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Cunningham Lindsey
girliebiker
Posts: 4 Newbie
Hi
On 31st May I had a flood in the kitchen.
After around 2 hours of pouring water and the arrival of a plumber the water was turned off.
I rang L&G to eplain what had happened. It's my frist claim in 11 years at the property.
A week or so later Cunningham Lindsey called to arrange a visit.
The visit came and went followed by a visit from the builders a week or so later.They had a good look around my kitchen and explained that my kitchen would need to be ripped out and the floor dug up becasue it was showing signs of warping. They quoted 3 weeks to complete the work. Mum (who's 68 and lives with me) asked how would we get up stairs if they were going to dig up our only access and was advised that they would leave a small gang way.
Mum was due for major surgery on her foot on the 9th July and I asked for the work to be postponed until she could walk with out crutches.
I paid my excess over to the builders week begining 16th July and waited. I received the receipt for the excess around 6th August.
We havent heard anything from Cunningham Lindsey (CL)since the beginning of June and i still do not have a start date for the work.
Mum rang L&G who passed her to CL who said they would call the buliders and then call her back. After 5 hours of waiting she called CL again to be told the builders would be starting on 3rd September.
The weekend of 1st September I packed up my kitchen in to boxes and moved them along with my frideg freezer into my living room. I had already expressed a concern about where we would store the electricals and the undamaged units but no one at CL seemed interested, that was my problem.
By Tuesday and no sign of the builders I called the builders to be told that they were waiting on an asbestos report on a 15 year old house. They asked me to arrange the survey.
I called L&G who passed me to CL who said "a what?" After numerous phone calls CL finally arranged the asbestos survey for the 12th September.
The guy stood in my kitchen and told ne that he could see no reason why work could not start and that he would report his findings to CL.
By wednesday 19th I'm full of cold fed up of living in a mess I rang CL to be told that they had not recevied anything about the asbestos and that they would look into it and call me back.
2 hours later I called again to be told that they had found asbestos and it's the worse sort in the wall in the hall. That would be the same wall I've drilled a coat rack into. I'm now frantic that I've exposed my family and friends to asbestos. 2 days of worry pass before I'm informed that it's not in the wall but could possibly be within the fuse box and because that wall is not going to be touched during the course of work they is no need to remove it. I'm stilled worried.
I was also told that work would start on 8th October.
The builder turns up at 11am, takes one look at the floor and units and expresses concerns over how we get up stairs once he's dug the floor up, how are we going to cook and wash up after he removes my cooker and sink and where are the units going to be stored.
Another phone call to CL to be told that my home is classed as un inhabitable and that we should have moved out. He then asks me to start looking on the internet for my own accommodation locally.
In the mean time the builders manager has turned up, turns out to be the same guy Mum saw back in June. He's suddenlly notice the crack in the plaster board on the adjoining wall with next door also missed by CL and 2 other buliders from the same company. He takes some photo's and leaves. The builder continues to rip my kitchen out.
Tuesday sees the builder dig up the floor and thankfully there is concret under the chip board so he just relays new chip board. I have to leave before the builder and ask him to lock up.
On my retrun I pay my phone messages, there is one from the builders saying they have been pulled off site due to suspected subsidence.
I have no cooker, no sink, no units, missing plaster where they had to remove a stud wall to dig the floor up, breeze blocks showing and my electricals in the back garden under tarpaulin.
I call CL to be told nothing they can do until tomorrow at 8am.
Wednesday I wake up with a mouth full of ulcers, splitting head ache and the worry of how long the suspected subsidence will take to be resolved.
CL dont want to know they do not deal with subsidence claims for L&G. L&G dont want to know they've passed it to Crawfords.
On Thursday I contact CL and tell them that I am buying a camping gas cooker and gas, conti boards to make makeshift work surface out of and that a plumber will be refitting my sink and that CL will be paying for it. I have also found collection and storage for my electricals and undamaged units. I was aksed why I had not moved out! L&G are unwilling to pay for accommodation rental because rentals are a min of 6 months, there are no holiday lets local, where am I supposed to go, the park bench? They arranged for the builder to come back and re fit my sink and the contiboards.
Subsidence survey completed and no subsidence found. Builders disagree and will not guarrantee their work. I have squeaking floor boards laid by them, leaking capped water pipes capped by them and units damaged by them when they ripped them out.
I can either have the builders finish off the job or take the pittence offered of £2800 less my £300 excess they are entitled to for managing my claim to get the work finished myself.
