Secure your dealer, how to furlough staff, looking after your suppliers and more

[James Baggott 227]

Evening

We've been working very hard over the last few days on content that can help you during this time. If you don't currently get it I'd strongly suggest signing up for our email which is coming with near-daily frequency and is packed with stuff for you to consider.

You can add your address to get it here.

On our site in the last 24 hours are the following that you may find useful:

How do you furlough staff

Should your business be opened or closed

How do you secure your dealership during the lockdown

(inspired by this forum) How do you look after your suppliers and contractors during crisis

Vertu Motors ' plan to get through the crisis

How can you keep running during this time

A full list of suppliers offering help to dealers and what they're doing

Will your insurance cover you during coronavirus crisis

Plus there's lots more on there. I know these are incredibly tough times - believe me we are feeling it too, but I hope this sort of information helps in some way.

If there's ANYTHING you need to know, let me know. I will be hosting a webinar with the legal experts from Lawgistics tomorrow at midday live on the website and it'll be posted as a video soon after to help answer your questions. 

If you have any, post them here and I'll do what I can to get answers.

Stay healthy

James

 

[have a word with the wife 299]

 

just updated

=Protection from eviction for commercial tenants

Commercial tenants who cannot pay their rent because of COVID-19 will be protected from eviction.

These measures will mean no business will automatically forfeit their lease and be forced out of their premises if they miss a payment up until 30 June.

There is the option for the government to extend this period if needed.

This is not a rental holiday. All commercial tenants will still be liable for the rent. Commercial tenants are protected from eviction if they are unable to pay rent.

Eligibility

All commercial tenants in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are eligible.

How to access the scheme

The change will come into force when the Coronavirus Bill receives Royal Assent. No action is required.

[James Baggott 227]

Thank you @have a word with the wife

[justina3 518]

So if a director of a company signs onto the scheme whilst he is on the scheme they are unable to work, well who runs payroll for the rest of the staff ? sees bills are met answers customers online questions? wouldnt that be classed as working. 

I wonder how they will monitor who has worked and who hasnt. 

[New year revolutions...... 197]

Security

I updated my camera system 3 weeks ago because I knew we were going to have to shut 

My system came from a Chinese British supplier and the system from ebay is really cheap, less than £200 once you add a quality hard drive

This  is for 8 hardwired cameras,no rubbish wire free ones that are useless in the rain

I bought a floureon system and it took 10 minutes to connect it to the free cloud so no further charges

I have an old phone at the side of me at home and currently am looking both at the outside of my premises and internally,the night vision on these bullet cameras is absolutely superb 

I have also bought some smart live plug in wifi plugs connected to some 20 watt smd outside lights, I also bought these 2 weeks ago,I go on the app on my phone and can turn them on and off,they cost£5 each

Additionally I have an outside microphone on an ebay extension lead that is placed near to my business entrance so it picks up all sounds these microphones are £3 on ebay and the lead about £6 the power supply is an old modem one12 volt

So for £210 I've just watched 2 lads with bikes circle my property and disappear 

All these articles were bought from ebay and came within 3days

Hth

[David Ayers 171]

1 hour ago, New year revolutions...... said:

Security

I updated my camera system 3 weeks ago because I knew we were going to have to shut 

My system came from a Chinese British supplier and the system from ebay is really cheap, less than £200 once you add a quality hard drive

This  is for 8 hardwired cameras,no rubbish wire free ones that are useless in the rain

I bought a floureon system and it took 10 minutes to connect it to the free cloud so no further charges

I have an old phone at the side of me at home and currently am looking both at the outside of my premises and internally,the night vision on these bullet cameras is absolutely superb 

I have also bought some smart live plug in wifi plugs connected to some 20 watt smd outside lights, I also bought these 2 weeks ago,I go on the app on my phone and can turn them on and off,they cost£5 each

Additionally I have an outside microphone on an ebay extension lead that is placed near to my business entrance so it picks up all sounds these microphones are £3 on ebay and the lead about £6 the power supply is an old modem one12 volt

So for £210 I've just watched 2 lads with bikes circle my property and disappear 

All these articles were bought from ebay and came within 3days

Hth

Might be helpful to post a link.

Edited March 24, 2020 by David Ayers

[New year revolutions...... 197]

1 hour ago, David Ayers said:

Might be helpful to post a link.

