Friday 28 February 2014

Thursday 27 February 2014

Bristol landlord where man died in fire Just Escapes Prison

THE landlord of a house where a man died following a fire has received a suspended prison sentence.
Ashiq Mohammed Sadiq, 54, from Eastville, admitted breaching four fire safety laws at the premises on Stapleton Road in December, 2011.

Two people escaped from the with burns and smoke inhalation, however Jaroslav Bily, 54, died as a result of the injuries he sustained.

After carrying out an investigation, Avon Fire and Rescue Service brought the charges against Sadiq.
He had breached the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 by failing to complete a fire risk assessment; failed to ensure that the premises were equipped with fire detectors and alarms and that the exit route was adequately protected.

There was no self-closing fire door to the kitchen and combustible materials were stored against unprotected electrical wiring in the escape route.


The Phone that can map a room in 3D

Google has unveiled a prototype smartphone with "customised hardware and software" that enables it to create 3D maps of a user's surroundings.

The device's sensors allow it make over 250,000 3D measurements every second and update its position in real-time.

Google said potential applications may include indoor mapping, helping the visually-impaired navigate unfamiliar indoor places unassisted and gaming.

It has offered 200 prototypes to developers keen to make apps for it.

Google said its Advanced Technology and Projects (ATAP) unit developed the phone as part of a project called Project Tango with help from researchers at various institutions.

Monday 24 February 2014

The Next step in Nuclear Fusion

The dream is the power of the sun. The sun is a dense ball of gas that is a fusion reactor.

A fusion power facility has succeeded in tipping the balance between energy input and output to achieve a net gain.

The result falls short of "ignition" - the "Holy Grail" of fusion science, which would generate more energy than the total amount needed to operate the reactor - but is still seen as a turning point.

At the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in California used 192 lasers to heat and compress a small pellet of fuel, a mixture of deuterium and tritium (DT), until its atoms began to collide and fuse.

By carefully tuning the laser pulses to maintain stability, the scientists produced an energy yield 10 times greater than any achieved before.

Crucially, the fusion energy obtained exceeded the amount of energy absorbed by the fuel to trigger the reaction.

This is not the same as generating more than the total energy needed to compress the fuel pellet, which is necessary for ignition.

if they get this right we could have almost limitless supplies of clean energy from special forms of hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe.

Deuterium and tritium are two "heavy" isotopes, or atomic strains, of the gas.

From the journal Nature.

Sunday 23 February 2014

SlickLogin

Google has acquired SlickLogin - an Israeli start-up behind the technology that allows websites to verify a user's identity by using sound waves.

It works by playing a uniquely generated, nearly-silent sound through computer speakers, which is picked up by an app on the user's smartphone.

The app analyses the sound and sends a signal back to confirm the identity.

The technology can be used either as a replacement for a password or as an additional security layer.

Many firms, especially those in sectors such as financial services, have been adopting a two-step verification for users.

The steps include matching the user name and the password plus a second layer of verification.

fine until you loose your phone!!!

Saturday 22 February 2014

Safe Shopper's Guide from the ESC

When shopping for electrical goods, everybody loves a bargain. But ... the product could be a cheap copy, of poor quality, or made to look like a well-known brand. Or it may be second hand, with damage that can make it unsafe. These electrical products could harm you, your family and your home.

Unsafe electrical products can cause fire, electric shock, burns and other injuries. The last year has seen the highest number of counterfeit electrical goods entering the UK in three years and experts predict that this rise will result in millions of unsafe Christmas presents being given this year.

Ten tips to help you stay safeFollow our tips to stay safe when shopping for electrical goods, either online or in stores:
Beware of any item that is much cheaper than you expected. If it's too good to be true, it probably is!
  • Don't rely on a CE mark alone as a guarantee of quality.
  • Check that the packaging note looks genuine. Does the item come with instructions and a guarantee?
  • Check for damage when you get home, especially loose or broken fittings or frayed wires.
  • Check that the item has a three-pin UK plug or charger and that you know the country of origin.
  • Check that the voltage of products is 230V, 50Hz - the UK's usual domestic voltage .
  • Avoid buying second-hand products, especially ones where the guarantee or warranty has run out. You won't know who has owned it or what condition it is in.
  • Use online review websites to find out what people are saying about products and sellers 
Important!
If you suspect a product is dangerous to use, or if it is a fake copy of a well-known brand, it is illegal. Contact your local trading standards office or Citizens Advice straight away. If you have any suspicions about a product's safety, or if you think it's a fake, do not use it.

