has been sleeping there.
"You can imagine how thrilled the neighbors have been," Code Enforcement officer Pam Wilderman said, standing amid the trash last week in the backyard of a home at 198 West Main St.
The recession has led to a jump in the number of people living in substandard housing, as some tenants try to pack more people into units to make rent payments more manageable and some landlords become more lax in monitoring the apartments they own.
Wilderman recently cited the Sudbury landlord and kicked out the tenants of the illegal apartment, one of several in the city.
The landlord was charging the tenants $800 a month to live in the first-floor apartment. The second floor wasn't rented because former tenants had tried to do renovations without a permit, Wilderman said.
But the first-floor tenants still ran extension cords to the second floor, where the power company had forgotten to shut off the electricity.
Wilderman said the homeowners, who have now put the property on the market, should have monitored the home more closely to prevent tenants from bringing in more people than allowed.
The listed homeowner, Donna Morris, trustee of 198 West Main Street Realty Trust, said she and her husband, who have owned the house for about 30 years, aren't to blame.
"That's been sort of a victim of bad tenants," she said last week. "It's just been one bad tenant after the other."
Morris said she and her husband would rent the apartment to the allowed number of people, but the tenants would inevitably bring in more. The couple would try to monitor the home, but usually when they showed up, damage would have already been done.
"It's just been awful," she said. "It's just been a nightmare lately."
Wilderman said her department receives reports of 10 to 12 illegal apartments or units in severe violation of building code. Much of the problem, she said, is because of the sour housing market.
"It's just about as prevalent as it is in Milford or Framingham," she said. "The housing market boomed because of mortgage issues. Now it's going the other way."
At another apartment at 3 Church St., six to eight people were living in a two-bedroom apartment, Wilderman said. She found out about the apartment, whose landlord has been cited for several infractions in the past, when police were called there last week.
In an attic in the home, a sheet of drywall had been put up to cordon off a bedroom. To get to the bedroom, the tenant had to almost get down on hands and knees to access the door through a passage that was, at its smallest, about 3 feet high.
Wilderman said she went to the apartment last week and gave the tenants a week to move out. The person staying in the attic bedroom, she said, had been paying $275 a month.
The landlord, listed as Carlos Olmedo of Waltham, did not return a call for comment.
Marlborough is able to keep a relatively good handle on the problem, Wilderman said, by having departments collaborate through an informal "impact team." She said the group, made up of members of various departments that deal regularly with housing, health and safety issues, meets monthly.
"This is why the impact team is so important," she said. "There is a constant stream of information between the police, fire, inspection, Board of Health, even the trash guys."
"You can imagine how thrilled the neighbors have been," Code Enforcement officer Pam Wilderman said, standing amid the trash last week in the backyard of a home at 198 West Main St.
The recession has led to a jump in the number of people living in substandard housing, as some tenants try to pack more people into units to make rent payments more manageable and some landlords become more lax in monitoring the apartments they own.
Wilderman recently cited the Sudbury landlord and kicked out the tenants of the illegal apartment, one of several in the city.
The landlord was charging the tenants $800 a month to live in the first-floor apartment. The second floor wasn't rented because former tenants had tried to do renovations without a permit, Wilderman said.
But the first-floor tenants still ran extension cords to the second floor, where the power company had forgotten to shut off the electricity.
Wilderman said the homeowners, who have now put the property on the market, should have monitored the home more closely to prevent tenants from bringing in more people than allowed.
The listed homeowner, Donna Morris, trustee of 198 West Main Street Realty Trust, said she and her husband, who have owned the house for about 30 years, aren't to blame.
"That's been sort of a victim of bad tenants," she said last week. "It's just been one bad tenant after the other."
Morris said she and her husband would rent the apartment to the allowed number of people, but the tenants would inevitably bring in more. The couple would try to monitor the home, but usually when they showed up, damage would have already been done.
"It's just been awful," she said. "It's just been a nightmare lately."
Wilderman said her department receives reports of 10 to 12 illegal apartments or units in severe violation of building code. Much of the problem, she said, is because of the sour housing market.
"It's just about as prevalent as it is in Milford or Framingham," she said. "The housing market boomed because of mortgage issues. Now it's going the other way."
At another apartment at 3 Church St., six to eight people were living in a two-bedroom apartment, Wilderman said. She found out about the apartment, whose landlord has been cited for several infractions in the past, when police were called there last week.
In an attic in the home, a sheet of drywall had been put up to cordon off a bedroom. To get to the bedroom, the tenant had to almost get down on hands and knees to access the door through a passage that was, at its smallest, about 3 feet high.
Wilderman said she went to the apartment last week and gave the tenants a week to move out. The person staying in the attic bedroom, she said, had been paying $275 a month.
The landlord, listed as Carlos Olmedo of Waltham, did not return a call for comment.
Marlborough is able to keep a relatively good handle on the problem, Wilderman said, by having departments collaborate through an informal "impact team." She said the group, made up of members of various departments that deal regularly with housing, health and safety issues, meets monthly.
"This is why the impact team is so important," she said. "There is a constant stream of information between the police, fire, inspection, Board of Health, even the trash guys."
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