UK Landlord Forum / Life

I thought that I had done closure when I recovered the property after the fraudalent Letting Agent did'nt pay the rent and rented to non-vetted tenants who did not have the right to reside in the UK. They were illegally sub-letting and collecting rents which they pocketed. After taking the tenants to court twice they were finally given an eviction order. But the baillifs had to remove them.

New Mortice locks were put in front and back of property, After bailiffs eviction the builder returned to do work and found that the property was occupied and the new locks changed so he could not enter the property. He called the Police to attend who did a No Show. When he returned again the property was empty and completely vandalised. Literally sledged hammered in, with excrement everywhere. The Police did not attend the property but came back with they have no proof of who committed the criminal damage!

INSURANCE QUESTION I made a claim to the insurance company (I'ld been with them since 2013) for malicious damage they came back informed me that they are voiding my insurance. I am now without an insurance, this will make it difficult for me to contract a new insurance with another company having been voided by the current one.

To me they the insurers don't want to pay up for the damage and are looking for the little excuse.

Please advise me on what to do next? I've been through the mill with a Fraud Agent, Rogue tenants, Vandalism, for over one year have suffered at their hands of these crooks

I guess the Ombudsman could be your only hope.Are the insurers refusing because the police have not issued a crime number? They do not need to know who is responsible in order to do this.Your M.P.might get some result in this respect.Mine was very helpful in a situation where the police were lazy and useless.

Hello HeavyKarma,

Thanks for your reply. Yes I was issued with a crime number by the Police and after investigation with the neighbours and informed me that they could not find out who was responsible for this.

The insurance stated Duty of Fair Presentation of the risk before entering into a contract of insurance. The insurance was taken out in 2013 and renewed every year since. They changed underwriters I believe in 2017. How can I know the risks if the law is on the side of persons taking possession of a property or being sublet. It is not illegal to sublet and I have no powers over this. When the Police were informed that there were intruders in the building after the bailiffs eviction they did a no show. Which gave the perputrators time to carry out the damage. Also the main tenant was apparently still residing at the property as mail was being sent in her name there also as she just had a baby the midwife was visiting her at the premises. Also the gas engineer saw her and the baby in the premises when he went to repair the boiler. To evict her for non-payment of rent for over a year and two court hearings, I had to try and prove that she was not living there, and that she provided fake rent receipts, she even had free legal counsel at the court. I am powerless against the law which is in her favour.  Another witness saw her in the property and when approached she said she was not Mrs X.

I stated that when I went to the property after the possession order on the insurance claim that I saw a man that I did not recognise in the property (this apparently voided my insurance). I had received a call after saying sorry they did not know I was the Landlord and that I could return. I ommitted this from my statement!!! And as travelling the next day could not return.

I have contacted the Ombudsman who said that I must ask the insurance for a "final response" they have 8 weeks in which to respond and then I call make complaint via the Ombudsman.

I will still try the local MP.

Really wish you good luck with this.It is instances like this that make one so cynical about the insurance industry.I cannot see what else you could have done to protect the property.

Insurance always wins.

I insure to my legal obligations only. I pooh-pooh it whenever my Broker starts to tell me about additional features a policy might have. It's irrelevant.

I do have fully comprehensive car insurance, though... I think that's just because I've never thought about it in great detail. Claiming on Insurance is usually a trial one could do without.