I completely agree with your leader on 13 March that the government should have taken the cue from the EU and cut VAT on maintenance and refurbishment to 5% in the last budget

My boss, Garvis Snook, feels equally strongly, which is why he has launched a campaign called Repairing Britain, with the VAT cut as one of its key demands. He feels our industry could lose as many as 250,000 people during this recession and knows that refurbishment is likely to provide much more work for tradespeople than new build.

If the Treasury really does believe a VAT cut would mainly subsidise rich landlords it should think again and consider those who can鈥檛 move because of the stasis in the housing market but who could upgrade their existing homes; who could save money on energy bills by installing greener technology and those who want to provide better homes for people who rent in local communities without always having to build new ones. That鈥檚 not to mention the incomes of the tradesmen that stand to be protected by a surge of activity in refurbishment.

Details of our campaign are featured on the front of our website: .

Vicky Banham, communications, Rok

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