bloody council won't pay up for damage

[phasmid]

Phas jr's flat roof leaked at the start of the school holidays. The leak was directly over his desk and straight onto his computer. At the time we did all we could to minimise the damage. The computer was covered in water when the leak was discovered. To start with they wouldn't even come out never mind do anything!

 

I got them out that Sunday after kicking up one hell of a stink - they didn't do anything for 5 days. I was advised by them to get the pc assessed and send the report and bill ( which was for �45 in the end) to them. Which I did. Now I have been told that they won't pay for it and that I should claim off my house insurance for damage. in their words " The council cannot conside compensation for an item which should be insured by the tenant."

 

1. They have never carried out any preventative maintainence work on the roof.

 

2. If I claim on my house insurance my premium goes up.

 

3. I was assured at the time that they WOULD make good any losses I incurred.

 

I intend to go at them over this. We didn't cause the leak, they did - or at least could have prevented it by keeping the roof in good order. I am now �44 odd quid out of pocket and still have a knackered PC. I will be getting onto local councillor first thing Monday I've already sent him an e-mail. What/who else?

 

Suggestions?

Edited October 16, 2005 by phasmid

[Zemanski]

newspapers tend to get them moving sometimes - they can't tell you one thing then do another without expecting some reaction, can they?

 

there is of course the ombudsman but first you have to make a formal complaint and they have to not deal with it properly, so I suppose the first step would be a formal complaint.

 

good luck

 

Zemanski

[phasmid]

When the leak occured they didn't even want to come and do anything. Phas Jr had gone into complete meltdown. I had to get onto local councilor (who is an ex work mate) for help. He, bless him, kicked butt over it and someone came out. Meanwhile he told me not to worry about the PC it'd be sorted. The bloke from the council who phoned assured me it would be sorted too. The following day the repairs bod came out to look at the roof and the damage.

 

He arranged for an inspection of external damage and repair of internal damage. He told me to get an insurance report and send it in. So I did. They asked me to minimise the damage which I did, they asked me to ensure access for repairs, which I did, they asked me to do this that and the other...I did all they asked. They all told me they would make good any damage and compensate me for any loss - well now they say they ###### well won't!

 

For the life of me I cannot see where I am responsible for this. Why should I claim on my insurance and see my premiums go up as a result? We didn't cause the damage that made the roof leak. If they had checked it every few years this could have been prevented...I'm just so cross. Meanwhile Phas jr has no PC to use for his GCSE's - what do I tell him?

 

I have fired off an e-mail to councilor already. Don't know what the response will be from them - just needed to VENT my spleen.

 

I might just get onto my local rag if the council don't play ball.

[lil_me]

Had the same situation myself with damage

 

1. Blocked drains in garden, backed up over garden, 4 months later they had still sent noone out, got it done myself, still got waste in back garden where we'd spent almost �500 putting play safe area in

 

2. Water pipe leaking for 3 months, they came out eventually, but won't replace bath panel damaged, carpets up and downstairs damaged, decorating costs (both up and down need redoing as all peeling off, and they won't even replace the ceiling panels downstairs which are now rotten. Oh and the doors which soaked water in.

 

 

Tried most channels already, they won't budge on it

[jomica]

Two thoughts occur, Phasmid, depending on how far you want to go with this.

 

The first is go to the press. There's nothing Councils hate more than to have their name dragged through the mud - especially when someone with a disability is involved. You see, they just can't win in the public eye. With any luck, it will make them want to put it right so that they can say in their statement to the press that they've made good the damage as soon as it was brought to their attention (again)!

 

The second is the small claims court. Don't know much about doing that - but worth a try maybe?

Edited October 16, 2005 by jomica