Burst pipe in empty house – £45,000 buildings and contents claim

Location Kent

Customer Mr Macintosh

Mr Macintosh’s three-bedroomed semi-detached house in Kent was unoccupied as he was living elsewhere. Therefore no-one was aware for several days during a very cold spell that a pipe had burst in the loft and water was cascading through the back of the house. The damage, according to Mr Macintosh, was “catastrophic”. Ceilings fell down in several rooms, water leaked into the foundations, and furniture and personal items were ruined.

Mr Macintosh had two different insurers for his building and contents. When he met with their loss adjusters, he realised that he faced a very difficult job in sorting out two separate insurance claims, and felt he would benefit from professional help. He therefore appointed Morgan Clark to handle the two claims on his behalf.

The claim

Morgan Clark immediately took over everything. The priority was to ensure the house was dried out correctly, which was something Mr Macintosh hadn’t thought about, and they brought in experts to carry this out straightaway. They also arranged for the secure storage of contents.

Morgan Clark then got the agreement of the appropriate insurer to bring in chartered surveyors who specialise in reinstating properties after water damage. They prepared a specification for the reinstatement and, with Morgan Clark, discussed with Mr Macintosh his options; in particular, that this provided a cost-effective opportunity to carry out other repairs to the property.

The results

Morgan Clark successfully negotiated a settlement of £40,000 for the reinstatement of the property and £5,000 for contents and experienced contractors were appointed to carry out the work.

The reinstatement included re-plastering the damaged rooms. Mr Macintosh decided to pay a small amount extra to have the rest of the house re-plastered at the same time, and therefore ended up with a better house than before the incident.

No matter what has caused the damage to your home, Morgan Clark will guide you through the insurance claim process and ensure you are back in your home as quickly as possible while ensuring you receive the full settlement you’re entitled to. Contact our Kent Loss Assessors today to find out more.

More Case Studies

London

Managing Extensive Water Damage in a Period Property

"Morgan Clark was recommended to an elderly and vulnerable client in Wanstead, East London, after their period property suffered significant water damage due to a burst pipe over the Christmas period. The property, a four-bedroom detached house with o..."

Read more

Cambridge

Fire damage in thatched cottage

"Mr and Mrs Hampshire suffered a fire at their thatched cottage, which started in the middle of the night when the family were asleep. The accidental fire was caused by a lighter being ignited, which resulted in blankets and pillows catching fire and ..."

Read more

Cumbria

Flooded bakery in Kendal: £100,000 insurance claim for machinery, st...

"Ginger Bakers is a very successful specialist cake producer based in Kendal, Cumbria, supplying commercial outlets across the country. When Storm Desmond wreaked havoc across the north of England in December 2015, the bakery’s leased premises were ..."

Read more

Cumbria

Flooding at kitchen worktop manufacturer: £1.2 million claim

"Stoneworld is a very successful manufacturer of quartz and granite kitchen worktops, importing expensive materials from across the world and using sophisticated precision cutting machinery. Based in Kendal, Cumbria, it distributes its high-end produc..."

Read more

Carlisle

Using Morgan Clark a second time for flood insurance claim

"When the river Eden flooded in Carlisle in 2005, water poured through David Allen’s substantial five-bedroomed semi-detached home. There was extensive damage throughout the downstairs which was likely to result in an insurance claim of around £100..."

Read more

Doncaster

Flooding – £630,000 business interruption claim

"In 2007, the town of Doncaster was hit by two floods in very quick succession. A large trading estate was very badly affected, including a successful steel processing and stockholding company. Three of its industrial units on the estate were contamin..."

Read more