Door Industry Journal - Winter 2014

Also online at: www.dijonline.co.uk 16 THE door industry journal winter 2014 industry news WINDOWS AND DOORS IN SPOTLIGHT AS REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE TOP TENANT AGENDA IN SCOTLAND A survey published in October revealed that Scotland’s social housing tenants view repair and maintenance of their home as more important than any other landlord service – including dealing with anti-social behaviour. In addition to reporting that 88% of tenants regard repair and maintenance of their home as ‘very important’, the survey of tenant groups by the Scottish Housing Regulator also found that more than three quarters of those questioned said keeping buildings and entrances secure was equally significant. For social housing landlords - in Scotland and across the UK – this primary research helps to set tenant satisfaction priorities and once again windows and doors come into the spotlight. Andy Kerr, MD of CMS Window Systems said: “Social landlords face a combination of challenges in ensuring homes are safe, secure and aesthetically good for tenants, particularly given the need to drive up energy efficiency and avoid placing undue pressure on budgets. “This is why window and door upgrading programmes make a significant contribution with a disproportionately small investment. Our windows and doors combine superior thermal insulation as low as 0.8 W/m 2 K with enhanced security to Secured by Design standard, 100% recyclability, and a whole life cycle sustainability commitment. So there are few – if any – more effective ways to deliver homes which tick all the boxes, meeting those important tenant demands as revealed by the Scottish Housing Regulator’s survey and improving the sustainability of housing.” CMS manufactures and installs thousands of windows and doors every year for local authorities and housing associations across Scotland and England. The company uses only lead-free PVC profile to create its Secured by Design licensed windows and doors, and also recycles in-house 100% of the old frames, glass and hardware. Full details about the Scottish Housing Regulator’s survey are available at this short link http://goo.gl/disa5z . Find out more about CMS windows and doors at www.cmswindows.com . Social housing refurbished by CMS Window Systems. U.S. GARAGE DOOR COMPANY ORDERED TO PAY $21M IN DAMAGES TO INDIANAPOLIS MAN IBJ.com reported last month that a garage door company has been ordered to pay $21.3 million in damages to an Indianapolis man who suffered permanent, disabling spinal injuries in 2006 due to a malfunctioning garage door. A Marion County jury awarded the damages last week to Ralph Parker and his wife Cheryl Proper in their case against Professional Garage Door Systems Inc. Parker was working as an electrician on April 6, 2006, when he was hired by a third party to inspect and upgrade wiring at a building in Indianapolis. He was working on an extension ladder above a garage door at the premises when the door activated and trapped Parker against the garage. Eventually, the electric garage door motor failed and the door dropped down, releasing Parker, who fell headfirst to the ground 14 feet below. Parker’s injuries left him completely paralyzed from the chest down. According to the lawsuit, garage doors at the premises had been sold, installed, inspected and serviced by Professional Garage Door Systems a week prior to incident. The lawsuit alleged the injuries were the direct result of the company’s “negligent inspection, service and/or repair of the garage door opener.” The jury found total damages suffered by Parker of $26 million, but cut the award by 30 percent, to $18.2 million, after finding Professional Garage Door Systems only 70-percent at fault in the incident. In addition, Proper was awarded 70 percent of a $4.5 million award, or $3.1 million, for “loss of consortium.” Reproduced in part from an article on the ibj.com website. To read the full story visit http://www.ibj.com/articles/49884-garage-door-company-on-hook-for-21m-jury-award