I see you've modified your post thank you

It took a lot of writing out and if it only helps one fellow trader to not lose his business due to theft or vandalism I will be very pleased

I've downloaded a file for you here,its of the very main road of my business  normally at this time of night very busy with traffic as you can hear you could hear a pin drop if there was anybody there

Just frightening

20200324_212356.m4a

[David Ayers 171]

Sorry I meant a link to purchase.

[Rory RSC 596]

Looks like nearly all dealers are actually closed and playing the game. A few went in to tie up loose ends secure stock.

some of the biggest players in the game including a huge auction house tried to continue business as usual. 

[BHM 994]

Purely semantics but what’s the difference between furloughing staff & laying off staff? Furloughing sounds the same to me, perhaps I’m missing something or is laying off something from the past?

[Dan W 57]

1 hour ago, BHM said:

Purely semantics but what’s the difference between furloughing staff & laying off staff? Furloughing sounds the same to me, perhaps I’m missing something or is laying off something from the past?

i think furloughing you keep them on the payroll, goverment pays the employer the 80% they pay that to the employee, they then cant go to work for anyone else and they cant come back to work for you until the goverment allow it.

[New year revolutions...... 197]

You touch your furlough as you boss says out of the goodness of my heart I'm not going to sack you because the govt are paying most of your wages

Of course if you wish to work for Tesco in the meantime no worries

When this is all over and you want your job back you will be first in the queue

(Insert name of person who said this)

[BHM 994]

30 minutes ago, Dan W said:

i think furloughing you keep them on the payroll, goverment pays the employer the 80% they pay that to the employee, they then cant go to work for anyone else and they cant come back to work for you until the goverment allow it.

Oh I see. If memory serves in the olden days a laid off member of staff was still on the books but received no payment - I think (could be wrong) it gave them the option of claiming from the DSS.

[Boycie 30]

We were in yesterday to secure the site and someone grassed us up to Trading Standards saying we were open. Trading standards rang us to check....

[justina3 518]

one Point that isn’t being mentioned is once you enter into the scheme the employer can claim the 80% but doesn’t have to give the 20% that’s a choice for the employer to make.

[Rory RSC 596]

52 minutes ago, Boycie said:

We were in yesterday to secure the site and someone grassed us up to Trading Standards saying we were open. Trading standards rang us to check....

I imagine lots of people are going to become vigilantes to those out and about.

[Boycie 30]

17 minutes ago, Rory RSC said:

I imagine lots of people are going to become vigilantes to those out and about.

Shame they weren't so alert when some lads spent 90 mins cutting through our bollards with angle grinders to steal a Focus RS off the forecourt a few years ago.

[have a word with the wife 299]

35 minutes ago, Rory RSC said:

I imagine lots of people are going to become vigilantes to those out and about.

Good, the message is clear, isolate..........

[BHM 994]

1 hour ago, Boycie said:

Shame they weren't so alert when some lads spent 90 mins cutting through our bollards with angle grinders to steal a Focus RS off the forecourt a few years ago.

[Casper 272]

4 hours ago, Boycie said:

We were in yesterday to secure the site and someone grassed us up to Trading Standards saying we were open. Trading standards rang us to check....

Sad really isnt it .. i do agree people shouldnt be out apart from the reasons given but some people need to use common sense and realise people need to secure there premises etc as was said travel to work when cant be done from home and off course on this occasions it cant be . 

Edited March 25, 2020 by Casper

[James Baggott 227]

Hi all - not sure if you caught our Car Dealer Live broadcast earlier today but you can see it here:

https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/car-dealer-live-broadcast-lawgistics-midday-today/188642

Lots of those questions answered!

[have a word with the wife 299]

All water companies are halting debt collection visits. You may still get a call, but they won’t be sending anyone round or applying for any new court orders during the current crisis. 

[have a word with the wife 299]

4 hours ago, James Baggott said:

Hi all - not sure if you caught our Car Dealer Live broadcast earlier today but you can see it here:

https://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/car-dealer-live-broadcast-lawgistics-midday-today/188642

Lots of those questions answered!

very informative thankyou, and to lawgistics .

[James Baggott 227]

You're very welcome! I'm doing them daily now at midday on the website and on our YouTube channel