neighbours roof repairs damaged my roof

fairy_lights

As the title says, my neighbours have been having work carried out to replace their roof and the roofers (and scaffolders) have damaged my roof in the process.
Who is ultimately responsible for any damages caused, would it be the roofers, or my neighbours themselves as they are employing the roofers?

I'm going to call my insurance company when I get home, but if we need to make an insurance claim would we claim against the neighbour, or the builder, or would our own insurance cover this?
We have photos showing the damage caused but so far the roofing company have been denying responsibility.


Edit: The house next door is a rental property currently between tenants, the owners do not live there and we don't have any contact details for them to discuss this.

fezster

Your claim is against your neighbour, as they employed the roofing company as an agent. Ultimately, the roofing company should have professional indemnity insurance on which they would claim, but it's your neighbours responsibility to pursue that with them - for example, if the roofer does not have such a policy and goes bankrupt, your neighbour is still liable for the damage caused to your property.

fairy_lights

Thanks Fezster, do I need to contact my own insurance company anyway?
I don't have any contact details for the owners of the house next door, (although I did get the owners name from the land registry) which might complicate things.

maninthestreet

Speak nicely to the tenants - they may have the landlord's contact details.

casper_g

maninthestreet wrote: »

Speak nicely to the tenants - they may have the landlord's contact details.

There are no tenants - the OP says the house is currently empty between tenants.

Do you know who the letting agent is? They should have contact details.

phoenix_w

Do you know who the roofer was? If they're reputable they'll come and put it right.

cyclonebri1

phoenix_w wrote: »

Do you know who the roofer was? If they're reputable they'll come and put it right.

If they were actually "reputable" they wouldn't have screwed it up in the 1st place chap

Your claim has to be against the roofer if as suggested there are no immediate tenants, pursue the roofer through your insurer, that's what you pay them for

fezster

If you were in contact with the neighbour, or if the roofers were happy to deal with it, that would be easiest. But in this case, you may want to contact your insurance company and see if they can pursue it on your behalf.

phoenix_w

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

If they were actually "reputable" they wouldn't have screwed it up in the 1st place chap

Disagree here. Tradespeople, like everyone on this planet, make mistakes now and again. A decent tradeperson, however, will seek to make things better.

fairy_lights

phoenix_w wrote: »

Disagree here. Tradespeople, like everyone on this planet, make mistakes now and again. A decent tradeperson, however, will seek to make things better.

That was what we thought at first. The roofing company involved has got a very good local reputation so we hoped this was just a one off mistake and were willing to let them come and put things right. But after waiting in for two days because a roofer was supposedly 'on his way round' we've given up and contacted our insurance company who will pursue them for the costs.

cyclonebri1

phoenix_w wrote: »

Disagree here. Tradespeople, like everyone on this planet, make mistakes now and again. A decent tradeperson, however, will seek to make things better.

And as the op has just pointed out they have proven disreputable, or unreliable at best;)

I don't think they make mistakes, like almost everyone in employment they sometimes cut corners, sometimes it catches them out because it mattered.