Problem products
Recall information from the official EU recall system, which lists unsafe products in Europe, shows the electrical goods most reported as faulty or dangerous are:
  • Electrical chargers
  • Adaptors, including those used for travel
  • Cable extension and product leads
  • Hairdryers, tongs and clippers
  • Small kitchen appliances like kettles, toasters and irons

Friday 21 February 2014

Friday Fact

1980s pop star Glenn Medeiros is the vice principal of a high school in Hawaii.

RANDOM!!!

Thursday 20 February 2014

The world is ready for electric cars, it just doesn't know it


You don’t believe me, and to be honest sometimes I don’t believe me!!
When it comes to electric cars or EVs, all this range-anxiety and fast-charging-network stuff  is just smoke and mirrors

To be honest, how far do you ever drive??? Tesco and back, 20 mile round trip to work??? When do you ever go more than 50 miles (each way)

Fact - One third of Ford Fiestas and Renault Clios are never driven further than 100 miles in their entire lives

Do you realise how many cars that is???

Did you know that The ‘fiesta’ segment also just so happens to be the biggest seller in the UK.
 The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) puts what it calls 'mini and supermini' sales at 900,000 a years

So if you ignore range, how about charging???

Wouldn’t an EV be used just like your phone (only with bigger batteries) - You plug it in overnight and use it during the day. What you don't do is worry about charging it during the day. You just drive it. Not very far and mostly stuck in traffic not using any charge.

The car really is like the phone - You carry it 9the phone, not the car) all day, but only actually use it in short bursts. Oh and incidentally, that overnight charging model means you don't even need to install any kind of fast charger at home.

Just plug it into a socket. The battery won't be completely empty and you'll top it up just fine as you sleep.

You get my drift???

you ready???

Wednesday 19 February 2014

EV psycology...

First came range anxiety.

Then, we had charger rage.

Now, people are noticing another condition unique to plug-in car owners: Charger fixation.

It's what happens when you plug in your electric car at every single opportunity you get--and particularly if the charging is free.

EV owners are now using parking spots with chargers even if they don't really need a top-up.

owners openly admit charging whenever the electricity is free, regardless of how much range he has left. "If it's free, I'll take it"

It's causing a few problems. - it's causing charger congestion

So first we had congestion charging, now we have charger congestion

go figure!!!

Someone may need that charge more than you do. Don't hog the socket!!!

you don't have the right to occupy an electric car parking spot if you don't really need it.

And plugging in everywhere you go regardless of how much you need those few extra kilowatt-hours seems a bit... pointless.

Some charging companies are trying to minimize charger "squatting" by charging only a nominal amount for juice for the first hour or two, but bumping up the charges thereafter.

personally I am not sure "charger fixation" is really a condition, though. I think its called being selfish...

watch this space for updates

Barnfield College 'wrongly claimed' £1m of funding

This is a bit close to our heart as a lot of our trainees have done their elec tech here...

Barnfield Federation, which runs Barnfield College in Luton, Bedfordshire, is being investigated over claims of financial mismanagement.

A Skills Funding Agency (SFA) report, seen by the BBC, says significant failures in the management structure led to improper use of college funds.

Barnfield Federation said it would comment once the report was published.

The federation, which also runs four academies and a free school, is currently the subject of three inquiries, with the Department for Education and the Further Education Commissioner also investigating.

The leaked SFA report says the number of hours of learning claimed for did not match attendance registers, meaning the college received more money than it should have.
'Substantial pay rises'

As a result, the funding claim for 16-18-year-olds has been reduced by £464,176 and funding for the adults skills budget has been reduced by £477,000.

Hertfordshire Police said it was looking into whether a crime had been committed.

Other examples of financial mismanagement are highlighted in the report, including how "substantial pay rises" were granted to certain executives "without proper oversight".

The report says the college went from having a surplus of £1m in 2010 to a deficit of £712,000 in April last year.

It also highlights concerns over the departure of former chief executive Sir Peter Birkett, who resigned in May.

The report says Sir Peter left on good terms and only requested a "few extra days' holiday in excess of his contractual entitlement".

However, the report says Sir Peter was given a lump sum equivalent to his annual bonus, a further lump sum "as an incentive to sign a compromise agreement", an additional month's holiday on top of his contractual entitlement and his company car.

The report says the board's handling of Sir Peter's resignation was not a "proper use of college funds".
Sir Peter says he will comment on the report once it is published. The date for publication is not yet known.

