NEW GUIDE FOR PUBLIC SHOWING SOURCES OF COMPETENT FIRE RISK ASSESSORS

[Kelsall]

Bizarre 

Sorry didn't know you can right click and copy it without isolating it first with a left click. I have it now thanks.

[Tom W]

Fill your boots but still 

[Midland Retty]

Piglet you seem to have little understanding of just how good your poster is. I have already printed of 1000 copies and attached to lamposts in my local area.

Its caught the attention of a local marketing company now want to produce merchandise, t shirts, mugs, and erm...

I might have made that up actually.

Note to self : Must learn to keep stuff in my head and not blurt it out loud in public.

[Tom W]

I didn't realise it would catch on! 

[Kelsall]

Fill your boots but still 

I have a spot at Firex this year and want to use it to illustrate just how popular 205 is with the industry. I want it for my office wall just to remind me of what a scheme for the protection of the RP should look like. 

[colin todd]

Yes, you missed a trick, Kel. When will you be running an SP 205 scheme.

[Will Lloyd]

As a risk assessor who originally came from a fire service fire safety back ground and a sole trader I have been interested to show that my assessments etc are up to the job and not just a tick sheet, I also like to give a good service and an old fashioned value for money. I am currently on two registers including the IFE but had been thinking of going for a UKAS scheme and have looked at a couple, SP205 looked ok and was suitable for sole traders.

So last week I spoke to one of the CBs and asked a few questions including how much? I was given a few figures and on monday received an email with costs which include Administration Fee £350 + vat, Auditor Days £460 + Vat, Annual Surveillance Fee £750 + vat and BAFE fee £230+vat making a total assuming accepted in the 1st year of £2148 with an annual fee thereafter in the 2nd year of £1176. I received a follow up call on Wednesday to see what I thought about my quote and gave a full and frank view of what can only be described as an horrendous cost for a sole trader, a review of the cost was promised but so far no update, I wonder why?

Larger companies can possibly afford the cost and I sometimes get the impression that some well known people want to push us small operators out so that they have it all to themselves. There are bad sole traders as in all professions but do not tar all of use with the same brush, a lot of us try very hard to do a good job and continue to learn and undertake CPD to keep up to date with new guides, equipment etc. By the way we are not  the cheap back of a fag packet assessors, many of use have invested quite a lot in money and time. I have seen a number of assessments that would not be worth the paper they are written on from some very well known companies, one of which was taken on by an enforcing officer after a terrible risk assessment, with the threat of court action against them they withdrew from fire risk assessments completely nationwide.

I encourage my clients to use firms or individuals that area accredited and where possible to get recommendations from their customers, I have no problem with providing my information, accreditation's, qualifications and samples of my work. Client recommendations also works, one client unknown to me recommended me and now looks like 70 assessments coming my way.

In short, I have no problem with accreditation and review but will look elsewhere now I know how much SP2005 would cost me and guess who would pay if I did, my clients. There are many sole traders who are not in it for pocket money and take a pride in their work.

I find this very interesting
Can I ask if you got a quote from all three of the CB's? as I know I'm charging less than what you have been quoted
Looks like it pays to shop around or maybe I should put my price up

[colin todd]

Willie, you and the other 2 CBs are worth it, whatever you charge. The cost is negligible compared to a years earnings from
 fire risk assessments, even a sole trader.

[The Colonel]

Will, no I haven't been in touch due to a bereavement, things have some what slowed up work wise but I will do.

Colin, thank you for your kind offer but as you may see above there have been more important things on my plate for the last 3 weeks, but no decision has been made yet the jury is still out.

[Tom W]

Sorry to read that. Best wishes.