When water contaminated with legionella bacteria is inhaled into the lungs, the bacteria are consumed by a type of white blood cell called microphages, inside which they multiply until the blood cell dies. Causing flu-like symptoms, shortness of breath and chest pains, around 30% of those infected die from the disease – increasing to one in two if symptoms are untreated.

Landlords should take the threat of Legionnaire’s disease seriously, as it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of your tenants by keeping the home hazard-free.

What would make my property high risk?

Though all manmade water systems could technically host the bacteria, most residential hot and cold water systems are considered to be ‘low risk’ owing to regular daily water usage and turnover. Usually cold water will come directly from a mains supply, and hot water is fed from instantaneous heaters or low volume water heaters.

However, if water is allowed to stagnate the risk is significantly higher, for example if a building gets its cold water supply from stored water tanks, or if a property is left unoccupied for a long period of time. As a general rule, outlets on hot and cold water systems should be used at least once a week.

What can I do?

To ensure the risk of bacteria remains low in domestic systems

• Ensure hot water stays hot and cold water stays cold – and keep it all moving
• Before letting out a property, flush out the system
• Avoid debris getting into the system by keeping a tight lid on water tanks
• Set control parameters, e.g. set the hot water cylinder to ensure water is stored at 60°C
• Inform tenants not to change these control measures, and to regularly clean showerheads and inform the landlord if the hot water is not heating properly
• Identify and remove any redundant pipe-work

What are the consequences?

Landlords found to be in breach of their duties can face prosecution by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), with a maximum £20,000 fine and up to two years in jail. In addition, if a tenant contracts Legionnaires’ disease they may bring a civil claim against their landlord.

The post How To Prevent Legionnaires’ Disease in Rental Properties appeared first on Shene Insurance.

A rent bond is typically equivalent to at least one month’s rent, so it’s understandable that tenants may do anything to keep a hold of it, including not telling their landlord about something they’ve broken.

However, a survey commissioned by TheHouseShop.com shows that 58% of respondents said they would tell their landlord of any serious damage they caused, that is breaking a window, bathroom fixture etc. On the flip side, 27% said they would keep quiet.

The question:
Please imagine you live in a privately rented property… Which ONE, if any, of the following best describes what you would do if you caused significant damage to a fixture within the property?

The answers:

• Not tell the landlord and attempt to repair the damage myself – 11%
• Not tell the landlord and hire a professional to repair the damage – 15%
• Not tell the landlord and attempt to hide the damage – 1%
• Tell the landlord and offer to pay the full repair bill – 7%
• Tell the landlord and offer a contribution to the repair bill – 7%
• Tell the landlord and wait to see if I need to pay anything – 27%
• None of these – 4%
• Don’t know – 11%

The gender discrepancy
Women were 6% more likely to report the damage and offer to pay the full repair bill than men, while men were more likely to have a go repairing the damage themselves (13%) when compared with female respondents (9%).

Private vs. Housing Association
Those in private rentals were less likely to own up to damage than those renting from the Local Authority. One quarter of LA tenants questioned would try and avoid telling their landlord, as oppose to 33% of private renters and 36% of Housing Association tenants.

“While the vast majority of tenants will not actively try to do damage to a property, accidents do happen, and even well-meaning and reliable tenants can end up inflicting significant damage during their tenancy,” said Nick Marr, co-founder of online property marketplace TheHouseShop.com. He acknowledged that sidestepping a tricky conversation with the landlord was understandable from a tenant’s point of view:

“The best advice I could give to landlords would be to encourage an open and honest relationship with their tenants, so that tenants don’t feel scared or nervous about reporting any damages as soon as they happen. Having a direct relationship with your tenants, as opposed to using a third party agent or management service, can be a great way to build trust and avoid any nasty surprises further down the line.”

However he did also warn landlords of difficult and destructive tenants.

“It is important to remember that landlords should always conduct thorough checks and references on any potential tenants before they move into the property. That way you can hopefully avoid the nightmare tenant horror stories that so many landlords can recall in an instant.”

Sound familiar? Landlords can protect property including buildings, fixtures and fittings, with relevant Property Owners Insurance from Shene Insurance.

