Buildings Insurance - Alternative Accommodation issues with Loss Adjuster

[LBF]

Hi

 

Insurers: Ocaso

Management Company - The Davies Group

Underwriters - ??

 

I seem to be involved in a passive aggressive/aggressive aggressive and rather strange encounter with my loss adjuster regarding Alternative Accommodation. I've had a look through all the threads and my Policy Booklet and in desperation, contacted the Financial Ombudsman Service, but seem to have ended up with more questions than answers.

 

My alternative accommodation was originally and begrudgingly booked for 21 days (after proof of a medical condition which would have been further exacerbated if I had been present) whilst works were to be completed at my property. During several (recorded) phone calls and emails, I queried how realistic this was and what would happen if the works took longer than 21 days and was told - verbally and via email that it would just be extended as needed. They have indeed extended the accommodation weekly since this time.

 

During the first 3 weeks of the intended works, the management and coordination of the project was disastrous with either nothing being done, or further damage (with extra costs) being caused by contractors. My relationship hit rock bottom with the Loss Adjuster at this point (week 3, day 17), who was extremely annoyed that he had to sort out the mess and felt it appropriate to aim his irritation at me. I received 2 emails after this asking for the details of my contents insurance so they could share the cost of the alternative accommodation. I am unsure whether I had contents insurance at the time of the incident (Nov 2015) and never thought to make a claim as it was all structural damage (water leak from apartment above). I was never asked to provide details of this in the 5 months I was trying to get them to address the works.

 

Apologies for the back story, but the next part wouldn't make sense if I hadn't laid that out. Last Friday whilst I was away due to a bereavement, I received an email from the Loss Adjuster saying that he would be moving me to a second accommodation closer to my (empty and gutted) property??? I emailed him on Tuesday morning to say that there was no need to move me closer to home. I was asked again for my contents insurance details which I have said that I will look into further.

 

I received an email this evening (sent this morning whilst at work) that they have booked me into a second accommodation (B&B) starting tomorrow, no address, just the name of the hotel and no mention of a reason why I have to move again. The email came from the accommodation part of the Davies-Group. I emailed them to say this wasn't feasible, but received no response.

 

I suspect it may be the cost - which does not exceed the policy exclusions etc - however, this has not been stated. If it is the cost, why don't they just say that they want me to move because it is too expensive? If that is the case, why was I offered it in the first place? Why did the loss adjuster originally approve it? (As a project manager and anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that these projects never run to schedule, at best, you take the time estimated and times it by 2 - I digress).

 

Can they do this? I live in a 1 bedroomed property, am in an alternative 1 bedroomed property and am now being moved into a hotel B&B.

 

The Financial Ombudsman Service can't raise a complaint until they know who the underwriter of my Policy is and the earliest I can get that information will be Monday morning and that is a process I was advised will take months to sort out. Time I clearly don't have. This doesn't solve the immediate problem of being inexplicably ordered to leave a property that was offered to me, to have to move unnecessarily for a second time. No mention was made of how I'm going to get everything from one place to another, or if it's suitable!

 

At a bit of a loss. The bereavement has knocked me for six and I have a horrible feeling that there is nothing I can do and the aggressive bully of a loss adjuster is intent on making things as miserable as possible for me. (I also discovered on Tuesday that due to yet another mess up with a lack of communication from Davies with the sub-contractors, the works will take even longer to complete!)

 

Please advise.

 

Thanks in advance.

[LBF]

My ridiculous life continues: Was a bit gloomy after posting and resigned to packing everything up tonight. Went to speak to the building manager of the accommodation I'm currently in to find out what time I had to be out in the morning, only to be told that she has no idea what I'm talking about, because the booking was reconfirmed for another week - earlier today??!! I have received no such information.

 

Remember the B&B that has been booked for me for a week starting tomorrow, including the 'meal deal - breakfast and a 2 course evening meal with a drink'? I decided to do a bit of investigating to find out where they are planning on me moving to - tomorrow, only to find, the hotel is still very much under construction and due to open in Summer 2016.

 

The email omitted an address (quite important), but was very specific as to the date of check-in/check-out and the meal deal!?!

 

Maybe they were hoping the panic would kill me and they wouldn't have to sort my property out.

 

I guess, the question remains - can they just move me around - with no explanation or reason, from place to (still under construction) place, whenever they feel like it, whether it's suitable or not?

Edited June 3, 2016 by LBF

[unclebulgaria67]

Poor service !

 

Alternative accommodation is just a roof over your head suitable for your needs. So it can be a rented house, rented room, B&B. Under Buildings Insurance the limit on how much the Insurers will pay is stated in your policy booklet. If you have Contents Insurance, this would have contributed a relevant sum.

 

Stay where you are, as they have you booked for another week and if they want you to move, they should give you reasonable notice.

 

Suggest you make a formal complaint to the company you have the Insurance with Ocaso. They are responsible for the conduct of loss adjusters and underwriters.

[LBF]

Thanks for the reply. I will be contacting Ocaso on Monday and once I have the details of the underwriter, I will be contacting the FOS again.

 

I guess that means they can just move me anywhere, anytime, without giving me reasonable notice, explanation or reason or ensuring it's suitable for my needs, because that's exactly what they're doing now.

 

Grateful they didn't cancel this booking and that I did a search for the address of the hotel/spoke to the building manager here. If not, I could have been on the side of the street with all my bags outside a construction site early tomorrow afternoon.