Guarantees and finance

BE PREPARED

You wouldn’t dream of driving a car without being insured and neither should you run a home unless you have adequate cover! Insurance helps solve many unplanned problems, from the roof blowing off to a tree falling over!

BE PREPARED

When you employ anybody to carry out home improvements you should always make sure they can do the job to a very high standard and they use only the very best methods and materials.

They must also be fully covered to carry out the work to your total satisfaction and to meet fully all the various exacting home efficiency rules and regulations!

Make sure they are a member of a trade organisation (or organisations), which should automatically protect you from shoddy workmanship and materials. This will be your peace-of-mind that if anything goes wrong it’s up to them to put it right and not charge you anymore!

Get them to show you a certificate proving they are fully covered by insurance and check on the bone fide of whoever issued the insurance.

Insurance and finance often come out of the same drawer. So if you need to borrow money you should first see if you qualify for a grant? If you don’t then ask your bank or building society of they can help? Often they will be able to help because home improvements inevitably enhance a property’s value!

WHAT'S WHAT

Always ask your trade person or contractor for a certificate of insurance. A good builder, for instance, will be fully covered for any injuries or shortcomings that may occur. So they should always carry with them their employer’s liability and public liability insurance!

Any person you consider make your improvements and, of course, the one you finally give the job to should be fully accredited and, possibly, part of a government competent person scheme.