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Leak - Home Insurance
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freezedryfun
Posts: 1 Newbie
Hi-
We've had a leak from the ceiling in our utility room that started in one room 3 weeks ago - at the time I notified the neighbours above (we're 8th floor, they're 9th) - they had reported leaking from their ceiling and had more extensive ceiling/floor damage than ourselves. The 10th floor neighbours were also made aware. We asked our upstairs neighbours to report this to the shared factor, and to make them aware we were involved and to notify us of any tradespeople coming around to ensure they assess our property as well.
We hadn't heard anything 2 weeks later, so chased our factor. While waiting for a response, we then had a more substantial leak, in two other rooms, involving ceiling and wall damage, and electrical damage. We updated the factor and called emergency plumbers/electricians to put in temporary solutions. Meanwhile the factors used an independent contractor who blamed it on a washing machine leak on the 9th floor - in spite of them having problems with their ceiling....
We have buildings insurance through the factors, with a shared policy involving >200 flats. They have advised claiming through the insurance company, but they tell us that we will either pay a £500 excess if the leak is due to internal issues (washing machine leaks etc) or £150 if due to structural problems. Are we really liable to paying this excess if clearly not originating from our flat, and if the damage is due to factors and neighbours dragging their heels in involving plumbers? Our upstairs neighbours are elderly and English isn't their first language, so we've not had much luck in communicating with them, and don't want to be perceived to be bullying them.
It's also not clear if their repairs will be covered through a shared claim involving all affected flats, or if our insurance company will be dealing with it as separate cases.
It seems pretty brutal that we might have to pay £500 to an insurance company, considering we're the end of a chain of leaking, have had extra damage due to delayed action by those involved, and it also !!!!es me off that this will increase the insurance premium that our factors get a 20% annual cut from, as they've been completely useless throughout.
Anyone got any advice/experience in this? Thanks.
We've had a leak from the ceiling in our utility room that started in one room 3 weeks ago - at the time I notified the neighbours above (we're 8th floor, they're 9th) - they had reported leaking from their ceiling and had more extensive ceiling/floor damage than ourselves. The 10th floor neighbours were also made aware. We asked our upstairs neighbours to report this to the shared factor, and to make them aware we were involved and to notify us of any tradespeople coming around to ensure they assess our property as well.
We hadn't heard anything 2 weeks later, so chased our factor. While waiting for a response, we then had a more substantial leak, in two other rooms, involving ceiling and wall damage, and electrical damage. We updated the factor and called emergency plumbers/electricians to put in temporary solutions. Meanwhile the factors used an independent contractor who blamed it on a washing machine leak on the 9th floor - in spite of them having problems with their ceiling....
We have buildings insurance through the factors, with a shared policy involving >200 flats. They have advised claiming through the insurance company, but they tell us that we will either pay a £500 excess if the leak is due to internal issues (washing machine leaks etc) or £150 if due to structural problems. Are we really liable to paying this excess if clearly not originating from our flat, and if the damage is due to factors and neighbours dragging their heels in involving plumbers? Our upstairs neighbours are elderly and English isn't their first language, so we've not had much luck in communicating with them, and don't want to be perceived to be bullying them.
It's also not clear if their repairs will be covered through a shared claim involving all affected flats, or if our insurance company will be dealing with it as separate cases.
It seems pretty brutal that we might have to pay £500 to an insurance company, considering we're the end of a chain of leaking, have had extra damage due to delayed action by those involved, and it also !!!!es me off that this will increase the insurance premium that our factors get a 20% annual cut from, as they've been completely useless throughout.
Anyone got any advice/experience in this? Thanks.
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