Rob takes off in new project management · PDF fileJapanese Knotweed Control is the ˚rst company in the treatment ... 0845 643 1168 | www ... regulations and health and safety standards,

Japanese Knotweed Control clarifies treatment insurance with new PI policy

Newsletter | June 2014

Over the years there has been a lot of ambiguity over the insurance cover provided by some companies for the treatment of Japanese knotweed. Hiding behind the small print of professional indemnity insurance, certain unscrupulous companies are passing o� general landscaping or amenity insurance as adequate for the specialist cover needed in the treatment of Japanese knotweed.

Japanese Knotweed Control (JKC) was the �rst, and for many years the only, contractor to have a bespoke insurance speci�cally tailored for the treatment of invasive weeds. Developed with specialist underwriters at Lloyds of London, with which JKC has worked for the past decade, it required careful explanation of the potential threats and speci�c risks undertaken in knotweed treatment to obtain the correct cover for those risks.

Now JKC can announce an enhanced professional indemnity insurance policy which clari�es much of the ambiguity that currently surrounds knotweed treatment insurance by breaking out the speci�c risk to property in a way that is clear to all customers.

As a result of JKC's industry-leading credentials and accreditations, and working closely with the specialist leading Lloyds underwriter, the new policy clearly states speci�c cover in relation to property damage. The Lloyds representative commented: "As a leading Lloyds Underwriter who has worked with JKC over the last decade, we have built a policy which not only matches their own needs but, more importantly, ensures their clients have cover for this specialist work. Our policy speci�cally covers JKC for its invasive weed management work, as well as the risk of any re-growth causing damage to property, in the unlikely event of JKC negligence. After working with JKC for a number of years, we understand that the professional work they undertake minimises the risks of potential claims and are happy to provide this bespoke policy for them."

Japanese Knotweed Control is the �rst company in the treatment industry to o�er this policy, just as it pioneered the original introduction of an insurance-backed warranty scheme on all treatment options up to the value of £5 million.

Paul Denny, Director of Insure Risk said: "We have worked with JKC for over a decade and built this specialist cover around the risk undertaken in this specialist and evolving market. The knowledge drawn from our working relationship has enabled us to negotiate cover with specialist underwriters at Lloyds of London that is speci�c for the work undertaken by JKC and, as far as we are aware, no other policies in the market match this cover.

"Currently, this policy is only available to JKC due to its proven track record and expertise in this �eld and the con�dence that has given Lloyds in JKC's working practices," said Denny.

Inadequate insurance cover continues to undermine the treatment programmes o�ered by many companies, and JKC believes that some guarantees are at best misleading, and at worst not worth the paper they are printed on.

Many companies have simply diversi�ed into treating knotweed from their traditional landscaping and weed control practices but are still operating with the same standard insurance cover as before. The specialist work does, however, require bespoke professional indemnity cover that addresses the very speci�c risks of knotweed within the property market and avoids any serious liabilities if a treatment programme goes wrong.

David Layland, JKC's Joint Managing Director comments: "Choosing a reputable and reliable treatment company is di�cult enough without the ambiguous insurance policies that proliferate in this industry. Our underwriters have formulated the risk and con�rmed they are happy to provide professional indemnity cover, speci�cally in relation to property damage through negligence, a �rst for our industry and another signi�cantly reassuring bene�t we can o�er our clients."

www.japaneseknotweedcontrol.com

Japanese Knotweed Control, Houldsworth Mill, Houldsworth Street Stockport, Cheshire, SK5 6DAT: 0845 643 1168 | www.japaneseknotweedcontrol.com

Rob takes off in new project management roleWhenever a business scales up its operation and increases its client base, so too grows the need for more e�cient project management and more attentive customer service.

With that in mind, JKC's latest recruit is Robert Gibbs who joins as our new Project Administrator following a lengthy career in the aviation industry.