Tuesday 18 February 2014

Should London’s bus lanes to accept electric cars

Cities should do more to encourage the use of electric cars by investing in charging facilities and allowing zero emission vehicles to use bus lanes, says the head of Renault UK.

there needs to be acceptance of emerging electric vehicle technology to encourage their uptake

Renault are calling on London Mayor Boris Johnson to follow Norway in allowing electric cars to use lanes reserved for public transport.

In London that would be an interesting approach. In other cities having legislation that requires new buildings have a dedicated number of parking spaces with charge stations already included.

Renault sees electric cars as a key part of its portfolio of vehicles. It currently sells four electric cars, from its miniature Twizy to the Kangoo van, and leads the market in Europe with a 61% share. It has sold about 30,000 vehicles since its first model went on sale just over two years ago.

Ramirez cites Norway as a country which has ‘culturally accepted’ the benefits of zero emissions technology. There are now 21,000 electric vehicles registered in the country, which has a population of 5 million. Purchases of the zero-emission cars make up 10% of all sales.

Monday 17 February 2014

Landlord couple fined for renting out 'dangerous' property

A couple who rented out their property in the East End of London have been fined more than £14,000.

The five-story terraced house in Bow Road, Bow failed to meet security, fire and electrical safety laws, according to the East London Advertiser. 

Landlords Samuel Jenyo and his wife Olusola, from Harrier Way in Beckton, failed to carry out “essential security, fire safety and electrical work” and were found guilty, along with their company SAB Associates, by Thames magistrates of offences under the Housing Act.

The inadequacies of the property were first brought to the landlords' attention in May 2011. These safety issues had not been dealt with sufficiently in the house that had multiple tenants, when environmental officers inspected it more than 18 months later.

In addition, the couple were unable to provide an electrician's certificate and there were still electrical faults, while the fire alarm system and fire doors did not meet the required safety regulations.
Mr Jenyo was fined £5,800, Mrs Jenyo £4,300 and SAB Associates £4,300. Total fines and surcharges topped £14,760.

Magistrate Fitz Allen-Howard commented: “Any diligent landlord should be aware of obvious faults like scorched electrical sockets.”

DUH!!!

Landlords have a moral duty and legal obligation to make sure homes they rent out are safe.

At the end of 2013, the government announced it would give councils across the country a joint fund of more than £4 million to help tackle rogue landlords.

Commercial buildings, non-domestic and multi-occupancy premises in England and Wales are already forced to undertake a 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment carried out under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

While the overwhelming majority of premises do this, if the assessment is thought to have been carried out to an insufficient extent, the Responsible Person can face an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison.

Sunday 16 February 2014

Number of fire fatalities lower than 10 years ago

It looks like the message is getting through.

The number of fatalities caused by fire has dropped by 33% in the last ten years.

Recent statistics, published by the government, revealed there were 140 deaths in England as the result of a blaze in the six months between April and September 2013. While this is higher than 2012's figure of 128, it is a 33 per cent decrease from 2003.

There were also 94 deaths due to accidental dwelling fires during April to September. This total was also greater than 2012's tally - by 29 per cent - but 17 per cent lower than the figure ten years ago.
The statistics showed there were 1,664 fires that required hospitalisation - but did not result in death - during the same time frame, marking a seven per cent drop than in the same period in 2012.

Local fire and rescue authority services travelled to 102,000 blazes and 115,000 false fire alarms in the same six-month period. The number of fires they attended was a 55 per cent fall from 2002, while the false fire alarm tally fell by five per cent in comparison to 2012's total.

It transpired this figure of 102,000 fires was lower than in every previous year except 2012, when there were "many months of well-above-average rainfall".

fire safety and prevention activity, such as highlighting smoke alarms and other building fire safety systems and features, audits and enforcement activity, fire safety campaigns and education, and other advice.

Saturday 15 February 2014

Smart charging your EV is the future

A new study by a team of researchers at Carnegie Mellon University suggests that electric car owners can cut costs if they let the supplier decide when to charge their vehicles.

The study found that allowing the power grid to control charging is more beneficial than charging the vehicles during peak electricity times.

That way the supplier can smooth out the demand for charging overnight while you’re not using the vehicle.

The supplier will have the option to use less expensive power generation options offereing you a saving

This would require electric car owners to surrender some control over when they charge their vehicles.

would you accept cheaper running cost for giving the supplier a little bit of that flexibility?

