claim denied for washing machine leak

faerielight

I bought a new Beko  washing machine, in April 2022 from AO, and I paid extra for their installer to install it and disconnect my old one., Unfortunately, the installer made an error which led to water leaking out from the pipe at the back. I couldnt get an appointment from AO to send a Beko engineer 
out to fix it for 3 days, and it ruined my oak floor.,The Beko engineer confirmed that it was not installed correctly, which caused the leak. I have then tried to claim via AO claims  who delayed the process by almost a year, asking for more and more photos, and have now refused the claim, saying that there is insufficient evidence to say that I  did not have  preexisting damage to my floor.  The floor had no damage before this leak, but I have no before photos, (it is a utility room)  What could I do to appeal this decision? thanks!

powerful_Rogue

faerielight said:

I bought a new Beko  washing machine, in April 2022 from AO, and I paid extra for their installer to install it and disconnect my old one., Unfortunately, the installer made an error which led to water leaking out from the pipe at the back. I couldnt get an appointment from AO to send a Beko engineer 
out to fix it for 3 days, and it ruined my oak floor.,The Beko engineer confirmed that it was not installed correctly, which caused the leak. I have then tried to claim via AO claims  who delayed the process by almost a year, asking for more and more photos, and have now refused the claim, saying that there is insufficient evidence to say that I  did not have  preexisting damage to my floor.  The floor had no damage before this leak, but I have no before photos, (it is a utility room)  What could I do to appeal this decision? thanks!

I think one mistake was to wait 3 days knowing you had a water leak.  Should have called out a local plumber and then claimed that cost back from AO.

Gavin83

Surely the OP didn’t leave it for 3 days with water leaking all over the floor…. did they?

km1500

you need to get the floor repaired and then take AO through small claims procedure for the cost.

HillStreetBlues

What method of payment did you use?

macman

For 3 days you couldn't turn it off at the isolalor?

faerielight

I'm disabled and i couldnt get to the back of the washing machine, i tried to soak up the leak

powerful_Rogue

faerielight said:

I'm disabled and i couldnt get to the back of the washing machine, i tried to soak up the leak

Hindsight is a great thing after the event, however you should have contacted a plumber, friend, neighbour or family member to come and assist. These inactions would have likely caused the floor to become damaged with 3 days worth of water seeping into/under it.

HillStreetBlues

powerful_Rogue said:

Hindsight is a great thing after the event, however you should have contacted a plumber, friend, neighbour or family member to come and assist. These inactions would have likely caused the floor to become damaged with 3 days worth of water seeping into/under it.

If the OP reported the leak to AO,  then AO would have had the option to get a emergency  plumber, but it chose to wait for an Beko engineer.

I see it as a failure from AO.

powerful_Rogue

HillStreetBlues said:

powerful_Rogue said:

Hindsight is a great thing after the event, however you should have contacted a plumber, friend, neighbour or family member to come and assist. These inactions would have likely caused the floor to become damaged with 3 days worth of water seeping into/under it.

If the OP reported the leak to AO,  then AO would have had the option to get a emergency  plumber, but it chose to wait for an Beko engineer.

I see it as a failure from AO.

It's good to have differing opinions. Just goes to show that if the OP took the matter to the small claims court, it could go either way. The OP leaving it to leak for three days certainly isn't mitigating the extent of the damage caused.

HillStreetBlues

powerful_Rogue said:

It's good to have differing opinions. Just goes to show that if the OP took the matter to the small claims court, it could go either way. The OP leaving it to leak for three days certainly isn't mitigating the extent of the damage caused.

It isn't the OP fault the  plumber AO arranged took so long, the OP reported the leak in a timely fashion.
The OP did try to mitigate the damage by trying to mop up the leak.

What should of happened is when reporting the leak AO should have asked if the leak could be isolated.
If it could be then wait until the Beko engineer, if not they needed to arrange a emergency  plumber as the leak is AO's fault.

Seems AO failed to ask that simple question.