Flooded out couple fed up of insurance firm delays

Andy and Julie Leighton were devastated when the entire downstairs of their four-bedroom home was flooded on January 6 during heavy rainfall.

The property has been uninhabitable for more than 11 weeks since the waters subsided but the Leightons says their insurance company Direct Line and its contractors have dragged their heels in carrying out the clean up, whereas neighbours’ homes are already well on the way to being restored.

Andy explained: “Our insurers didn't organise house clearance until Saturday February 22.

“They threw everything out into the front garden promising a lorry would come and pick it up on the Monday, February 24.

“On the Monday one guy turned up in a box Luton (van), which was already half full as we were his second call - for the ground floor contents of a four bedroom/double garage house!”

Admitting that he did not have the room he left again and since then, despite it becoming subject of a complaint, the front garden remained full of wrecked furniture, with no end in sight.

"To add insult to injury, the inevitable happened, with scrappies trespassing to pick it over when we were out, caught on ring doorbell,” said Andy.

Andy and Julie appointed their own independent loss adjustor in an effort to move the process forward, but he said it had taken six weeks for the contractors to clear their home and the mess was still on their lawn after another month.

He said at the time: “We have mud-covered lino in the kitchen, the floors have to come up and the walls are running with condensation. Next door our neighbour has had the kitchen fitters in and is a lot more advanced with a different insurer. We have not even started drying it out. As a customer I just want it sorted.

"The house is not habitable, so we have a mobile home on the drive and will be there for the foreseeable future with our two cats and a labrador.”

The Sleaford Standard contacted Direct Line requesting a reason for the delays in Mr and Mrs Leighton’s case.

A Direct Line Home Insurance spokesperson said: “We have apologised to Mr Leighton for issues in resolving his flood claim. Our suppliers are in communication with the third-party claims management company, along with Mr Leighton, to ensure he can return home promptly.

"Tradespeople will be attending the property imminently to remove damaged items and to support with the protection of remaining possessions.

"We will be paying compensation because our service fell below our expected standards and will progress payment as quickly as possible.”

Finally, a month after the rubbish was dumped on the lawn, on Tuesday March 25, Mr Leighton said the contractor turned up with a van and cleared some of the waste, returning the following day to collect the rest.