Home Burst pipes no reply from ins co.

Hi! My partner has a house out down the country. Over the hols one pipe burst downstairs and also one radiator. Water from the burst pipe also came in around a plug. The boiler has stopped working and we presumed it was due to the burst pipe. We are away in U.K. at the moment so have only seen the damage via photos on email. The tenant said that she can get some local lads who apparently are registered to fix the damage - my partner said they had to be registered. She said it wouln't cost very much and the radiator would only be e70 - which we thought was a bit on the cheap side! We have tried to phone B*I Ins on several occasions, but even today they are closed and there is no emergency no. for over the hols. The tenant wants to go ahead with the repairs tomorrow as she wants to be able to go back into the house. My partner is reluctant to go ahead until he is able to contact the Ins Co. He said he would cover the amount himself if it was a couple of hundred. I'm a bit suspicious as the plumber and electrician want to start work tomorrow without giving a definite quote other than it wouldn't be more than a couple of hundred. Any advice and comments welcomed.

One option that springs to mind would be to get your tenant to get a fixed price for the work involved and to get it in writing. Then if your happy enough with that you can give the go ahead.


A new radiator seems a bit odd, was it very old and maybe rusting away?

Seems like your tenant could be pulling a fast one knowing that you are away and unable to visit the property.

Have you any family/friends in the area who could do a check/liaise for you?

Burst pipes no reply from ins co

Hi! Puds and Paddybloggit, thanks for your comments and advice. Paddybloggit, wise advise once again. I can smell a rat too!! Unfortunately, my trusting partner thinks I'm slightly paranoid!! My cousin is an engineer in Sligo and the property is only half an hour from him, so he's going to visit there around 9 tomorrow morning. He's the ideal man for the job!! Even he thought the whole thing was a bit suspicious. Thanks again.

Great result .... you can't beat a professional and you couldn't have had better luck to have one so close (and related to you).

Let us know how you get on.

Burst Pipes no reply from insurance co.

Hi! Paddybloggit and others, advice sought once again!

My cousin saw my partner's rental property. There is one burst pipe downstairs, one burst radiator upstairs. He reckons the electric plug that had water marks around it has dried out. There is no other water damage. He noted that the tenant's plumber had dismantled part of the boiler already - which is outside - and left the cover off and that the plasterboard had been removed from around the leaking pipe.

However, the plumber who is a friend of the tenant has been saying he is coming for the last three days but has not appeared back again. They say he just turns up when he turns up and don't want to ring him. They say he is very busy at the moment - which we can understand - as Longford has probably had the worst of the weather. We're looking for other plumber's in the area but the tenant is evasive about when she can be there to let them in. The tenant has cold water but no running water. She also stated she didn't want to pay rent due on 12th due to not being able to live there - she has been staying at her parents house nearby all over Christmas. We suspect that she didn't leave any heat on in my partner's property over that period. My partner said he could reduce the rent by half - to e150 - it is only e300 anyway.

Our questions - what is reasonable as regards the rent - also given the fact that she is being evasive as to when we can get in. Also, she had a break in and got the locks changed afterwards (her keys were taken) last year and has refused to give my ex a key. She had asked my partner if she could buy the house but he is not willing to sell. My partner is registered with the PRTB.

I can't offer much advice here .... except that I hear alarm bells going off:

* Tenant has changed locks
* Tenant has undertaken work without permission
* Tenant isn't allowing reasonable access to the house
* Tenant doesn't want to pay rent (a reduction is being offered but she's still unhappy)
* Tenant wants to buy the property

My feeling on this is this is that the tenant thinks that she owns the property in her own mind and she sees your partner as a party to be manipulated.

Your partner needs to get control back, get his own plumber etc. or the tenant will cause him untold grief (and expense - the 'plumber friend' will end up costing him a fortune - he has a leg in the door and will charge accordingly).

If the house is inhabitable the tenant should move out until it's sorted ... and a copy of the key should be obtained immediately.

What's your cousin's take on it?

Burst pipes

Hi! Paddybloggit, I think you were right out the tenant's plumber friend. He wasn't turning up at all, so my partner said this am that if he hadn't done the job by 6 this evening, he was going to get another plumber - so tenant's plumber duly arrived. The tenant rang me to say the plumber friend couldn't give a quote for the work untill it was all completed! My partner rang her back and said he wasn't happy with this and the Insurance Co. wanted their own plumber (not ture - but we used this as a ploy)! Ten minutes later we got a call form the plumber to say that apparenlty he has been working there since 11.00 this am (we rang at 10.45 and he wasn't there) - he has fixed the heating put not replaced the radiator, and has not replaced the plasterboard on the wall. Suddenly the bill has gone up from 50 to 100 euros to 300 euros without radiator and new plasterboard. I think the fact that we have an insurance assessor coming now and are getting our own plumber has put the wind up them. In the meantime Tenant rang back and said she is moving out that it's all too much hassle for her - it's probably very much for the best! Thanks for your sound advice once again.

Keep control of the situation and things will work out.

Best of luck with it elainem!

Agree with everything Paddy has said on this. This tenant is trying to manipulate your partner. If she is now willing to go then your better rid and also get rid of her plumber as well.

You can offer some payment for *whatever* so called work was done, while explaining that you never employed him in the first place and tell him he's lucky to be getting that.

If your cousin is calling round again to sort this then try to get him to bring a long someone with him as witness.

Hope it all has a happy ending. Not a nice thing to happen at any time of year.

Burst pipes

Hi! Puds, thanks for your advice. My partner is relieved that she says she is going as he had concerns about her and her intentions re the house over the last year. However, we need access on Tuesday to see the place with another plumber and plasterer to get quote for insurance assessor the following week. She is still evasive on access - now not returning our calls. As my partner does not have a key as she changed the locks - would it be possible for us to get a locksmith to change the locks again and give her a new key too? Also what are the PRTB rules on such things. As I understood it, the tenant was obliged to let landlord repair property and if they didn't, it resulted in a much shorter notice period - is this true?