The post Over Half of Tenants Would Inform Landlord of Property Damage appeared first on Shene Insurance.

1. Leave curtains and blinds open
   Nothing draws attention to the fact nobody is home like closed curtains in the middle of the day – it’s best to leave them open and invest in a security light if you’re worried about evenings.
2. Bring in washing
   It might seem obvious, bur bring washing in from the line and take down drying racks that can be seen through windows.
3. Cancel the milk
   Milk, papers and any other daily deliveries that could give away an empty house should be temporarily cancelled.
4. Keep valuables out of sight
   Make sure your prized possessions can’t be seen through a window. Most burglars are opportunists, so make things less simple by hiding valuables in several difficult-to-reach places.
5. Invest in timer switches
   It’s tempting to leave your lights on the whole time you’re away, but in actual fact a bedroom light on in the dead of night could be a giveaway to burglars. Automatic timer switches are cheap and allow you to set a few lamps to turn on and off at appropriate times.
6. Enlist a neighbour
   If you have a kindly neighbour who would be willing to keep an eye on your property and pop in to pick up the post, this can give you extra peace of mind. All you’ll have to do is buy them a bottle of wine or a bunch of flowers – and perhaps return the favour in the future.
7. Use Royal Mail’s Keepsafe scheme
   No willing neighbour? No problem! Avoid build-up of letters and post – which may be visible and show you’re not at home – by using Royal Mail’s Keepsafe scheme which holds letters and parcels at a small cost for up to 66 days and delivers on your return.
8. Don’t announce your plans
   Apart from immediate friends and family, be careful who you tell that you are going away or for how long. Bragging on social media is a definite no-no. You don’t know who is reading it, and there’ll be plenty of time for that when you return.
9. Give the house a once over
   Take the time to walk around the inside and outside of the house before you leave. You’ll see immediately if anything looks out of order, and while you’re away you’ll feel reassured you didn’t forget to do anything.
10. Check your household insurance
    Make sure your cover remains valid while you are away, and that you have the level of insurance you require. If you’ve bought any particularly expensive possessions recently, do they need to be listed? Some policies will have exclusions for things like if you are away from home for a certain number of days, or if you let a non-family member house sit for you. Check these stipulations, or talk to your broker if you’re unsure.

Experienced in arranging household insurance for your buildings and contents, find out what Shene Insurance could do for you by calling 020 8878 7822.

The post 10 Tips To Keep Your Home Safe When You’re On Holiday appeared first on Shene Insurance.

What does ‘rebuild value’ mean?
The rebuild cost of your home is different to its market value. It is the amount it would cost to completely rebuild your home if it was destroyed beyond repair. This is usually lower than the price your home would sell for.

Your buildings insurance amount needs to cover the rebuild costs, or in the event of your property needing a complete rebuild you’d end up paying the shortfall. This is ‘under-insuring’, and can happen when the rebuild value is guessed wrongly. Basing your policy on your home’s correct rebuild cost will prevent you from paying too much, or ‘over-insuring’.

How do I calculate it?
To calculate the rebuild value you will need to know the external floor area for both upstairs and downstairs. For a property where all the floors have the same dimensions, this is simple – go outside and measure the length and width of the ground floor walls, then multiple those two figures together.

The ABI (ABI) offers a Public Rebuild Calculator on its website. Simply enter your property information and calculate the rebuilding cost of your home, up to four times in a 12 month period.

Your rebuild value should include any professional fees and the cost of clearing the site. If you have recently bought a new home, the rebuild cost should be stated on your mortgage valuation or deeds.

Will I ever need to re-calculate it?
Yes. If you renovate your home or build an extension, you should recalculate the rebuild cost and speak to your broker to ensure your insurance would still keep you covered. It’s a good idea to review the rebuild cost of your home every time you renew your insurance.

Specialist properties
If your home is unusually shaped, a heritage property, built from non-standard materials or has special architectural features, its rebuild cost may be higher than its market value. The best way to calculate the rebuild cost of unusual properties is to hire a chartered surveyor who will be able to carry out a professional assessment.

