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There are a huge range of companies across the UK offering family law services and knowing who to choose can be a difficult decision.

Many people looking for a family solicitor are going through a highly emotional time and the last thing you need is to waste your time trawling through unsuitable candidates.

You need someone discreet and effective, who will build a relationship with you and fight on your behalf, with an in-depth knowledge of the law and a proven record of resolving disputes in situations similar to yours.

To help you narrow down your search here are 7 of the most important questions to ask when considering a potential family law solicitor.

– Who is in charge?

Finding a solicitor who is highly respected and qualified shouldn’t be too difficult, but if you decide to use their services you need to be sure they are the one who will take charge of your case.

The last thing you need is for all the task of managing your case to be farmed out to the new guy who is far less experienced and lacks the suitable qualifications.

The best family solicitors will utilise their support staff to ensure nothing is overlooked but still be available to their clients if needed and be at the helm to make any major decisions.

– Are they experienced?

Having been in the industry for a long time is not, on its own, enough to guarantee the quality of a family solicitor but it is a strong indicator that they will have experience of dealing with similar cases in the past.

Far more important than the number of years they have been practicing law for is how much experience they have that is relevant to the specifics of your case and their track record of resolving similar scenarios.

– Do they specialise in family law?

It may be tempting to hire the most well-respected lawyer in your area or stick with a firm that has served you well in the past, but this may not be the best idea in a family law case

There are many different areas of expertise in law, and family law is one of the most complex forms of litigation.

Just because a lawyer has a fantastic record in a criminal court, does not mean that they have the finesses to deal with the highly charged atmosphere of family law and it is always best to check

– Are they accredited?

If you are unsure how to judge if a solicitor has the relevant expertise for your needs, there are a number of accreditations that you can look out for that suggests a family lawyer is trustworthy.

For example, being a member of Resolution is a sign that a law firm is committed to resolving family issues in a non-confrontational manner and possesses a certain level of knowledge and expertise in family law.

The law society are another respected professional body that runs accreditation schemes for family law, and membership can be considered a sign of skill and trustworthiness.

– Are they respected?

There is no better way to judge the quality of a family lawyer’s work that to hear the opinions of previous clients

Many family lawyers have client testimonials available on their website which will give you a better idea of what you can expect from their services and the values of the firm in question.

If you see the testimonial of a client who was in a situation similar to the one you are now, and their situation was satisfactorily resolved, it will give you peace of mind, and a bit more confidence that you are making the right decision.

– Do they offer mediation?

Many family disputes can be resolved through mediation, encouraging a participatory resolution through communication and negotiation.

Mediation is not the same as legal representation, but some solicitors will also offer mediation services.

If a firm does offer mediation, they will be able to determine whether or not your case could be resolved in such a way and refer you to an experienced mediator to give you the best possible chance of success.

– What is their plan?

Sometimes, the most straightforward questions are the best. 

Simply asking a potential family lawyer clarkston how they intend to resolve your case is the best way to judge if your thoughts align and you will be able to work well together.

In family law cases going to court should always be the last resort as it can cause unnecessary stress and is extremely expensive.

Mediation or an out or court solution should always be a family solicitor’s go-to choice, and if not, it may be worth looking elsewhere.

Every business owner knows just how important it is to protect your business from burglary, vandalism, and other forms of criminal activity.

It is impossible to be too careful when it comes to the safety of your property and most importantly your staff and customers.

CCTV installation is globally recognised as one of the very best Construction site security measures you can take but an often overlooked benefit is that you could actually see a reduction in your insurance premiums after your cameras are in place.

However, this is not an exact science, and the is no guarantee on how much lower your premiums will be or even if you will receive a discount at all.

This article will give you all the information you need about how insurance premiums are calculated, the effect that CCTV installation could have, and how much you could expect to save.

Will installing CCTV reduce my insurance premiums?

A simple question, but the answer is a bit more complicated.

The short answer is yes, in most situations, but this will depend on a number of different factors.

Many insurance companies are only willing to offer a discount on their premiums if you install a monitored security system, for example.

This involves a professional security firm monitoring your CCTV, and probably your intruder alarm system, from a central monitoring station, to ensure a swift response to any emergencies.

Should a member of staff spot an introduction via CCTV or your alarm is triggered, this will immediately be registered at the monitoring station.

A team of security guards will then instantly be sent to investigate, and the emergency services notified if required.

Such an effective rapid response service will dramatically reduce the risk of loss and damages on your business premises and almost always result in a reduction in insurance premiums of some kind.

Why do insurance companies offer discounts for CCTV installation?

Insurance firms are companies just like yours and will only make a commitment if they believe that they will make a profit.

For this reason, the only time that they would reduce their premiums would be if they believe the chances of an expensive claim have been reduced also.

It could be argued that no security measure reduces the risk of a criminal claim as much as an integrated or temporary CCTV system meaning that installation is often connected directly to a fall in premiums.

Before you go any further with your CCTV installation, contact your insurer to check what system type they favour as this could play a role in deciding the size of the discount.

