Damage to pipe itself.. am I covered, what do I need?

roxgoxbox

New neighbour moved in next door, he is a builder. We don't share a wall but our 2 drive ways are together. He has finished putting on an extension and now is doing up his garden, patio and walls. Caught him in 3 separate times washing all the rubbish from his tools and cement mixer from his drive, across my drive and down my drain gully on the ground.

Not only is he messing up my drive but he's going to block my drains...argh!!


He has no drain on his side so he is just using mine. I spoke to him about it last month, he denied it. But I caught him in the act yesterday. When I spoke to him asking him to stop I just got a load of abuse. No apology, he can do what he likes. Now he has threatened to vandalise my pipes. “If I want to block your drains you'll know all about it”. Then made a comment about my new drive I got last year, “such a shame to see it ruined”.

I'm going on holiday next month and I'm now seriously worried. (away 2 weeks in oct and again in dec)

I'm looking at Homeserve to insure the pipes separately, but their policy states the don't cover malicious / willful damage of pipes at all, so no use. If his blockage can be removed by a drain jetting firm like dynorod, then all will be fine but I'm worried it wont and I'll have to get the drive dug up and the damaged pipe replaced.

I'm having a panic I don't know if I'm covered. My policy states it will cover the cost of clearing a blockage if the drains are damaged. Would solid mortar/cement count as “damage to the pipe itself” in that the pipe cannot be used/unblocked or repaired?

Other building insurance policies state they will cover the clearing of a blockage if the usual methods fail (like dynorod). They will break into the pipe and repair the piece that can't be unblocked, up to £1000. My policy makes no such statement, does it mean I'm not covered for this?

I'm with the co-op for the last 2 years and my renewal is soon. How can I get covered? What should I look for in a policy?

roxgoxbox

Right, it says, What is insured: A “the buildings” is insured (4) Malicious Damage/ Vandalism. It mentions they will not pay for wilful damage by policy holder, spouse, guest or someone you allow on the property.

Then underneath it says, What is insured: B “Service Pipes, Drains and Cables” only mentions Accidental Damage. Is the house and the underground pipes seen as separate ?!?

And it looks worse than I thought, if my pipe is vandalised it looks like I have no cover whatsoever? I'm so confused, can anyone help on what I should be looking for in the policy documents to ensure I'm covered.

If I had a tenant I could get cover for wilful damage by a tenant on my pipes..argh, I'm so lost!