• It can be a good idea to use a lettings agency to vet tenants as they will be familiar with all the necessary checks and will carry these out on your behalf. Of course this will cost you money so you may choose to do this yourself.
• If you decide to do the checks yourself then be sure to carry out the checks rigorously and find all the requried information before making a decision.
• Before carrying out any checks you need to get permission from the prospective tenants. You will find that is a check in itself, as anyone who will not agree to checks being carried out is unlikely to be a good tenant.
• Financial information is crucial! You must be sure that the tenant can meet the rental payments every month. Find out current employment details, including salary and position. As a ball park figure the rent should be no more than 40% of the tenant’s salary.
• You should also ask for previous landlords references. Even if they can afford the rent, you need to avoid messy disrespectful tenants who could damage your property. It is a good idea to ask for a reference from their landlord before last as the current one may give them a good reference if he is desperate to get rid of the tenant.
• It is also a good idea to find out how long the tenant stayed at their last property as this will give you an idea of how long they may stay at yours. 
• Identity fraud is an increasing risk so make sure their name and previous addresses are genuine.
• You may come across applications with no rental history if this is the tenant’s first rental property. In this instance you should ask for a guarantor, and make sure you submit the guarantor to financial checks.

Don’t forget to protect your investment! Isis Insurance is a specialist Landlords insurance broker.

For a landlords insurance quote call us now on 01625 539 656

• Get the price right – you need to make as much as you can from your investment, but if you push it too far you’ll be left with an empty property. Check similar properties in the area and make sure your rent is in line with the competition. 
• Consider using a lettings agent. They will do the advertising and tenant vetting for you. Although this may make your life easier, it can be expensive.
• If you decide to advertise the property yourself you need to spend some time researching the best publications and websites to advertise with. Be sure to consider your target market when doing this.
• When writing your advert always emphasise the positive. It is good practice to state the three best assets of the property in the first sentence of the advert, e.g. ‘spacious house with two bathrooms and garden, just two minutes walk to the university’.
• Get a To Let board. If you’re using an agent they should provide one, if you’re going private then make or buy one. To Let boards are very useful especially if other properties in the area are available, as potential tenants may be having a look around. Make sure you put your phone number on the board. The board also tells your neighbours there is a property available and they may in turn tell friends or colleagues.
• Once the advert(s) has been placed be available to answer your phone! Have a pen, paper and diary ready to book in viewings. It is also a good idea to write down the best points of the property to reinforce to the potential tenant. 
• When conducting viewings always arrive first and switch on all the lights and make sure the place is clean and tidy. Be friendly and professional – don’t forget the potential tenant will be forming an opinion of you as a landlord. Make sure you point out all the good features of the property and don’t focus on any negative areas. When the viewing is over make sure you have the person’s contact details so you can follow up with a call the next day.

Check back next week for advice on vetting procedures and how to choose the right tenant.

For landlords insurance advice call the experts at Isis Insurance on 01625 539 656

Because it is such a specialised product it can be difficult to decide which is the best policy for you. However Isis Insurance are on hand to help you get the best Goods in Transit quote on the market.

Goods in transit insurance covers property against loss or damage while it is in transit from one place to another or being stored during a journey and this can apply whether the goods are in your own HGV or being carried by another outsourced company. Some policies can also cover you for anything sent via the postal service!

Any good goods in transit quote should include cover for theft, loss, damage and even delays and most good policies will include a replacement clause, which will either cover those goods old for new or at a price that takes into account depreciation. When you get your quote you should always check this part of the policy to ensure that if something does go wrong you do not end up out of pocket.

For help with your goods in transit quote or to obtain one for your company call the Isis Insurance team now on 01625 539 565.

With HGV firms varying from one small lorry to hundreds of large HGVs the needs of clients can vary massively and so it is for this reason that we have become experts in plain, common sense HGV Insurance quote advice and below we can share a few important pointers with you.

Why not save yourself some time and request a HGV Insurance quote online? If you need some advice on the best type of policy for your business needs then call our expert staff on 01625 539 656.

The important thing to remember is that HGV Insurance is more or less the same as other vehicle insurance types in regards to how it is paid. Therefore, a competitive HGV Insurance quote should give you the confidence that your vehicle and contents thereof are suitably covered in the unfortunate event of any claim being made under your HGV Insurance policy.

