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Summary of 1to1 and referral activity

Members: 24
Latest Activity: Feb 15

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The page is for listing 1to1 meetings and referrals that occur within ABC. Just type in a quick note of what happened in the "Comment Wall" below.

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Comment by Chris Tabb on February 15, 2012 at 2:55pm: Great 121 with Sarah and hopefully she's now a supplier too!

Comment by Ian Dudley on February 15, 2012 at 2:53pm: Tony, thanks for introduction to Matt Bracher @ HW Accountants, seeing him on the 27th, Regards, Ian :-)

Comment by Ian Smith on February 3, 2012 at 1:49pm

TO ALL MEMBERS

Please spare a thought for any Elderly Friends Family or neighbours while this cold spell is upon us as they will not ask for help and a quick Knock of the door or phone call could warm theres hearts if not save their lives.

46 Picton Street, Montpelier, Bristol BS6 5QA Tel: 0117 942 0 942

www.ishe-ltd.co.uk enquiries@ishe-ltd.co.uk

Last winter was one of the coldest on record and it came as a surprise to many of us that we weren’t prepared for it. The snow was fun for a day or two, but if you had a burst pipe or collapsed gutter, it was anything but enjoyable. Depending on what cover you had, your insurance may well have covered the cost of putting right the damage, replacing lost items and possibly even putting you up elsewhere. But that is only half of the story. However responsive insurers are, it inevitably leads to weeks of misery and you can never replace the more sentimental items you may have lost.

So what can you do and how can we help? - If you follow the steps in this guide, it should help you avoid what you can.

Here are 9 simple things you can do to protect your property this winter

If you are planning on going away for more than 24 hours, leave a cold tap dripping slowly on each floor of the property, making sure that at least one of them is taking water from your cold water storage tanks, if you have them. Even the flow of slowly dripping water helps to reduce significantly the risk of water freezing in pipes.

2. Keep your home’s central heating on at a minimum temperature of 15 degrees Celsius if the outside temperature is likely to drop below freezing while you’re away.

3. Lag your cold water storage tank and water pipes – even seemingly tiny gaps in lagging can let enough cold air in to freeze the water in the pipes. Pay particular attention to the pipes in the attic and crawl spaces (for example, in the eaves and behind cupboards ) as they tend to be more exposed and the most likely to freeze.

4. If you know you have a condensing boiler, keep an eye on the overflow pipe outside and prevent ice from building-up. Another common cause of water damage claims recently has been when that overflow pipe has frozen solid and the condensed water ‘backs-up’ into the property.

5. Leave your loft hatch door open if you go away allowing warmer air to reach the loft can stop your pipes and tanks freezing.

6. If you don’t already know where it is, take the time to find out now where the mains water stop-cock is for your property. Once you’ve found it, make sure that the stop-cock isn’t too stiff or inaccessible for you to turn – if it is, talk to a plumber now so that you don’t have to call him out in an emergency later.

7. Insulate over the pipes in your loft, rather than under them; that way they get heat from downstairs to keep them free from the cold.

8. If you are away for any period of time, isolate the mains cold water stop tap, this will not prevent leaks unless you drain your systems, but it will give damage limitation.

9. You may not know that roughly 50% of 2010’s and 2009’s burst pipes were caused once the cold weather had passed and the frozen water in the pipes began to thaw out. If you can, make sure you or someone you know is at the property once the weather starts to warm-up – just to keep an eye out for thawing pipes bursting open.

The most important thing you could do is contact your plumber now and get acquainted, then have their number at hand or on the mobile or it won’t be just water flooding it could be money flooding out your bank if your calling out an emergency plumber in a panic. Here as a good start 0117 942 0 942

Leaving your home alone in the cold this winter? Don’t be caught unprepared

If your property is already, or is going to be, unoccupied for more than 30 days, definitely take time to check your home insurance policy schedule and any endorsements, terms and conditions. Some circumstances can mean that cover is restricted to just fire, explosion, lightning and public liability.

In these circumstances, you will not be covered for damage caused by escape of water – don’t leave it to chance.

