Flooding advice

Dazedandconfused

Just after a bit of advice having never claimed on house insurance before

I got home tonight from work and someone stopped me in the street and said did you have any issues yesterday?

I'm thinking huh?

Anyway they mentioned my next door neighbor had been flooded.
My next door neighbor was out so I spoke to another neighbor.It turns out that yesterday my next door neighbor (we are three terraced houses together and it was the middle one) had a burst mains pipe, their cellar flooded, the other house on the other sides cellar flooded and they both got pumped out by the fire brigade. I was at work at the time so my house was empty and no one left me a note or anything to let me know this had happened. I didn't go down my cellar yesterday as I don't every day.

I checked my cellar tonight. My cellar has has laminate flooring and although it wasn't swimming there were puddles on the floor, wet walls and skirting and I've had to chuck some stuff out.

I dont know if the flooring will dry or if it will have to come up.
Next door are tenants and I only got their landlords details a couple of hours ago when I got in but I've rung my insurance.

I wanted some advice on what will happen. Will someone assess it to see if the flooring etc needs repair/ replacement and will my insurers then liaise with his about liability and paying for repair? The person I spoke to was the out of hours team and didn't give me any info just said someone will ring me tomorrow

Also is it me or as the other neighbour was flooded surely I would have expected them to pop a note through the door given they knew the other side was affected? If the other neighbour hadn't seen me I might not have noticed til the weekend

rs65

If it was simply a burst water main then the neighbour may not be liable.

Just a regular claim on your own insurance.

Yes they will probably send someone out to assess the damage and hopefully dry it out properly. Don't throw anything away that you want to claim for.

Take photos if you can.

Dazedandconfused

It was the mains pipe in their cellar the tenants told me. I guess I will just inform their landlord tomorrow that I've contacted my insurance. This is prob a dumb question but do I need to obtain the details of his insurance from him or is it like car insurance where there is a central database so my insurers will just know?

I work full time and not locally so this is going to be a right pain

rs65

Dazedandconfused wrote: »

This is prob a dumb question but do I need to obtain the details of his insurance from him or is it like car insurance where there is a central database so my insurers will just know?

Just let your insurers deal with it. Just because it happened in his property doesn't mean he caused it or is liable.

Dazedandconfused

I didn't say that he def would be liable but presumably my insurers will have to speak to his to establish this as the damage occurred on his side. I'll just see what happens when my insurers ring me today

Spikey1

Hi Daz,

Your insurers just need the name and address of your neighbour. If they think they have a case against him they will write to him directly. Its entirely up to your neighbour whether he, in turn, asks his own insurers to assist him.

It would be of use to your own insurers if you could find out a) precisely where the water leaked from b) what caused the leak c) whether any work had been carried out on the leaking apparatus in the recent past...if so, who by ? (sometimes a plumber can be pursued rather than the neighbour himself)

Cheers

Dazedandconfused

I don't have his address he's the LL No idea where he actually lives I just have a name and phone number. Insurance have advised me to call him get more info and see if he has involved his insurance to see if they will take responsibility for my repairs. If not then get back to my insurance who will send round an assessor and try to then claim costs including my excess off him.