# If pipes burst in rented house - who pays for damage?



## sadie (3 Dec 2010)

If the pipes in the attic of the house I rent burst, and the flood water damages my clothes and my property (furniture etc) - who pays?

I am getting quotes for Contents only insurance, but the insurance policy (Allianz anyway) is stating that the Excess is at least 500 euros for pipes bursting due to freezing.
 I am wondering why should I be paying 500 excess if someone else has Buildings insurance to cover damage? 

So in the event of the pipes bursting and causing damage - who pays what Tenant or Landlord?


----------



## Mrs Vimes (3 Dec 2010)

The landlord will have house insurance which will cover his property - walls, floors, pipes, wires, possibly furniture, etc.

You need to get contents-only insurance to cover your own belongings, the landlord cannot insure what he doesn't own.

That excess sounds really high for contents-only, did you specify that it's a tenant's policy? Have you shopped around?


----------



## sam h (3 Dec 2010)

As said, LL normally insures their contents and the tenant insures their own (if they want)

Insurance company's are clamping down on burst pipes as they are often avoidable - if the heat on in the house (especially if you are not there.  I notified my tenants that they MUST notify me if the house is to be vacant so I can check regularly and ensure the heat is on at a minumum level so help avoid burst pipes.


----------



## sadie (3 Dec 2010)

If you think Excess of 500 is high, 
on the AXA Contents Only quoation it says 

"In addition to the above (the 350 minimum Excess), the following excesses apply:
Escape of Water €1,000
Subsidence €5,000"

So in the case of the pipes bursting in the Rented house why should the tenant have to pay 1000 euros excess on Contents Damage???

Looks like all the Insurers are covering their behinds in relation the old Burst Pipes due to Cold Spell.


----------



## ariidae (3 Dec 2010)

Hi Sadie,

I have just sorted insurance on my contents in an apartment I rent. I found the quotation faculties on the insurance company's websites very poor. Most were unable to deal with the fact that I did not want building* insurance.

I gave up and just contacted one or two insurance providers by phone. If you want to know my quote and who I went with, please don't hesitate to PM me.

*Building insurance is something the owner would have in place, think the walls, roof, pipes etc. Contents insurance is for the .. well.. contents of the building and both you and your landlord could have this .. you for your stuff and the landlord for the furnishings he provided to you.


----------



## sadie (4 Dec 2010)

Thanks, all.
I rang people instead and ended up getting a very good quote for Contents Only. 
In fact it was less than half what my current insurer is asking me to renew at, for the same inclusions.


----------



## Mrs Vimes (6 Dec 2010)

Good result, thanks for updating.


----------



## Bronte (7 Dec 2010)

This can all be avoided by the tenant ensuring the house never gets cold enough to have burst pipes.


----------



## Pennyscraper (20 Dec 2010)

Exactly how hot would you have to have a rented house to ensure that a poorly insulated attic didn't freeze? I don't buy your analysis at all. Its too generalist. A poorly conceived and implemented heating & water system will mean burst pipes and that is the LL's doing, not the tenants'.


----------



## Bob_tg (21 Dec 2010)

Pennyscraper said:


> Exactly how hot would you have to have a rented house to ensure that a poorly insulated attic didn't freeze? I don't buy your analysis at all. Its too generalist. A poorly conceived and implemented heating & water system will mean burst pipes and that is the LL's doing, not the tenants'.


 
Agreed.  The previous poster's point is wrong.


----------



## oldnick (22 Dec 2010)

Even a well conceived and implemented heating system may be liable to problems in a prolonged  unusual freeze  if,for the example, the tenants went off to Poland for Xmas week without keeping any heating on timer for a couple of hours in the night. And in houses to ensure loft/attic door kept open 
(Of course it would be wrong of me to suggst that they keep one tap slightly dripping....)

Just as there is the reasonable expectation that the landlord would have well-lagged pipes etc  there is also a reasonable expectation that the tenants would use some cop-on during this unusually long cold spell. 

However, the sad fact is that tenants tend not to use any cop-on and their attitude is that everything is the landlord's fault ,so any sensible landlord should advise the tenants what to do. Also, warn them when there's going to be water shortages due to councils reducing pressure and to keep full bottles/buckets handy.

I've even given simple leaflets on what to do with airlocks - a common problem when councils reduce pressure.
(All verbal advice backed up by e-mails)

Basically i treat tenants as young children -in a friendly helpful way knowing that they're selfish and never ever care or think about things, especially other peoples property.


----------



## Bob_tg (23 Dec 2010)

There's responsibility on both sides.  A regular preventative maintenance check from the landord (or the landlord's contractors) might also help before the manifestation of a burst pipe or other problem.


----------

