Flooded out by my neighbours but i dont have house insurance... But they do....?

by **chiram97** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 5:02 pm

My neighbours (above) heating pipe burst and has flooded my flat out. They own their property and im a council tenant. The council are repairing the holes and damp in the ceiling and are billing my neighbours, however my bed, bed frame, matress, bedding, wooden floors and furniture along with a few other things are completly ruined and irrepairable which will cost at least £3,000 to repair/replace. My bedroom at present can not be used as my bed is sodden, smells of damp and the frame (which is wood) has given way. The bed is only 2 years old. My floors have all swollen and my furniture collapsed due to damp. My clothes are ruined, my belongings are ruined. There is dust and fibres everywhere. My walls are in a disgusting state. I dont have house insurance however my neighbours do.. They are saying as i dont have house insurance there insureres arent interested. They have offered me £300 lol. I have called a few solicitors, but none seem to be able to help. What can i do?? Am i stuffed?? Im based in England... So US laws wont really help. Thanks

by **mohammed47** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 5:03 pm

Their home insurance applies only to their home - not yours or anyone else's.
You have disadvantaged yourself by failing to have house insurance yourself

by **wakeley58** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 5:07 pm

Their home insurance applies only to their home - not yours or anyone else's.
You have disadvantaged yourself by failing to have house insurance yourself

sue them for mental trauma and causing a health hazard to you

by **hwistlere31** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 5:17 pm

Yes, you are 'stuffed', since UK law and USA law on this situation are nearly identical. This is the reason YOU should have insurance. Their insurance covers THEIR damages, and you need insurance to cover YOUR damages.

by **langford59** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 5:19 pm

Forget about insurance.

Get a solicitor and claim from them the costs. It doesn't matter to you if their insurer pays, but if it doesn't, then they will have to pay you out of their own pockets, as well as your solicitors fees and any court costs, if it gets that far.

Sometimes just a nice letter from your solicitor will get them moving, and see that you are not out of pocket.

by **veto** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 5:22 pm

Forget about insurance.

Get a solicitor and claim from them the costs. It doesn't matter to you if their insurer pays, but if it doesn't, then they will have to pay you out of their own pockets, as well as your solicitors fees and any court costs, if it gets that far.

Sometimes just a nice letter from your solicitor will get them moving, and see that you are not out of pocket.

Yes, you are "stuffed". You chose to not insure your personal belongings so you, in effect, decided to self insure.

The only way you could recover from your neighbors insurance would be if you could prove that your neighbor was negligent and their negligence caused the loss to your property. Can you prove that it was their fault that the heating pipe burst? Good luck with that. That is why the neighbor's insurance company is not interested and why the solicitors you called are also not interested.

You will have to pay for the damages out of your self insurance fund.

by **stein74** » Sat Apr 14, 2012 5:24 pm

Their home insurance will only cover them. Unfortunately if you do not have you own insurance then any damage that your flat has sustained is down to you. I really feel sorry as I can not imagine what it must be like. I would try and talk them up from the £300 invite them down to see the damage. Play on the heart strings. Sorry but other than that yes you are stuffed

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