I've so far had 2 quotes each for around £4k to finish the work and give me back my kitchen.
It's now 4 weeks since they started work and I'm in a worse mess than the flood left me in.
This morning I received a reply to my letter of complaint admitting that they have made mistakes, that my claim was not managed well and that they apologise.
Can I claim back my lost wages £380 to date, lost trying to sort out the mess I've been left with and can I claim any compensation for the worry and stress they have put me through?
regards
Girlie
On 31st May I had a flood in the kitchen.
After around 2 hours of pouring water and the arrival of a plumber the water was turned off.
I rang L&G to eplain what had happened. It's my frist claim in 11 years at the property.
A week or so later Cunningham Lindsey called to arrange a visit.
The visit came and went followed by a visit from the builders a week or so later.They had a good look around my kitchen and explained that my kitchen would need to be ripped out and the floor dug up becasue it was showing signs of warping. They quoted 3 weeks to complete the work. Mum (who's 68 and lives with me) asked how would we get up stairs if they were going to dig up our only access and was advised that they would leave a small gang way.
Mum was due for major surgery on her foot on the 9th July and I asked for the work to be postponed until she could walk with out crutches.
I paid my excess over to the builders week begining 16th July and waited. I received the receipt for the excess around 6th August.
We havent heard anything from Cunningham Lindsey (CL)since the beginning of June and i still do not have a start date for the work.
Mum rang L&G who passed her to CL who said they would call the buliders and then call her back. After 5 hours of waiting she called CL again to be told the builders would be starting on 3rd September.
The weekend of 1st September I packed up my kitchen in to boxes and moved them along with my frideg freezer into my living room. I had already expressed a concern about where we would store the electricals and the undamaged units but no one at CL seemed interested, that was my problem.
By Tuesday and no sign of the builders I called the builders to be told that they were waiting on an asbestos report on a 15 year old house. They asked me to arrange the survey.
I called L&G who passed me to CL who said "a what?" After numerous phone calls CL finally arranged the asbestos survey for the 12th September.
The guy stood in my kitchen and told ne that he could see no reason why work could not start and that he would report his findings to CL.
By wednesday 19th I'm full of cold fed up of living in a mess I rang CL to be told that they had not recevied anything about the asbestos and that they would look into it and call me back.
2 hours later I called again to be told that they had found asbestos and it's the worse sort in the wall in the hall. That would be the same wall I've drilled a coat rack into. I'm now frantic that I've exposed my family and friends to asbestos. 2 days of worry pass before I'm informed that it's not in the wall but could possibly be within the fuse box and because that wall is not going to be touched during the course of work they is no need to remove it. I'm stilled worried.
I was also told that work would start on 8th October.
The builder turns up at 11am, takes one look at the floor and units and expresses concerns over how we get up stairs once he's dug the floor up, how are we going to cook and wash up after he removes my cooker and sink and where are the units going to be stored.
Another phone call to CL to be told that my home is classed as un inhabitable and that we should have moved out. He then asks me to start looking on the internet for my own accommodation locally.
In the mean time the builders manager has turned up, turns out to be the same guy Mum saw back in June. He's suddenlly notice the crack in the plaster board on the adjoining wall with next door also missed by CL and 2 other buliders from the same company. He takes some photo's and leaves. The builder continues to rip my kitchen out.
Tuesday sees the builder dig up the floor and thankfully there is concret under the chip board so he just relays new chip board. I have to leave before the builder and ask him to lock up.
On my retrun I pay my phone messages, there is one from the builders saying they have been pulled off site due to suspected subsidence.
I have no cooker, no sink, no units, missing plaster where they had to remove a stud wall to dig the floor up, breeze blocks showing and my electricals in the back garden under tarpaulin.
I call CL to be told nothing they can do until tomorrow at 8am.
Wednesday I wake up with a mouth full of ulcers, splitting head ache and the worry of how long the suspected subsidence will take to be resolved.
CL dont want to know they do not deal with subsidence claims for L&G. L&G dont want to know they've passed it to Crawfords.
On Thursday I contact CL and tell them that I am buying a camping gas cooker and gas, conti boards to make makeshift work surface out of and that a plumber will be refitting my sink and that CL will be paying for it. I have also found collection and storage for my electricals and undamaged units. I was aksed why I had not moved out! L&G are unwilling to pay for accommodation rental because rentals are a min of 6 months, there are no holiday lets local, where am I supposed to go, the park bench? They arranged for the builder to come back and re fit my sink and the contiboards.
