Certass Trade Association has a direct line to Government

Certass Trade Association is supporting members through the COVID-19 situation via its new Certass Members Forum on Facebook. Set up to give members the latest advice and information on how any Government announcements affect them, it is proving popular as a place for discussion between installers, as well as giving members a direct line to Government via its Chair, Jon Vanstone.

Jon explains: “A forum like this is the most practical way to get immediate information to our members. And with the ever-changing situation at the moment, that is crucial. Updates I receive daily from Government can be posted in real-time and it gives members the opportunity to ask myself and the Certass team questions direct.

“It also means that I can feedback our industry’s concerns to Government, which is essential for their decision making.

“The forum is a busy hub of activity and we would encourage all members to join so they can receive the latest updates as they happen. We are expecting more announcements over the coming days in terms of how the lockdown rules will affect installation companies going forward. We have already issued guides on the self-employment income support scheme and practical guidance for employers.

“Any questions we can’t answer straight away are asked of Government direct, so that we have as much clarity as possible for members during this difficult time.

“For any trade association at the moment, the focus should be on delivering good, clear information to keep its members and their customers safe. This means avoiding any misinterpretation of Government guidance which could put installers and homeowners at risk.

“Currently, we are seeking clarification between ‘construction’ workers and installers carrying out home improvements – they are very different working environments and as such, the guidance should be very different too.

“To ensure that members are setting the agenda, we’re running a poll every week to ask members what they need from us and the Certass team is available to answer questions direct.”

Certass members can join the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2823812634321231/