Controlled charging could also reduce the demand during times of less wind generation, which would make renewable energy sources a lot more attractive.


Thursday 13 February 2014

Is Generating electricity from lava a possibility???

like many things in science, some this are discovered by accident.

One such discovery has opened possibilities of harnessing under surface heat to produce power.

A geothermal borehole project in Iceland a few years ago accidentally struck magma - the molten rock that flows out of volcanoes - and it spewed superheated steam for two years.

The Icelandic Deep Drilling Project, IDDP, has been drilling shafts up to 5 km deep in an attempt to harness the heat in the volcanic bedrock far below the surface of Iceland.

In 2009 their borehole at Krafla, northeast Iceland, reached only 2,100m deep before unexpectedly striking a pocket of magma intruding into the earth’s upper crust from below, at searing temperatures of 900-1,000 degrees Celsius.

“Drilling into magma is a very rare occurrence and this is only the second known instance anywhere in the world,“ Wilfred Elders, professor emeritus of geology at University of California, Riverside, was quoted as saying.

“This could lead to a revolution in the energy efficiency of high-temperature geothermal projects in the future,” Elders said.

 The magma-heated steam has been measured to be capable of generating 36 MW of electrical power, said the study published in the journal Geothermics.

interesting

130,000 Homes left without power

The Energy Networks Association, representing UK energy companies, said about 130,000 homes and businesses remained without power late on Wednesday night.

That figure includes:

About 68,000 in mid and north Wales and 15,000 in south Wales
19,000 in south-west England
13,000 in the West Midlands
10,000 in Cheshire
10,000 homes elsewhere in north-west England

Wednesday 12 February 2014

Take Extra care in the kitchen.

Firefighters are backing a national safety campaign which aims to encourage people to take extra care in the kitchen.

More than half of all accidental house fires in England are caused by mishaps involving cookers, grills, ovens and microwaves.

It only takes a moment's distraction, such as a phone call or a knock at the door, for a fire to start in your kitchen.
We are urging people to put safety first when they are cooking.

Tips for a safe kitchen are:

Carry out a regular weekly or monthly check on your smoke alarms by pushing the "test" button.

If you don't have smoke alarms - call us if central beds

Our top 8 tips
  1. Don't start cooking if you are tired or have been drinking alcohol.
  2. Keep the oven, hob, grill and toaster clean and in good working order. A build-up of fat, grease or crumbs can lead to a fire. (I need to clean mine at home)
  3. Double-check the cooker is off when you have finished cooking.
  4. Don't leave children in the kitchen alone when cooking on the hob. Keep matches, lighters and saucepan handles out of their reach.
  5. Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob, and take care if you are wearing loose clothing.
  6. If you need to leave the kitchen while cooking, take pans off the heat or turn the heat right down to avoid risk.
  7. Keep electrical leads and appliances away from water.
  8. Don't put anything metal in your microwave oven, and please take care when setting the timer.

Tuesday 11 February 2014

Sometimes you get a Thank You that Gives you a Warm Glow

Also may we say a big thank you to Robert and the young man that was with him?

So many people never seem to have a good word for young people these days.

They were Great and listened while I tried to explain what we wanted.

To them it was very simple but to me since my husband has been ill it has been a nightmare trying to keep the house warm.

Now it is lovely
Mrs Odell

Monday 10 February 2014

How can British Gas get away with making triple the profit on Gas than Tesco do on our food???

Can it be right that with every one struggling with our fuel bills, British Gas are making double figure profits on their gas sales???

The profit margins made by the "big six" energy companies when supplying gas are much higher than previously thought

One of the keys is a market with little or no competition and specifically the dominance of British Gas.

Its profit margin is one of the industry's highest and, with 41% of the market, it has the largest share.

It's been open season for attacks on energy companies by politicians for months and with results like this, that seems right.

we laud going for the biggest bully in the playground as if they can get them into line most of the others should follow.

The figures appear to paint a very stark picture.

More important perhaps is the timing - with the first annual competition review into the energy sector due to report next month.

Mr Davey said that so far the debate on energy prices had centred mainly on the electricity market, but that gas accounted for two-thirds of an energy bill for most households.

 Analysis of the profit margins of the energy companies shows that the average profit margin for gas is around three times that of electricity.

There is also evidence that British Gas, the company with the largest share of the gas domestic supply market, has tended to charge one of the highest prices over the past three years, and has been on average the most profitable.

The information has been publicly available for months... we ask why the regulator, Ofgem, had not acted already.

