Upheld: Home insurance claim disputes complaint against Brooklin Claims Consultants Ltd

Decision detail

Summary

Mr and Mrs B appointed BCC as loss assessors following a fire that damaged their home in June 2019. BCC arranged repairs and alternative accommodation while the property was made habitable. Sub-contracted builders engaged by BCC's contractor failed to complete garage rebuilding work properly, claiming blocks matching the original could not be sourced when this later proved incorrect. After the builders were removed, Mr B found an alternative builder and BCC negotiated a cash settlement. The garage rebuilding delays caused significant disruption lasting several months longer than necessary, particularly affecting Mrs B who is disabled. The ombudsman upheld the complaint and directed BCC to pay £1,000 compensation for trouble and upset, finding this fair and reasonable given BCC's ultimate responsibility for the builders' failures.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

BCC acted professionally in most aspects of the claim and was not responsible for alternative accommodation (arranged by insurer's agent) or invoice payment delays (caused by loss adjuster). However, BCC was ultimately responsible for the sub-contracted builders who failed to complete garage work properly and provided incorrect information about block sourcing. This resulted in significant disruption lasting several months longer than necessary, causing particular distress to Mrs B who is disabled. The £1,000 compensation is fair and reasonable for the trouble and upset caused by the garage rebuilding failures.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website