Insurance backed guarantees (damp prrofing & tanking)

msn

Hi All
I've recently had some damp proofing done (well, last month) and after a bit of pestering I now have the 'insurance backed guarantee', however there are no details of an underwriting insurer on the document. In fact, although it does reference the company their address & contact details aren't even on it. It also says they will correct any failure of the damp proofing within 30 years ..."upon production of the warranty, the survey report and proof of full settlement of the account" now the first two I'm pretty happy with but I paid cash on completion all they gave me when I paid cash was an invoice but I don't believe this is really proof of settlement as it says at the bottom "payment is due on completion".

Would anyone be able to help me out at all? Anything I can check or should have?
Many thanks


msn

msn

anyone ?

white_wine_1

Hope this doesn't sound complicated. When you have work like yours done the builder/contractor has to PAY for the insurance backed guarantee which should be a proper document, now, the gaurantee is only valid on the liquid that is pumped into the brick work to stop any rising damp that said should it break down the insurance will only come in to play if ALL the work has been carried out to proper specifications by the contractor. Like all insurance when anything happens they don't want to pay out.

What I would do is contact the contractor again tell him you are not satisfied with the documentation that he has given you and unless he can supply a proper insurance backed Certificate gaurantee you will be contacting Traiding Standards. He may not like that and say don't threaten me. If you are still unsure take the relevant paper work to your local town hall and ask to speak to some one in building control they are usually helpful.

Hope this has been of help. Don't let the contractor fob you of plus if you have his home address put it in writing.

Good Luck
white wine 1

macman

They should have written on the invoice 'paid in full'-that is the normal procedure if you settle upon presentation.

msn

Thanks for you help whitewine & macman.
I've now chased him and he's said it was an administration error and they've just sent me out a company guarantee as opposed to an insurance one by accident. So my insurance backed guarantee should be turning up this week, however I've looked them up and they're not listed as being registered with what looks to be the biggest/only trade insurer in that area. I've looked up other damp proofers in my area and they appear on that list but this company doesn't. I'll not over worry and just see if anything turns up in the post I guess.

25rts

Hi

My understanding of insurance-backed guarantees (as opposed to manufacturers' guarantees) is that you can't get insurance backed guarantees beyond 10 years for 'tanking' (20 years for cavity drainage membrane subject to certain caveats) and beyond 20 years above ground. Also, if IPT hasn't been charged it wont be insurance backed.

Send me a pm if you require clarification

Radsteral

i m not registred with sovereighn chemicals which provides guarantees but that doesnt stop me supplying clients with a insurance backed guarantee... all i have to do when finished is, pay 5 percent of the invoice to the manifacturerand suplier of materials(sovereighn) and send them a drawing , and the client will get his original in couple of weeks straight away from them and i ll get a copy too

dampdaveski

A proper insurance backed guarantee will be subject to 6% Insurance Premium tax
The only 2 companies I'm aware of that can offer this insurance is
http://www.gptprotection.co.uk/
or
http://www.cgsins.co.uk/cgsins_home.asp

anything else is most likely a buttered up manufacturers warrenty, manufacturers warrenty schemes as far as I'm aware rely soly on that manufacturer paying an ANNUAL premium to their insurers - no annual premium, no cover its as simple as that

Structural waterproofing guarantees are for 10 years only (ie below ground waterproofing)
If a sump pump is installed you MUST have the pump serviced annually or your guarantee is null and void
rising damp, woodworm, dry rot treatments etc are for 20 years

Also remember these insurance backed guarantees only come into force if the original installing company has ceased trading
Hope this is of use

DD

msn

Thanks for all the replies, very helpful. I've still not received anything through the post, but I was relieved to see the company in question appear on the PCA list via the cgsins.co.uk site.
I'll update in due course I guess!

msn

Still waiting on this I keep being told they'll ring me back or it'll be with me by next week, one excuse was "I forgot to pay the bill to the insurance company so they couldn't issue it" - which is either BS or suggests it isn't a true insurance backed guarantee or both.

Can anyone advise what options I actually have?

homeperson

Hi
Did you ever get any where with your insurance backed guarantee?
I've been having a similar problem with my builder not suplying the contracted insurance backed guarantees for tanking and would be interested to hear how you have got on?