Landlord insurance required to be purchased by tenants

franklee

Maybe I'm missing something but don't you want tenant's contents insurance, when I was looking this was available from most insurers. I've forgotten the details of mine but IIRC it does include accidental damage to the landlord's contents. A quick google and this is the first link I've found so it's NOT a recommendation but gives you the idea what to look for:

http://www.jml-property-insurance.co.uk/

Tenants Contents Insurance
....
Most specialist tenant policies will provide the tenant with cover starting from £2,500 upwards and will usually cover accidental damage that you may cause to the landlords fixture, fittings, buildings and contents. Should the tenant accidentally damage the carpet with a wine stain or hot iron or a work surface with a hot pan mark, these events will be covered. Usually the tenancy agreement will make the tenant legally liable for such damage, any damage found at the time of the check-out will be deducted from the deposit or security bond. If the tenant has adequate insurance these events will be covered, thereby protecting your deposit.

Wyndham

westv wrote: »

Well, in theory, you do. If the LL were to make a claim on their policy for, say, a broken oven caused accidently by the tenant then the insurance company could theoretically subrogate against the tenant for the cost of the replacement.

Well, kinda. I could go to someone else house and break their oven, or I could walk into a shop window and smash it, or any number of things as I go around day to day life (well, I'm not quite that accident prone, but you get the idea!). I'm not insured for any of these things, so why should it be different when I'm in a home which isn't my own, with other people's property? If the oven broke, I would expect the landlord to replace it. If it was an accident, then I would expect their accidental damage policy to pay out. If I'd done it on purpose, well, it wouldn't then be covered by any insurance policy I had either, would it?

Blacksheep1979

At the end of the day the tenant is always paying for this. Whether it's directly to the insurance company or by the landlord charging an extra £8/month...

jjlandlord

Wyndham wrote: »

Well, kinda. I could go to someone else house and break their oven, or I could walk into a shop window and smash it, or any number of things as I go around day to day life (well, I'm not quite that accident prone, but you get the idea!).

And if you do any of that you'd be responsible for the damages.

Wyndham wrote: »

If the oven broke, I would expect the landlord to replace it. If it was an accident, then I would expect their accidental damage policy to pay out.

It doesn't matter if it's an accident or not: If you break it you are responsible to pay for the costs.
Actually by default the landlord is only obliged to repair an oven he provided at all if it breaks for any reason. But if it has to be replaced then he is obliged to do it (obviously can be at T's costs depending on the cause...)

sooz

Are you currently insuring YOUR contents?
If so, have you asked your current insurer if accidental damage to the landlord's items are covered, or if they can be covered for a small additional premium. I currently have this. It's much less than £90 per year as a stand alone policy.

Inquisitive100

If it is a condition of your tenancy agreement that you keep the property insured then you must do so however you are entitled to arrange your own insurance as long as it's on comparable terms. (see the excellent Leasehold Advisory Service Website lease-advice.org. for more info.) If you don't have insurance and breach your tenancy agreement your landlord might try to evict you for breach of tenancy (tricky as discretionary) but more likely just refuse to renew and then serve you with the standard two month notice followed by eviction proceedings. Have you thought what might happen if you did have a fire or a flood not just in your flat but perhaps from a neighbouring uninsured flat?

Inquisitive100

Hi

Does anyone know where I can get Data on the average premium prices for landlord insurance over the last ten years?

Thanks

moesasji

Inquisitive100 wrote: »

If it is a condition of your tenancy agreement that you keep the property insured then you must do so however you are entitled to arrange your own insurance as long as it's on comparable terms. (see the excellent Leasehold Advisory Service Website lease-advice.org. for more info.)

The Office of Fair Trading is very explicit about the fact that forcing a tenant to take out an insurance is an unfair term, see the document in the following link:

http://www.oft.gov.uk/OFTwork/publications/publication-categories/guidance/unfair-terms-consumer/oft356

In that document it is explicitly stated in for example paragraph 4.8 and the examples in group 18. Bottom line is that a landlord will have a very hard time evicting tenants for this reason as it is his responsibility to have a landlord insurance, not the tenants.

ps) If you have a question that is different from the topic-starter it is always better to start your own topic.

cmdcishe

Many thanks for your all advice.

Endsleigh were hopeless for getting any sensible answers.

In the end, bought insurance from 'letscover insurance' - about £75
(instead of £90 charged by agency)

Very easy to book - clear details of what is and isn't covered.
Provide £2500 cover for damage to landlords furnishings and fittings -
the minimum cover required by the letting agency.

So far, no complaints from the agency....

thanks again