Co-owned house - causing friction

[Deleted User]

Update - I spoke to the owner of the building company a couple of days ago and he said that he totally understood our concerns and that we are only trying to protect our mum, he told me that it was a family business, used to be his fathers (only registered with companies house for 8 years), that he is a member of the Federation of Master Builders (?) and that we had nothing to worry about. I asked how does the 15 years guarantee work, say, if the firm went out of business in 5 years, which he told me couldn't possibly happen because all of his work is via recommendation.....

He also said that he had spoken to mum that morning and told her that she didn't have to have any of the "extra work" that he had found, it would be OK without it but he would recommend replacing uprights and beams at the same time plus 40 rotten bricks. I told him that was her decision, I am not there and able to see it at the moment to give any kind of opinion.

I asked him to send me his insurances and yesterday he sent me his Liability insurance (for a £1M, which seems low to me when dealing with property, but I have no idea - anyone?).

On this insurance document it stated that section 2 - Employers Liability was Not Insured, as well as Tools and business equipment, business stock, own plant, hired in plant, contract works and personal accident.

I emailed him and asked if his Employers Liability insurance was under separate cover as he had staff working on scaffolding and if they had a fall, who would they claim againse, and he wrote back "Thank you very much for bringing that to my attention, I'm on to my insurance now and as soon as I get it I will send it straight to you, thanks".

I'm worried.

gettingtheresometime

I work with a consulting engineer and we work on housing developments and our PI is £5M, if that gives you some context

unholyangel

goochie wrote: »

I asked him to send me his insurances and yesterday he sent me his Liability insurance (for a £1M, which seems low to me when dealing with property, but I have no idea - anyone?).

On this insurance document it stated that section 2 - Employers Liability was Not Insured, as well as Tools and business equipment, business stock, own plant, hired in plant, contract works and personal accident.

I emailed him and asked if his Employers Liability insurance was under separate cover as he had staff working on scaffolding and if they had a fall, who would they claim againse, and he wrote back "Thank you very much for bringing that to my attention, I'm on to my insurance now and as soon as I get it I will send it straight to you, thanks".

I'm worried.

What type of liability insurance does he have? 1 million sounds like it could be public liability insurance rather than professional indemnity insurance.

[Deleted User]

unholyangel wrote: »

What type of liability insurance does he have? 1 million sounds like it could be public liability insurance rather than professional indemnity insurance.

You're right it's Public Liability.

enthusiasticsaver

I think I would be a bit annoyed too OP as I am guessing if it all goes wrong you and your sister will be called on to help rectify the situation. I am not sure why you are getting such a hard time.

My mum is similar in that she will sometimes dive into decisions and say it is too much stress to get 3 builders in or whatever and then the moaning down the phone when it goes wrong is frustrating as if she would sometimes wait I or my siblings would be willing to help her. I think it is because some people as they get older don't want to admit to needing help doing things they used to do easily 10 years previously.

You have the builders details now but obviously he is already engaged so little you can do and hope that he is good.

I understand why the will was drafted that way given the father and mother were divorced. In fact she has remarried so I would imagine the father was thinking he did not want the property to go to the spouse of his ex wife should she die first and not make provision for the property to go to their children. My mum and stepdad (both widowed) have done the same with their property in that his half will go to his kids and my mums half will come to me and my siblings.