likeitorlumpit

Looks like I've got an original model. I see they have changed the design of the blades. I couldn't get any proof of effectiveness because the page with the info. on it wouldn't open. I will though try the head height thing. Sounds like you are saying the air movement from the fan is enough to keep the air in the room moving enough to counteract convection currents. Let me check- purely scientific interest you understand. I'm not trying to wind you up but I like to see proof. I do though think even without the proven efficiency increase they are a good looking stovetop toy.

this is what I'm getting though it says Norton blocked an attack by......

Do tell:001_rolleyes:

wrap a few potatoes in foil and put in the stove cooks them in about 10mins. Just like outdoor cooking

Not thinking the eco fan will help much. Try putting the back of your hand in front of the spinning fan- you won't feel much draft. Unless mines not working properly that is. I think they are more for show

Maybe the tax is subdued:sneaky2: One of the perks and reasons why IR is getting stuck in.

I guess the water content is the issue but we find a bag of woodchips on a fire works well. Bit of a pain though. I think if it's all I had then I would definately burn it

Same problem with norton. Running Chrome. Pop up appears every new page I open. Only with Arbtalk at the moment.

Thanks all I think your replies sum up my previous stance when this has happened. I will move on head held high. Interesting to note the roadside verge mowing responses. I would have thought most windscreen breakages would be less than firms excess and not worth an insurance claim. Very true that it would be hard to pin down liability and a £75 cost to the car owner rather than a £200 cost to the firm.

In the past whenever we have broken a window through strimmer/mower action we have always held our hands up and paid the bill. This happens roughly twice a year in a bad year. Sometimes we go years without this sort of thing. We recently lost a mowing contract that we had for 10 years or more. It was just end in a months time- apparently we wern't spending as long as they thought we should. Nothing to do with quality. Anyway Previously we had cracked a window and 3 months later (ie today) the management company is saying in a very terse phone call that we should be claiming on our insurance. I would normally do just that (well, not a claim but just paying out of our window fund) but as they had been very abrupt in ending our contract I am considering whether we really are liable in these instances. What are your thoughts/ experiences on these matters. Particularly flying stones/grit. I guess most of you will just say pay up and move on but I'm just not happy with the tone of the phone call and don't want to help any more than I am obliged to. Is it really our fault that a stone has been picked up- I'm not 100%. Morally/ commercially then yes but legally, I sometimes wonder.

I thought it would be more complicated. This closes the potential loophole

Just a thought. Could a landowner get easy/free reports on his trees provided they were in a conservation area by applying to fell all trees on the grounds that they were unsafe. The local TO would then have to visit and pronounce them safe or otherwise and refuse the application. This would be landowner responsibility covered for insurance. I know this sounds a bit cheapskate but I was thinking it was one of the benefits of being in a conservation area. Kind of offsets the hassles.

Just to chip in and agree with Rupe. If you do work for this company they may well have to declare you as an effective employee which will increase their PL insurance premium. Which is why they tried to get you to take out your own- it doesn't work like that. Similarly- you don't sound self employed working like this if this is the only firm you work for or if you are directed in your work ( see other recent threads on this). Just be careful.

Agreed- the load would have to be stacked high. Also in rings there can be a lot of wasted space depending on the size of ring

best saw for doing what:confused1:

I've noticed that too. They start with casual questions then start getting in deeper till you suss them and feed them crap. It has become a sport.

It's not justifying lower wages- it's a nice perk to have. It's great being self employed but you have to spend a lot of time searching for work and often having days/weeks without work. As an employee, all this aggro has been done for you. That's got to be worth something. Holidays adds 10% so £65 becomes £72 add time spent getting work= poss another 10%= £79 Add time off when things are slack = poss another 10%= £88 per day you would have to earn to make genuine self employment the same as earning £65 PAYE. Thats without equipment costs/training + keeping up with industry best practice. So shall we say £100 a day self employed= £65 PAYE as a groundie

Hear what you are saying but we're talking PAYE Paid hols and all other perks not just used or abused. It's probably a minimum amount and for someone who has had their tickets paid for through the firm. I've paid groundies much more in the past but on a self employed basis. A good groundie with good tree knowledge and all the other aspects is not standard issue.

It's highly likely you will lose a lot of your existing customers although there are ways round this:wink: It was not the way I did it. I guess I became VAT registered quite quickly and it just seemed necessary. You will though need to work harder at getting commercial customers or even just customers who don't mind paying VAT. Charging VAT shouldn't put up your prices by 20% as you will be able to claim back input tax. You will see it as a tax on your labour which in essence is what it is. Further down the line maybe you go limited and the tax tables are turned as you legally have a way of saving tax. The system is set up this way to encourage businesses to grow. Lets face it our existing customers don't want their tree surgeon to change, they like the personal touch But it's not their business and they don't necessarily help you when you are down. It will be a pain and seem just too much hassle at times but if you persevere it should come good a little down the line. In my opinion keeping under the VAT threshold is a recipe for keeping small. Some think this is all they want but then when they are 50 and maybe suffer some ill health the business fails to deliver and the stress mounts......... Not saying my view is right for everyone but thats how I have found it.

Paul It sounds like we run a similar business model. All are employed- they get holiday/bank hols but only SSP which as you say keeps everyone healthy:001_smile: I get paid holiday too and will be taking dividends when we start on them. It works well - staff have responsibility and a certain degree of autonomy. Kit is kept in pretty good condition and regularly renewed. There is a staff training budget. There is a PPE budget. Growth has been steady but not spectacular. I don't want the business to control me. (Famous last words) I agree PAYE quarterly bills are large but lets face it, most is the employees tax/N.I. anyway so we can't complain. VAT bills are nearly into 5 figures quarterly though rising. Can't complain about that as it's not my money. I do though think VAT needs to be reduced to help reduce evasion which is happening increasingly. It may appear that having subbies is the good deal but in reality not so sure. My biggest issue is keeping up to date with legislation and with H&S issues.

By the way, it doesn't matter what your accountant says. Your tax affairs are your responsibility. In fact accountants are like gardeners- they can call themselves accountants even if they have no qualifications.

Are you sure you've gone through the questions right. Answering 'yes' to the questions to be deemed self employed. I was thinking working on an estate then they tell you what needs doing. i.e. they don't get you to price up each job.Working for 10 days a month is half your working week. For what it's worth you could be self employed and employed by the estate on the books as it were. Just keep your accounts to show what you are doing.

This is the one We will use about 8 cube logs this winter on 2 fires. Gas bill still £500 though. That 8 cube would have cost about £600 but didn't apart from my labour and paying one of the lads to do some too. Logs ain't cheap when you take everything into account. But they sure are nice and make a cosy home. Not really into this eco house thing where there isn't a point heat source that you can gather round. Then again haven't really lived in one. It's just what some of my customers have told me. I would be liking the lack of bills though. Utilities cost me nearly 2 grand a year here if you include water and sewage. Council tax is 1400 thats about £60-£65 a week all in. Living ain't cheap

Thats a good source of information for employers and employees Nice link:thumbup1:

I stand corrected Its 28 days and can include bank hols in this. Thats basically work 9 days, have the tenth day off.