Hi

I have always found it interesting to read other peoples experiences and advice when looking for info for my own problems but have never had the nerve to join before.

I am looking forward to getting any advice and help with my particular issue and I hope to be able to provide advice and support if it can be of any help too.

Hi there

I'm wondering whether anyone can help me out with an insurance claim issue, I'll try and keep it brief as possible but forgive me if I rant on as I'm angry and at the end of my tether with this!

In Feb 07 we discovered a flood in our bathroom so we phoned our insurance Nationwide to get a claim in. They sent out their own builders (homeserve) to come and assess what needed done, the man that came out was rude and we did not like his attitude, we asked him if the cause of the flood in our bathroom contributed to the damage in our back room - he said it wasn't but as he left he pointed out that we had a burst pipe in our kitchen and it was probably that and left.

We got back in touch with our insurance to explain what he said, they advised us that a loss adjuster would be out to assess it.

Fast forward a few months ...By the time we got builders in - we argued that we did not want homeserve to do any repairs - it was mid June and with all the works needed done we had to to move into rented accomodation. We were advised that the works would only take 12/13 weeks maximum.

We returned to our home at the beginning of Nov - 20 weeks later and 7 weeks over schedule.

The issue is that the builders dragged their feet and have done a really bad job of refitting our kitchen and been really sloppy with the workmanship.

We have given them plenty of opportunity to rectify issues but are unwilling as it eats into their "profit". We have informed the loss adjuster that we are refusing to sign over the other half of payment.

Over the months we have complained to the loss adjuster about getting these issues sorted out and we have done alot of phoning around and obtaining quotes for a new kitchen to be fitted and for our locks to be replaced as the builders have decided that they will not return our key until we have paid a private works bill.

The private works bill was for installing a shower enclosure and tray intead of our old bath and repairs to leaks in the kitchen. We are not paying this either because they have damaged our shower enclosure and tray whilst fitting and is not fit for purpose. The leak repairs - they did not inform us about! and yes it was a hefty bill.

The private works part is being dealt with with. What I can't believe is that legally we will probably have to pay for the shoddy work they have done, but I will try my hardest to fight for the principle of the matter that it has been appalling workmanship and the fact they have damaged my lovely new shower enclousure and tray.

Has anyone else gone through the same experience? I am looking for much needed advice, I feel as if loss adjuster is not doing his job and monies will be paid to the builder and this will go on and on and on to the end where I will have no hair left!!

Hi

 

I have always found it interesting to read other peoples experiences and advice.

 

You mean your nosey.

 

I hope to be able to provide advice and support if it can be of any help too.

That's what we like to hear.

Hi and Welcome, Little Madge.

Only joking about the nosey bit !! Good to see you on the site. Any problems just ask, lots of very helpfull people here who will help you out. And hopefully you will help out others, where and when you can.

Best wishes.

Scott.

Thanks for that Scott, a first timer and already getting ridiculed

Have posted my story in relevant section for advice - hopefully someone can/will help.

a first timer and already getting ridiculed

 

Sorry (I can be a bit of a edited at times)

No need to be just glad someone replied thanks for your welcome:)

LOL maroony.

You're not a **** - though you are a very naughty boy!

Seriously though, little madge, you've come to the right place. As maroon says, we're a bunch of folk here out to help each other. I think we're all pretty stressed and even scared when we join, but we soon find others in the same situation as we are and find out how to deal with our problems. So look around, then post where you need help and it will be given.

Thanks Hippy Chick

Anyone with any comments or views?

....or am I in the wrong forum?

Your best bet is to lodge a formal complaint with the claims dept for nationwide, they will probably hold more clout with the loss adjusters than you do and should be able to get this all sorted out.

If still not resolved to your satisfaction, you can always escalate it to the ombudsmen which will definitely get things sorted.

DA

Hi Little Madge.

I hope I can help, since I work for one of the organisations your post refers to (and it isnt a bank) .

I'm sorry to hear that the contractor was rude. I like to pride myself on the company being as professional as possible. The company does tpo, our motto is 'good to great'.