A seasoned professional, Rob has previously held key responsibility for delivering improved e�ciencies in labour, material and costs through operational processes and LEAN initiatives. At JKC he will assist with new business development whilst overseeing various treatment projects from conception through to �nal delivery and ensure all programmes are delivered within set timescales to achieve �rst class customer service and satisfaction.

Back on the roadFollowing a successful seminar programme in 2013, JKC is again committed to an intensive programme of continu-ous professional development (CPD) seminars throughout the UK in 2014.

We will continue to support a series of 'Meet the Expert' exhibition and seminars, hosted by Direct Contact Exhibi-tions (DCE) and between now and the Autumn will attend events across all parts of the country, with the next event being held in Bromley on 24th June and continuing through to Blackpool at the end of November.

Delivered by our company's Joint Managing Directors, this year's seminar topics will include invasive weed awareness and identi�cation, legislation, regulations and health and safety standards, and, of course, treatment recommendations.

Alongside this programme, JKC will also continue to o�er bespoke presentations directly to clients or prospects, as well as organisations such as the British Land Reclamation Society (BLRS), of which it recently became a member. One client that's just received a Japanese Knotweed CPD Seminar at its own o�ces in York is chartered surveying consultancy, Aspect 4.

Assistant Surveyor, Sam Colley attended the event: "The seminar was very well organised and tailored speci�cally to our core company services of project management and quantity surveying, with David Layland drawing on his own personal knowledge and experience to deliver an excellent, interactive and informative presentation. We undertake many CPD seminars at our o�ces and can honestly say the knotweed one was one of the best to date."

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news-jun14.pdf 1 18/06/2014 17:22

Rob takes o� in new project management roleWhenever a business scales up its operation and increases its client base, so too grows the need for more e�cient project management and more attentive customer service.

With that in mind, JKC's latest recruit is Robert Gibbs who joins as our new Project Administrator following a lengthy career in the aviation industry.

A seasoned professional, Rob has previously held key responsibility for delivering improved e�ciencies in labour, material and costs through operational processes and LEAN initiatives. At JKC he will assist with new business development whilst overseeing various treatment projects from conception through to �nal delivery and ensure all programmes are delivered within set timescales to achieve �rst class customer service and satisfaction.

Back on the roadFollowing a successful seminar programme in 2013, JKC is again committed to an intensive programme of continuous professional development (CPD) seminars throughout the UK in 2014.

We will continue to support a series of 'Meet the Expert' exhibition and seminars, hosted by Direct Contact Exhibitions (DCE) and between now and the Autumn will attend events across all parts of the country, with the next event being held in Bromley on 24th June and continuing through to Blackpool at the end of November.

Delivered by our company's Joint Managing Directors, this year's seminar topics will include invasive weed awareness and identi�cation, legislation, regulations and health and safety standards, and, of course, treatment recommendations.

Alongside this programme, JKC will also continue to o�er bespoke presentations directly to clients or prospects, as well as organisations such as the British Land Reclamation Society (BLRS), of which it recently became a member. One client that's just received a Japanese Knotweed CPD Seminar at its own o�ces in York is chartered surveying consultancy, Aspect 4.

Assistant Surveyor, Sam Colley attended the event: "The seminar was very well organised and tailored speci�cally to our core company services of project management and quantity surveying, with David Layland drawing on his own personal knowledge and experience to deliver an excellent, interactive and informative presentation. We undertake many CPD seminars at our o�ces and can honestly say the knotweed one was one of the best to date."

ENDS

The voice of experience

Having initially set up Japanese Knotweed Control in 2004, our Joint Managing Directors, David Layland and Richard Podmore can quite legitimately claim to have over 20 years industry experience between them.

Supporting them is a small team of specialists actively treating invasive non-native plants who between them add several dozen more years of time served 'in the �eld'. Add to that our o�ce-based administration team and very soon our company is getting close to almost 100 years of collective experience, in fact not much less than the length of time Japanese knotweed has actually been in this country, having �rst been introduced at the end of the 19th century.

If all of this sounds like a rather creative use of statistics to arrive at impressive credentials, then it's no more ridiculous than some of the exaggerated claims being made by many other companies in this industry.

As we've often said before, there's many a potential treatment 'cowboy' hiding behind a dynamic website or a glossy brochure and lately we've noticed more and more companies boasting of up to 30, 40 and even 50 years' experience in knotweed treatment.

Before you rush to take advantage of all that 'knowledge' and 'expertise', remember the UK's Japanese knotweed treatment industry is barely a decade old, and we should know because we've been at its forefront throughout that period. As ever, it pays to look beyond the wild claims and exaggerations and insist instead on more tangible evidence of reputable work practices and satis�ed customers.

Dealing with troublesome neighboursAs if the discovery of Japanese knotweed on your construction site is not bad enough, the problem is compounded when an infestation crosses land ownership boundaries or contamination comes from an adjacent site.

Such was the situation recently facing Cheshire-based design and build contractor, Lothlorian, working on a development to build 16 new homes for Crewe Housing Association, Wulvern Housing.

The discovery of knotweed on its Brad�eld Road site, as well as on adjacent council-owned land, meant prompt treatment was required in order to prevent delay on the social housing scheme.

Within a fortnight of being approached, JKC had carried out a site survey, treated the knotweed, excavated and removed all contaminated soil and installed a root barrier along the boundary fence to protect against re-infestation from the neighbouring council land.

Lothlorion's Quantity Surveyor, Mat Wilkinson oversaw the work: "JKC provided an excellent service, responding immediately and promptly scheduling in the advised treatment to minimise delay and disruption to our tight construction timescales. It explained precisely why excavation and root barrier work was most suitable for this site and its team carried out all work safely and professionally in just a couple of days."

With the approval of the local authority, JKC also plans re-visit the site this summer to follow up with some stem injection treatment of the knotweed still growing on the adjacent council land.

Time to tackle knotweed ‘fear factor’Despite a recent spate of media scare stories about the problems caused by Japanese knotweed, organisations and individuals should have nothing to fear provided they take time to choose a competent and professional treatment specialist.

A call for improved promotion of amenity sector best practice and greater incentivisation of herbicide users to seek industry accreditation were key themes of the latest Amenity Forum seminar, hosted by JKC at its Stockport o�ces as part of a regional roadshow of presentations.

Nigel Chadwick representing the Chemicals Regulation Directorate provided an update on policy changes and their impact on the treatment industry but it was the Forum's Chairman John Moverley and Paul Singleton, Chairman of its Education and Skills Committee, who addressed the challenges facing the sector in terms of driving up regulations compliance and achieving best practice consistency through Amenity Assurance.

JKC's Joint Managing Director, David Layland shared his own perspective that without any mandatory obligation for treatment specialists to seek accreditation, the gulf between reputable and ill-quali�ed operators will widen and frustrations increase. His was a theme echoed from the �oor by several other delegates who �nd themselves increasingly competing on price with companies that continue to ignore accreditation compliance.

JKC adds Constructionline accreditation Meanwhile, JKC's own commitment to legislative compliance and improved industry standards has continued with its recent accreditation from Constructionline, the UK's largest register of pre-quali�ed contractors and consultants.

Constuctionline provides an up to date register of suppliers for construction contracts, with all suppliers pre-quali�ed to government standards. Used by public and private sector organisations, Constructionline removes the need for a formal pre-quali�cation stage to assess a company's competence. This increases e�ciency and encourages best practice throughout the procurement process.Joint Managing Director, Richard Podmore commented: "We are delighted to have added Constructionline to our industry accreditations. It gives our clients in both the public and private sector the assurance we have the appropriate requirements for treatment procurement."

JKC hosts Amenity Forum seminar

Such concerns clearly highlight a discrepancy that the Amenity Forum, as well as the various other accreditation organisations, urgently need to address if herbicide treatment work in the amenity sector is to ever become a level playing �eld.

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news-jun14.pdf 2 18/06/2014 17:22

Rob takes o� in new project management roleWhenever a business scales up its operation and increases its client base, so too grows the need for more e�cient project management and more attentive customer service.

With that in mind, JKC's latest recruit is Robert Gibbs who joins as our new Project Administrator following a lengthy career in the aviation industry.

A seasoned professional, Rob has previously held key responsibility for delivering improved e�ciencies in labour, material and costs through operational processes and LEAN initiatives. At JKC he will assist with new business development whilst overseeing various treatment projects from conception through to �nal delivery and ensure all programmes are delivered within set timescales to achieve �rst class customer service and satisfaction.

Back on the roadFollowing a successful seminar programme in 2013, JKC is again committed to an intensive programme of continuous professional development (CPD) seminars throughout the UK in 2014.

We will continue to support a series of 'Meet the Expert' exhibition and seminars, hosted by Direct Contact Exhibitions (DCE) and between now and the Autumn will attend events across all parts of the country, with the next event being held in Bromley on 24th June and continuing through to Blackpool at the end of November.

Delivered by our company's Joint Managing Directors, this year's seminar topics will include invasive weed awareness and identi�cation, legislation, regulations and health and safety standards, and, of course, treatment recommendations.

Alongside this programme, JKC will also continue to o�er bespoke presentations directly to clients or prospects, as well as organisations such as the British Land Reclamation Society (BLRS), of which it recently became a member. One client that's just received a Japanese Knotweed CPD Seminar at its own o�ces in York is chartered surveying consultancy, Aspect 4.

Assistant Surveyor, Sam Colley attended the event: "The seminar was very well organised and tailored speci�cally to our core company services of project management and quantity surveying, with David Layland drawing on his own personal knowledge and experience to deliver an excellent, interactive and informative presentation. We undertake many CPD seminars at our o�ces and can honestly say the knotweed one was one of the best to date."

ENDS

The voice of experience

Having initially set up Japanese Knotweed Control in 2004, our Joint Managing Directors, David Layland and Richard Podmore can quite legitimately claim to have over 20 years industry experience between them.

Supporting them is a small team of specialists actively treating invasive non-native plants who between them add several dozen more years of time served 'in the �eld'. Add to that our o�ce-based administration team and very soon our company is getting close to almost 100 years of collective experience, in fact not much less than the length of time Japanese knotweed has actually been in this country, having �rst been introduced at the end of the 19th century.

If all of this sounds like a rather creative use of statistics to arrive at impressive credentials, then it's no more ridiculous than some of the exaggerated claims being made by many other companies in this industry.

As we've often said before, there's many a potential treatment 'cowboy' hiding behind a dynamic website or a glossy brochure and lately we've noticed more and more companies boasting of up to 30, 40 and even 50 years' experience in knotweed treatment.

Before you rush to take advantage of all that 'knowledge' and 'expertise', remember the UK's Japanese knotweed treatment industry is barely a decade old, and we should know because we've been at its forefront throughout that period. As ever, it pays to look beyond the wild claims and exaggerations and insist instead on more tangible evidence of reputable work practices and satis�ed customers.

Dealing with troublesome neighboursAs if the discovery of Japanese knotweed on your construction site is not bad enough, the problem is compounded when an infestation crosses land ownership boundaries or contamination comes from an adjacent site.

Such was the situation recently facing Cheshire-based design and build contractor, Lothlorian, working on a development to build 16 new homes for Crewe Housing Association, Wulvern Housing.

The discovery of knotweed on its Brad�eld Road site, as well as on adjacent council-owned land, meant prompt treatment was required in order to prevent delay on the social housing scheme.

Within a fortnight of being approached, JKC had carried out a site survey, treated the knotweed, excavated and removed all contaminated soil and installed a root barrier along the boundary fence to protect against re-infestation from the neighbouring council land.

