[jasonl]

What's insurance got to do with cleaning
carpets.
I have PL and nothing else.

John

If you have "treatment risks" then you are covered for items which you are actually working on, so if you damage it  your biggest liability is your excess.  

Obviously it is better to have treatment risks from a  professionalism point of view.  The cost and hassle of setting it up are minimal.

[Mark Lawrence]

What's insurance got to do with cleaning
carpets.
I have PL and nothing else.

John

Think that probably answers your question. If you damage something that your cleaning - it will come out of your own pocket as PL will not cover it. If you dont pay for it you'll probably be sued.

So may companies 'gamble' to probably save a few quid (or are under the illusion that PL covers everything). It really aint worth it.

Mark

[garybristow]

the system you go through to join the ncca is as good as it gets,you show money comitment,you give up 2 days,and you get your arse to leicester,you spend 2 days with people that know their stuff and you sit an exam that you will pass with half a brain,you then prove you are insured.
They can then recommend you to potential clients,is there a better way to vet potential members??
if so what?
GaryBristowclean

[robert meldrum]

Today I got an invitation the join The Guild of Master Craftsmen..............Now that name is known to me from many years of seeing their logo on tradesmen's vans and advertising material.

The fact that they do nothing for members is almost irrelevant as their logo catches the public's attention and gives a positive message ( whether justified or not ) and a positive feeling about a contractor wins custom.

The thing is............The name and the logo does the job.
Prospective clients don't need to know about training or safe products or super duper powerful machines, etc. They get a positive message from a little logo on a van or car or advert and that's all they need........

Scary, or what ?

 

                                           

[clinton]

I remember that logo robert..

[garry22]

This goes totally against my marketing principles but maybe a logo and highbrow name like the Guild of Master Craftsmen is the way forward?

Derek has put a load of work in here but the real acid test is how the general public reacts.

Are they looking for this sort of organisation or do they even care?

My personal view is that this all has to be done by press releases and PR... preferably in womens' mags and things like that.

It's one of those things that people need but do not know they need it. That is the hurdle you need to get over.

[Neil Williams]

I remember that logo robert..

I had that logo about 9 years ago Well for one year anyway before I realised how bad an idea it was.
The folder was hard wearing though and I still use that today for carrying all my paperwork.

[robert meldrum]

Neil

My point was NOT about them being worth joining ...............Garry has understood what I was saying. It's a MEMORABLE name and has a DISTINCTIVE appearance which is worth a lot more than most ideas being floated.

As far as TRAINING CREDIBILTY is concerned virtually everyone knows about NVQ'S and regards them as having VALUE and everyone will soon require them anyway, soooooooooooooo, why not approach the NATIONAL TRAINING PROVIDER who already supplies NVQ training in the UK and discuss how to intoduce them to the industry en mass and even suggest the introduction of the type of courses you regard as most appropriate.

I'm talking about BICCS who've been the accepted training provider for the cleaning industry for the past 30 or so years.

[peter maybury]

have not mentioned insurance so can see why you do not understand my reply. but depending on what level of work you do depends on whether and what insurance you need in place. With many of the large plants, shopping malls, organisations that we do work for we do have to have 10m liability in place and need to produce evidence of this before we are even allowed onto the sites.  many of the cleaning companies that we do work for are aware of treatments risks and insist on that as well. Some enviroments will even check that there are no limitations to work within their type of industry as some insurance companies make exclusions for marine or say petrol refineries, but very often it is only people with in those indusrys that are aware of such exclusion clauses. We even have been asked to produce employers liability in certain circumstances. The need for insurance will vary depending on the level of your customers, so some may not see it as important. For a few years in was not one of my concerns but experience has taught how important it is.
Peter
www.carpetcleanercardiff.com

[robert meldrum]

If you want to get commercial work you will find more restrictions are being placed in your way each year so it's wise to have not only proper insurance but also CRB check certificates and company ID cards
.
OTT...............maybe, but if you have it and others don't it increases the odds in your favour.

[derek west]

your a clever man bob, is there any way an association can initiate CRB checks?, it would be a great asset to TACCA, and i'm guessing totally welcomed by our members, just a thought, not got a clue if it can be done.

[Paul Evans]

your a clever man bob, is there any way an association can initiate CRB checks?, it would be a great asset to TACCA, and i'm guessing totally welcomed by our members, just a thought, not got a clue if it can be done.