Commercial properties
Similarly, the rebuild cost of commercial premises should have been provided by your surveyor when you bought the property. Extensions, alterations and property use changes can all affect the rebuild cost and make it worth recalculating. To do this, contact a professional approved by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

If you have any questions, just get in touch with Shene Insurance on 020 8878 7822.

The post How To Calculate The Rebuild Value Of Your Home appeared first on Shene Insurance.

 WINNERS

Loft conversion
Loft conversions are a popular way of adding a much needed extra bedroom for those fighting for space, and adding value onto the sale price. According to Legal & General, a loft conversation or extension can add 21% to the value of your home.

But outlay and ceiling price of your street shouldn’t be overlooked. If you spend £30,000 on your £200,000 home but the top price for a property on your street is £215,000, you’re not going to see a return.

New kitchen
The heart and soul of most homes, a new kitchen is a move-in ready sign for potential buyers and can add 4.6% onto the value of your home. The whistles and bells of high-tech kitchens may be a step too far both in alienating those with alternate tastes and tipping you over from profit to loss.

Additional bathroom
The battle of the bathroom is a mainstay in plenty of one-bathroom households – probably why an extra one is so appealing. One way to restore early-morning co-habitation harmony is to have an en-suite put into any new bedrooms you have planned for an extension or loft conversion. Sprucing up your bathroom could add 2.8%, while adding another could give you a 5% return on your property value.

Be warned, turning an existing bedroom into a bathroom will have a negative impact on the price of your home.

Parking
Conjuring a parking space may not be achievable for some, but if you have a property with both a front and a back garden, transforming the front plot into off-road parking could notch up your home value by 2.2%.

AND LOSERS

An “acquired” taste
It’s important that you’re happy with your home and its décor when living there, but prepping it for sale is another story. Using up valuable space for a cinematic screen and speaker system isn’t going to win the house brownie points if you’re potential buyer doesn’t even have Netflix, and a hot tub screams “legionnaires disease” to some.

Think about broadening the appeal of your property by toning down gaudy wallpaper and showing off the best use of redundant space without reaching out to only the film or miniseries buffs.

Taking out old features
Original tiling, fire mantles, cornices and slate roofs enhance a property’s characteristics as well as adding to its value. If you don’t want to detract from either, leave them well alone.

The post Winners and Losers of Home Renovation appeared first on Shene Insurance.

Here are some examples of niche businesses with unusual homes…

The petrol-station-turned-burger-bar
Something of a trend amongst hip restaurateurs, several ex-petrol stations across the UK have been turned into trendy eateries, bars and arts spaces. When the pumps, tanks and canopy is removed, the remaining buildings are unique and retro – Scotland’s Filling Station chain offers Americana decor with burgers’n’shakes to match.

The abbey-turned-distillery
Dating back to 1494, Lindores Abbey in Newburgh, Scotland, has a rich history of whiskey distilling. 2017 saw an ambitious project underway to convert an old stone Abbey farm standing on the Abbey’s grounds into a swish new distillery with a glass-fronted stillroom, built using local wood and stone.

The abandoned-factory-turned-office-space
Derelict and in disrepair, warehouses and factories which are not up to modern day use are being transformed into beautiful office spaces: think exposed pipes, bare brick walls and lofty framed ceilings. Pinterest’s San Fran headquarters are housed in a suitably inspiring industrial warehouse with collaborative open spaces.

Could your property get a new lease of life? When you’ve found the right proposition, there are a few regulations to adhere to. As well as potentially applying for planning permission to change use class, your insurance will need to take the new uses into account. Speak to your insurance broker at Shene Insurance to find out how the changes could affect your cover.

The post It’s Not What It Seems: Could Your Premises House a Niche Business? appeared first on Shene Insurance.

