Double galzing damaged by insurance cleaners

aitch2oh

Hello. Someone daubed paint all over the front of my house. The insurance company sent out Polygon to clean it up. They did it with a water jet. There is now a lot of condensation in the main pane and it is so much that the window is obscured.

I have been onto Polygon so many times and today a man phoned and said that he will call on Monday to see it but he has already told me that it is "fair wear and tear".

Over 50 per cent of the exterior of my house is windows and this one window is the only one that has condensation so how can they say it is "fair wear and tear" when they have not even seen it.

Any advice would be welcome

markdavey

Go through your insurance company as they commissioned the work.

Leif

I would take a photograph as a record, and make it clear that the window did not have condensation before (if that was the case). Clearly he is trying to fob you off. Damaging the seal on the window unit is carelessness in my book. Proving it an getting them to cough up might be hard.

aitch2oh

Thank you markdavey and Leif. Believe it or not this is my first insurance claim in over 40 years so in some ways I am lucky but in another way I think I am very naive. I feel more prepared for this visit on Monday.

phill99

Remember the contract is between you and your insurance company. They have agreed to undertake the works. How they actually get it done (ie via a contractor) is down to them. Markdavey is correct - its your insurance company that you need to deal with - not their contractors.

However, playing devils advocate, seals on DG units don't suddenly fail. They deteriorate over a long period of time. Proving that it was caused by the jet wash is another thing entirely.

Leif

phill99 wrote: »

Remember the contract is between you and your insurance company. They have agreed to undertake the works. How they actually get it done (ie via a contractor) is down to them. Markdavey is correct - its your insurance company that you need to deal with - not their contractors.

However, playing devils advocate, seals on DG units don't suddenly fail. They deteriorate over a long period of time. Proving that it was caused by the jet wash is another thing entirely.

True, but the OP did say there is a LOT of condensation, and that doesn't happen overnight without 'encouragement' e.g. a high pressure hose on the surround.

phill99

Leif wrote: »

True, but the OP did say there is a LOT of condensation, and that doesn't happen overnight without 'encouragement' e.g. a high pressure hose on the surround.

I agree with what you are suggesting, but there would have been a weakness in the seal prior to the jet washing. The jet washing is almost the straw that breaks the camels back.

aitch2oh

Story so far. Man from Polygon came out and said it was "fair wear and tear" and old age (the double glazing..not me! and I said no to both as my double glazing was put in along with all the other properties on what was once a council estate now mostly owned. Then he said it was the tiny gaps at each end og that pane of glas and I said that might be true but as skilled professionals Polygon should have seen that. I did not argue with him as I could see he was under orders. The I wrote to the insurers, Lloyd TSB, and a woman phoned me and said I should get repairers to look at it and let them know what they say. Incidently, I printed off the page from Money saving expert and put it in a folder and tried to look as though I knew what I was talking about. The repair man comes on Wednesday and I will post on this site what happens next. Whatever happens Many thanks.

aitch2oh

Hooray, the insurers paid up.
What happened was I got two repairers to give me estimates and got the cheaper one to do it as this one, Abbey Repairs, was also recommended by the various professional agencies such as FENSA. I got advice from the financial ombudsman to send the bill to Lloyds TSB and, very politely, gave them 10 working days to pay up. They paid up after 8 days. £192.00 may not be a lot of manoey these days but it is to me as I really am a disabled pensioner. And I am now a very happy bunny!