Buildings or contents?

Mrs_pbradley936

I need some help!


I am being sued by a tenant that says a radiator fell off a wall and caused injury. I passed the letter on to the insurance company and to cut a long story short they say that radiators are not covered under buildings insurance. It is a flat and the buildings insurance is included in the service charges.


When the flats were built the radiators were installed by the builders. I did not buy them and install them myself, I did buy beds, table and chairs, sofa etc and would agree that they are "contents". Are radiators that were there from the beginning contents?

InsideInsurance

Central heating systems would normally be deemed buildings but ultimately insurers are free to define things as they see fit - check the policy wording.

Mojisola

Mrs_pbradley936 wrote: »

I am being sued by a tenant that says a radiator fell off a wall and caused injury.

Have you checked the story? Someone was just standing beside the radiator and it fell off the wall?

Is the tenant trying to push the responsibility onto you rather than you claiming from the tenant for damage he/she caused?

rs65

Mrs_pbradley936 wrote: »

I am being sued by a tenant that says a radiator fell off a wall and caused injury. I passed the letter on to the insurance company and to cut a long story short they say that radiators are not covered under buildings insurance. It is a flat and the buildings insurance is included in the service charges.

Whether the radiator is buildings or contents is maybe a red herring. Does the buildings insurance include property owners liability?

Mrs_pbradley936

rs65 wrote: »

Whether the radiator is buildings or contents is maybe a red herring. Does the buildings insurance include property owners liability?

Yes it does. There have been a couple of developments in that we have been told that the insurance only covers the Freeholder! Plus I have had it confirmed that it is not possible to "opt out" of the insurance via the service charges so I could not insure for buildings myself if I wanted to.

mjm3346

Mojisola wrote: »

Have you checked the story? Someone was just standing beside the radiator and it fell off the wall?

Is the tenant trying to push the responsibility onto you rather than you claiming from the tenant for damage he/she caused?

Maybe there was a localised earthquake.

I agree it is very unlikely it just fell of the wall (although based on the last post in this thread?)

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1225309