1. Buildum
   An all-in-one organisation system for property managers, this app allows you to streamline daily tasks into rent, vacancy and maintenance ‘cycles’
2. DocuSign
   This app allows you to upload paperwork and email it to tenants, guarantors and other parties to get their signature electronically. Information is encrypted and securely stored online.
3. Property Matrix
   Geared towards owners of apartment complexes and multi-family unit properties, use this app for tenant and lease tracking, creating invoices, maintenance requests and more.
4. storEDGE
   Manage multiple storage facilities within one system using this clever app, and even choose which functions your employees can access.
5. RoomKeyPMS
   Perfect for the hospitality trade, this cloud-based system offers front office management, guest relationship management, online booking engine, housekeeping and more.
6. ReaLync
   One for the digitally-minded, this web and mobile platform allows for real-time virtual tours of properties, saving agents and clients the time and hassle of physical viewings.
7. Legal 4
   Providing an easy way to background check potential tenants, this purpose-made app features an extensive searchable database to help discover if tenants have previously been evicted or blacklisted.
8. Rent Manager
   For both residential and commercial property companies, this financial software is ideal for companies with multiple buildings and employees, keeping track of accounts receivable and payable, payroll import and budget management.
9. Glide
   View the status of utility bills across your entire property portfolio with this life-saving app, allowing you to to monitor, pay and keep track of bills as well as upload photos of meter readings.
10. Crime Map for England & Wales
    If you’re considering expanding your portfolio, check out your potential investment with this app which notes all recorded criminal and anti-social activity in the neighbourhood with handy pins on a map.

The post Top 10 Apps To Help Manage Your Property Portfolio appeared first on Shene Insurance.

Three in ten UK workplace fatalities involve a fall from a height, such as a worker slipping from a ladder. Around 40 people die in this way in the UK each year. It makes sense to use all available strategies to reduce the need for workers to climb ladders – which is where insurance drones enter the scene.

Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are small aircraft that can fly and hover around structures. They take high-resolution photographs and make aerial surveys, providing insurers with information about building condition.

When an insurer might use a drone
Potentially unsafe structures are a prime example of how a UAV can assist insurers. If a building is damaged by fire, part collapse or some other structural issue, it may not be safe for a human to carry out an inspection. Using a drone, the site can be surveyed without risking human safety.

There are also savings to be made by using a drone. Inspecting a property can take a considerable length of time. The average is one to two hours but for large or complex buildings this can be much longer. Drones can capture data that human inspectors cannot: close-ups of the tenth story of a building, a mosaic photo showing an entire roof, or videos showing damage in granular detail.

Drones can also be used in combination with sophisticated thermal imaging equipment to reveal water damage, or laser measuring units (LIDAR), which provides detailed building models showing movement after flooding. This makes damage assessments more detailed and accurate.

Why UAVs make happier customers
A drone controlled from the ground by the inspector can do the job around ten times faster, zooming in and recording key features. The time saving is even greater for commercial and tall buildings.

Quicker inspections translate into faster processing of claims and more satisfied customers. In times of high demand, such as the aftermath of flooding, the use of UAVs could make a significant difference to claims management. Delays in assessing claims cause additional distress to customers already in difficult circumstances.

More drones are coming to our skies
For years now, drones have been associated with military activity. Surveillance and air strikes in hostile regions can be carried out using the technology with minimal risk to military personnel.

However, drone usage is now extending from the defence industry into insurance and beyond. Amazon is partnering with the Civil Aviation Authority to test automated delivery drones, which could be a game-changer for ecommerce.

UAVs can be deployed in almost every area of human activity. Easyjet already uses drones to carry out safety inspections of its aircraft; agribusiness is investing in the technology to monitor and manage crops and livestock. Network Rail’s ORBIS project will use drones to create a 3D digitised map of the entire UK rail network, helping to analyse maintenance work and field worker distribution.

The post The Property Insurance Industry Is Leading The Way In Drone Adoption appeared first on Shene Insurance.

Our property insurance advisers offer their expert eye on determining what you need from your listed building insurance, and how to react to the added challenges…

What does it mean if my building is listed?

Listing a building (Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II) marks it out as being of special architectural and historic interest, and brings it under the consideration of the planning system. As such, building consent must be applied for in order to make any alterations or extensions which might affect its special interest.

The National Heritage List for England (NHLE) contains details of all listed buildings in England. You can search this to double check your building’s status.

What are the challenges of insuring a listed building?