Centrica, which owns British Gas, saw profit margins of 11.2%

SSE also has a high profit margin of 11.4% but a much smaller market share

supermarkets typically run at 3.5% to 5%.

Domestic Gas Supply Margin 
Centrica
11.2%
 
RWE
1.7%

Scottish Power
7.1%
 
SSE
11.4%

There has been much anger in recent months over energy price rises.

Last year, the government changed its plan for a green levy on the industry in order to persuade the major energy companies to reduce the proposed increase in bill prices.

Sunday 9 February 2014

US military funds Mission Impossible 'vanishing' tech

The US military is funding a project to develop electronics that can self-destruct like the secret messages in the Mission Impossible.

Darpa, the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, has awarded computing giant IBM a $3.5m (£2.1m) contract to work on its Vanishing Programmable Resources (VAPR) project.

It is looking to develop a class of "transient" electronics that can be destroyed by remote control.

The kit could be used in combat zones.

IBM's proposal involves the use of a radio frequency trigger that could shatter a glass coating on a silicon chip and turn it into powder.

Saturday 8 February 2014

Batteries on planes

In June last year, police at San Diego International Airport noticed a passenger's bag was smoking as it journeyed around the carousel.

Inside, a lithium-ion battery had touched a screwdriver and both had melted.

In September 2012, a flight attendant and two passengers were burned when they handled a mobile phone and spare battery that overheated during a flight.

In April 2012 a lithium battery inside someone's personal air purifier caught fire at 28,000ft.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report says "a flight attendant described a shooting fire from a passenger's device at about the same time that the captain felt a small thud".

Friday 7 February 2014

Friday Fact

Two per cent of Europeans lack the genes for smelly armpits

*unfortunately they are never the ones you are stuck next to on a crowded tube train

The Best Thank You Note Ever!

We have just received the best thank you note ever

“Thank you for your prompt action to our emergency call on Tues 28th January. Your prompt action enabled a funeral wake of 98 people to assemble in our hall. Many Thanks Cynthia T"

Here to help

Thursday 6 February 2014

Woolgar Electrical achieve BS EN ISO 9001


We are pleased to announce the

approval of our Woolgar Quality Management System to BS EN ISO 9001 accreditation.


 
 

This represents an enhancement to our business and demonstrates the company's commitment to providing consistently high quality products and customer service.

 After much hard work formalising and enhancing many of our existing systems and creating a Quality Manual from scratch we did it.

Thank you to Richard Wigfield of WQS for a guiding Hand.

Approval to this standard demonstrates the involvement of management with our quality policies and our commitment to customer satisfaction and continual improvement.

Thank you to the Team for all their hard work. It is a testament to our employees’ dedication to the company.
 

Wednesday 5 February 2014

Central Heating enginers make you fat - FACT

Having the central heating on may be contributing to our ballooning waistlines
 
A report from Dutch researchers suggests higher temperatures in homes, offices and hospitals provide more comfort, but mean bodies no longer need to burn extra calories to keep warm.
 
A Maastricht University Medical Centre group says 19C (66F) is sufficient to provide the right balance.
 
There is the argument that turning down the thermostat would merely prompt people to eat more.
 
The report said people spent 90% of their time indoors and yet "we cool and heat our dwellings for maximal comfort while minimising our body energy expenditure necessary to control body temperatures".
 
The energy balance is shifted towards weight gain and can require a drop in temperature to help burn off some calories.
 
Two in every three adults in the UK are classed as overweight or obese, and it is a growing problem globally.
 
Cases have quadrupled to about one billion in the developing world since 1980.
 
A cold environment switches on brown fat deposits, which are said to generate 300 times more heat than any organ in the body.
 
so there you have it
  1. next time you see a central heating engineer, tell him he's slowly killing your family
  2. move the fridge to the point furthest away from the sofa. that way when you need comfort food, at least you will get a bit of exercise going to get it.
have a nice day, n turn the room stat down to 19.
 
Turn your stat down now and see for yourself.
 
Save yourself and the planet at the same time!!!!

Tuesday 4 February 2014

'Fastest ever' broadband

The "fastest ever" broadband speeds have been achieved in a test in London, raising hopes of more efficient data transfer via existing infrastructure.

Alcatel-Lucent and BT said speeds of 1.4 terabits per second were achieved during their joint test - enough to send 44 uncompressed HD films a second.

The test was conducted on a 410km (255-mile) link between the BT Tower in central London and Ipswich.