For a comprehensive HGV Insurance quote or to talk to one of our team about what policy is best for you call us now on the number above or contact us via our online form.

Such a combination of traits can make it tough to find the right candidate for the job, and when you then build in the requirements laid down by UK law around licences and qualifications you need to be a rather unique person indeed to be a HGV driver.

A lot of the legislation makes sense of course as a fully loaded HGV can be a dangerous weapon in untrained hands and it is for this very reason that specialist HGV Insurance is also an absolute necessity.

Whether you have a N2 or N3 HGV licence you will have to be covered by a good HGV insurance policy and to find out exactly what you should be covered for you should speak to experts such as the team at Isis Insurance, who will only be too happy to help you out.

HGV insurance costs are a lot more expensive than Van Insurance. Trucks cost a lot more and can deliver a lot more damage in an accident.

But as with many things in life it is the harder things that produce the best rewards and HGV drivers can expect to be paid well for their endeavour. Typically you can earn upwards of £9 per hour as an agency driver but much more with overtime. And the same applies to employees also. Working for a good HGV firm you can expect to earn £30,000 plus, which, if you enjoy driving, is a great wage for a rewarding job.

Call Isis Insurance now for a HGV Insurance Quote

And if you are unsure of exactly what you are buying as with any type of insurance it is always worth asking for a breakdown of exactly what is being covered. When it comes to your Goods in Transit policy the things to demand are covered are loss of goods during transit, theft of those goods, damage of goods caused by an accident or by simply transporting them and perhaps loss of earnings caused by transit delays out of your control.

What you will find is that if goods in transit are damaged they will be replaced by the insurance company new for old, in the same way they are for items damaged and replaced through a personal insurance policy.

A specialistt broker such as Isis Insurance will ensure you get the right level of cover for your business needs. For example, some goods in transit insurance policies may cover food spoilage for frozen goods, or transit within the EU, but if you sell dishwashers in the UK then you’d be paying for cover you don’t need. Remember to always check with your broker to see which features are optional and which are included as standard.

For expert advice on goods in transit insurance contanct Isis Insurance now on 01625 539 656

Insuring a lorry can be a complex business, in no small part because of the fact that it does so many miles and carries such valuable and varied stock.  If you transport dangerous or hazardous goods for example how do you go about quoting for such a ‘risk’? Few companies are capable of doing this but because Isis Insurance has so much experience in this area we can often be very precise and therefore create a much more affordable quote for you.

And before you opt for any particular quote you should, as always, pay particular attention to the small print: and this is not just about making sure that you are not limited to a certain amount of financial cover for individual incidents. It is just as much about finding out what ‘extras’ may be included. Enquire about such things as breakdown cover, legal cover and glass replacement cover.

Make sure your no claims discount has been included too in any premium as this can make a huge difference to the overall premium. Again, a specialist lorry insurance company will be able to help advice you on what you really need for your specific business.

To talk to an expert call us on 01625 539 656 and our insurance team will be only too happy to advice you on what you need.

During the CPC test you will be asked all about the maximum working periods specific to the transport industry and what happens if they are broken and you must show a sound understanding of the penalties for tachograph tampering.

You will also be ‘tested’ on the legislation and documents concerned with such things as crossing borders, carrying goods internationally, all permits and other special documents that may be needed in transporting goods.

The carriage of passengers may also be covered if you are a bus driver, while safety equipment and information and knowledge around vehicle loads will also be needed.

In Syllabus 3 of the Driver CPC test the training moves onto awareness and health and safety so you can prove your understanding of the potential dangers you face as a HGV driver and what consequences a road traffic accident could have if it involves your truck or HGV.

The transportation and laws surrounding illegal immigrants is also touched on in this Driver CPC syllabus as well as the testing of your understanding of proper lifting and seating postures to limit physical damage and also your ability to quickly assess emergency situations and to react in the right way if faced with something like an accident or fire.

Interestingly, you will also be asked to demonstrate an understanding of how to act in a professional manner and to therefore act as an ambassador for your company, and HGV drivers in general.

And finally the CPC syllabus finishes with a look at the general HGV market from an economic perspective and the environmental impact it may have.

As suspected the Driver CPC leaves no stone unturned in its attempt to make HGV and truck driving a more professional business.

For advice HGV Insurance or Goods in Transit Insurance call Isis Insurance now on 01625 539 656

C1, C1 + E, C or C + E – if you are an EU State national

Or  D1, D1 + E, D or D + E if you are a Non-EU National but working for an EU member State company.

Driver CPC Syllabus 1

The Driver CPC Syllabus has three categories or sections including advanced rational driver training, regulations application and safety and logistics and environmental tests. The initial training will consist of all of these things and will then be followed up, as our Driver CPC guide explains, with periodic training which will expand on specific areas of the syllabus based on the driver’s own needs.

Here we look in a bit more detail at what will be involved in each of the three main subject areas:

Advanced training in rational driving based on safety regulations:

All licences

• Know the characteristics of the transmission system in order to make the best possible use of it - curves relating to torque, power, and specific consumption of an engine, area of optimum use of revolution counter, gearbox-ratio cover diagrams
• Know the technical characteristics and operation of the safety controls in order to control the vehicle, minimise wear and tear and prevent disfunctioning - specific features of hydraulic vacuum servobrake circuit, limits to the use of brakes and retarder, combined use of brakes and retarder, making better use of speed and gear ratio, making use of vehicle inertia, using ways of slowing down and braking on downhill stretches, action in the event of failure
• The ability to optimise fuel consumption - optimisation of fuel consumption by applying know-how

Licences C, C+E, C1, C1+E

• Objective: ability to load the vehicle with due regard for safety rules and proper vehicle use - Forces affecting vehicles in motion, use of gearbox-ratios according to vehicle load and road profile, calculation of payload of vehicle or assembly, calculation of total volume, load distribution, consequences of overloading the axle, vehicle stability and centre of gravity, types of packaging and pallets; main categories of goods needing securing, clamping and securing techniques, use of securing straps, checking of securing devices, use of handling equipment, placing and removal of tarpaulins

Licences D, D+E, D1, D1+E

• The ability to ensure passenger comfort and safety - adjusting longitudinal and sideways movements, road sharing, position on the road, smooth braking, overhang operation, using specific infrastructures (public areas, dedicated lanes), managing conflicts between safe driving and other roles as a driver, interacting with passengers, the needs of certain groups of passengers (disabled persons, children)
• The  ability to load the vehicle with due regard for safety rules and proper vehicle use - forces affecting vehicles in motion, use of gearbox-ratios according to vehicle load and road profile, calculation of payload of vehicle or assembly, load distribution, consequences of overloading the axle, vehicle stability and centre of gravity.

Click here for great rates on HGV Insurance and Goods in Transit Insurance

Why is the Driver CPC being brought in?
The idea is that the driver CPC or Certificate of Professional Competence will raise standards across the board in the truck and HGV world. The biggest effect it hopes to have is to improve road safety but also to make the industry more appealing and ‘professional’ to the outside world. This, it is hoped, will attract a high standard of new recruits to truck driving and will improve retention.

Which vehicles are affected?
The Driver CPC covers the drivers of any truck over 3.5 tonnes as well buses, coaches and bigger minibuses.

Who does NOT need a Driver CPC?
There are a few occasions where you may not need to take the Driver CPC and they include if the vehicles are used by the Armed Forces or if they are emergency vehicles, such as a fire truck, if they are limited to no more than 45km/h, if the vehicle is used as a driving school truck used to teach people their Driver CPC, if the vehicle is a ‘test vehicle’ being used to test technical developments or if the vehicle is for personal use.

How do I get a Driver CPC?
To obtain your CPC you must commit to taking an initial qualification if you are a new driver and then what is called ‘Periodic Training’ for all drivers, which equates to regular training over a five year period in order to keep hold of your Driver CPC. Once you obtain your CPC you will be given a Driver Qualification Card, which covers the next five years until you have to renew it.

What happens if I don’t take the Driver CPC but keep driving?
If caught you will be banned from driving commercially and may face a stiff penalty – often this will also mean you lose your job.

For advice on truck insurance, fleet insurance and goods in transit insurance please contact the experts at Isis Insurance on 01625 539 656