Buildings insurance advice, please?

urban_chaos

Dear all

Sorry if this is the wrong place to post but I'm not sure where else to post it - please move if necessary.

In July 2013 my bathroom floor collapsed due to a leak from the toilet which had been leaking since I bought the place in 2010.

The plumber had to break about 3 tiles to get access to the toilet to fix it. Two walls in my bathroom are tiled.

Managing agents cannot find any matching tiles and are insisting I accept the mix-matched tiles and are saying that there is no way the insurers will cover the cost of completely re-tiling the bathroom.

Is there anything I can do about this or do I just have to chalk it up to experience?

Any advice will be gratefully received.

Thank you.

Urban

cattie

I think you'd need to be able to read the relevant parts of the policy. I know sometimes if part of a bathroom suit gets damaged, say hand basin, the insurance company will only pay for the broken item, even when something matching isn't available.

I think the policy might possibly have wording relating to matching damaged items with existing items, so do see if you are able to get a copy of the policy or to ask the insurers to explain things to you themselves. It would seem from your post that the MA perhaps haven't even spoken to the insurance company about it, so do find out for certain that they have.

Seems a bit off if you're going to have to settle for some odd tiles, I couldn't live with that myself & would have to get the whole room redone.

Spikey1

Your managing agents are unlikely to hold a licence to give claims advice....so speak to the Insurer directly.


Under 'Treating Customers Fairly' settlements are more favourable nowadays. I'd expect you to AT LEAST be able to claim the cost of tiling the damaged wall. Possible both walls if there is no reasonable match or blend available.

*Scarlett

It could be that unless you have "matched sets" cover on the policy then they will replace only the damaged items.

Maybe do a bit of research online youself to see if you can get any matching tiles. Insurers normally limit themselves to certain suppliers.

urban_chaos

Thank you all for taking the time to reply, I was feeling at a bit of a loss so I'm very grateful for the advice.

vaio

in terms of matched sets the FOS view is they pay for the damaged items and 50% of the cost of maintaining the set so I'd expect the damaged wall to be re-tiled and 50% of the cost of doing the other wall as a minimum