Setting up a Garden Maintenance Business

[Vigen Tigen]

Looking to set up a small local Garden maintenance business which will carry out lawn mowing, garden clearance, hedge cutting and low-level chainsaw work.  Any opportunities which require a proper qualified arborist, I shall pass to professional friends. In setting up this business I will need professional indemnity, public liability etc and would like to understand where are the best places to go for this sort of product. Also would like to understand what, if any, courses/training are out there for people looking to enter this line of work?

[sime42]

Trust Insurance is a good place to start. They're a good company, and always get a mention on here. They have a scheme where the premium you pay is directly related to your turnover, so ideal for small and just starting out businesses. If it's just yourself, and no climbing work the PL and PI should be all you need I'd think.

 

You can do a course for anything these days, but the only thing that might be worth you doing imo is a basic chainsaw course. CS30/31 in old money, you'll have to look up the new name.

 

Good luck.

 

 

[Dan Maynard]

As above spot on, only other suggestion I'd have is PA1 PA6 pesticide so you can spray weedkiller.

[Steve Bullman]

Why do you need professional indemnity insurance?

[Bombadil]

Hardly a month goes by without somebody we’re working for asking “do you know a good gardener”, so there is definitely loads of work out there. Your local College of Agriculture should be doing some horticulture courses, maybe the best place to start for training. Be reliable, know your stuff and put the graft in, you’ll do alright.

[Will C]

As I understand it Pi insurance should only be needed if you are giving written  report liken tree survey work etc. 

public liability will do along with employers liability if any one works with you (including a self employed subbie)

Edited April 26 by Will C
Brain and fingers not in sync

[Vigen Tigen]

On 26/04/2024 at 18:00, Steve Bullman said:

Why do you need professional indemnity insurance?

I had professional indemnity in a previous consultancy based business so is something I would naturally explore at the start. Great if I don't need as no point adding unnecessary overhead. Just need to understand what I will need to make sure my customers, freelancers and myself are covered so any pointers greatly appreciated.

[Steve Bullman]

I think the key word there was 'consultancy'. I don't believe you need professional indemnity for general gardening

[Dan Maynard]

On 26/04/2024 at 21:40, Will C said:

As I understand it Pi insurance should only be needed if you are giving written  report liken tree survey work etc.

You definitely need it for that, but you can also be held liable for verbal advice - so the normal 'is my tree safe' question you get asked walking around gardens is a minefield if you have no cover.

 

Don't think it's an issue for gardening though.

Edited April 28 by Dan Maynard

[Mick Dempsey]

3 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

You definitely need it for that, but you can also be held liable for verbal advice - so the normal 'is my tree safe' question you get asked walking around gardens is a minefield if you have no cover.

 

Don't think it's an issue for gardening though.

How can you be held liable for verbal advice?

How would they prove it?