Garden Wall blown down in storm

Biff1984

magpiecottage wrote: »

Some loss adjusters (and insurance company staff) are a little - er - "over enthusiastic" in defending claims.

However, if they are asserting that the wall was incorrectly built then the onus should be on them to prove it.

What sort of survey did you have when you bought your property and was it arranged by your mortgage lender?

I have been assured by many builders that the wall, when built in 1987, was built to regulation standards of that time. I also have a letter from the previous owner, who claimed on his insurance in 1987 (it blew over in 1987 storms) which states that "The insurance company specified how the wall was to be built & used a contractor of their choice".

I had a full structural survey carried out by an independent surveyor & although he did not care too much for the boundary walls he state's in his report:
"The perimeter boundaries to the property defined by walls, which appear to have been erected comparatively recently & are in a satisfactory state of repair".
This alone is interesting considering the loss adjuster also said in his report that in his opinion "the wall was leaning & the mortar was cracked" I find this amazing considering at the time of his inspection the wall had collapsed. Yes the mortar was cracked at that stage, it was in hundreds of pieces on the floor, as was the wall.

dacouch

It's worth noting that the previous owners Insurers are likely to have just specified it was rebuilt to the same standard as before the claim

vaio

Nice one.....

wall blows down, insurer rebuilds to original standard, wall blows down again 20 years later, insurer rejects claim on the basis that the wall wasn't build to correct standard.

Biff....exhaust the insurer complaints system and take it to the FOS

Biff1984

vaio wrote: »

Nice one.....

wall blows down, insurer rebuilds to original standard, wall blows down again 20 years later, insurer rejects claim on the basis that the wall wasn't build to correct standard.

Biff....exhaust the insurer complaints system and take it to the FOS

Exactly my sentiments....the insurer's in 87 came to inspect the new wall and passed it.

I have already received the final decision from my insurer, so
I am currently composing my letter to the FOS

Thanks Vaio

dacouch

vaio wrote: »

Nice one.....

wall blows down, insurer rebuilds to original standard, wall blows down again 20 years later, insurer rejects claim on the basis that the wall wasn't build to correct standard.

Biff....exhaust the insurer complaints system and take it to the FOS

The Insurer paid the claim as they should eg rebuilding the wall to the standard it was prior to the claim. Which at the time conformed to the building regulation which is how you would expect them to pay the claim.

I don't recall any Insurers in 1987 having their approved contractors, it was more a case of send in two or three quotes and the Insurer agrees one of the quotes. So it's more likely the previous owner in effect selected the builder who built the wall.

I suspect the wall is a single course wide.

There's a reasonable chance the Ombudsman may agree the claim so worth going to the Ombudsman.

Biff1984

That was my point to the insurance company. The wall was built to 1987 reg's.
You're correct in it being a single course wide and I appreciate it would not stand up to todays reg's.
It's like the insurance company are saying that every time a regulation is changed, you have to knock down and build again. I hope this isn't the case because my house is 100 years old....
Thanks for your input dacouch