Home insurance claim rejected because I used drain cleaner

TripleH

I think the blocked drain (rental property in back yard) we had might have been caused by us putting bicarb and vinegar down our loos which shifted a plug in the system.

The toilets were problematic when we moved in and we probably 'flushed' the system as once the blockage was clear they worked fine for the rest of our stay.

Andy_L

Aylesbury_Duck said:

ThumbRemote said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

I suspect that if the manhole is on your property, it's your liability.  It may be a shared drain (e.g. your neighbours drains run through it) but I doubt it will be the water company's responsibility.  

Shared drains are the responsibility of the water company. A drain is shared from the point where two properties drains join together. So chances are it will be a shared drain.

That's interesting, and I was told the opposite some years ago.  We have a manhole in our back garden and neighbours came round to rod it because there was a blockage between their (full) manhole and our empty one.  They had spoken to Kent County Council and the water company (Southern?) who both denied responsibility to the neighbours did a DIY job.

The law changed in 2011, would that be about right?

"In most cases we’re responsible for the large sewers running under roads and pavements and the drains above them. Due to a law change in 2011, the sections of sewers and pipes you share with your neighbours, plus pipes outside your property boundary connecting to our existing network, are now our responsibility."

https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/services/sewers-and-drains/

Kittyminxx

So I called the water company. Because you’re right I wasn’t going to leave raw sewage seep up in the garden, in the hopes it was a shared drain. They came out within 3 hours last night. Checked the local maps. It is not a shared drain. Defined where the blockage was from. It was from our property not the sewer. 

Cleared it. Showed us on the camera the pipes before & after. Complimented the workmanship of the drains (they were installed when extension done, which was before my time). Washed the drains down with water. And then disinfected everything. 

And even wrote a report for me stating it was unrelated to the slow drain from the bathroom sink I’d seen last week. All for £108.

I will be advising my insurance company today and fighting them tooth & nail to pay the £108 charge. And I will certainly be telling anyone I know about my experience with the two different companies. 

Thank you all for your advice and support. I have learnt a very sad life lesson and that is some insurance companies deserve the reputations they have. And to never try to overly help and only answer their questions with one word answers in future. 

First time in my life I’ve had to claim on home emergency insurance. I guess I have been lucky so far, but life lesson learnt. 

Thanks guys never posted here before but read a lot over the years. You really are helpful and supportive. Really appreciate that you’re here for people who don’t have family to ask. 

TripleH

What is the excess on your home insurance? It might be higher than the cost of the unblocking.

If you claim your premiums will increase.

Aylesbury_Duck

Andy_L said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

ThumbRemote said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

I suspect that if the manhole is on your property, it's your liability.  It may be a shared drain (e.g. your neighbours drains run through it) but I doubt it will be the water company's responsibility.  

Shared drains are the responsibility of the water company. A drain is shared from the point where two properties drains join together. So chances are it will be a shared drain.

That's interesting, and I was told the opposite some years ago.  We have a manhole in our back garden and neighbours came round to rod it because there was a blockage between their (full) manhole and our empty one.  They had spoken to Kent County Council and the water company (Southern?) who both denied responsibility to the neighbours did a DIY job.

The law changed in 2011, would that be about right?

"In most cases we’re responsible for the large sewers running under roads and pavements and the drains above them. Due to a law change in 2011, the sections of sewers and pipes you share with your neighbours, plus pipes outside your property boundary connecting to our existing network, are now our responsibility."

https://www.anglianwater.co.uk/services/sewers-and-drains/

Bingo!  Yes, I'm pretty sure the incident I mentioned would have been around or before then.  Thanks.

Aylesbury_Duck

Kittyminxx said:

So I called the water company. Because you’re right I wasn’t going to leave raw sewage seep up in the garden, in the hopes it was a shared drain. They came out within 3 hours last night. Checked the local maps. It is not a shared drain. Defined where the blockage was from. It was from our property not the sewer. 

Cleared it. Showed us on the camera the pipes before & after. Complimented the workmanship of the drains (they were installed when extension done, which was before my time). Washed the drains down with water. And then disinfected everything. 

And even wrote a report for me stating it was unrelated to the slow drain from the bathroom sink I’d seen last week. All for £108.

I will be advising my insurance company today and fighting them tooth & nail to pay the £108 charge. And I will certainly be telling anyone I know about my experience with the two different companies. 

Thank you all for your advice and support. I have learnt a very sad life lesson and that is some insurance companies deserve the reputations they have. And to never try to overly help and only answer their questions with one word answers in future. 

First time in my life I’ve had to claim on home emergency insurance. I guess I have been lucky so far, but life lesson learnt. 

Thanks guys never posted here before but read a lot over the years. You really are helpful and supportive. Really appreciate that you’re here for people who don’t have family to ask. 

Check your policy, that may not be a wise course of action if there's an excess.  You may end up paying the £108 and have a claim on your record.

I'll hazard a guess that you picked your insurance policy on price alone?  As with motor insurance, you might save a bit each year, but the bargain basement policies are cheap for a reason.

HHarry

Aylesbury_Duck said:

ThumbRemote said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

I suspect that if the manhole is on your property, it's your liability.  It may be a shared drain (e.g. your neighbours drains run through it) but I doubt it will be the water company's responsibility.  

Shared drains are the responsibility of the water company. A drain is shared from the point where two properties drains join together. So chances are it will be a shared drain.

That's interesting, and I was told the opposite some years ago.  We have a manhole in our back garden and neighbours came round to rod it because there was a blockage between their (full) manhole and our empty one.  They had spoken to Kent County Council and the water company (Southern?) who both denied responsibility to the neighbours did a DIY job.

It could be that your Neighbours manhole only serves their property and is therefore private and their problem.  As soon as their drain crosses the boundary into your property it becomes shared and is the Water Co’s problem.

eskbanker

HHarry said:
It could be that your Neighbours manhole only serves their property....

Especially if the property is on Ramsay Street?