Subsidence survey completed and no subsidence found. Builders disagree and will not guarrantee their work. I have squeaking floor boards laid by them, leaking capped water pipes capped by them and units damaged by them when they ripped them out.
I can either have the builders finish off the job or take the pittence offered of £2800 less my £300 excess they are entitled to for managing my claim to get the work finished myself.
I've so far had 2 quotes each for around £4k to finish the work and give me back my kitchen.
It's now 4 weeks since they started work and I'm in a worse mess than the flood left me in.
This morning I received a reply to my letter of complaint admitting that they have made mistakes, that my claim was not managed well and that they apologise.
Can I claim back my lost wages £380 to date, lost trying to sort out the mess I've been left with and can I claim any compensation for the worry and stress they have put me through?
regards
Girlie
0
Comments
-
Dear Girlie,
Sorry to hear this terrible tale of woe! The unfortunate thing about the insurance claims management industry is that "bad practice" has been allowed to become "common practice". I would like to be able to assist or guide you in this respect so if you don't mind I have some pertinet questions to ask to establish some basic facts:
1 Was the contractor approved by the loss adjuster?
2 If the floor was completely removed was this notified to Building Control?
3 Did the schedule of works contain a risk assessment?
4 Were alternative quotes sought or obtained?
5 Presumably, the house being built post 1990 any asbestos must have been in, such as, artex done after completion?
6 Has the house been tested for airborne spores from toxic mould?
If you could provide with answers to the above I may be able to guide you further.
Insurer & Loss Adjuster claims management are the subject of current "concern" at Parliament and it may be that I might be in a position to raise this.
Yours,
Insurance Watchdog0 -
We've been messed about since last November & are still owed considerable sums. Again CL are the Loss Adjusters but Direct Line the insurers.
Good Luck!
Kate0 -
insurance_watchdog wrote: »Dear Girlie,
Sorry to hear this terrible tale of woe! The unfortunate thing about the insurance claims management industry is that "bad practice" has been allowed to become "common practice". I would like to be able to assist or guide you in this respect so if you don't mind I have some pertinet questions to ask to establish some basic facts:
1 Was the contractor approved by the loss adjuster?
2 If the floor was completely removed was this notified to Building Control?
3 Did the schedule of works contain a risk assessment?
4 Were alternative quotes sought or obtained?
5 Presumably, the house being built post 1990 any asbestos must have been in, such as, artex done after completion?
6 Has the house been tested for airborne spores from toxic mould?
If you could provide with answers to the above I may be able to guide you further.
Insurer & Loss Adjuster claims management are the subject of current "concern" at Parliament and it may be that I might be in a position to raise this.
Yours,
Insurance Watchdog
Hi
In answer to your questions -
1) The builders have been approved by CL. They work for Oriel (?) who I now know are part of CL
2) He ripped up the laminate and then the chipboard but because there was concrete below he didn't need to do anything else. I have not seen anyone from Building Control. When I had the garage converted to give me a bigger living room Building control vertually lived at my home!
3) Not that I have seen and I do not recall one taking place prior to work commencing.
4) I was not asked to supply an quotes for the work. It was passed by CL toOriel (?)
5) There is no artex! There is a small possibility that it is in a part that makes up the fuse/circuit box.
6) No, please dont frighten any more! I am so worried that I have asbestos that I'm looking into having the fuse box replaced and paying for it myself.
I have been able to get the builders to guarantee their workmanship but they will not guarrantee any damaged caused by movement/slippage.
They start work again on monday 5th Nov.
I'm not money oreintated, I dont have credit cards or loans and therefore live within my means but I'm angry and upset that someone can decide that it's fine to frighten, distress and leave me in this position. I feel that the least they can do is repay my lost wages.
Regards
Girlie0 -
I am sad you had to ensure such pains. I have a lot of experience with CL and it is such as shame they have handled this badly. If you have decided to stay at home when it is not considered 'habitable', then you are entitled to some form of compensation such as a disturbance allowance. This is in effect, the insurers saving on the temporary accomodation (which for a similar house would cost hundreds?). They rather pay a smaller compensation to you to make a saving.
I would not worry too much about asbestos. If your house is less than 15 years old, the chances of asbestos is very slim. it was started to be phased out in the early 90's I believe.
