Water leak Ins won't pay if old pipes

lisyloo

They're waiting for a contractor to come out to locate the actual leak.

So this is nothing speccific to your situation.
A call center operator is just reading out a standard script to you?
In which case I'd say not to worry for the time being.

Quentin

lisyloo wrote: »

So this is nothing speccific to your situation.
A call center operator is just reading out a standard script to you?
In which case I'd say not to worry for the time being.

As the leak is on the property's side of the meter, this sounds too reassuring!

eg Who is paying for the contractor to come out?

lisyloo

I am not re-assuring anything about the claim.
Just saying that nothing can be done at this stage to refute a mere potential possibility at this stage.

If a call center person reads that out and no-one has even looked at the problem then it's clearly nothing more than a standard script that's read out to every customer and not something particular to this claim.

I am not aware of any research the OP could do, but I'd probably start with googling for "maintenance" and the type of pipework.

Graham3232

Hi,

If your pipes are only 30 years old they will likely be copper or plastic. These are generally relaible unlike old lead pipes.

£4K of water is three months is probably like several full size swimming pools worth of water. If you had a leak like that you would know about it before you got your bill!

I have had similar problems as the meters measure cubic meters to two or three decimal places and are occasionally misread and that could easily account for a sudden massive increase if they billed you for 4,000 M3 instead of 400 M3.

One thing to check is modern toilets (post 2001) with internal overflows are not constantaly overflowing into the pan as this is a common cause of apparent leaks and high bills.

Graham.

hermum

Graham3232 wrote: »

Hi,

If your pipes are only 30 years old they will likely be copper or plastic. These are generally relaible unlike old lead pipes.

£4K of water is three months is probably like several full size swimming pools worth of water. If you had a leak like that you would know about it before you got your bill!

I have had similar problems as the meters measure cubic meters to two or three decimal places and are occasionally misread and that could easily account for a sudden massive increase if they billed you for 4,000 M3 instead of 400 M3.

One thing to check is modern toilets (post 2001) with internal overflows are not constantaly overflowing into the pan as this is a common cause of apparent leaks and high bills.

Graham.

The bill hadn't been done, the meter reader came round & said that the dial was spinning. The meter reading was around 2000 units higher than the previous reading.
I'm not sure whether the contractor's been yet & if so what they discovered.
There's no sign of water on their property, the last few days has been very frosty & there's only been uniform frost, no ice patches outside & no constant water into or out of the toilet.
I'm pretty sure that the pipes laid were plastic.
I'll update when I know more.
Thank you all for your replies.

TSx

What you have to remember with insurance is that generally speaking, although you have 'buildings' insurance, it's not insuring things, it's insuring against events (perils).

If the cause of the leak isn't something covered by the policy, then the claim usually will be repudiated.

You seem to be under the impression that the buildings are covered for anything, unless it is excluded in the policy.

Which insurer (the AA are an intermediary) is this claim with?

hermum

TSx wrote: »

What you have to remember with insurance is that generally speaking, although you have 'buildings' insurance, it's not insuring things, it's insuring against events (perils).

If the cause of the leak isn't something covered by the policy, then the claim usually will be repudiated.

You seem to be under the impression that the buildings are covered for anything, unless it is excluded in the policy.

Which insurer (the AA are an intermediary) is this claim with?

I don't know who the actual claim is with.
When my parents asked if the water pipes were covered for leaks they were told they were under the buildings insurance, they didn't know the right way to ask the question obviously.
Thanks again all, once it's repaired they will take out the separate cover with their water authority.

magpiecottage

Have they contacted the water supplier?

Some will do repairs to pipes between the stop !!!! and the house free or at a reduced price.

hermum

magpiecottage wrote: »

Have they contacted the water supplier?

Some will do repairs to pipes between the stop !!!! and the house free or at a reduced price.

Yes, it was the meter reader who told them that there was a leak so they then contacted the office.
Part of the water loss will be absorbed by the company from the sounds of things I don't know if they have said that they may cover some of the costs.
Hopefully when the ins co eventually sends their contractor out it will be quickly resolved one way or another.
Thanks for the advice.