Listed buildings require dedicated insurance due to their historical significance, an important factor if they were to be damaged or destroyed. Rebuilding or repairing a listed building takes significantly more time and planning than a modern construction.

This is because they are often constructed from unusual or particular materials, which would have to be sourced specially to avoid altering the building’s significance. Their construction may also use complicated or highly skilled construction techniques.

Here’s how to ensure you make the most of your cover:

• Preventing risks

Think of your ownership of a listed building as more of a guardianship – you are responsible for helping to preserve it. Regular maintenance and keeping on top of repairs can help stop small structural problems turning into bigger disasters – and keep insurance claims to a minimum.

• Contents insurance

Many listed building insurance policies include contents insurance, covering furnishings and your possessions. Policies which combine buildings and contents cover can often save you money, but if you have any particularly valuable items such as antiques or high-end tech, they may need to be listed separately.

• Landlords insurance

Much like household cover, listed buildings insurance won’t cover you for leasing your property to others. If you happen to rent out your building, you will still need appropriate landlords insurance to cover against any damage during a tenancy.

To find out more about listed buildings insurance and get a quote, contact us on 020 8878 7822 today.

The post Insuring a listed building: what you need to know appeared first on Shene Insurance.

But since the invention of the internet, it has never been easier or quicker for a brand’s reputation to be damaged – and bad publicity can have a serious impact on revenue, with corporate reputation estimated to equate to 4-5% of yearly sales.

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” – Warren Buffet

From dissatisfied customers leaving angry reviews to a hashtag gone awry, how can you guard against PR disasters and reputation bungles which could lose you clients?

5 practical tips for maintaining your business’s online reputation:

1. Interact with customers

45% of senior executives believe a brand’s reputation is tied to its online sociability. Favouriting tweets and replying to Facebook messages validates customers’ interactions with you, encouraging them to share your business with others – and proves you are staffed by real people.

2. Respond to reviews

Word-of-mouth is still the primary driver of a customer’s purchasing decision, with 85% of consumers reading up to 10 reviews before they decide to trust a business. Even if you’ve nothing more to add than a polite ‘thank you’, replying to comments makes the reviewer feel valued. If they’ve left an unhappy comment, simply apologise for their experience and offer to make it up to them – it looks better than getting angry in the long run.

3. Know what’s going on

It might sound simple, but staying active on social media shows your page is up-to-date and ensures you’ll be the first to know of any negative publicity. Regular use can even help your pages stay higher up in search results.

4. Share success stories

If you don’t want others to be in control of your reputation, make sure you’re leading the conversation. Identify “good news stories” from within your business, share press releases and blogs across your online presence, and encourage discussion with your own hashtag.

5. Look for opportunities

Need more to talk about? It’s no coincidence that getting involved in your local community or lending a hand to a good cause will get you noticed, and give you something positive to build into your brand.

Too little, too late?

Whether it’s an employee accidentally tweeting from the corporate account, or a very vocal attack from a dissatisfied client, here are 3 tips to turn a bad situation around:

1. Assess the damage

Look at how much harm has actually been done. Is it just hurt feelings, or reputational damage which might cause a problem with your other clients? 1 bad review among 50 nice ones is not worth getting stressed about, but something offensive which gets picked up by the press is going to require action.

2. Take time to cool off

Talking of action, it’s easy to panic and react immediately. While it’s important to be aware of the problem quickly, letting the heat die down can often give you a better impression of the damage that’s been done. Sometimes doing nothing can even be the best course of action, rather than engaging in online battles. Far from looking complacent, it can help you look calm and controlled.

3. Admit mistakes and commit to fixing them

If you are at fault, or what a reviewer says is true, it can look best to graciously admit your mistake and apologise. If you can, offer a complementary visit or service to make up for their experience. But remember, don’t admit liability to anything which is likely to result in a court case or insurance claim, and never discuss internal procedures regarding employees.

More than just a bad review? Insurance can offer vital protection if you are accused of causing financial loss or physical harm through your work.

Talk to us about Professional Indemnity Insurance today.

The post Review to a kill: How important are online reviews of your business? appeared first on Shene Insurance.