The boss of a rapidly expanding business re-homing victims of flood or house fires today revealed how the innovative idea grew out of a brainstorming session.

National operations manager of Countrywide Property Management Mike Moody said the firm's emergency relocation service had been booming because of a spate of bad weather and the company's growing reputation.

The emergency relocation service based at Countrywide's Central House, in Clifftown Road, Southend, employs up to ten people and it re-housed more than 1,000 people last year.

Mr Moody, of Rebels Lane, Barling, said the idea for the service grew out of a meeting with loss adjusters more than two years.

Standard practice then was to put the victims of a fire or flood into hotel accommodation while the damage to their home was assessed and repairs began.

Moving into temporary accommodation was available but it left homeless families having to stump up a large sum of money before they could move in.

Mr Moody said: "If you imagine your house has gone up in smoke, you want to rent a property very quickly.

"For that you will need a month's rent up front and another month's rent for a deposit.

"The average rent we work to is £800 a month and for a lot of people that's quite difficult to meet."

Now the emergency relocation service steps into the breach and as well as finding suitable houses or flats across the country for people to move into, the business also pays the rent up front before claiming it back from the insurance company.

However, it takes tough financial controls to keep the business running smoothly. Last November, the service re-housed 206 people or families leaving £700,000 going out of the business in one month alone. The service saves insurance companies money because it's cheaper than hotel accommodation. We can often cut a deal with a landlord on taking pets rather than them being put in kennels."

Vital service - Mike Moody, national operations manager, of Countrywide Property Management, says the firm's relocation service is booming

By Charlie Mellor

Reporter's e-mail: charlie.mellor@notes.newsquest.co.uk

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.