Property Care Association scheme for homeowners

New guarantee scheme launched by the Property Care Association helps homeowners looking for professional tradesperson to carry out building preservation work.

The Association has launched PCA Promise, a new type of warranty which covers timber treatment and damp-proofing works, as well as structural waterproofing and remedial wall ties.

Under the scheme, the Association gives blanket coverage to its contractor members, so they can offer a guarantee on behalf of the PCA to cover their customers for work in progress and deposits.

There is no additional cost to customers for the guarantee, which insures that should any contractor member of the Association go out of business while work is being done, then another PCA contractor will complete the work to the original specification - at no extra cost to the customer.

The PCA Promise is the latest weapon in the Association's fight against cowboy operators - and reinforces the benefits of choosing a member of the trade body for a professional and trusted service.

Yasmin Chopin, executive director of the PCA, which has its headquarters in Huntingdon, said: "Selecting a professional and trusted tradesperson for damp-proofing and other building preservation work can be a daunting process".

By choosing a PCA member, customers will benefit from the fact that their problem will be correctly diagnosed and the work will be done by skilled and experienced operatives, trained to the demanding standards set out by the Association.

"The PCA Promise acts as another level of reassurance for those specifying a contractor, that their project is being undertaken in the hands of the professionals".

Formerly the British Wood Preserving and Damp-proofing Association (BWPDA), the PCA's UK-wide list of contractor members are all carefully vetted before being awarded membership - and are then subject to rigorous auditing procedures once admitted to the Association.

As well as delivering a trusted repair procedure, PCA members are able to carry out specialist surveys as part of the house-buying procedure - to identify potential problems.

The Association is also a member of TrustMark, the scheme supported by Government to help property owners find reliable and trustworthy tradespeople to make home improvements.

PCA contractors are authorised to use the Association's new logo, and this can be seen in directories such as Yellow Pages, newspapers and other publications for identification to potential customers.

To find a PCA member across the UK, homeowners can log onto the Association's website www.property-care.org and select the 'Find A Member' service.

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