The Covid-19 pandemic has affected all of us, including those deemed ‘essential businesses’.
Many UK businesses are currently enduring severe financial hardship due to the effects of lockdown.
This includes those businesses deemed essential, like dry cleaners and laundrettes, which were allowed to stay open during the lockdown periods.
A laundrette’s business model relies on hospitality events and formal clothing in offices. The hospitality industry is still on its knees, with weddings and events cancelled. Most offices closed entirely over lockdown, or have skeleton staff.
As a result, dry cleaners and launderettes have seen a serious downturn in business.
These businesses face further difficulty as they may be ineligible for some Government support payments because of their very status as essential businesses under coronavirus regulations.
The financial strain placed on dry cleaners from the combination of lockdown and a lack of support, has led to a publicly led petition being put to parliament in January 2021. The dry cleaners argued that they had slipped through the net of various COVID-19 grant schemes. Unfortunately, the petition was rejected by Parliament on the basis of it not clearly specifying the remedy sought.
Fortunately, dry cleaners and launderettes do still have the option of looking to their business insurance provider in order to claim for loss in revenue due to the various lockdowns.
Some of those policies may require the premises to have been closed by a local authority or legislative order. However, if you were unable to stay open due to not being able to ensure your premises was COVID-19 secure, or there having been an outbreak at the premises from a customer or member of staff, you may still qualify for a pay-out under your business interruption insurance.
Specters Solicitors are offering a free review of your business insurance policy at a complimentary initial 30-minute consultation. Following this review, if our analysts are of the view that your policy may allow for a pay-out, we will offer to act for you on a ‘No Win No Fee’ basis, and therefore you will only pay our legal costs if you win your case.
It is vital that you send your 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 Business Insurance Schedule, Policy Wording, and any endorsements made to the policy to Specters Solicitors as soon as possible so that we are able to tell you if we believe you can make a claim.
