DJmark Membership Validation

PBL Audio Ltd is currently a SILVER DJmark Award Holder

This award confirms that PBL Audio Ltd complies with the most regular requirements of venues. See panel opposite.

The award only applies to John Laws and not to other DJs who may work for PBL Audio Ltd.

Public Liability Insurance (PLI)

What and Why?

PLI is designed to protect you, your guests and your venue in the event of an accident involving the DJ or the DJ's equipment. Many venues now insist on a minimum level of PLI before granting access to the venue, and this requirement is often driven by the venue's own insurers wishing to offset risk. The worst case scenario is if your DJ cannot produce a valid PLI policy, your venue may refuse access in order to protect their own rights. When PLI is available for as little as £29 per year, not carrying it speaks volumes about the DJ!

ALL DJmark Silver award holders carry PLI in the name of the account holder.

Legal Music Sourcing/Dubbing (ProDub)

What and Why?

ProDub is a licence issued in the UK by PRS for Music, which governs the copying of music from any format to a digital format. For example, if a DJ copies CDs to a hard drive in order to play them using a laptop. Or changing the format of a downloaded track. Or changing the structure of a digital file in any way.

Unfortunately there are a lot of common myths surrounding ProDub, especially amongst ill-informed venue managers who consider that all digital DJs require a licence. This is not necessarily the case. Here at DJmark we understand the remit of the licence. We challenge members to confirm exactly how they manage their digital music collections and insist on sight of a ProDub licence where necessary.

Electrical Safety Tests (PAT)

What and Why?

PAT is a testing regime which inspects and tests portable electrical appliances to ensure they are safe to use in a public setting.

Most DJ equipment has a hard life - bounced around in the back of a van, in and out of venues in all weathers week in, week out - so in our opinion it is essential that equipment which may come into contact with the public is regularly tested, checked and serviced. When PAT testing generally costs less than £1 per item, what does it say about a DJ who does not get it done?

Under the latest regulations, the frequency of PAT is not defined. However, for DJmark membership we insist on an annual test as an absolute minimum. We inspect PAT records held in the name of the account holder.

Written Contracts Issued

What and Why?

Any service provider worth dealing with will issue you with terms and conditions governing the agreement which you have made with them in respect of services to be provided. Why should a mobile disco be any different?

We hear so many stories of unscrupulous DJs who back out of jobs at short notice when a better paying offer comes in that we even set up a website needalastminutedisco.com to help dozens of people every week arrange DJ cover rapidly. Almost invariably these situations involve "lower priced" DJs and almost invariably there is no written contract in place, effectively granting the original DJ carte blanche to walk away without consequence.

ALL DJmark award holders will present you with a written contract at the point of booking, and will usually require a small deposit from you to confirm the date. This is how a professional business in any other market would operate.

CONFIRMED

DJmark Membership Validation

PBL Audio Ltd