• HMRC: Job Retention Scheme
• Response from Lord Gardiner
• Updating our Technical Documents
• Defects in Cavity Construction Webinar – Register Now!
• Your Weekly ‘Tune-in Tuesday’
• Ventilation and a Healthy Indoor Environment
• Missed the Webinar – View the Recording
• Consultation Deadline Extended

HMRC: Job Retention Scheme

Further guidance has now been released by HMRC in relation to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme service.

HMRC are currently testing the system in advance of its go-live date of 20 April and they believe they are ready to meet the initial influx of backdated claims. The website may initially be slow (similar to booking a supermarket delivery slot) as a result of backdated claims being submitted, however, that should lessen before too long. Key points to note are:

• The scheme is due to go live on 20 April with first payments being made 10 days later
• Future claims will be paid within four to six days
• Further guidance on how to use the system will be issued later this week
• Following the initial backdated claims, claims can be made up to 14 days before payrolls are run

HMRC is putting together a support pack on how to compile and upload claims, but for now, you can access more information via the button below. Or you can get in touch with us, we’re just a phone call/email away: 01480 400000 / [email protected].

Response from Lord Gardiner

We’ve received a formal response from the Government following our request for clarification of the status of amenity weed control/invasive weed management.

We think Lord Gardiner’s response is self-explanatory. It builds on much of the guidance already received for the construction sector, i.e., for each individual company/employee to make their own risk assessments and to continue to work as long as you can observe the basic principles of social distancing and personal hygiene. Members can access the response via the button below.

We shared the latest ‘Site Operating Procedures Version 3 Guidance’ from Construction Leadership Council (CLC) with members earlier this week and as always, we hope this is useful, but please remember we are here to answer any specific questions you may have on 01480 400000.

Updating our Technical Documents

Your Technical Document Library is growing and we’re regularly updating and refreshing these documents to ensure our members have access to the very best technical documents.

Our NEW Guidance Document: Building Regulations and Basement Conversion in Residential Dwelling is a must for surveyors, architects and consumers and will ensure that regulations are adhered to when taking on a conversion project. We hope that our members will use this and give their clients a copy when supplying work schedules and estimates, so they can understand the reasons why doing it properly and safely is imperative.

Click on the button below, download your copy and take advantage of these tools – they’re for you, with you in mind and available for whenever you may need them.

We are here to help and answer any questions you may have. Give us a call on 01480 400000 or drop us an email at [email protected].

Defects in Cavity Construction Webinar – Register Now!

Members can register for the next LIVE webinar on ‘Defects in Cavity Construction’, which takes place 9-10am on Thursday 23rd April.

Cavity wall construction has delivered a form of building that has been incredibly reliable and robust. However, are we causing them to fail and do we understand the mechanisms that make them fail?! PCA’s James Berry (Technical Manager) reviews some of the mechanisms for cavity construction failure and explores the way we are using them and adapting them to the needs of the 21st century means.

Your Weekly ‘Tune-in Tuesday’

Don’t forget to join us every Tuesday at 9am for your weekly ‘Tune in Tuesday’. These sessions are a great way to engage with your Association and to ask questions on the topics that matter to you.

For those members who joined us on Tuesday, please see the presentation ‘Credit Control in a Changing Environment’ from our guest speaker Tracey Westell at Pecunia. Look out for Tracey’s blog in Tuesday’s mid-week email….

It has been so positive to welcome so many of our members and the feedback has been great. So why not join us? Registration is OPEN via the button below. If you have any queries, please give us a call on 01480 400000.

Ventilation and a Healthy Indoor Environment

Your Residential Ventilation Group was set up with the goal of improving and controlling humidity levels in residential buildings. We feel that humidity control is essential for providing a healthy indoor environment and we know that you, our members know this too. The article in PBC Today earlier this week is interesting – we’re not suggesting this is practical, but it is interesting nonetheless.

As we stated earlier in this email, we know our members have a wealth of technical documents at their fingertips to ensure best practice is adhered to and to cement how essential the role ventilation plays.

Check out the ventilation technical documents via the button below. James Berry is only a phone call or email away if you have any issues, or require any further information: 01480 400000 / [email protected].

Missed the Webinar – View the Recording

For those members who were unable to join our ‘Evolution of Damp Control’ webinar on Thursday, or wish to see it again/share with colleagues, the recording can be accessed via the button below.

PCA’s James Berry (Technical Manager) gave us a whistle-stop tour of how methods of controlling groundwater in the built environment has changed over the course of time and why these changes have come about – whilst dispelling a few myths along the way!

Consultation Deadline Extended

**Deadline extended** The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has launched a consultation under s.14(3) of the Building Act 1984 seeking views on proposals of potential amendments to the Building Regulations 2010, regarding the ban on the use of combustible materials in and on the external walls of buildings.

This will be of particular interest to our members as it lists “insulation and water proofing materials used below ground level” as one of the few exceptions. Your Association has formally replied and welcomes that it provides clarity on waterproofing and fire regulations.

The consultation is open until 11:45pm on 25th May 2020.

Remember to keep in the loop…

Find out the latest news instantly by following the PCA via our social media channels: