FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you’re confronted with dampness and timber problems for the first time, remember that many other home owners will probably have had to deal with them as well, so here’s how you can benefit from their experience – by browsing through the questions we are most frequently asked.

If you can’t find the answer you’re looking for, then go to our ‘Ask the Experts’ page and let us help you on a one-to-one basis.

Are your guarantees insurance backed ? What happens if I want to make a claim and your business is no longer trading ?

The backing to Peter Cox guarantees comes from our continuous 50 year trading history and the support of our parent company, Mavinwood Plc. Additional insurance backing is an option through one of two schemes - a) Guarantee Protection Insurance (GPI) b) TrustMark and this would ensure that should Peter Cox Ltd go out of business, an independent contractor would be appointed to honour any claims under the terms of the guarantee. Ask our branch office for details and premiums.

If I move, can your guarantees be transferred to my buyer ?

Yes, all our guarantees are fully assignable but we do ask to be notified of the change of ownership (within 90 days) and there is a small administration charge for the buyer to pay in order to record that the benefit of the guarantee is now in a new name.

If there is a reinfestation by woodworm and this has caused serious damage to roof beams will Peter Cox replace the beams under the guarantee ?

In principle yes - providing insecticidal treatment has been carrried out to that beam, the damage is such that it is no longer structurally sound and no exclusion terms were applied to the guarantee at the time of issue.

How do I claim against a guarantee ?

You need to contact the local branch office of Peter Cox - the address will be quoted on the original survey report documents which you need to have to hand. We will ask firstly for verification of certain details and then arrange for a surveyor to carry out a re-inspection. There is a standard re-inspection fee (currently œ65.00 + VAT) which is payable with all guarantee claims but this is refundable should treatment under the terms of the guarantee be found to be necessary.

I have just recently purchased a property that is still covered by your Guarantees. There is now work needing to be done again for the same things under guarantee; will you still honour this ?

Yes, we will of course honour the terms of our guarantee. As a first step can you please contact the local branch office which carried out the treatment (the details are on the guarantee document). They will arrange for a surveyor to carry out an inspection to determine the exact cause of the problem you are faced with. If our original treatment has proved faulty and has failed, then we will re-treat without charge.

I had SHELL THERMABEAD insulation installed but over the years most of it seems to have come out. We were given a guarantee for life and wondered what we can do to have it checked.

It is over 25 years since Peter Cox Ltd withdrew from the installation of cavity wall insulation using the Thermocomfort bonded bead system. The guarantees issued were underwritten by Shell to whom you are best advised to direct your enquiry. Alternatively you could contact a current bonded bead system installer for advice - visit www.theconstructioncentre.co.uk