Lothlorion's Quantity Surveyor, Mat Wilkinson oversaw the work: "JKC provided an excellent service, responding immediately and promptly scheduling in the advised treatment to minimise delay and disruption to our tight construction timescales. It explained precisely why excavation and root barrier work was most suitable for this site and its team carried out all work safely and professionally in just a couple of days."

With the approval of the local authority, JKC also plans re-visit the site this summer to follow up with some stem injection treatment of the knotweed still growing on the adjacent council land.

Time to tackle knotweed ‘fear factor’Despite a recent spate of media scare stories about the problems caused by Japanese knotweed, organisations and individuals should have nothing to fear provided they take time to choose a competent and professional treatment specialist.

A call for improved promotion of amenity sector best practice and greater incentivisation of herbicide users to seek industry accreditation were key themes of the latest Amenity Forum seminar, hosted by JKC at its Stockport o�ces as part of a regional roadshow of presentations.

Nigel Chadwick representing the Chemicals Regulation Directorate provided an update on policy changes and their impact on the treatment industry but it was the Forum's Chairman John Moverley and Paul Singleton, Chairman of its Education and Skills Committee, who addressed the challenges facing the sector in terms of driving up regulations compliance and achieving best practice consistency through Amenity Assurance.

JKC's Joint Managing Director, David Layland shared his own perspective that without any mandatory obligation for treatment specialists to seek accreditation, the gulf between reputable and ill-quali�ed operators will widen and frustrations increase. His was a theme echoed from the �oor by several other delegates who �nd themselves increasingly competing on price with companies that continue to ignore accreditation compliance.

JKC adds Constructionline accreditation Meanwhile, JKC's own commitment to legislative compliance and improved industry standards has continued with its recent accreditation from Constructionline, the UK's largest register of pre-quali�ed contractors and consultants.

Constuctionline provides an up to date register of suppliers for construction contracts, with all suppliers pre-quali�ed to government standards. Used by public and private sector organisations, Constructionline removes the need for a formal pre-quali�cation stage to assess a company's competence. This increases e�ciency and encourages best practice throughout the procurement process.Joint Managing Director, Richard Podmore commented: "We are delighted to have added Constructionline to our industry accreditations. It gives our clients in both the public and private sector the assurance we have the appropriate requirements for treatment procurement."

JKC hosts Amenity Forum seminar

Such concerns clearly highlight a discrepancy that the Amenity Forum, as well as the various other accreditation organisations, urgently need to address if herbicide treatment work in the amenity sector is to ever become a level playing �eld.

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

news-jun14.pdf 2 18/06/2014 17:22

Japanese Knotweed Control clarifies treatment insurance with new PI policy

Newsletter | June 2014

Over the years there has been a lot of ambiguity over the insurance cover provided by some companies for the treatment of Japanese knotweed. Hiding behind the small print of professional indemnity insurance, certain unscrupulous companies are passing o� general landscaping or amenity insurance as adequate for the specialist cover needed in the treatment of Japanese knotweed.

Japanese Knotweed Control (JKC) was the �rst, and for many years the only, contractor to have a bespoke insurance speci�cally tailored for the treatment of invasive weeds. Developed with specialist underwriters at Lloyds of London, with which JKC has worked for the past decade, it required careful explanation of the potential threats and speci�c risks undertaken in knotweed treatment to obtain the correct cover for those risks.

Now JKC can announce an enhanced professional indemnity insurance policy which clari�es much of the ambiguity that currently surrounds knotweed treatment insurance by breaking out the speci�c risk to property in a way that is clear to all customers.

As a result of JKC's industry-leading credentials and accreditations, and working closely with the specialist leading Lloyds underwriter, the new policy clearly states speci�c cover in relation to property damage. The Lloyds representative commented: "As a leading Lloyds Underwriter who has worked with JKC over the last decade, we have built a policy which not only matches their own needs but, more importantly, ensures their clients have cover for this specialist work. Our policy speci�cally covers JKC for its invasive weed management work, as well as the risk of any re-growth causing damage to property, in the unlikely event of JKC negligence. After working with JKC for a number of years, we understand that the professional work they undertake minimises the risks of potential claims and are happy to provide this bespoke policy for them."

