Specialist Home Insurance Help

CTricky80

Hi All

I hope I am posting in the right thread. Any help would be very gratefully received.

So my issue is that I live in a leasehold flat. Last year I had issues finding an insurance company that would insure me as the freeholder (local Council) has a strange way of splitting the insurance. Basically if the flats were demolished for any reason and had to be rebuilt then the freeholder has insurance for all of the common areas (Reserved Property) and I need to have insurance to re-build my flat (Demised premises). Definitions from my lease below.

I eventually found that direct line would cover me, all good. But the year is up and they want to put the premium up by £50 :eek: - I feel like they have me over a barrel as most insurance companies won't touch this type of home insurance so I can't just use a comparison site and get the best quote. As it is I had to pay £292 last year for home and contents insurance which is way over the general market rate.

A few of other points to note is:

1) That the roof of my block of flats is flat (I live on ground floor - 8 flats to a block) which I have found bumps up the price - even though all repairs are covered in my service charge so would never claim ;

2) I am also having a non-load bearing wall moved this year and need insurance that is happy to cover this as freeholder has in writing that I will make good on any repairs that arise from moving this wall (not that I expect anything to happen - I hope!!).

3) The flats are solid concrete (think built around 1960s). Not sure if this affects anything but trying to give as much info as possible.

I remember this being such a headache trying to explain to insurance companies over the phone last year so any suggestions on good companies to try would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Definition of the Demised Premises
All that flat/maisonette as referred to in Paragraph 3 of the Particulars and shown edged in red on the Plan and being situate on the floor or floors of the Building indicated on the Plan including all exterior walls and the glass of the windows of the Demised Premises and the doors and door frames the surface of the floors above the joists beams or floor slabs and the surface of the floor of the balcony (if any) and the ceiling of the flat/maisonette up to but excluding the joists or floor slabs to which the ceiling is attached and all walls (save the walls dividing the Demised Premises from any other flat/maisonette or from the common halls landings staircases steps and passages in the Building which walls shall be party walls and structures) together with all fixtures and fittings sanitary apparatus cisterns tanks sewers drains pipes cables wires ducts shafts conduits and heating apparatus (if any) which are in or about any part of the Building and serve exclusively the Demised Premises Provided that the Demised Premises shall not include such other parts of the Building forming or intended to form part of the Reserved Property and the premises included or intended to be included in the leases of the adjoining or neighbouring flats/maisonettes together also with the garden ground (if any) enjoyed therewith and also shown edged in red on the plan attached hereto.

Definition of the Reserved Property
Firstly all those areas forecourts courtyards fences walls access roads pathways garages pram sheds laundrettes stores waste disposal sheds and chutes and the landing halls staircases lifts steps passages and other parts of the Building which are used in common with the Lessees or occupiers of any of the flats/maisonettes forming part of the Building.
Secondly all those external main structural parts of the Building including the roofs roof supports foundations structural parts of the railings of any balconies and external walls and parts thereof (but not the external walls of the Demised Premises and not the glass in the windows of Flats/Maisonettes (except those Thirdly referred to hereunder) nor the interior faces of such external walls as bound the Flats/Maisonettes except as aforesaid) also the walls dividing the Flats/Maisonettes from any common halls landings and staircases (but excluding the interior faces of such walls and any staircases situated wholly within the Demised Premises) steps and passages in the Building and all the cisterns tanks central heating apparatus (if any) sewers drains gutters pipes wires cables ducts shafts and conduits not used solely for the purpose of the Demised Premises and the joists or beams to which are attached any ceilings or floors.
Thirdly any Flat/Maisonette for the time being not sold or let on long lease on similar terms to those presents except for the premium.
Fourthly all other parts of the Estate other than the Building.