buildings insurance for empty flat

dinahmite · 18 October 2016 at 9:24PM

My father owns a leasehold flat and he has responsibility for the buildings insurance. He has dementia and now lives in a nursing home. The property is empty and will remain so until it is sold. I have power of attorney and i need to arrange the buildings iisurance which he had let lapse. Do i arrange it in his name (as owner) or my name and are there problems about it being unoccupied? Thanks

paddyandstumpy · 19 October 2016 at 7:49AM

You'll need to go to a Broker, this isn't readily solvable on an aggregator site.

You should continue to insure it in your fathers name with you listed as POA. Perhaps the policy could read something like Mr X, C/O Mr Y.

I assume the flat is in Scotland if you're looking to insure it singularly?

And all you can do is tell the Broker/insurer the property is unoccupied pending sale, some will accept this, most mainstream providers won't at new business.

agrinnall · 19 October 2016 at 9:02AM

paddyandstumpy wrote: »

I assume the flat is in Scotland if you're looking to insure it singularly?

I'm not sure where this assumption has come from but it's unlikely to be correct as the flat is leasehold, which doesn't really exist in Scotland.

paddyandstumpy · 19 October 2016 at 9:30AM

agrinnall wrote: »

I'm not sure where this assumption has come from but it's unlikely to be correct as the flat is leasehold, which doesn't really exist in Scotland.

The assumption came from the fact that in Scotland it's far more prevalent for each flat owner to arrange their own policy.
In the rest of the uk flats are usually insured as a block, by the managing agent or residents association.
There's a very small market in England and Wales for insuring individual flats.

dinahmite · 19 October 2016 at 1:29PM

Thanks for the advice.
The property is in England and the lease says 'To insure and keep insured the premises during the term hereby granted against loss or damage by fire, storm, impact or aircraft and such other risks as are included in a Tariff Office Comprehensive Policy in an insurance Office nominated by the Landlord to the full value thereof in the joint names of the Landlord and the Tenant and to make all payments necessary for the above purpose within seven days after the same shall respectively become payable and to produce to the Landlord on demand the policy or policies of such insurance and the receipt for every such payment'.

That's got me flummoxed I must admit! Any help much appreciated!

Quentin · 19 October 2016 at 2:09PM

Normally the landlord (or his agent) insurers his property (it would be too much of a risk were it down to the tenant!), and bills the tenant.

Maybe your Dad's paid it to the landlord (or it needs paying)??

buildings insurance for empty flat

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