If you aren't happy with the homeserve contractor, I would advise you to complain to Homeserve directly. The address is:

Homeserve Claims Management

Caxton Road

Fulwood

Preston

PR2 9NZ

I don't know the telephone number; I'm not involved in the part of the business you would have dealt with. My advice would be kick up a stinking fuss, if you let the company now you have a problem they will fix it, that is one of the things that makes me proud of the company. The difficulty is that Homeserves contractors (funnily enough, even the ones in the Homeserve vans) arent part of the same company - its a completely different business - so we dont have direct control. This is why things sometimes go wrong. Not an axcuse I know, more of an explanation.

HTH

Davjoh

Thanks for direction DA will take this route if we don't hear from loss adjuster tomorrow.

Hi Davjoh

Thanks for feedback on homeserve - the builders we got on weren't homeserve - we really did not feel confident in giving them the job, therefore we got our own builders in who we are now in dispute with, unfortunately our builders aren't part of any builders federation therefore we can't go to them, but because the insurance is dealing with that part of the works we are not stressed out about it as much, the problem is the loss adjuster is dragging his feet with dealing with our issues with the works and builders, which I feel is straightforward - we are not happy they don't get paid, get another builder in to rectify and finish works.

The other thing is they have done some private works for us and we are refusing to pay as we are really unhappy with their standard of work, our shower tray and enclosure has been damaged by them and shower leaks because it hasn't been fitted by proper tradesmen.

However, it has been suggested by the loss adjuster the last time we spoke to him that he would get homeserve back in, so I will bear your comments in mind.

LM

Udate for you - went back to insurers to complain about lack of progress in claim, yesterday they informed me that they were not willing to get another builder in to recitify problems made because it was not a contractor recommended by them, but as I pointed out the loss adjuster they appointed approved them. Came off the phone extremely angry.

Phoned financial ombusman straight away, he relayed that it would be difficult to make a case of it, but the fact their loss adjuster approved it may be a good point.

Anyway no sooner had I put the phone down it rang, it was the insurers again. I wasn't rationally enough to speak to them so my husband spoke with them, 20 minutes later the insurers are sending back the loss adjuster in to draw up a schedule of works and the money that the builders would have got will go towards rectifying my kitchen and bathroom.

Relieved but apprehensive!

I am truly at a loss as to what to do and am desperately needing some positive and straight talking direction on where to go.

On the back of what happened before Christmas the insurance instructed the loss adjuster to come out a do a schedule of works, he did and that was left, I decided to phone last week to find out what was happening, no answer, and again yesterday and today - no answer.

I phoned the insurance, bottom line, the insurance has now back tracked on what they agreed in our last conversation and is now saying that because we appointed the builder it is our responsiblility to sort it out.

So we either release the money to the builders for all their shoddy work plus the damages they have done or we get taken to court for none payment.

The loss adjuster is not responsible for anything either, even though he appointed the builder, but according to FO the loss adjuster has approved the quote but has not approved the builder - this I do not understand

As the insurance payment is now on hold, the builders have sent the invoice to us for payment as they state it is our responsibility? and also added other costs onto the invoice, they do this alot.

I just can't belive when the builders do unsatisfactory work and can get away with damaging our kitchen wall and yet we have to pay for this?????

and insurance and loss adjuster are taking nothing to do with this.

I don't have a hope of challenging this or do I?

LM

Hello Little Madge.

I am afraid that you are under the same misapprehension as many other people, that loss adjusters are unbiased. Nothing could be farther from the trueth.

What you want is the services of a loss assessor, who are independent, the services of which should then be paid for by your insurance company.

I am having to do this myself as I am having problems over my buildings insurance. I have had four instances of subsidence and it is dealt with piecemeal and the result has resulted in the house being blighted.

If you find this of any help please click my scales down in the lefthand corner.

Hi Badger 69

Thanks for this, don't think insurance will as they are being extremely unhelpful and don't want anything else to do with our "dispute", I think I will have to go to a solicitor now

Good luck with yours, NIL ILLEGITIMUS CARBORUNDUM!

LM

Hello Little Madge.

I'm hoping that things will be sorted by a loss assessor. A lot of my problems stem from the bias of a loss adjuster from 18 years ago and but for him there are lots of problems that just would not have happened.

Heres hoping.