A family in Croydon has been effectively homeless for eight months following an extensive leak beneath their fitted fridge-freezer, which caused significant damage to their kitchen/living room floorboards. The family, including a two-year-old, reported the leak to their home insurer, Hastings Direct, last winter.
The policyholder reported experiencing significant delays, poor communication, and conflicting information, attributing these to a failure by the insurer and its appointed contractors to properly manage the claim. Work on the property reportedly began more than five months after the initial report, with kitchen units removed despite many being undamaged and not part of the scheduled works.
Hastings Direct acknowledged that its service fell short on this occasion, attributing some delays to the unexpected extent of the damage and issues with contractors. The insurer admitted that the kitchen units and appliances should not have been removed and has agreed to cover the cost of their replacement as a "goodwill gesture."
The company has now agreed a programme of repairs and an estimated timescale, and has extended the family's temporary accommodation for a month. The family hopes to return home in a week's time, and Hastings has agreed to offer compensation for distress and to refund nursery, cattery, and other expenses.