The Property Care Association Launches New Flood Protection Group
The Property Care Association (PCA) has launched a new initiative that will deliver assurance and certainty to those looking to protect themselves from the worst effects of future floods.
The new Flood Protection Group is being developed by the PCA to give consumers confidence in finding contractors, assessors and products that are right for the job.
Stephen Hodgson, Chief Executive of the PCA, says the new group will remove the uncertainty in the UK in finding solutions to protect homes from flooding.
He said: “Until now homeowners and professionals have had no obvious way of finding products and contractors that really understand what they are doing. The Property Care Association is bringing the same level of operational and technical rigour for which we are renowned, to this increasingly important specialism.
The Flood Protection Group will become a reference point for legislators, community groups, insurers and importantly, homeowners who want to understand what can be done to effectively protect their property from the effects of flooding. The initiative will link consumers to reliable, competent and trustworthy flood protection specialists. The Association will inspect and verify the skills, knowledge, operational capabilities of contractors and ensure products are dependable and reliable.
This level of rigour will not only apply to providers of work aimed at keeping the water out, known as, flood resistance, it will also be applied to those who undertake work that make buildings resilient, by taking steps that will reduce the impact of water that has entered the building. Ultimately, this new group will drive standards and create consumer confidence to meet the needs of the nation.
The end result will see a defined route in the UK to access a professional group of experts with specialist focused skills, able to design and deliver comprehensive, holistically designed, flood protection solutions that work.â€
Acclaimed flood campaigner Mary Dhonau OBE is working with the PCA to build and support the Flood Protection Group. Mary has been instrumental in bringing together the PCA and members of the Flood Protection Association (FPA) to form a strong and technically capable group, that can bring real value to the consumer. Mary is a tireless campaigner on flood-related issues, receiving her OBE in 2009 for this work.
She has first-hand experience of the upheaval flooding causes following a catalogue of flood damage to her own home in Worcester. As both a victim of flooding and the former Chairman of both the National Flood Forum and the FPA she understands the challenges and importance of providing reliable, dependable flood resilience and resistant solutions.
Mary said: “Being flooded is an appalling experience, but often the reality is that for those victims of flooding, the repair stage can be even worse than being flooded. Sadly, the issue is all too often compounded by shabby workmanship and a fear that another flood event could happen at any time in the future.
The Flood Protection Group within the PCA, will make it easier for those whose who want to protect their homes from flood water. We want to see the problems of flooding dramatically reduced throughout the UK, and the creation of this new group means we now have a national platform to promote best practice, high standards and most importantly, peace of mind to those who have or could be affected by flooding.
When choosing a member of the PCA, people can be certain that they have undergone rigorous, ongoing checks to achieve and retain membership.
The PCA is noted for its training and technical expertise, with an industry-recognised training programme and a renowned technical panel able to share best practice and guidance with members.”
It is also a scheme operator of Trustmark, the Government-backed scheme which aims to help consumers find reliable and trustworthy tradesmen when making improvements or repairs to their homes.
More about the Flood Protection Group