How to pick the correct damp proofing, timber treatment or basement waterproofing guarantee.
To be fair most of the guarantees are not worth the paper they’re written on! Most of Complete Preservations work is going over other contractors damp proofing work, this is because they give the customer a Mickey Mouse company guarantee with all sorts of exclusions in it or a product guarantee…….we all know the product won’t fail it will normally be preparation or application. Another one is the chemical company guarantees, these are advertised to be insurance backed, and they are more like assurance or protection scheme guarantees. These are not true insurance backed guarantees. You try claiming on one of these……….you won’t get very far!!! I have pages of emails from people with failed damp proofing systems that are still guaranteed, and the contractor will not go back!
So which guarantee do you go for?
There is a true insurance backed guarantee and that is available to Property Care Association members who are qualified surveyors. The company that offer this insurance is the Guarantee Protection Insurance (GPI); this is an FSA registered Insurance Company. The benefits of using the GPI Insurance is that you have an actual
▪ Insurance period of up to 20 years
▪ Access to financial ombudsman service
▪ Member of the financial services compensation scheme
▪ Protects against the contractor ceasing to trade
▪ FSA registered company
Another good way to tell, there is no vat on an insurance backed guarantee, you only pay Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) which is 6%.
GPI has been trading since 1983 and has in excess of 1.5 million policy holders
If you are thinking about selling your property in the future, purchasing GPI Insurance may assist such a sale providing the potential purchaser with the written guarantee from the contractor and also the additional insurance in the event of them having ceased trading.
The National Association of Estate Agents, The Royal Institute Of Chartered Surveyors, Banks, Building Societies and mortgage lending institutions advise that when you need a damp proofing and timber treatment survey, it should be carried out by a qualified member of the Property Care Association (PCA) formerly the British Wood Preserving Association (BWPDA) http://www.property-care.org
They should also be able to offer a GPI guarantee http://www.gptprotection.co.uk
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Contact Complete Preservation of Trowbridge Wiltshire if you have any questions on damp proofing, timber treatments, basement conversions.