Property Care Association Secures National Home Improvement Council Award

Published by Jo Foster for Shepherd PR Ltd in Education and also in Housing

UK trade body The Property Care Association (PCA), has taken a top honour in the National Home Improvement Council’s prestigious annual awards for its pioneering work to raise the standards of recovery work to flood damaged homes.

Noted for its training and technical expertise, the PCA took the ‘Raising Standards within a Sector or Firm’, which was sponsored by TrustMark in conjunction with the NHIC Educational Trust, category for its work to improve the standard of recovery work carried out after flooding.

Stephen Hodgson, general manager of the PCA received the award at a luncheon in the Gladstone Library, London  from Alison Seabeck MP, Shadow Minister for Housing.

Judges from The National Home Improvement Council Awards – which showcase the best initiatives and achievements in the field of housing renovation and local rehabilitation in the UK - recognised the PCA for its wide-ranging work to drive forward improvements in flood recovery.

This has been achieved through a range of initiatives, including the launch of a training course on the ‘Recovery of Flood Damaged Buildings,’ developed in collaboration with the National Flood School. 

The Association has also produced a Code of Practice for the Recovery of Flood Damaged Buildings, as well as a RIBA approved CPD seminar titled ‘Understanding Property with PCA: Flood Remediation.’

Stephen Hodgson said: “We are absolutely delighted with this achievement. 

“With the standing that the awards hold in the home improvement industry, we now have a great opportunity to highlight the work we are doing to improve the knowledge of those working to recover flooded buildings.

“As many as one in six homes in the UK are at risk of flooding and it is vital that homeowners are able to find people with the right skills to repair flood damaged buildings. 

“If buildings are entrusted to people that lack specialist knowledge, recovery is often delayed and major problems can become apparent in the future.

“The PCA is dedicated to raising the standards of those working in this specialist area, in order that homeowners can be confident that flood remediation on their property is carried out by properly trained competent professionals.”

NHIC Director, Andrew Leech, said: “Since 1975 the NHIC Annual Awards have provided the home improvement arena with a platform for success, and this year has been no different. 

“Over this time the Awards have evolved to ensure the NHIC continues to reflect the current priorities and pressures influencing all housing providers.”

ENDS

Notes To Editors

About The PCA

The Property Care Association (PCA) represents the UK’s structural waterproofing, wood preservation, damp-proofing, flood remediation and structural repair sectors.

It incorporates the British Wood Preserving and Damp-proofing Association (BWPDA), which has been in formation for more than 75 years.

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

Its 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 – as well as a range of other services  designed to preserve and protect homes and buildings across the UK.

To find a PCA member log on to http://www.property-care.org and select the ‘Find A Member’ service.

About The National Flood School

Founded in 1988, the National Flood School is recognised across the UK and Europe as a leader in the research, development, testing and education of a wide-range of techniques and systems to enhance the restoration of property damaged by flood and fire.

The organisation has three specific divisions; training, consultancy and research and development.

The National Flood School also writes and maintains the BSI Code of Practice for Professional Water Damage Mitigation (PAS 64).

More details can be found at www.nationalfloodschool.co.uk or by calling their information team on 01252 821185.

Press release issued by Jo Foster of Shepherd PR Limited, on behalf of the Property Care Association, telephone 01538 308685, mobile 07985 129315.