Flood Claims against Water Companies...

TheDonSansone

Hi,
I have been informed by an insider of one of the water companies in the midlands that they are liable for claims in the event of flood damage to your home when the sewage system contaminates your home.

The employee has pointed out that the company policy for employees is that they keep their mouths shut and not inform the public !!!!

These companies make hundreds of millions of profit every year, just read some of the reports on timesonline for example : http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/weather/article2134484.ece?Submitted=true

Question?
Can anybody substantiate that the water companies are indeed liable for claims by home owners due to damage in the case of sewage water and waste flooding your home? If this IS so, then its a much better and fairer system than leaving the insurance firms and government to pick up the bill !

justmarried06

Hi there - I think this will be a case of if it can be proved that the water company were not maintaining the drains etc and this is the reason for the sewage entering your home then they would be liable for the damage - I believe (and others please correct me if I'm wrong) that in this case the claim would still be seen through by your insurance company and they would then recover their costs of settling your claim from the water company themselves - in other words, it'd still be your insurers sorting it out but they would then take action against the water bods.

HTH

JM

IanSB

TheDonSansone wrote: »

Hi,
I have been informed by an insider of one of the water companies in the midlands that they are liable for claims in the event of flood damage to your home when the sewage system contaminates your home.

The employee has pointed out that the company policy for employees is that they keep their mouths shut and not inform the public !!!!

These companies make hundreds of millions of profit every year, just read some of the reports on timesonline for example : http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/weather/article2134484.ece?Submitted=true

Question?
Can anybody substantiate that the water companies are indeed liable for claims by home owners due to damage in the case of sewage water and waste flooding your home? If this IS so, then its a much better and fairer system than leaving the insurance firms and government to pick up the bill !

OFWAT require the water companies to record all flooding of properties (this can be any part of your property not just the dwelling) caused by flooding from public sewers (this is an important distinction as not all sewers are owned and maintained by the water companies). If your property floods twice or more in a ten year period you are then added to a register (DG5 register). The water companies are required to attempt to remove properties from this register by reducing the risk of your property flooding, i.e. improving the local drainage system. The decision on whether your property is targetted will depend on a number of complicated factors, however, whether you drainage system is improved or not anyone on this list would likely to be entitled to compensation. Many people don't report flooding to their water company and therefore don't get entered onto the database. Water Companies don't advertise this, they are limited companies, what right minded Limited Company would want to advertise the fact that it offers a poor service to its customers! That's privitisation for you!