Whatever cover you have though, it is vital that extra care is taken to ensure the safety of your property if there is a cold snap and it is empty for any length of time.

If you intend to leave the property empty for a very short period, simply leaving a tap dripping, or opening the loft hatch may be enough. However, to be really sure (and whenever you intend to leave the property for longer periods) we would suggest you do the following:

• Where possible, turn your water supply off at the stop-cock

• If leaving your heating on, make sure that it is left on constantly during the winter months at a temperature of at least 15 degrees Celsius. This should stop your pipes and heating elements from freezing.

• If you intend to turn the heating off while you are away then drain the hot water and heating systems down so that there is no water left in the pipes to freeze.

• Make sure your property is inspected on a regular basis while left unoccupied. Ask a family member or neighbour to pop in. Have them take a look around and follow the steps we have already outlined to spot any potential problems like leaking pipes. If you can’t arrange that, we offer key holding service. We inspect your property for you at a small cost.

Crisis Strikes

Imagine the worst case, and most likely scenario during a cold snap; a frozen and burst pipe.

What should you do?

Follow these simple steps and you stand the best chance of saving your home and belongings from destruction.

• Find and turn off your stop cock. The stop cock is the primary valve for turning off the cold water supply to your home. Once located, turn the stop cock clockwise until it is completely closed.

• Switch off all heating systems. Whether you use a central heating system or immersion heated tank, ensure that they are off as soon as possible.

• As the pipes thaw out try to remove as much excess water from the system as possible. Drain the pipes by turning on all your taps and flushing toilets multiple times, leaving them open until the water has all been drained away.

• Do not turn on the heating or thaw out the pipes too quickly as this can make things worse. Thaw out with a hair dryer (caution should be taken with electric and electrical appliance around water and water hazards) or get a professional in. But be careful as pipes can burst as they thaw and always make sure you have plenty of buckets and towels on hand to mop up.

• Check around the area of the leak. If it is near anything that is powered by a mains socket, locate and switch off the mains electricity as soon as possible, and definitely before approaching the leak or any wet surfaces. If the leak is near the mains switch, do not approach it and instead call an electrician.

• If water has been leaking for a while before being noticed, it may be trapped above the ceilings of rooms. If there is a bulge in the ceiling, place a bucket directly underneath it and punch a hole in the ceiling, in the centre of the bulge, with a screwdriver. Let the water drip down instead of sitting there and damaging your ceilings or possibly bringing them down.

PLEASE NOTE YOU DO NOT BY ANY LAW HAVE TO USE YOUR INSURERS OR ANY ASSOCIATES CONTRACTORS TO REMIDY YOUR MISFORTUNES, YOUR INSURERS WILL HOW EVER SUGGEST OTHER WISE, IF YOU HAVE A PREFFERED CONTRACTOR, USE OR SPEAK TO THEM FOR A INDEPENANT OPINION OF REQUIRED WORKS, INSURANCE COMPANIES LOOK AT COST LIMATATION

• With the immediate crisis averted, contact your Plumber and insurer for advice on how to start a claim.

Comment by Ian Dudley on February 3, 2012 at 11:29am: Fantastic introduction from Jon who attended Meeting with the Client last week, finalising matters on Monday morning with Jodie to move her new Business Venture forward.

Comment by Sarah McNally on January 24, 2012 at 10:40am: Many thanks to Mark and Jill for the stationery orders that they have placed.

Comment by Mark Horton on January 18, 2012 at 10:42am: Thanks to Sarah at Memorandum for the quick turnaround on the stationary I ordered yesterday and arrived this morning.

Comment by Darren Moloney on January 18, 2012 at 6:17am: I've had 3 really great One 2 One's so far in January - thanks to Sarah, Jill and Ian D :)

Comment by Peter Ellis on December 9, 2011 at 3:06pm: Thanks to the committee for organising a great event. Still talking about Sharon and Chris now.

Comment by Steve Windaybank on December 9, 2011 at 2:35pm: Excellent do, Thanks for a great Evening.

Had to drive home!!

And was woken up by the loud singing of YMCA at 5.00AM!!