1 October 2016
A Yorkshire home safety company has marked the next chapter in its home-grown success story by creating extra jobs and moving to bigger premises.
Ignite Gas Care, which has almost tripled in size in size since it launched just three years ago, gave local MP Stuart Andrew an insight into its growth when he officially opened its new headquarters in Low Lane, Horsforth, Leeds.
The company, which recently carried out its 10,000th gas safety check, works closely with letting agents and landlords to ensure their tenants are protected from potential hazards throughout their rented home.
In response to tough new safety legislation confronting the private rented sector, it has broadened its core gas and electrical testing services to include specialist checks for the deadly Legionella bacteria and the mandatory installation of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.
Managing director Jon Oldroyd said: “The surge in demand for our services has been triggered by the introduction of new laws.
“Landlords and agents know that failure to carry out these checks can lead to severe financial penalties and, just as importantly, deliver long-lasting harm to their reputation in what is a competitive marketplace.
“Our new initiative to provide all checks in a 'one-stop- service, minimising disruption to tenants and providing better value-for-money to landlords, has added an extra dimension to our portfolio.
He added: “Having outgrown our original home at Troy Road in Horsforth it was important to us that we stayed in the local community and we are delighted to find a new base less than a mile away.
“This enables us to retain jobs in Horsforth as well as tap into the pool of talent that exists here when it comes to taking on additional staff, and hopefully our first apprentices, in the future.
“We were delighted to give Mr Andrew an insight into our work and the growing role we are playing in making Yorkshire's rental properties safer. Our expansion gives us the capacity and capability to develop further.â€
Ignite started with four engineers but has now grown to a team of 11 following the recent recruitment drive.
On the back of the new laws, it is investing more than £20,000 in staff training and new equipment, and has also expanded its branded fleet of support vehicles used by the team.
