HSADD

Night Clubs, Bars, Pubs, Restaurants are the highest rental values in the UK, surely this cannot continue?

When clubs, particularly the city centre bars and clubs that are mainly standing venues relying upon the throughput of customers come out of Corvid-19 restrictions they will be operating on a much-reduced capacity, service times, volumes and all of which reflect on profit.

Rents have always been calculated by the landlords’ dependant upon the use of the premises. A simple way of looking at it is that if you had a corner shop with 300 SqFt then you may pay a rent of £2-3,000.00 PA, Business rates would be pro-rata.

Take the same general area and 300 SqFt fully licensed late night bar then you may pay as much as 10 times the rental value dependent upon the area and footfall. The point is that the Landlord is fully aware that the nightclub and bars have a much greater turnover/profit therefore they want their ‘share’!

With the event of Corvid-19 and the closure of bars and clubs and now as we come through this hospitality disaster if you own a bar or nightclub the likelihood is that when you get open you are only looking at around 20% of capacity and turnover due to the likely discussed restrictions on distancing is still in place.

I do not believe that Landlords can still command the same rent as they have prior to Corvid, it is not feasible or even practical for any venue to consider paying such large TEN FOLD rent values for a nightclub any longer – or at least until normality returns and actual turnover increases. They would not get that value of rent for a corner shop or other normal retail site, as the turnover would not permit it.

So Landlords, IF you don’t want to have thousands of empty premises on your books you really need to consider the huge drop that venues have already suffered through no fault of their own and the realistic profits that these venues can generate in the future, at least for the next 2-3 years!

The VOA will also need to readdress the Business rates model that they use, the SqFt business rates are the highest of all rates – again based on previous turnover and profits and the councils wanting their share – IT IS NO LONGER FEASIBLE!

WHY DO I NEED TO DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT?

The world has changed and the old rules and regulations have been totally altered, you never had to worry about people standing too close to each other or your staff – now you do.

Lots of reopening businesses are having to adopt ‘social distancing’ of 2 metres (6 feet in old money). You have to make sure that the staff are protected, perhaps with suitable PPE (this has to be risk assessed and be suitable). How are you dealing with cleaning? in the past the occasional wipe down of the tables was sufficient, hand washing glasses was sufficient, will this still sterilise the surfaces?

Staff training will have to be completed with social distancing and IF you still use paper you need to consider that Corvid-19 has been shown to stay active on surfaces for 2-3 days! Who handles that paper? How many people handled the paper before and after?

HSADD has two Cloud platforms that reduce paper handling and training to ‘paper-free’. Compliance Management to provide full compliance with your business, H&S Policy, Rish assessments, PPE assessments, remote training for staff and lots more included. ONE Module includes everything so fixed easy costs.

ISITCHECKED provides one of the best paperless checklist systems, this is contactless, worldwide, time and date stamps, GPS stamped, insurance approved, approved for controlled drug storage by VMD

THOROUGH AND ACCURATE RECORD KEEPING WILL BE VITAL TO REDUCE YOUR LIABILITY AND INSURANCE COSTS MOVING FORWARD – HSADD’s systems provide that and are ready to deploy rapidly.

HSE Has received 4,500 complaints already and lots of businesses have not even opened yet!

More than 4,500 complaints have been made to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) since the first UK case of coronavirus was confirmed, it has been revealed.

Last month the HSE issued a warning to employers that it would hand out enforcement notices to those who do not comply with the two-metre social distancing rule in workplaces that remain open during the outbreak.

The workplace safety regulator said it was now working through the reports, received since March, with a ‘range of actions’.

Yesterday in the House of Commons Andy McDonald, shadow secretary of state for employment rights, asked an urgent question on guidelines for workplace safety after the lifting of the lockdown. (credit Iosh Magazine https://www.ioshmagazine.com/2020/05/07/uk-regulator-receives-more-4500-covid-19-complaints)

If you require any further information or a free trial of our ISITCHECKED system please contact us using the buttons below.

Whether it is the NHS or facilities Management, home care for the elderly or infirmed or care homes, everyone at some point have checklists that they complete, this is normally on paper – not counting clinical notes.

The variety is vast, from simple toilet checks, floor cleaning records, open and closing records, vehicle and equipment checks, fridge temperature checks for medical storage fridges or food storage.

Every piece of paper can pass between seven people and hold Corvid-19 virus for up to 3 days

The paper checklists are not only holding untold virus and bacterial content rendering them a good transported for infection, but they are also technically worthless to defend any claim for litigation against your business.

The entries are more often wrong, the times are never accurate, the person who has completed the check cannot often be identified, IF they are missed the Management do not know the checks haven’t been completed until many days even after they should have been!

The checklist can be replaced with a simple QR code attached to the wall outside the facility, whether it’s toilets, fridges, car park, corridors, lifts in fact anything or anywhere you need a checklist completing.

