Next doors contractors damaged my property

Dipak

Hi All,
I'm after a bit of advise, i live in a terrace house and next door house had a new roof installed via their insurance company. The contractors they used were cowboys and have seriously damaged my side of the roof and even caused some slates to fall off completely narrowly missing my skylight windows. I've spoken with the neighbour who was extremely  apologetic and gave me their insurers contact details for me to raise directly with them.

I have raised all the of the issues and they've now basically came back saying who wont take responsibility and its up to me to get it repaired either via my own insurer, pay for it myself or take it up with the contractors directly. I've gone back to complain as i have before and after pictures which i have also shared with them.

Legally where do i stand and what are my options? I dont really want to go via my insurer as it would mean an increased premium for a few years after.
Thanks,
Dipak 

jon81uk

Do you have legal assistance on your insurance? They will probably try to reclaim the money from your neighbour. It is then up to the neighbour (or their insurer) to claim the money from the contractor I think.

I'm not sure how it will affect your future premiums if they reclaim the money from the neighbour/contractor. But if you aren't going to use the insurance, whats the point in having it?

m0bov

Sue your neighbour.

Greatgimp

m0bov said:

Sue your neighbour.

Such wise advice...
... and never speak to your neighbours again, avoid the angry family at all costs and declare the dispute when you try and sell if you're a homeowner. Good luck

Dipak

jon81uk said:

Do you have legal assistance on your insurance? They will probably try to reclaim the money from your neighbour. It is then up to the neighbour (or their insurer) to claim the money from the contractor I think.

I'm not sure how it will affect your future premiums if they reclaim the money from the neighbour/contractor. But if you aren't going to use the insurance, whats the point in having it?

I contacted my insurance company today and they confirmed that i can make a claim against my policy. I'll have to pay my policy excess. Unfortunately as my roof has been damaged on the front and rear of the property they said i have so register that as 2 separate claims therefore have to pay my policy excess twice :-:neutral:

They did say that they would try to claim for the damages from my neighbours insurers and if successful i'd get my excess back and my NCD but thats just the risk i run with.

davidmcn

Dipak said:

jon81uk said:

Do you have legal assistance on your insurance? They will probably try to reclaim the money from your neighbour. It is then up to the neighbour (or their insurer) to claim the money from the contractor I think.

I'm not sure how it will affect your future premiums if they reclaim the money from the neighbour/contractor. But if you aren't going to use the insurance, whats the point in having it?

as my roof has been damaged on the front and rear of the property they said i have so register that as 2 separate claims therefore have to pay my policy excess twice

Uhh...no, I don't think so. Or were these separate incidents?

Sandtree

davidmcn said:

Dipak said:

jon81uk said:

Do you have legal assistance on your insurance? They will probably try to reclaim the money from your neighbour. It is then up to the neighbour (or their insurer) to claim the money from the contractor I think.

I'm not sure how it will affect your future premiums if they reclaim the money from the neighbour/contractor. But if you aren't going to use the insurance, whats the point in having it?

as my roof has been damaged on the front and rear of the property they said i have so register that as 2 separate claims therefore have to pay my policy excess twice

Uhh...no, I don't think so. Or were these separate incidents?

You would assume that it was more than one incident that damaged both sides of a pitched roof... would have to be something fairly big and odd shaped to cause damage to both side simultaneously and yet the damage is limited to a few missing tiles (rather than a large girder going through the apex and both sides)

DoaM

Why would the same contractor (for next door) causing damage to OP's roof under the same contract be two different claims? The neighbour ('s insurance) wouldn't have contracted twice with the contractor, so it's irrelevant that the damage may have been caused on separate days.

Sandtree

DoaM said:

Why would the same contractor (for next door) causing damage to OP's roof under the same contract be two different claims? The neighbour ('s insurance) wouldn't have contracted twice with the contractor, so it's irrelevant that the damage may have been caused on separate days.

One claim = one event.

Its the same if you have a dopy neighbour is a terrible driver and reverses off their drive into your parked and unattended car one day and then repeats the trick the next day... two events, two claims 

ComicGeek

Sounds like a great way for the contractor to generate more work, and without any need to do their contracted work carefully!

DoaM

Sandtree said:

DoaM said:

Why would the same contractor (for next door) causing damage to OP's roof under the same contract be two different claims? The neighbour ('s insurance) wouldn't have contracted twice with the contractor, so it's irrelevant that the damage may have been caused on separate days.

One claim = one event.

Its the same if you have a dopy neighbour is a terrible driver and reverses off their drive into your parked and unattended car one day and then repeats the trick the next day... two events, two claims 

I don't agree that this is an equivalent analogy ... the contractor working on a single roof for a single contract should be a single event, regardless of whether the damage through poor workmanship (which is what this was) happened on one day or two.

But I'm not an insurance assessor, so what do I know?