TrustMark, the Government endorsed quality mark for tradesmen, is urging greater coordination between insurers, loss adjusters and local authorities to help flood victims find fully vetted and technically competent firms to repair homes and business premises and carry out flood resilience improvements. I feel that all of us in the KBB industry need to do our part in getting the message across too.

For while the Government’s £5,000 Repair & Renewal grant will help fund additional flood resilience or resistance measures for those affected, it will be money wasted unless we can cut out the rogue traders who are no doubt already salivating at the thought of all the vulnerable homeowners they’ll be able to exploit.

The grants system - administered by local authorities - will go live from 1st April. Funding will be for measures such as waterproofing external walls; repointing walls with water-resistant mortars; new types of insulation; raising ovens, boilers and electrics well above flood levels; replacing floors and installing new types of kitchen units.

“Too often insurers are encouraging policyholders to find their own local tradesmen for emergency repairs or longer-term reinstatement works,” warns Liz Male, Chair of TrustMark (www.trustmark.org.uk). “It is vital that the community of insurers, surveyors, councils and anyone supporting flood victims now consistently signpost to TrustMark. Here they will find reputable firms to do this work; tradesmen who are properly vetted, insured and working to the well-established Government-endorsed standards.”

During my years as a journalist in the cleaning industry I’ve visited several homes and businesses that have suffered days or even weeks under several inches (or more) of water and am well aware of how long the drying out and cleaning processes take before anyone can even think about the refurbishment stages. We, as an industry, have plenty of time to get behind Trustmark’s initiative and ensure that any money that’s going to be ploughed into refurbishment projects is money well spent. After all, however wonderful a new kitchen or bathroom is, it’s only as good as the tradesperson that fitted it. Consumers facing issues have a habit of blurring the two…

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Yours,

Jan Hobbs