Tenant content insurance on landlords furniture

lachie_b

I'm currently in the process of finalising a contract for a 12-month lease on a property. The property's owner is moving out and becoming the landlord but has listed the property through an agency. It comes fully furnished excluding a couple of tables etc. In an email with the agency relating to personal contents insurance and them saying I need it for my belongings, they have stated: 

"if you do accidentally damage the property (carpets, fixtures and fittings) then you will be protected and be able to claim on the insurance to get this repaired rather than having to pay for it out of your own pocket"

I was under the impression that everything in the property that I don't bring in (bed, appliances, carpets, fixtures etc) and belonged to the landlord would come under their own landlord's contents insurance and am confused why they're saying its my responsibility to insure. They suggested an insurance broker (who I presume is part of their company so would get commission), but I believe most other brokers' 'personal content insurance' wouldn't include the landlords items. 

Am I correct on any of this? Is it my responsibility to take out insurance on these items?

DullGreyGuy

lachie_b said:

I'm currently in the process of finalising a contract for a 12-month lease on a property. The property's owner is moving out and becoming the landlord but has listed the property through an agency. It comes fully furnished excluding a couple of tables etc. In an email with the agency relating to personal contents insurance and them saying I need it for my belongings, they have stated: 

"if you do accidentally damage the property (carpets, fixtures and fittings) then you will be protected and be able to claim on the insurance to get this repaired rather than having to pay for it out of your own pocket"

I was under the impression that everything in the property that I don't bring in (bed, appliances, carpets, fixtures etc) and belonged to the landlord would come under their own landlord's contents insurance and am confused why they're saying its my responsibility to insure. They suggested an insurance broker (who I presume is part of their company so would get commission), but I believe most other brokers' 'personal content insurance' wouldn't include the landlords items. 

Am I correct on any of this? Is it my responsibility to take out insurance on these items?

Contents insurance typically has a token amount of Tenant Liability cover, often it will only cover the building, fixtures and fittings but in principle it could go further and cover other items of the Landlords. So for example were you taking a pan out the oven and accidentally drop it breaking the glass oven door then your insurance would cover that.  With the typical cover, if you were to drop a bottle of red wine on the landlord's white silk couch then that wouldn't be covered by your insurance and would be your cost to pay when leaving the property. 

It doesn't cover other risks like theft or flood, those typically would be the landlords risks and up to them to decide if they want to insure against them or not. You however ultimately have to read your tenancy agreement and see what you are and aren't responsible for... certainly I once had a tenancy agreement that put repair of white goods on us rather than the landlord. 

saajan_12

Insurance aside, if you accidentally / negligently / intentionally damaged the LL's property beyond fair wear & tear, then you would be liable for this cost (usually as a deposit deduction but they can sue you separately if it costs more than the deposit). 

• You CAN get tenant's liability insurance - essentially to cover your liability under the above. Sometimes the tenancy agreement will require this. However if you don't get it, there's little the LL can do, as they'd just sue you for the amount of the damage which you were liable for anyway. 

• The LL CAN get landlords contents insurance including accidental damage. If they don't, then they have to pay out of pocket for the cost if its within normal wear & tear, or charging you if its beyond W&T. 

No one HAS to get insurance, the alternative is that they may have to pay out of pocket. 

lachie_b

DullGreyGuy said:

lachie_b said:

I'm currently in the process of finalising a contract for a 12-month lease on a property. The property's owner is moving out and becoming the landlord but has listed the property through an agency. It comes fully furnished excluding a couple of tables etc. In an email with the agency relating to personal contents insurance and them saying I need it for my belongings, they have stated: 

"if you do accidentally damage the property (carpets, fixtures and fittings) then you will be protected and be able to claim on the insurance to get this repaired rather than having to pay for it out of your own pocket"

I was under the impression that everything in the property that I don't bring in (bed, appliances, carpets, fixtures etc) and belonged to the landlord would come under their own landlord's contents insurance and am confused why they're saying its my responsibility to insure. They suggested an insurance broker (who I presume is part of their company so would get commission), but I believe most other brokers' 'personal content insurance' wouldn't include the landlords items. 

Am I correct on any of this? Is it my responsibility to take out insurance on these items?

Contents insurance typically has a token amount of Tenant Liability cover, often it will only cover the building, fixtures and fittings but in principle it could go further and cover other items of the Landlords. So for example were you taking a pan out the oven and accidentally drop it breaking the glass oven door then your insurance would cover that.  With the typical cover, if you were to drop a bottle of red wine on the landlord's white silk couch then that wouldn't be covered by your insurance and would be your cost to pay when leaving the property. 

It doesn't cover other risks like theft or flood, those typically would be the landlords risks and up to them to decide if they want to insure against them or not. You however ultimately have to read your tenancy agreement and see what you are and aren't responsible for... certainly I once had a tenancy agreement that put repair of white goods on us rather than the landlord. 

The way the agent has alluded to the insurance with this specific broker is that if I say spilt red wine on the white silk couch and it needed to be repaired, the policy would cover this instead of it coming out of my pocket. Makes me think if such a policy is more expensive that a typical cover it would still be worth it

doodling

Hi,

Remember that if you do take out insurance then it only protects against any liability you might have.

It would protect you against claims from the landlord due to you accidentally damaging something but it wouldn't have any effect if the furniture was stolen (assuming it wasnt you who stole it!) or damaged by an unexpected water leak (assuming the leak wasnt due to your negligence) as you wouldn't be liable in those cases anyway.

If you are concerned about accidentally damaging stuff then go for it, otherwise it is of little value to you (or the landlord come to that, other than any kickback the agent might get for selling it).

Time2count

Whatever you do about the landlord's items make sure you get contents insurance for your own stuff. Imagine a fire and having to replace all your clothes/ laptop/ books etc etc. Don't just think ' the furniture isn't mine'

RHemmings

Could you ask for a copy of the insurance policy, so that you can understand fully what is covered and what is not? 

Grumpy_chap

It sounds like the house owner is leaving their primary residence for a year to go abroad and will leave the property fully furnished with all their own furniture.
Then expect to come back in a year and see their furniture exactly as left - no additional wear & tear - possibly, even, forgotten about any wear & tear pre-existing by now.
As this is the LL's own household furniture there could be a lot more sentiment than might be the case in the event of a furnished property arranged as a business venture.

Perhaps it would be better if the LL arranged for their personal furniture to be put into storage and let the property unfurnished.