Urgent help please - home insurance

FutureGirl

It could be that the policy has reached it's limit for alternative accommodation - do you know the limit? What policy do you have / who with?

Or it could be that the LA and his builders are taking the pee and the insurers refuse to pay for more accommodation costs because the work should have already been completed.

Have the insurers said WHY they aren't paying anymore AA costs? I think this is the first port of call in getting to the bottom of the issue.

You should also find out from the LA WHY the work took so long to start. Usually in cases like this where you appoint your own builders, the insurers will first need to send out their own loss assessor, and build their own schedule of works. They've then likely offered the LA a cash settlement. So it's likely there has been a dispute been your insurers and the LA for the cash settlement amount which could be why the works didn't start until December.

If the insurers have given the builders a date to complete the works, then it's likely the insurers authorised the building works already, and they were just late in starting them.

patchy987

They are refusing to pay as they say there has been ample time for the work to be completed.

The only reason the work didn't start sooner is because the builder had other work on and didn't see mine as a priority, he already had the deadline extended once from 23rd December until 2nd feb.

I had a look at the house yesterday and there is still nothing else that has been done.

patchy987

Please has anyone got any suggestions of what I can do. This is seriously worrying and all I can do is cry.

I don't know where to turn to

beckstar1975

how habitable would the house be? Can you not set up a camp kitchen in another room? a toaster, microwave oven and halogen oven would cost well under £100 and would be all you'd need for cooking, beg/borrow a small (camping?) fridge and as long as you have heating and running water you should be OK?

If not possible can you look on air bnb?

patchy987

Sadly the house still has no ceilings and is missing a lot of upstairs floorboards so is unsafe , plus there is no running water or electricity to the property yet.

As for a B&B I just can't afford it

I think the real only thing I can do is sleep in my car, not ideal in any way but at least it will be dry.

beckstar1975

Int at case write to your MP/Councillor and see if they'd be willing to help? I think you need someone to advocate for you, as everyone is shifting blame, if your LA has appointed someone who has not fulfilled their brief it would seem to me they're where to start?

Good luck

PS - try Air BnB - colleague who was stuck in protracted house move found really good value longer term rentals via them, much smaller than the equivalent nightly rate

EdGasket

Surely your 'management' company Morgan Clarke should have made sure you weren't put in this position? You might remind them of that and see what they say; you may have a legal claim against them for any or all expenses not now met by your insurer as they have not arranged for repairs in a timely manner.

Have you thought of going to Citizen's Advice and see what they suggest?

patchy987

Just want to say a massive thankyou to everyone for your help.

A friend has lent me the money for another months rental on the alternative accommodation so at least I have somewhere to live for now.

As for the repair situation I have spoken to citizens advice who helped me refer the case to some high up mangers at axa who are now investigating what has been going on so I will hopefully get some answers soon

MEM62

patchy987 wrote: »

The insurers will not pay for any more accommodation and my house is still uninhabitable.

I will therefore be homeless until the work is completed

Really? I think I would rather cover the rent myself than be homeless.

How long until the house is ready?

If the builders have been selected on the basis of the cheapest quote then it is likely that the best building company may not have been selected.

You need to put pressure on your claims management company to resolve the issue. They have been engaged to handle this for you and no doubt are making a nice fee for their intervention. It sounds as if the underwriter may have been reasonable up to this stage but that the builders and claims management company between them are causing the issues.