I have had a sewage flood of lounge, dining room, kitchen, laundry and office in the basement area of my guest house. It has been a long drawn out affair between insurance company and builders and the like; and most stressful, not only living in a building site, but being unable to take guests and earn money.

Basically, I had a new kitchen fitted and after a long list of poor workmanship, which the company doing the work dismissed, I employed a surveyor to come and give his opinion. He came and agreed that it was not good workmanship, but stated that my biggest problem was that I should have had my floors dug up and relaid, with a new membrane etc. I believe this is because the flood was sewage and it will have penetrated through the levels of concrete, tiles etc and will never be completely sound or germ free. Obviously, being a guest house both things are important. I notified the insurance company, because they sent two assessors round to dictate what should be done to begin with, and this was not mentioned.

The insurance company are dismissing the surveyor's claim and firstly said there was nothing to be done. After much wrangling, they have now agreed to appoint another surveyor for a second opinion.

Should they have appointed a surveyor at the start, instead of just assessors, or can they do the same? Apologies for my ignorance! Sh

I paid a separate premium for management of my claim. When I pointed this out the the insurance assessor (the one that was suposed to be appointed in my best interest) he laughed and said, "Do you know how much that would cost?" "It is just not viable." When I quoted the wording in the policy "to manage surveyors, builders etc etc" he said that it was marketing, just sales blurb!

I have heard from several sources now, that it is usual to dig up and relay floor due to sewage flooding, but is there any legislation/regulations that I can read so I know what to ask the next surveyor?

Thank you in anticipation of any replies.

JQ :-?

Not a specialist here, but if it is in the actual insurance document wording (not in any marketing bumpf that came with it) then it stands and no amount of laughing it off can get them out of it. I am in a dispute with my insurer currently and FOS says that should it be unresolved, they would look very carefully at policy wordings. Keep pushing.

Thanks MM

Yes it was a policy document, within the policy document. I paid a separate premium for someone to manage the claim if it exeeded £5,000. They included a separate certificate and the wording is therein! Therefore, it is most definitely not marketing/sales bumpf!

I will keep trying, but it is tiring all the time having your opinions rejected, it is like hitting your head against a brick wall!!

Good luck with your case.

JQ