Subsidence - renting a property

Matt_F-Smith

Hello all,

My partner and I have recently moved into a rented property (12 month lease) with a letting agency.

We have since learnt from other tenants (and through our own suspicions) that the property is suffering from subsidence. Now, we realise that it isn't technically the managing agent's job to have made us aware of this, but because of the issue we had to cancel our contents insurance............ as the subsidence made our policy invalid.

Suffice to say, finding an insurer who would provide cover has proved costly. Our premium is £120+ of the former.

I hope we are within our right to confront the agent about this, and try and recoup some of these costs?

Regards

courtjester

Not quite sure why this would be an issue.

Why did you *have* to cancel your contents policy - subsidence is an event that can only really affect the building which your policy doesn't cover...

As you 'learnt' about this from other tenants, your own flat presumably displays no signs of the problem, no damp, no cracks etc., which could in severe cases lead to some kind of health risk?

Carpets which conceivably could be damaged (by damp ingress say) are again presumably not your property (landlords fixtures and fittings would be insured under the building policy?)

Your tenancy agreement may make you responsible for decorations, but only in certain circumstances, so again would suggest that any damage to these (within your flat) by subsidence would be a matter for the building owners.

Can't see why this should prove to be an issue for you or why any contents insurer would see the need to increase their premium ?

prudryden

I agree. Who told you that your contents insurance would be affected?

Matt_F-Smith

courtjester wrote:

Not quite sure why this would be an issue.

Why did you *have* to cancel your contents policy - subsidence is an event that can only really affect the building which your policy doesn't cover...

As you 'learnt' about this from other tenants, your own flat presumably displays no signs of the problem, no damp, no cracks etc., which could in severe cases lead to some kind of health risk?

Carpets which conceivably could be damaged (by damp ingress say) are again presumably not your property (landlords fixtures and fittings would be insured under the building policy?)

Your tenancy agreement may make you responsible for decorations, but only in certain circumstances, so again would suggest that any damage to these (within your flat) by subsidence would be a matter for the building owners.

Can't see why this should prove to be an issue for you or why any contents insurer would see the need to increase their premium ?

There are cracks throughout the property, and it has been monitored for subsidence for a few years.

My point is that: to sign up for contents insurance, you are required to confirm that the building shows no signs of, or has been subject to damage in the past

Without knowing this in the first instance, we made a false statement?

prudryden

My contents insurance covers items in my car and anything I take on holiday as well as my personal belongings in the house. I wasn't asked anything about where I live except my address. Maybe, they thought you were buying and it is tied in with a building policy.

rosysparkle

You didn't make a false statement as you answered the question to the best of your knowledge and belief. Your policy wouldn't have been invalidated.

You shouldn't have cancelled the insurance but you should have made your insurer aware that this had been discovered when it came to your attention. It's highly unlikely they'd have cancelled it until renewal, and probably not then either.

mjdh1957

It doesn't sound right to me about subsidence affecting contents - are you sure you weren't sold a combined buildings and contents insurance?

There are lots of insurance policies for contents only, and when I rented I can't remember being asked about subsidence. As you don't own the property, the subsidence is nothing to do with you and entirely your landlord's responsibility.

Have a look online for contents-only policies and see what questions they ask on their online forms.