HSE says: Any building built or refurbished before asbestos was banned as a building material at the end of 1999 could contain asbestos in many forms.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/hiddenkiller/facts.htm
From now, you should:
> get an agreed programme of when the Loss adjuster expects the works to be finished
> write down people you have spoken to from the Insures and who is handling your claim
> get a copy of their complaint's proceedure
> If they don't do what they say, give them a chance, then complaint to their Loss Adjuster manager with a copy to your insurance company stating 'I am making a formal complaint...'
Hopefully, this might start help start getting your home back.0 -
claims management regulation
Tomorrow's meeting of the All Party Group on Insurance & Financial Services will tackle some of the most pressing issues in the filed of claims...
Confirmed speakers
Head of claims management regulation, Ministry of Justice, Kevin Rousell
Legal Ombudsman chief executive and chief ombudsman Adam Sampson
Former director general of the Association of British Insurers and author of a recent report defending leaflets carrying adverts encouraging NHS patients to sue for damages, Mark Boleat
Gunpowder Media founder and Claims Standard Council spokesman Andy Wigmore
The presentations will be preceded by the annual meeting and election of officers of the group0 -
inoutnotsure wrote: »I am sad you had to ensure such pains. I have a lot of experience with CL and it is such as shame they have handled this badly. If you have decided to stay at home when it is not considered 'habitable', then you are entitled to some form of compensation such as a disturbance allowance. This is in effect, the insurers saving on the temporary accomodation (which for a similar house would cost hundreds?). They rather pay a smaller compensation to you to make a saving.
I would not worry too much about asbestos. If your house is less than 15 years old, the chances of asbestos is very slim. it was started to be phased out in the early 90's I believe.
HSE says: Any building built or refurbished before asbestos was banned as a building material at the end of 1999 could contain asbestos in many forms.
From now, you should:
> get an agreed programme of when the Loss adjuster expects the works to be finished
> write down people you have spoken to from the Insures and who is handling your claim
> get a copy of their complaint's proceedure
> If they don't do what they say, give them a chance, then complaint to their Loss Adjuster manager with a copy to your insurance company stating 'I am making a formal complaint...'
Hopefully, this might start help start getting your home back.
Thank you so much. I've emailed the manager at CL now dealing with my claim after I sent a letter of complaint and asked about the disturbance allowance.
I had no idea that I could be entitled to it. He is going to call me back later once he has worked it out. He is also going to ask about getting my lost wages repaid.
My Granddad always said that insurance wasn't worth the paper it's written on and not to trust insurance companies. This is my first ever claim and I can see why he had no faith in them.
Fingers crossed I come back from my holiday to a completed kitchen and hopefully a few pennies in time for Christmas.
Thank you again
Girlie0 -
It sounds like you deserve something but I don't think a 'disturbance allowance' is an automatic entitlement.
Insurers expect you to assist in dealing with a claim which will generally involve inconvenience and maybe time off work. If CL/Insurers/contractors have caused you to suffer further loss/expense than its not unreasonable to ask for something.
The whole thing sounds a shambles. Good luck.0 -
Shock of all shocks, they have agreed a disturbance allowance to be paid direct into my bank with in 5 working days :j
They have also agreed "compensation" for everything they have put me through which will be in cheque form sent in a couple of weeks :j
I do believe that my honesty has worked in my favour. Where the disturbance allowance works it is paid per adult per week living at the property. They had taken my Dad into account but he works in Europe and is only home for a long weekend every 4 or 5 weeks so I asked them not to include him.
I never set out to make money out of them, but just to get my kitchen fixed.
I also have a Manager now looking after my claim and he calls me nearly every day with up dates.
Maybe, just maybe they are trying to get their act together.
One very happy Girliebiker (until I return from holiday to find I've still got no kitchen!)0 -
No problems...:T, at least it helps. I know how people feel when claims go wrong. At least you have the attention you needed from a manager. Won't be long now for that new kitchen. Just make sure you keep reminding of the time it's taken.
Hope it goes a much better from now.0 -
Cunnungham &lindsay are the worst, they lie,cheat fabricate what you say, after a clear storm damage they came, one approved the claim , no contact for one week (called wearing the claimant down), you can not talk to any one and if you do they make an excuse the one who deals with the issue is not there, you phone and phone.....nothing. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASK FOR ANOTHER COMPANY OF ADJUSTERS DO NOT LET THEM NEAR YOUR PROPERTY,they will not pay as this is make them popular with the insurance company and get business from them.. the branch i dealt with was Glasgow. i did and got another more reasonable adjusters.0
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