The QR code is then scanned by a mobile phone or any internet-connected device, like a small tablet, once scanned then the report is available on the device, it is completed and submitted. The report is then available 0.75 seconds later from anywhere in the world (see our short video)

As you start to reopen your businesses, things like social distancing, hand washing, temperature checks, alcohol gel placements are all going to have to be checked and recorded, IF you don’t keep good records this may make you liable to claims from both staff and customers alike.

Why not make it as easy as possible to keep these records?

ISITCHECKED can do all this for you and store the records in our cloud-based system.

• ZERO cross-contamination between people
• ZERO paper handling
• Eliminating up to seven people handling a piece of paper
• ZERO Paper buying, printing or storage costs
• Instant access to multiple report formats and export to PDF
• Automatic Time, date and GPS stamp
• Fast, almost instant change or add to checklists remotely

Do you expect that you will just flip a switch to turn the lights on and start working as you did on 22nd March 2020?

You could not be further from the truth and here at HSADD we have been looking deeper into the things that you may have to do different, not only to prevent cross-contamination but under Insurance warranties, H.S.E requirements and any ‘New’ Corvid laws that may come in.

Not taking into account of any ‘social distancing rules’, which could place capacity values to 1 person per 4m2 – how can you even have a conversation with someone 2 metres away with music playing? It’s just not practical, it’s positively ‘Un-sociable’ under the normal ‘having a night out’ situation.

It comes as the Trade Unions Congress (TUC) has urged businesses desperate to resume trading to take caution.

It is calling for “tough new measures” to ensure that all employers carry out a risk assessment before lockdown measures are lifted and staff return to work.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady told the BBC’s Today programme: “Everybody wants people to get back to work safely so that we can get the economy back on its feet”.

“But workers have to know and be confident, that their health and safety is being put first. Otherwise, we’re going to see this virus spread again and we’ll be back to square one.” (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52438693)

Having spoken to Insurance Companies, who may have to pay out over £1.2 BILLION! The insurance Companies will need to re balance the books and that can only come from the customer in increased premiums, increased claim excesses and less flexibility with claims.!

Stricter Insurance terms are more than likely

The enforcement of T&C’s is likely to be ruthless, making sure that your staff are fully trained, that records are kept to high standards will all be examined by Claims Departments looking to reduce the payout, use your excess or at worse reject the claim back to you because you are in breach the T&C’s!

Don’t wait until you only have a couple of weeks notice to get up and running, advanced preparation and putting in place your H&S, staff training, record-keeping systems, like ISITCHECKED paperless and contact-less checklist system to remove possible viral transfer, are an absolute must AND they can be prepared well in advance! You will have enough to do to get open and dealing with this element now is one job less to deal with.

Whether it’s staff training, Health & Safety Policy, real-time checklists, Fire Risk assessments, HSADD Ltd has a digital cloud-based solution for you, which includes contactless checklists and staff training reducing transfer contamination risk.

A rising story is emerging around the refusals of some big names insurers to refuse to pay out on Business Interruption insurance for numerous bars, night-clubs, restaurants – in fact, any business Interruption cover venues effected by Corvid-19

This is from NTIA, an organisation that is battling to support the night-time economy venues from small independents to large multi-site venues throughout the UK. Together with the market leader insurance broker NDML, a class action against the insurers is now underway.

This is the clause in the NFU Mutual policy, but a great number of insurers are doing the same

WE will pay for loss of INCOME arising from an incident in the immediate vicinity or within a one mile radius of the
PREMISES where access is hindered or prevented by the action of any civil or statutory authority or by order of the
government or any public authority for more than 24 consecutive hours.
The most WE will pay in any one PERIOD OF INSURANCE is £50,000.

Yet they do not consider that Corvid-19 and the total closure ordered by UK Gov to actually count and when contacted to confirm their position this is again the response given:

“Thank you for your email. I am sorry that you feel that the answer I provided you when we last spoke was incorrect. I can confirm that the response I provided was correct and that NFU Mutual’s position has not changed.
In line with UK market practice, our standard Business Interruption cover usually requires damage to property in order to be triggered. This covers damage from events such as fires, floods and thefts”.

Now for me, the Interpretation is very clear, yet they, like many others, have given replies similar tot above!

DO INSURANCE COMPANIES TRULY BELIEVE THAT WHEN THEY BEHAVE BADLY IT WILL BE FORGOTTEN??

Many Companies have paid in good faith year after year for these business insurance interruption policies and now when they are needed to fulfil the cover the insurers are looking for any way possible to avoid paying out, what is absolutely clearly covered.

Luckily for the small Independent venues who have joined with NTIA and NDML Insurance Brokers they have been extremely well supported by both of these organisations to the degree that they are being represented for free with NDML funding the class action, lots of venues insured with other brokers may now be regretting their position as not every broker is committing as many resources into supporting the night-time economy as these two organisations.

The NTIA is also battling the Landlords of venues who have not been helpful to their tenants as well, I’m not sure where the landlords think the revenue would be appearing from to cover the rent bills, at this time in the UK I believe that everyone should be doing their share of carrying the burden, if not then the industry is doomed! and Landlords will not be getting any money for a long time!

HSADD says: Well done NDML and NTIA, without this support I dread to think how the venues would deal with this issue!

