USEFUL INFORMATION FOR LICENSEES AFFECTED BY FLOODING
27-Jul-2007
If you are a licensee of one of the many pubs that have been damaged by the floodwater, please consider the following:
Insurance claims:
Notify your insurance broker as soon as possible. Your insurers will probably want to send a loss adjuster to inspect the damage but this may take some days because of the sheer volume of claims.- Retain correspondence with insurers after the flood and make sure the company knows where to contact you if you’ve had to move out of the premises.
- Take photographs or video of the damage to both buildings and contents.
- Mark the water levels on the walls for reference.
- Make a note of any staff resources and other emergency expenses incurred during the clean-up operation.
- Keep trading records, the last set of accounts and details of any increased costs readily available as these will be required for any Business interruption claim
- You may well be approached by claims management companies offering to help you with your claim and negotiate with your insurers. If you decide that you need professional help with your claim, ensure that you deal with a firm that is authorised and regulated by the FSA, who are obliged to handle your claim fairly. Non-authorised companies may be operating illegally.
- If you have one, contact your landlord: Your lease or tenancy agreement will set out clearly who is responsible for which repairs.
Income and Cash flow
If your cash flow is significantly down and you are strapped for cash, contact utilities, your landlord (if you have one), the local council re business rates and other organisations who supply you with business and domestic services to see if they may negotiate a delay or reduction in payments.
General advice:
Dry out the premises as soon as possible. You may need de-humidifiers or other specialist equipment.- Do not attempt any repairs until you are sure that the flooding has ceased and the premises have dried fully.
- Follow utilities and emergency services advice: Do not switch on until advised it is safe to do so. Water may still be contaminated.
- Do not attempt to sell any flood-affected stock, which may have been contaminated by sewage.
- Wear protective clothing when handling debris.
Floodline 0845 988 1188 – for further flood warning advice.
Grants:
South East - 0845 600 9006 or go to www.businesslink.gov.uk
Grants of up to £2,500 will be made available to businesses affected by floods. .
Yorkshire - 0800 022 6201 or visit www.yorkshire-forward.com
Up to £2,500 per company is available for immediate recovery needs.
East Midlands - 0845 058 6644 or visit www.emda.org.uk
Grants of up to £2,500 are available for immediate recovery needs. Apply by July 31st.
Please note that criteria will apply to the above grant awards. Do call the helpline numbers above for further information.
The Licensed Trade Charity has used reasonable care in compiling and presenting this information but it does not assume liability for any errors or omissions in the content or any third party sources. The LTC expressly disclaims liability for errors or omissions. Most of this information has been sourced from the Chamber of Commerce.
