New front door fitted under building insurance- but the tradesman is requesting the money from me?

AnneMariePWR

My front door had to be smashed down by fire fighters (I live in a block of flats) and the buildings insurance authorised for me to get a new one replaced. I did so and told the tradesman that his invoice has been sent to the insurance company and that they should pay him soon. 

He said that I need to pay him directly though as I’m the policy holder (I’m not, the management company of the block of flats is). 

I thought the insurance company would pay for the work directly? 

Any advice about the process would be greatly appreciated as I also need to follow the same procedure when claiming for a new kitchen. 

Thanks! 

macman

You need to speak to the management company. 

TELLIT01

If you aren't the policy holder, why did you, and not the management company contact the insurer, and on what basis did the insurer authorise you to get a contractor in?

eddddy

Who instructed the tradesman to fit a new front door? If it was you, then you would have entered into a contract with the tradesman, and you need to pay him (unless you agreed something different with the tradesman in advance).

You would then follow whatever instructions the insurers gave you for claiming the cost back from them. I assume that an 'excess' will be deducted by the insurers.

Normally the flat owner who is getting the benefit of the insurance claim (i.e. you) pays the excess - but if the claim relates to multiple flats, the excess might be split between them (unless the lease says otherwise).

If it was the insurers who instructed the tradesman, they should have explained / agreed the payment terms with you in advance.


Edit to add...
If you instructed the tradesman yourself, presumably you had agreed the cost etc in advance with the insurers.

TripleH

Why were you dealing with this and not the management company? 
Did you have instructions from them to act as the representative for the building?
The person who did the job doesn't care about who pays, they fulfilled their contractual obligation now they want paying. As far as they are concerned, you and/or the management company can argue between yourselves and the insurers, that is irrelevant to them. They are chasing you because they have your details (apologies for the bluntness but I'm giving a matter of fact view).
i.e. what edddy has said.
This is what the management company is there for, yes I accept they may not respond as quick as you would like but it is a fact of life living in a block of flats.

FlameCloud

TripleH said:

Why were you dealing with this and not the management company? 
Did you have instructions from them to act as the representative for the building?
The person who did the job doesn't care about who pays, they fulfilled their contractual obligation now they want paying. As far as they are concerned, you and/or the management company can argue between yourselves and the insurers, that is irrelevant to them. They are chasing you because they have your details (apologies for the bluntness but I'm giving a matter of fact view).
i.e. what edddy has said.
This is what the management company is there for, yes I accept they may not respond as quick as you would like but it is a fact of life living in a block of flats.

They are chasing the poster because if the poster instructed them, that is who their contract is with and the only party they can chase. It has nothing to do with having their details.