Flooding victims finally get payout

A COUPLE whose home was damaged in the devastating floods of 2007 have finally been awarded compensation after their insurers refused to pay out.

Simon Moss and his partner Louise Fletcher’s home in Hull was one of almost 9,000 damaged in the city following the catastrophic floods of June 25, when nearly four inches of rain fell in just 24 hours.

Their property in Parkfield Drive soon became riddled with damp and they thought their insurers would pay for urgent repairs.

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But the company, Certain Underwriters at Lloyds, denied the claim, stating that the damp was caused by poor ventilation and the failure of a damp proof course. This was based on evidence from an engineer who visited the property in January 2009 and said in his report the damp course had failed and the damp was a long-standing problem.

Mr Moss brought in his own expert six months later – who supported the claim of secondary flooding – but still the insurers refused to pay. But after approaching Neil Hudgell Solicitors the couple have now been awarded £8,000 in compensation after taking the company to court.

Mr Moss said: “The last four years have been a living nightmare for us. We haven’t been able to touch anything that needed repairing until the case was settled and so we’ve had to live with ripped up flooring and peeling walls.

“It hasn’t just been depressing for Louise and me to live in these damp conditions, it’s been extremely embarrassing when friends have come round and seen the house in such a shabby state.

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“It’s been a long journey and one that at times has been extremely time consuming and emotionally draining. When we first decided to take on the insurance company’s knowledge and experience it felt like a case of David versus Goliath.”

He added: “I just hope that now the case has been settled we can get on with the repairs quickly and put all this behind us.”

The insurers declined to comment.

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