Japanese Knotweed Control is the �rst company in the treatment industry to o�er this policy, just as it pioneered the original introduction of an insurance-backed warranty scheme on all treatment options up to the value of £5 million.

Paul Denny, Director of Insure Risk said: "We have worked with JKC for over a decade and built this specialist cover around the risk undertaken in this specialist and evolving market. The knowledge drawn from our working relationship has enabled us to negotiate cover with specialist underwriters at Lloyds of London that is speci�c for the work undertaken by JKC and, as far as we are aware, no other policies in the market match this cover.

"Currently, this policy is only available to JKC due to its proven track record and expertise in this �eld and the con�dence that has given Lloyds in JKC's working practices," said Denny.

Inadequate insurance cover continues to undermine the treatment programmes o�ered by many companies, and JKC believes that some guarantees are at best misleading, and at worst not worth the paper they are printed on.

Many companies have simply diversi�ed into treating knotweed from their traditional landscaping and weed control practices but are still operating with the same standard insurance cover as before. The specialist work does, however, require bespoke professional indemnity cover that addresses the very speci�c risks of knotweed within the property market and avoids any serious liabilities if a treatment programme goes wrong.

David Layland, JKC's Joint Managing Director comments: "Choosing a reputable and reliable treatment company is di�cult enough without the ambiguous insurance policies that proliferate in this industry. Our underwriters have formulated the risk and con�rmed they are happy to provide professional indemnity cover, speci�cally in relation to property damage through negligence, a �rst for our industry and another signi�cantly reassuring bene�t we can o�er our clients."

www.japaneseknotweedcontrol.com

Japanese Knotweed Control, Houldsworth Mill, Houldsworth Street Stockport, Cheshire, SK5 6DAT: 0845 643 1168 | www.japaneseknotweedcontrol.com

Rob takes off in new project management roleWhenever a business scales up its operation and increases its client base, so too grows the need for more e�cient project management and more attentive customer service.

With that in mind, JKC's latest recruit is Robert Gibbs who joins as our new Project Administrator following a lengthy career in the aviation industry.

A seasoned professional, Rob has previously held key responsibility for delivering improved e�ciencies in labour, material and costs through operational processes and LEAN initiatives. At JKC he will assist with new business development whilst overseeing various treatment projects from conception through to �nal delivery and ensure all programmes are delivered within set timescales to achieve �rst class customer service and satisfaction.

Back on the roadFollowing a successful seminar programme in 2013, JKC is again committed to an intensive programme of continu-ous professional development (CPD) seminars throughout the UK in 2014.

We will continue to support a series of 'Meet the Expert' exhibition and seminars, hosted by Direct Contact Exhibi-tions (DCE) and between now and the Autumn will attend events across all parts of the country, with the next event being held in Bromley on 24th June and continuing through to Blackpool at the end of November.

Delivered by our company's Joint Managing Directors, this year's seminar topics will include invasive weed awareness and identi�cation, legislation, regulations and health and safety standards, and, of course, treatment recommendations.

Alongside this programme, JKC will also continue to o�er bespoke presentations directly to clients or prospects, as well as organisations such as the British Land Reclamation Society (BLRS), of which it recently became a member. One client that's just received a Japanese Knotweed CPD Seminar at its own o�ces in York is chartered surveying consultancy, Aspect 4.

Assistant Surveyor, Sam Colley attended the event: "The seminar was very well organised and tailored speci�cally to our core company services of project management and quantity surveying, with David Layland drawing on his own personal knowledge and experience to deliver an excellent, interactive and informative presentation. We undertake many CPD seminars at our o�ces and can honestly say the knotweed one was one of the best to date."

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

news-jun14.pdf 1 18/06/2014 17:22