Burst Pipes Wreak Havoc On Property Owners

Whilst some are enjoying the extended Christmas holidays the freezing temperatures are wreaking havoc on others.  One major impact of the recent cold spell is the amount of burst pipes people have suffered.

Aspray, a national property insurance claims management and repair company has put together a brief guide for those who may be coping with the results of the treacherous weather.

Prevention is better than cure, so in very cold spells

• Turn up your heating a little and open all interior doors to allow the heat to circulate.
• Ensure you insulate vulnerable areas, eg pipes that have previously frozen, outside hose connections (remove hose), indoor pipes close to outside walls.  But don’t insulate under the water tank as the heat from the room below will help to prevent the water freezing.
• If a pipe does burst, immediately turn off the water to your home – find out where it is in advance. Every home has a main water shut off valve. Once you shut this off it will stop incoming water causing further damage.

But if the worst does happen, just call Aspray. We can liaise with your insurance company and loss adjuster on your behalf and undertake all repair work. Best of all there is no cost* to the insured property owner as we bill the insurance company direct.

You can even call us for free on 0800 077 6704

Aspray Ltd specialise in project managing insurance-related property repairs, offering a comprehensive service from quotation to completion. We pride ourselves in reducing the hassle for our customers at a stressful time.  Aspray Ltd also undertakes building repairs for both private and commercial organisations.

*Aspray services won’t cost the insurer a penny.  We will manage the insurance claim, organise all the repairs and bill the insurance company direct.  Claims can be made subject to the insurance policy terms and policy excess may be applicable.

Aspray celebrates a successful end to 2009

Despite increasing competition in the Insurance Management sector, family owned and run Aspray Ltd has experienced a phenomenal surge of interest throughout the year which has led to the creation of six new branches in the UK and two more in Ireland.  Established in 2005, Aspray Ltd now has 60 branches across the UK and Ireland.

With the professional guidance of Ecompli, a leading UK compliance company, Aspray’s management team has developed a lucrative and successful business model which deals principally with managing building insurance claims, tenanted property refurbishments and general building services on behalf of the general public.

Aspray’s Managing Director James Whittle offers an explanation for Aspray’s success particularly in its services to commercial property owners

I know all too well that just the day to day running of a business day throws up enough challenges without adding the extra headache of dealing with a property claim. Whilst businesses are insured against incidents such as flood damage, water damage, fire damage, vandalism and theft, the actual time taken trying to take care of the claim whilst running the rest of your business can be a complete nightmare and a stress we can all do without.

Aspray Ltd evolved after spotting a gap in the Insurance market for a service which literally reduces the hassle factor for the insured.  From the moment disaster strikes in the workplace, Aspray promise to

• visit your property within 24 hours in order to complete a professional survey of the damage
• liaise directly with your insurance company and loss adjusters on your behalf
• agree a payout based on the survey
• project manage the restoration and repair of your property, which is carried out by our bank of highly skilled reputable and reliable tradesmen
• stay in close contact with the insured throughout the entire process until completion of work

You get your property fixed without losing important business hours, or sleep, and Aspray won’t charge you a penny extra for their time as they get paid directly from the insurer.

It’s true. Aspray’s insurance claims management service is regulated by the FSA and is offered to insurance policy holders.*  There’s simply no catch, the company makes its revenue from the hugely competitive rates we get from our outstanding team of tradesmen and technicians, due to the high volume of work we generate. We can therefore offer the insured our expertise, experience and commitment for just a signature’.

Mark Orton, recently appointed Head of Business and Communications for Aspray Ltd, is extremely positive about the company’s future:

Not only are we continuing to attract like-minded people to come on board and set up new branches throughout the UK and Ireland, we are forging great relationships with all sectors of our business which will enable us to grow in every area. We received extremely positive reactions from members of our industry at this year’s BIBA conference in May this year and the BDMA conference earlier this month, and Aspray is firmly on the map.  The British Damage Management Association (BDMA) only allows certified restoration practitioners to display the Collective Mark, allowing potential customers and the public in general to identify highly skilled technicians and damage management organisations.

This year Aspray has continued its national work for UPS and the Church of England which has been a great boost for company morale.

But as Operations Manager, David Mackintosh, is keen to point out ‘Aspray can also project manage non-insurance related building repairs, restoration and development projects. Whether you want to replace a wall or window, or have a brand new extension, Aspray will project manage your work for no extra cost.  Aspray have built up a team of contractors in your area who are highly reliable, skilled craftsmen to undertake each and every project. We guarantee that the work, whatever it maybe, is carried out precisely to the agreed specification. Aspray take full responsibility for the entire process and all you pay for is the actual building work.

For non insurance related building work:

• Aspray offer a  project management service completely free of charge
• Aspray will arrange for our local estimator to visit you, at your convenience.
• Aspray will provide you with a clear, itemised quotation for the project.
• Once Aspray have your authorisation, we will arrange for the repairs to be completed quickly and to your complete satisfaction, by our own network of local, approved contractors.
• Aspray invoice you directly for the work undertaken as per the terms & conditions of the quotation.

For further information please call free 0800 077 6704 or go to www.aspray.com

* Aspray can manage insurance claims, organise all the repairs and bill the insurance company directly.  Claims can be made subject to your insurance policy terms, policy excess may be applicable.  Aspray Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority for claims handling only.

Aspray Ltd specialises in project managing insurance-related property repairs, offering a comprehensive service from quotation to completion. We pride ourselves in reducing the hassle for our customers at a stressful time.  Aspray Ltd also undertakes building repairs for both private individuals and commercial organisations.