Remember, however, that security and safety should always come first, so if your security firm makes a suggestion that doesn’t align with your insurance company’s policy, paying a bit extra for the increased security, or changing insurance provider is your best bet.

Why might an insurance company not reduce your insurance?

Even if you do go ahead and have a CCTV system installed, this is no guarantee of a discount on your premiums.

Some companies prefer integrated monitored alarm systems over CCTV, for example, as the audio warning triggered when the alarm is activated is considered more of an active deterrent than CCTV systems that allow for observation alone.

A combination of the two, however, is even better and will almost always result in a discount.

Many modern CCTV systems come equipped with A.I technologies such as virtual tripwires that work in a very similar manner to motion detection alarms and will even issue a customisable audio warning to intruders caught on camera.

It is also worth noting that although CCTV may not act as an active crime prevention measure in the same way as a security guard, many potential intruders will be put off from targeting your site by the presence of cameras alone.

This will significantly reduce the number of incidents you have to deal with, a fact that will not go unnoticed by underwriters responsible for judging risk and determining insurance premiums.

How much can you save?

As shown above, calculating the savings you will make on your insurance by installing CCTV is not an exact science.

However, in general, you can expect to see a reduction of around 10-20% following the installation of a high-quality monitored camera set-up.

It is important to note that if your property is considered high-risk for other reasons, such as a high crime rate in the area, high debt in the company, or a history of major insurance claims, installing a CCTV system will only do so much.

There is also the upfront cost of installation to consider, CCTV system are not cheap, however, research has shown that the criminal activity they will prevent means that in most circumstances they will more than pay for themselves over time.

If you work in the construction industry you will understand just how important a secure site is to avoiding criminal damage, staying on budget, and maintaining health and safety regulations

Theft and vandalism cost the UK construction industry £800m a year, with 1 in 5 sites reporting weekly thefts of materials or equipment according to a survey by the Chartered Institute of Building.

For this reason alone, it is essential that you have excellent construction site security in place or your project will quickly become a financial nightmare, delaying builds by months, and leading to unhappy customers that can damage your reputation.

What security threats do construction sites face?

Theft

By their very nature, construction sites are attractive targets to thieves.

Construction projects require a huge amount of expensive equipment, materials, and vehicles that it is not practical to remove at the end of every working day and must be stored on site.

The most common targets of theft include open sheds or containers, expensive building materials such as copper pipes, and power tools left unattended.

Once workers have gone home the risk of criminal activity rises significantly and it is essential that you have both a manned guard presence and remote monitoring technology in place to ensure your site is protected.

Vandalism

Open construction sites are also vulnerable to vandalism and given that these crimes tend to be more impulsive than theft it is unlikely that deterrents will be effective in stopping such incidents.

It is, therefore, essential that you have security in place to identify and either intercept intruders as quickly as possible or gather evidence to secure a conviction and successful insurance claim post-event.

If such protection is not in place, you could find yourself losing thousands of pounds every project replacing and repairing damaged property.

Safety

Construction sites have plenty of unavoidable hazards including working machinery and heavy objects being moved around on a constant basis.

This means that the risk of workplace injury is higher than in most other industries. A comprehensive security system can help you make sure that the safety protocols you have put in place to help mitigate the risk of injury are being followed.

A CCTV system can also protect you against false liability claims as you will be able to prove that any incidents that do occur were not caused as a result of your negligence.

Productivity

If workers are aware that they may be under observation whilst on site they are likely to work harder and progress will be made at a much faster rate.

You will also be able to use your security system to identify any areas of the site that are not as productive as others and take steps to resolve this whether by speaking to staff or reallocating resources.

Construction Site Security Methods

Prime Secure have been delivering the latest security solutions to customers in the construction industry for over 25 years and offers a range of options to help you develop a comprehensive security system.

Effective construction site security methods include:

CCTV

As well as catching thieves and vandals in the act and being key to securing prosecutions, CCTV is a fantastic way to prevent crime from occurring at all.

CCTV acts as a visual deterrent and most thieves will move on from your site once they see you have a system in place to look elsewhere for an easier target.

Your cameras can also be used by your security staff to locate ongoing situations and provide a fast response.

Security Guards

SIA licensed security guards from Prime Secure will help you keep your site protected against intruders, acting not only as a visual deterrent but using their years of experience to identify and eradicate weak spots in your existing security system.

On larger construction sites, frequent dedicated patrols from security officers are essential to keeping an eye on what is going on, preventing crime, and keeping your staff and property secure.

If an incident does occur, security guards are fully trained in conflict resolution, have contacts with the emergency services, and will often be able to stop criminals in the act.

Access Control

Controlling who is on your construction site at any time is the key to effective security.

Prime Secure’s V-Stile biometric access control systems ensure only authorised personal are able to enter your site and come in a variety of forms from mobile and tablet devices to lockable turnstile systems.

The biometric nature of this turnstile offers an additional level of security to traditional entry gate systems as they use the physical data of registered users as opposed to a key card that can be borrowed or stolen.