Insurer won't pay, may lose house.

dacouch

ic wrote: »

A fire extinguisher allows the water to be directed accurately under pressure to where the fire is, buckets do not. It isn't merely about the quantity of water.

Nothing, except perhaps a fire extinguisher. Had the precautions been taken with shielding the combustible material, then the fire wouldn't have happened.

Caused through negligence.

Maybe he was just lucky all that time - the way he worked meant it was an accident waiting to happen?

What was the point of that?

One_Five_Four

He always kept the extinguisher on the ground when working on flat roofs. His reason was just as you've stated, that it could be used to direct the water up onto a fire from below rather than trying to throw buckets of water up at it.

The fire extinguisher wouldn't have been able to stop the fire once it appeared as it was already too well established in an area that water couldn't have been directed at within the ceiling void under where he'd been working.

It's possible that more fireproof materials, correctly placed, might have prevented it getting in there in the first place. This was his biggest mistake.

However your reasons mirror those that have led him to think it's time to stop trying to fight it and try to pay. At no stage has he said it wasn't his fault. He started the fire, all we're trying to do is find the best way to stop it now indirectly destroying what's left of his and his family's home life.

One_Five_Four

Thanks Dacouch. I tend to agree, but perhaps they think it is helpful?

rudekid48

As has already been posted many times - he needs to get proper legal advice to help him with this.

If he is not a member of any trade association maybe you could make contact with your own to see if they recomend any specialist solicitors for defending liability cases?

I'm sure that he is not the only tradesman to have ever been in this situation so there must be specialists out there....

One_Five_Four

Funnily enough, the solicitor for the insurers who are trying to claim the money from him is just such a specialist. I'm tempted to ask him if he can help as it's in his interest to get as much money back for his clients as possible.

But otherwise solicitors cost a lot of money, and he hasn't got the money any longer as he spent it all on solicitors just to get to where he is now.

Quentin

Asking advice from his creditors solicitor (even if he were prepared to give it) is not a good idea!

One_Five_Four

Thanks, but why is that please?

rs65

One_Five_Four wrote: »

Thanks, but why is that please?

Conflict of interest. They wouldn't act for him anyway if already appointed by the insurers.

One_Five_Four

This situation was finally resolved at the beginning of 2014. Please see post 27 in this link, and thanks again to all those who tried to help:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4785362

dacouch

Thanks for updating, it was probably a good result although still upsetting to pay it out.

Please tell all your friends to take their time when buying insurance and to read any requirements.