After the flood

As we all know by the constant headlines and recent images, flash flooding is an increasingly common problem in the UK and its effects are always devastating for its victims.  As a supporter of the British Damage Management Association (BDMA), UK Insurance Claims Management and property repair company, Aspray Ltd, promotes the use of professionally qualified companies and technicians to tackle flood restoration, and have put together a brief guide for those who may be coping with the aftermath of Cumbrian floods, or anyone who may be expecting the worse, in light of this winter’s unforgiving weather forecast.

1. Do not enter your Flood-damaged home/commercial property without authorization from the police or local officials.

2. Call your insurance company. Call Aspray. We can liaise with your insurance company and loss adjuster on your behalf. This is a free service to insured property owners*.

3. Once your property has been declared ‘safe’, enter with caution. An Aspray representative will come along and assess damage and liaise with a loss adjuster, depending on the extent of the damage.

4. Damaged septic tanks must be serviced as soon as possible. Damaged sewage systems are serious health hazards. Aspray will advise and instruct necessary technicians from their pool of flood experts.

5. Clean, dry and disinfect anything that came into contact with flood water. Every drop of flood water is contaminated with sewage and chemicals and left to its own devices it has the power to destroy your home with a concoction of mildew, toxins and bacteria.  In order to prevent permanent damage, not to mention adverse effects on human health, you’ve got to have the area dried and cleaned as fast as possible. Aspray’s team of reputable flood technicians remove water with the latest thermo dynamic action before installing the innovative mini drying systems, dehumidifiers and air movers**. Finally a full anti-microbial decontamination will be introduced to eradicate toxic mould before a full drying and monitoring process is implemented.

6. Ensure the property is thoroughly dried out before a full restoration program commences.

7. Aspray will then instruct their team of builders, joiners and decorators to restore your property to even better than its original state.

Aspray’s Managing Director James Whittle is keen to let flood victims with insurance cover know that there is free support readily available from trained experts in this field, who are recognised by any reputable Insurance Company, who not only deal with the technicalities involved but also offer emotional support and reduce stress levels by guiding them through the entire process. James comments ‘unfortunately this is not an uncommon situation for us here at Aspray.  We have a collective wealth of experience dealing with devastated and emotionally rung out homeowners and businessmen who just don’t know where to start after disaster has struck.  This basic human need for direction and assurance was my inspiration behind the concept of Aspray – and I hope people will contact our free helpline on 0800 0776704 as soon as they’ve read this article’.

One of Aspray’s experts in this area, David Spafford, recalls the horrendous summer floods of 2007 in Sheffield ‘it’s vital to understand that people who have lost irreplaceable keepsakes and witnessed their homes and business destroyed by water NEED to know they have not been forgotten, we stay in close contact with our clients and keep them informed of progress. Their main priority is to get back in their homes as soon as possible and we do everything in our power to ensure this happens as quickly as possible’.

Today’s forecast indicates that rain will continue to fall exposing some of our most beautiful rugged counties such as Cumbria to the full range, and sometime fury, of the English weather. To help you prepare for the worst you can download a series of Flood information from the BDMA website www.bdma.org.uk.  For more information please call Aspray on 0800 0776704.

Aspray enjoys a Business Boost

To build on Aspray’s achievements this year, Managing Director James Whittle and Head of Business and Communications Mark Orton invited their leading franchisees to attend a specially designed Business Booster Course, run by ‘Selling for Dummies’, Ben Kench. The twelve month course kicked off with a vigorous two day residential seminar at the Sketchley Grange Hotel in Hinckley which aimed to re-evaluate business time, improve selling skills and boost sales.

Established in 2005, Aspray Ltd, which primarily manages building insurance claims from individual home owners to national companies throughout the UK and Ireland, now has a remarkable 52 branches across the UK and Ireland.  Despite increasing competition in the Insurance Management sector, family owned and run Aspray is still ahead of its game, and continues to expand with six new branches in the UK and two more in Ireland this year.

As part of Aspray’s commitment to training and professional development, which includes their allegiance to the BDMA, the Business Booster course will create the perfect opportunity for individual franchisees across the UK and Ireland to meet up on a monthly basis and strengthen the brand of Aspray as a whole. Mark Orton explains

My first experience of Aspray was as a franchisee.  Whilst I wanted to develop and run my own business, I was very much aware of the bank of knowledge that we had as a whole – for example some of my colleagues are from the building trade and have specific skills that I very much wanted to tap into, some are experts in IT, and I have over ten years experience I can share with a variety of UK home-owners and insurance companies as a landlord with a portfolio of 150 properties.  This course is helping to create a forum where our combined experiences can really help to grow the brand on a national level.

James Whittle attended the Business Booster course last year and asked Ben to design a bespoke course for Aspray’s franchisees, as he believes:

We’re doing really well in most regions but here’s always room for improvement – even the best sales people need a bit of a boost, to coin a phrase, particularly in a recession.  Ben’s abounding energy and motivation are contagious and he encourages you to stop and think -which may sound easy, but we are all guilty of getting on a treadmill and losing ourselves in hours of admin!

Ben Kench is extremely positive about Aspray’s future and is thrilled to be a part of their development over the twelve month period:

I firmly believe Aspray Ltd is set to rock the building insurance claims market with its fabulous full service they provide to homeowners. Aspray should be as widely known and used by homeowners across the UK and Ireland as the AA or RAC is to car owners! I’m committed to increasing their sales across the board and will do this by giving every franchisee a fresh approach to business that helps relieve much of the time pressure.  We will be looking at enlightened ways to find those new enquiries and then honing their selling skills to reflect the times which are not difficult just different.

Aspray Ltd specialise in project managing insurance-related property repairs, offering a comprehensive service from quotation to completion. We pride ourselves in reducing the hassle for our customers at a stressful time.  Aspray Ltd also undertakes building repairs for both private individuals and commercial organisations.