Good idea Derek, More than welcomed from me

Paul

[Andrew Briscoe]

have not mentioned insurance so can see why you do not understand my reply. but depending on what level of work you do depends on whether and what insurance you need in place. With many of the large plants, shopping malls, organisations that we do work for we do have to have 10m liability in place and need to produce evidence of this before we are even allowed onto the sites.  many of the cleaning companies that we do work for are aware of treatments risks and insist on that as well. Some enviroments will even check that there are no limitations to work within their type of industry as some insurance companies make exclusions for marine or say petrol refineries, but very often it is only people with in those indusrys that are aware of such exclusion clauses. We even have been asked to produce employers liability in certain circumstances. The need for insurance will vary depending on the level of your customers, so some may not see it as important. For a few years in was not one of my concerns but experience has taught how important it is.
Peter
www.carpetcleanercardiff.com

Totaly agree with Peter, we pay a premium for our insurance, pushing 2k a year now.
We also have upto date h&s policy, provide risk assesments for a lot of jobs, as well as method statement for each job, not generic ones, staff going through cscs health and safety tests. All needed for some of our bigger cleaning jobs, ok not all carpet cleaning related,
but we find once you have it in place with a company, you get far more work, and they go with you for other work without a price as they dont want to go through it all again with other companies. We have doubled turnover because of this.
As for crb, i am not sure if government are going to keep it, we have half staff done, all it means is they havnt been caught or on any register, lots of piedo's about that probably havnt been caught and are in a position of responsibility 

Andrew

[Buckland]

Derek - yes there is a very efficient organisation which you could use - it is called Disclosure Scotland and I think the basic crb check is 25 quid

It is used by Hampshire County Council Trading Standards Department and they ask all members of its Buy With Confidence scheme to use them for a crb check - the Buy With Confidence scheme was dreamed up/started by Hampshire but has been adopted by many other counties around the south east and beyond (they have a scheme starting up in a Scottish region soon).

We are members - it is the sort of independent scheme that ticks all the boxes in terms of vetting members with a face to face meeting and feedback from customers - if by chance there is a problem then as a trader you have an independent arbiter to sort things out and an avenue of communication already exists between you and trading standards.

Only problem is theiur website is a bit clunky - it could do with a severe makeover!

[robert meldrum]

Derek

No I'm not  just been around a long time and involved in many things. Individuals have to apply for their own checks. As mentioned, in Scotland it's Disclosure Scotland from which web site you will get appropriate guidelines.

There are two levels of check - basic - and - enhanced - the enhanced check goes all the way back rather the past 5/6 years. The report will list any convictions or court appearances the individual has had and comes to the applicant who allows their employer to see it.

In the case of Local Authorities they never wanted to see our certificates or our employees the onus being on the employer to decide whether or not to employ some one with a " record "

The weakness in the system is the obvious................people with clear records might NEVER HAVE BEEN CAUGHT but been absolute rogues their entire lives. But it gives the public confidence and gets over one of the many hurdles put in the way by Local Authorities, Schools, Sports Centres, etc

[Steve. Taylor]

LINK HERE DEREK

https://www.disclosures.co.uk/google_adwords/?src=ga&gclid=CP2au6nFs6sCfAgntAod-mlbcQ

[Tony Rowley]

When I worked for a contract cleaning company we had a security division and as members of the SIA all guards had to have CRB checks, the company and or the Divisional Manager were registered and had a certificate which allowed them to collate the application forms, check the passports/identification etc and then send the completed applications off either bulk or individual.

Also I am starting work for a college as a part time distance learning tutor and am having a CRB check carried out, I have to send the application form to the college with my identification and they will proceed the application from that point so I dont think its true that an individual has to instigate the check off their own back, it could be carried out by an organisation like TACCA, taking out the need for a middle man, if they have the correct credentials, registration etc.

I have applied for membership of TACCA because i thought it was a good idea but apparently there is a back log of applications so still waiting to hear, But , honestly, CRB checks for carpet cleaners? the reason i decided to work for myself in the first place was because i was pi**ed off with all the bureaucratic  BS etc etc I had to put up with on a daily basis and wanted the freedom to run my business the way I wanted without someone else telling me what i should or shouldn't be doing.

Don't know why you all decided to work for yourselves............. just a thought.

Tony

[Tony Rowley]

Just recieved an email message from TACCA  saying that i have not submitted my business information? very strange as last Friday Derek sent me an email telling me it was on the system and was pending approval from the commitee!!!

Tony

[creighton foyle]

i thought you had to pay for crb checks ? if so anyone know how much?.

[Buckland]

errr... I just posted about that!