We're loving... We're hating... We're buying...

Loving... a builders' code of conduct

It's hardly a revelation that the relationship between builders and homeowners is often far from harmonious. It is, however, a huge relief that the Office of Fair Trading has deemed it necessary to introduce a code of conduct to which developers must adhere, or face the ramifications of a committee. The "code" is being drawn up in conjunction with representatives from within the building industry and is to be enforced by an independent body, that should be in place by March 2010, which will address all consumer's grievances – be it dissatisfaction with faults in new homes or issues over builders' notorious problems with deadlines.

Hating... energy suppliers

It appears the surplus income generated by this year's energy price hikes – a record 38 per cent – has not been well-spent. Gas and electricity were the lowest-scoring industries in a recent Which? survey, which also asked readers to rate the performance of banks, mobile-phone companies and insurance providers on: billing, customer service, online and telephone support, ability to deal with queries and value for money. Less than half of the 8,694 consumers who took part said they were satisfied with their energy supplier's performance. Npower scored lowest with an overall rating of 32 per cent while British Gas, who recently raised their prices by 35 per cent, came a close second with just 40 per cent.

Buying... the lou lou ghost chair

A miniature, child's version of the world's best-selling polycarbonate chair, The Louis Ghost, is now available. Identical to the original, designed by Philippe Starck in conjunction with Kartell – an Italian furniture specialist – in all but size, it is a plastic Louis XV-style chair available in various transparent shades or in opaque colours. Like its cult predecessor, the Lou Lou is an aesthetically pleasing piece unlike most designer items in that it's extremely practical and durable – they are virtually unbreakable, both scratch and water-proof, and thus suitable for outdoor use. Parents should feel inclined to part with the requisite £58 – a snippet for an item of furniture that might actually be child-proof.

Available at The Conran Shop: 020-7589 7401; www.conranshop.co.uk .