Not upheld: Service failures generally complaint against Inter Partner Assistance SA

Decision detail

Summary

Mr B complained that IPA's contractor negligently failed to identify a pinhole leak during an initial visit to repair a frozen water tank, resulting in a ceiling collapse and damage to personal items. IPA rejected the complaint, arguing they had completed the emergency repair and were not responsible for subsequent damage. The ombudsman found that IPA's policy limited coverage to temporary emergency repairs and explicitly excluded costs for tracing leak sources. Since the contractor identified and repaired the initial emergency (frozen tank and ball valve) and the subsequent pinhole leak was in an inaccessible location covered by insulation, the ombudsman concluded IPA had acted reasonably and in accordance with the policy terms, and therefore did not uphold the complaint.

The Ombudsman's reasoning

The ombudsman found that IPA's obligation under the policy was limited to completing temporary repairs for readily identifiable emergencies. The policy explicitly excluded costs for 'Trace and Access to locate the source of the Emergency', meaning IPA was not required to search for additional leaks beyond the identified ball valve issue. The pinhole leak was in an inaccessible location covered by insulation, and the policy did not cover damage caused by the emergency itself. The contractor's actions in identifying and repairing the initial leak constituted reasonable handling of the emergency repair.

How this compares

Source

Read the original decision on the Financial Ombudsman Service website