[Barry Pearce]

That is a good title for Insurance Company's in general, as long as the premiums are still coming in they are happy to take your money, any tradesman can take out a public liability policy, the Insurance Company's are not concerned about ethics, standards, training, competency, a radiator burst, a flood job, any cowboy can move in and get paid, they don't even have to be insured, and its more that probable that most of the 30.000 so called CCs are not insured.
At least you do not have to ask a NCCA member, are you insured, are you trained, because it is obligitory but then like a two egded sword it also cuts the other way, how many times  has the NCCA, the Cleaning council, anybody in the cleaning industy put pen to paper and demanded of MPs, Parliment, Insurers on the matter of trading standards on minimum training before someone can get insurance , and then is let loose on the unsuspecting public.
Barry

[scott.]

sounds like youre p****d off about something barry...shop around mate.

[Mike Halliday]

"and its more that probable that most of the 30.000 so called CCs are not insured"


I'd like to see some sort of proof for this statement : :

I know a lot of CC and all of them are insured.

you know the answer, don't get insurance, save your money,  it not legally required ( apart from motor Ins)

Mike

[Barry Pearce]

Mike.
That word Carpet Cleaner is almost as miss-used as the as the term Builder
in someones title, it means differant things to differant people, but I used the term "So called Carpet Cleaners" and this is every Hooray Henry from the office cleaners up who can borrow a machine and with there 15 minutes instruction can complete the work for relatives, neighbours, and friends, Standards and the thought of insurance,---pardon---What are they.
Barry

[Barry Pearce]

Scott.
Sorry I must have skipped over your reply, Yes, Its the lack of overall standards, a Carpet Fitter  as well as being an assistant for some time, to have a qualification needs a 5 day course plus many other specialist courses, the CC trainers think that a two day  talk in and you are fit to hit the floor running, we need more regulation about business registration and qualification to stop this continual drift of people in and out of the trade who have the only skills of the gift of the gab. which then leaves the more conscientious among us to repair the lost goodwill.
Barry

[Chris Bailey]

Hi Barry

Insurance is also something that boils my blood.

It boils down to ethics at the end of the day.  You can understand, to a certain degree, why some CC's don't have insurance, the cost of premiums are becoming intolerable at around £1,500 per year.

As Mike states, its not a legal requirement to have treat risk.  The ethics come in to it when you’re not insured and a job goes wrong - the CC should resolve the problem (instead of the insurance company) and not walk away from it, even if this means paying out!

You pay your money, or not, and your take your choice.  You have insurance and they pick up the tab or you don't have insurance and you pick up the tab.

Insurance companies should offer no claims discounts, penalise the ones who claim and not the ones who don't, just like motor insurance. Unfortunatly whilst there are claims to be covered then there will be no discounts.

I agree with your training comments, especially about the two day course, but unfortunatley this is all that is on offer within the industry, not just from suppliers but also the NCCA - and some of the two day courses cover both carpet & upholstery!!

[Barry Pearce]

Chris.
And whilst there is complacency at the top, nothing will get done?
Barry

[scott.]

Barry...I agree, but as chris says..thats all they offer, and I'm sure people will agree, that's it's the type of industry youre either cut out for, or youre not..Only experience, and plenty of it will develop your skills, as I've found out..It's like driving...you can show someone how to do it...and the rest is obvious...(unless youre a woman)   JOKE!