Upheld: poor service in emergency claim handling; unnecessary damage caused during repair; failure to follow customer instructions complaint against Inter Partner Assistance SA

Decision detail

Summary

Mr B complained about how IPA handled his home emergency claim for a bathroom sink leak on 1 January 2024. The engineer misdiagnosed the leak source, removed tiles behind the toilet unnecessarily, and created additional damage to the hall ceiling despite the customer stating the pipe could not be accessed from below. The initial repair failed and a second visit was required. IPA offered £75 compensation, which the ombudsman found insufficient. The ombudsman upheld the complaint, finding the engineer should have listened to the customer's information and acted reasonably, and awarded £300 compensation for the poor service and distress caused.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that while emergency home cover policies allow engineers to access leaks, this does not permit unnecessary damage. The engineer should have listened to the customer's clear information about the leak source (bathroom sink) and checked there first rather than assuming it came from the toilet. The engineer should have verified the customer's statement that the pipe could not be accessed from below before creating a hole in the ceiling. The damage caused was unreasonable given the information provided by the customer. Although the customer made a household insurance claim, the poor service and distress caused warranted compensation beyond the £75 initially offered.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website