Home Insurance Help!

Bry0ny

Hi,

I hope this is the right place to post and that someone can help me.

First a little bit of background info. For the last few years I had been renting a house from my grandfather. My grandfather died last year and my mother has inherited the house which I rent. My mum has decided that I can continue living in the house but does not wish to charge me rent. Now the home insurance is up for renewal and this is where the pickle starts.

I have been trying to get quotes but I cannot insure the home in my name as I do not own it. I have tried to get quotes in my mums name but as it's not her primary residence keep hitting a brick wall.

I am now assuming that my mum needs to get some form of landlords insurance but various comparison sites/insurers websites ask for rental income (which there is none), when the property was purchased (it wasn't) and the quotes I have got are hideously expensive compared to normal home insurance.

Has anyone got any ideas of a way I can insurance my home and without it costing a small fortune?

Sorry for the long post

G_M

If no rent is being paid (NONE) then you are not a tenant. However you mother needs to find an insurer who will cover her. This should not be hard - they rarely ask if it is the primary residence, however they will ask if the occupants are her and/or family members - which you are. They will also ask if it is unoccupied for more than (30? 60?) days, which it isn't.

Your grandfather, of course, should have had landlords insurance, but that is irrelevant now.

taxsaver

Yes, your mother will have to insure the property, rather than you but it shouldn't be too hard or expensive.

I have generally found these people to be very helpful and very competitive:

http://www.simplybusiness.co.uk

Good luck.

chambta

It really shouldn't be a big issue. RBS group insurance companies certainly wouldn't ask your mother about rental income. In terms of when it was 'bought' that would simply be when it became hers.

Insurance for non owner-occupiers will be slightly more expensive but given you live there rent free I'm sure it won't be an issue!

Bry0ny

It really does seem to be difficult. The four comparison sites I have just tried (Confused, Compare the Market, Go Compare and Money Supermarket) all ask in some form whether the property is the main residence.

For example Money Supermarket asks ownership status which is "Mortgaged/Owned - Not rented out". The next question is occupancy status which the options are "permanent main residence, weekend only, weekday only, holiday home, unoccupied", and it is none of these options! I obviously don't want to say that my mum lives here when she doesn't.

Sorry I don't mean to be a pain.

Also, I know I don't pay rent but I still don't want to have to pay out extra for landlords insurance if there is no need! This is MSE after all!

G_M

Fair point.
I've just looked at Direct Line - they don't seem to ask this so try them.

Or use the comparison sites, enter details as if it was your mother living there, ('Permenant Residence'), find the cheapest/best/preferred quotes, then ring the company direct to confirm/amend the details. If they agree it's OK, take the name of the person you speak to, note exactly what they say, and note the date/time of the conversation. Ask for confirmation in writing.

Comparison sites are fine for run-of-the-mill applications, with a limited number of questions/options, and for getting an overview of prices. You always have to check the cover with the company when you go on to apply. Anything slightly out of the ordinary you need to double check with the insurer.

Bry0ny

Thanks for your reply. I will have a look at Direct Line.:)

PasturesNew

Your mum insures it, you pay her.

angrypirate

Why doesnt your mum charge you a rent for £1 a month. You are then a tenant and gets around this (and potentially a few other) problems

angrypirate

PS your mum only needs landlords insurance if she is worried you are going to trash the place or your going to burn it down.

G_M

angrypirate wrote: »

Why doesnt your mum charge you a rent for £1 a month. You are then a tenant and gets around this (and potentially a few other) problems

The OP then becomes a tenant and mum becomes a landlady. Being a LL brings a whole raft of legal obligations........