B&Q

B&Q has published research today that shows lack of control over energy bills is causing renters to feel helpless at home, with renters admitting they didn’t consider bill costs before moving in – leaving 76 per cent shocked and stung by the fees. A poll of 2,000 tenants found 54 per cent rushed through the process to move in as soon as possible, prioritising location over the heating and energy costs. But now 46 per cent feel they have no control over their bills, leaving 34 per cent cutting back elsewhere to afford them and 17 per cent feeling helpless at home. And 24 per cent have even considered moving elsewhere due to the costs getting out of control. Prior to picking up the keys, 51 per cent didn’t get much or any information from the landlord about how much they would likely have to pay for these essentials. What’s more, 21 per cent are contractually prohibited from changing their energy supplier, with nearly half not realising this when they signed their lease. This has left 36 per cent taking matters into their own hands by carrying out tasks to make their property more energy efficient – despite potentially breaking their tenancy agreements. The research, conducted via OnePoll, also found that there’s more renters can do to protect themselves before moving into new homes. In fact 69 per cent aren’t likely to check the age of appliances, while 67 per cent doubt they will inspect for draughts. 63 per cent are even unlikely to check the EPC rating of the next potential property. At B&Q we have plenty of energy efficiency solutions, from thermostatic controls to draught excluders, which can help make it easier for customers to control and reduce their energy use, and to keep their bills from becoming overwhelming. Our Energy Savings hub at diy.com is a useful place for free tips and advice. Here, people can also take advantage of our free Energy Saving Service, offering personalised advice on the steps they can take to improve the energy efficiency of their home. For more information visit https://lnkd.in/eidJQqqb

At B&Q, learning never stops! Whether you've been in your role for one day or five years, there's always something to be curious about. We spoke with Charlotte Ragan about the culture and development opportunities at B&Q. We're always creating learning opportunities and experiences that'll give you the chance to develop your skills. Start your learning today by seeing what we have to offer https://bit.ly/3NAX8aV #Togetherwecan 

B&Q Community Days Our store colleagues across the UK and Ireland at our 311 stores and our head office are currently volunteering their time, as part of our B&Q Community Days programme, to deliver indoor and outdoor projects for local charities. As well as volunteering their time and skills, each store is donating up to £1,000 worth of B&Q products needed to complete the project. Whether renovating community centres, creating garden spaces, or improving facilities for those in need, our colleagues are aiming to make a tangible difference and connect with the communities they serve. B&Q Llandudno team recently completed a Community Day at the Blind Veterans UK Centre in Llandudno. They refurbished the pavilion used as a place for relaxation and activities by the veterans, making it feel more cosy, bright and comfortable, as well as the guide dog exercise area. Check out the video to see how the day went and to hear about the impact of the makeover from Llandudno store colleagues, as well as from Mark Dibb, store manager of B&Q Bangor, who also joined the day, and is one of a number of colleagues who are themselves armed forces veterans or reservists.  #BandQ #BelongAtBandQ #BandQCommunityDays

As Black History Month comes to an end, the conversation at B&Q doesn’t! Through continuous conversation, we learn, support, and celebrate all cultures at B&Q. All month we’ve been shining a light on black innovators who’ve invented some of DIY’s most recognizable items. We spoke with Lee Tattersall about how B&Q have taken the concept of the lock and the doorknob, and embedded this into the everyday culture – unlocking potential and opening doors to develop our colleagues’ careers. See what doors B&Q can open for you. Find out more about we offer – https://bit.ly/3NAX8aV #TogetherWeCan

At B&Q we want to be a place where everyone can feel they belong and colleague-led events like this Diwali one are a great way of enabling fellow colleagues to join in and share in religious occasions that they might not otherwise be aware of or know much about. Well done Sanita Garley, it was a great event!

Great to be able to showcase one of our circular economy projects at the British Retail Consortium event today.

Throughout Black History Month, we’ve been shining a light on black innovators - like W.A Martin, who in 1889 created one of DIY’s most recognizable items, the lock. At B&Q, we strive to give colleagues the support they need to unlock and develop their talent. We spoke with Tireni Ladega about how B&Q unlock potential for ethnically diverse colleagues and what Black History Month means to him. Want to unlock your potential? Join us! Find out more about we offer – https://bit.ly/48c2zqh #TogetherWeCan

Christmas trends Our larger stores are now dressed for Christmas with new display tables, 250 new products, neon lights, and a tree forest – giving customers a more immersive, festive experience when they visit. Mairi Devlin, our very own Mrs Christmas! provided a few insights on the trends for this year: “Christmas is traditionally a time to embrace seasonal décor and we’re seeing that that’s true now more than ever with the growing trend to change home décor seasonally. We’ve seen a trend for decorations not just being for Christmas, and our research* highlights that 27% of people, and 31% when it comes to renters, change their home décor seasonally, and 57% of people buy small things for their homes every couple of months to decorate.  More outdoor Seasonal lighting is staying up all year round for example, and cluster lights have become a best seller as they add a twinkle and ambience to the garden year-round and not just for the holiday season. Christmas is a time for fun and joy, and we’ve had great fun putting together this year’s range: selecting over 60 different types of artificial and real trees to give more choice for the ongoing trend of having more than one tree; curating four seasonal decorative ranges - ‘Festive Classics’, ‘Nordic Naturals’, ‘Ice Garden’ and ‘Woodland Magic’ – to provide impactful on-trend decorating themes that can also easily be mixed and matched to suit personal style; and extending our range of lights and home accessories to reflect the trend to decorate every nook and cranny of the home and garden. 2023 saw a maximalist trend and we’re expecting huge baubles in strong colours and large outdoor decorations, such as lit-up reindeers and giant inflatable polar bears, to be popular again this year. The excitement of Christmas 2024 may be still to come but we’ve already started the fun of buying for Christmas 2025!” *The B&Q The Way We Live Now 2024 report (see link in comments)

At B&Q we understand the importance of continual learning and the power it gives to change, grow, and achieve our individual, team and organisational goals. Whatever goal you're working to at B&Q, we want to help you get there, because we know that the best way to grow is together. We make sure you always have the support you need to take on every challenge and fit your learning around your life. Here’s Dan Plowright telling us about his career journey whilst working at B&Q. Find more than just a job, find your career at B&Q – https://bit.ly/3NAX8aV #TogetherWeCan #BandQcareers

B&Q trade brand TradePoint UK has launched its first app this month, an important step in our commitment to enhancing the shopping experience of customers and connecting more of them to our range of products. The new app offers trade professionals fast and easy exclusive access to services and discounts on all home improvement materials and a new loyalty membership area. You can download the app on both Google Play and Apple App store for Android and IOS.