However, it may be many years before consumers notice any effect.

The breakthrough is being seen as highly important for internet service providers (ISPs), as it means a greater amount of information can be sent through existing broadband infrastructure, reducing the need for costly upgrades.

"BT and Alcatel-Lucent are making more from what they've got," explained Oliver Johnson, chief executive of broadband analyst firm Point Topic.

"It allows them to increase their capacity without having to spend much more money."

Alcatel-Lucent told the BBC that the demand for higher bandwidth grew by around 35% every year, making the need for more efficient ways to transfer data a massively pressing issue for ISPs, particularly with the growing popularity of data-heavy online services, such as film-streaming website Netflix.

To put that in perspective - I have just done a broadband test at our Maulden Base and we achieved 1.88 mb/s - good ol BT. you gotta love em!!!!

Also we mapped from London to Ipswich and its only 83 miles. se we are wondering what route the cable takes to get it 255-miles long...

Monday 3 February 2014

"charge rage" - in the dictionary

It doesn't seen that long ago that one of the key reasons for not getting an EV was lack of range. now in silicon valley its lack of charging points.

for the first time in forever the cars are now outnumbering the charging points

An increasing number of electric-vehicle driving employees at Silicon Valley companies are finding it hard to access car-charging stations at work, creating incidents of "charge rage" among drivers.

Installation of electric vehicle charging ports at some companies has not kept pace with soaring demand, creating thorny etiquette issues in the workplace, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

Peter Graf, chief sustainability officer for German software company SAP, says the company's 16 charging stations are now not nearly enough for the 61 employees who drive electric vehicles.

Graf says cars are getting unplugged while charging, creating animosity between employees. A charge can take as little as 30 minutes.

"Cars are getting unplugged while they are actively charging, and that's a problem," Graf told the newspaper. "Employees are calling and messaging each other, saying, 'I see you're fully charged, can you please move your car?'"

The company is drafting guidelines for EV-driving employees.

Well I never!!!!

Sunday 2 February 2014

ECA meets MP leading fair payment campaign

The Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) has met with ‘Be Fair – Pay on Time’ campaign founder Debbie Abrahams MP, to voice its support for her campaign and discuss the issue of late payment.

The meeting highlighted the impact of late payment on electrical contractors and the recent Cabinet Office consultation that would require those working in the public sector to pass payment within 30 days along the supply chain.

The ECA says that only main contractors working on public sector projects that pay subcontractors within 30 days should be permitted to sign up to the Construction Fair Payment Charter, the anticipated successor to the Prompt Payment Code (PPC). In addition, those working in the private sector who wish to sign up should commit to paying their subcontractors in 60 days or less.

Paul Reeve, ECA director of business services, said, 'We want to see payment practice closely aligned with the aims of recent legislation. We very much welcome the support Mrs Abrahams has given to SMEs with her 'Be Fair – Pay on Time' campaign, and we urge the government to take direct action to address this continually damaging problem in our sector.'

Debbie Abrahams, Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth, who recently held a cross-party inquiry into late payment, said, 'Ultimately a late payment culture is set at board level and won't change until we establish that late payment, or finding excuses to pay late, is as unacceptable as tax evasion.'

Saturday 1 February 2014

NICEIC launches Platinum Promise

NICEIC has launched a Platinum Promise for consumers who employ an NICEIC contractor. The Platinum Promise, which replaces the old Insurance Backed Warranty Scheme, protects the consumer for up to £25,000 in the event that any work undertaken by NICEIC contractors is not up to standard.
Previously, the Insurance Backed Warranty Scheme only covered domestic electrical installations. Platinum Promise will be available across the full range of installation work undertaken by NICEIC contractors.

Emma Clancy, NICEIC CEO (pictured above) said, “NICEIC’s Platinum Promise is a considerable benefit of using an NICEIC contractor. It provides the protection contractors and their customers need - so that if anything does go wrong we will be there to help resolve it.

“Should any work be found not to comply with the Building Regulations or relevant installation standards, we can instruct the contractor to go back and carry out the work to the required standard.
“If the contractor is no longer in business or disputes the matter we will have the work rectified by another NICEIC contractor at no extra cost.”

The promise, which launched on January 10 this year, is valid for up to six years from the date of the completion of the original work and covers work up to a maximum of £25 000 for any one installation.

Clancy added, “We are committed to providing the best products and services around. NICEIC’s platinum promise is just one of the additional reasons why choosing an NICEIC is a homeowner and contractors best choice.”