Fire in Downstairs maisonette

dodgy_damo

There was a fire in my neighbouring property(the downstairs maisonette). My smoke alarm near my front door was bleepeing intermittantly, I then could hear an alarm next door. I rang 999 and alerted the Fire Brigade and attempted to gain entry to the property to help my elderly neighbour. After trying to gain access in the front and rear doors by breaking glass panels(keys werent left in the locks), I had to wait for the fire Bridage to gain access using a sledge hammer. We managed to get the neighbour out of the property. The bed and mattress were eventaully dragged out into the front garden and doused with water until extinguished.

I've since visited my neighbour in hospital and she is recovering. Her son has builders carrying out general repairs and it seems that smoke damage is the main concern.

After looking around my property I could only see smoke/fire damage on my bedroom and hallway stairs, the carpet had become blackened in places. I have polished floorboards in the living room and at one point when I went back into my property black smoke was coming up between the gaps?

2 questions really:
(1) Will I claim through my neighbours insurance for these carpets, or do i need to be notifying my insurers (which I havent done yet) and claiming through them? She is the freeholder if that matters?

(2) Do all my carpets need to be taken up, someone has suggested to me that all the underlay will need to be replaced at the very least. Others have said to demand new carpet throughout. 2 of my carpets are only 6 months old!

dacouch

You can try and claim off your neighboors insurance by speaking to her loss adjuster / insurer but I suspect you will not have any luck. You will find it easier to claim off your insurance and then let them try and claim it back off her insurance if they can prove she is liable by means of her being legally negligent.

If you need any further advice give us a shout

dacouch

the smoke will have got everywhere!

dodgy_damo

To be honest we got to her in time. She had been smoking in bed.
I'm sure the smoke gets everywhere, would you suggest pulling up the carpets?

dacouch

dodgy_damo wrote: »

To be honest we got to her in time. She had been smoking in bed.
I'm sure the smoke gets everywhere, would you suggest pulling up the carpets?

If she was smoking in bed it may be deemed she was negligent so you may be able to claim off her insurance.

Her insurers will check her house to make sure she has not done arson so will realise she was smoking in bed so should realise they may be liable although they may play hard ball. Speak to them to see how they are playing it and advise them you will pull the carpets up soon etc

geri1965_2

You can claim off her insurance if she has been negligent, however, it will be far quicker and easier for your own insurers to deal with it and pursue her insurers afterwards for recover of their outlay.

Kittian_the_Blue

Recommend you contact your insurers straight away - smoke is notoriously difficult to get rid of and will require a lot more upheaval/cost than you might expect