One of the insurers has answered the criticism levelled at not just Hiscox but others too and you can read their response reported here: https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/uk/news/breaking-news/hiscox-speaks-up-amid-legal-action-threat-219811.aspx

If you have any issues caused by Insurance who have not paid out for business interuption insurance then use the buttons below to cantact either NDL or NTIA

Those that have continued to pay the monthly fees will receive a separate letter from us once this is over to outline a bonus reward for helping us to help the smaller venues as a ‘thank you’.

We are still here ready to help and working closely with #NTIA and #NDML to make sure that those who are members get the absolute most help as possible during and after this crisis is over.

Keep hope and consider others as much as possible, we are standing side by side with our Clients, before, during and after this crisis – stay safe.

It is possible that Insurance Companies will increase their charges by 400% on renewal?

Unfortunately, the answer to that maybe the horrible next thing that is going to hit once the Insurance has paid out all the claims for Business interruption cover, just when you thought the trade couldn’t get any harder the strong possibility that this could happen.

How can I cut this cost down?

The only way to reduce the costs of insurance is by reducing the risk of liability, this is achieved by ensuring that your Health & Safety, staff training and checklists are of the highest quality that you can. This may make the difference between even getting an offer of insurance or being declined for cover.

It is enviable after the amount that is being paid out by insurers over the Corvin-19 to many businesses throughout the UK, not just hospitality industry but almost every person in the UK, whether you are insuring a fleet of vehicles, a restaurant, a nursing home, most likely even private insurance, all will rise in price – without a doubt!

Don’t leave it until the last minute renewal to get your business compliant, if you want help then contact us at least 3 months before renewal and we will help you.

Cross-contamination, social distancing, all key and important terms to think about when considering your workplace.

Whether it’s a cleaner, a security officer, shop worker or Nurse who has to complete any form of paper checklist then the minimum amount of people who handle that paper/pen then the more likely that you can remove the risk of any cross-contamination.

For example:

As part of your due diligence system to have the public toilets checked at frequent times.  By using our software your staff can scan a QR code at the location and complete a real-time checklist, i.e. ‘Toilets clean’, ‘hand drier working’ or any other check required. 

A Security Guard patrolling your site, you may have 5-10 locations that the guards have to check during their patrol, a QR code at each location will enable you to ensure that the patrol has completed his/her duty.

The temperature of food in the kitchens, refrigerator and freezer has to be checked and recorded.  This can all be completed, paperless and in real-time, IF it is missed then a warning is sent to the Supervisor.

Key features:

• Paperless system
• Real-Time system
• Cloud-based
• Automatic system timestamp
• GPS location
• Missed checks can be escalated and notified to Management
• Free IOS and Android App
• Multiple different checklists from the same QR code

How can you risk assess and reduce the contact risk of Corvid-19 and similar viruses that can be passed through contact?

The biggest way to remove a ‘risk’ is to remove the cause of the risk altogether.

That is what ISITCHECKED, paperless, real-time and contactless checklist systems do already.

Let’s look at a normal checklist on paper:

• Office staff print out the forms
• The manager passes the checklist form to the employee
• An employee takes the form and starts to complete it
• IF more than one employee completes the form then they handle it
• A member of the public see’s the form on the wall, looks at it, sneezes – contaminates it further
• The employee completes the form, hands it back to maybe another Manager, they check the form
• The Manager hands it to admin staff, they file it in a box

ISITCHECKED – Paperless real-timer system

• QR Code is placed on the item or near the item to be checked
• A staff member uses own mobile and ISITCHECKED App to scan the code
• Completes the checklist, submits the report
• Report is filed
• FINISHED

No handling of paper = reduced risk of contact, cross-contamination no one in the sequences has to touch anything they don’t personally own – AND the APP is free for all users

Merseyside Police, probably amongst many forces have issued the warning below to all licenced premises, the advisory basically covers the security of the premises whilst it is closed.

Under the terms of your insurance policy, your insurance company will expect you to have taken reasonable care of your property. More than ever you will need to record the steps taken and keep verifiable records of the checks made on the premises

DON’T LOSE A CLAIM BECAUSE YOU HAVEN’T KEPT RECORDS – MAKE SURE YOU COMPLY WITH INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR EMPTY PREMISES

HSADD and ISITCHECKED system is recognised by many high-quality insurance specialists like NDML, Club Insure Ltd and by Government bodies such as VMD, S.I.A, as being an ‘accurate and reliable system to create and maintain important checklists which can be verifiable and of high evidential value’

Existing Clients of HSADD and ISITCHECKED have a huge benefit in that the ISITCHECKED system can deploy a new QR code or multiple QR codes for checkpoints to cover the premises or add another check using existing deployed QR codes so that either your own Management or an external security company can record the visits made to your premises in a provable accurate method.

New clients who haven’t got our system could deploy our system (Free for the first 28 days) and then for the smallest package to get you through these times around £20.00 per site per month by Direct Debit. This cost would likely be covered by your insurers in order that they have irrefutable evidence that the checks were completed.