Homeless, thank god for motorhome (1 Viewer)

[davanne]

So sorry to hear about your fire you must be devastated

 

[MC 55 FUN]

Our thoughts are with you - wishing you all the best

 

[mikebeaches]

A shocking experience - sorry about your predicament. Hope you will eventually be able to get matters sorted out, though inevitably you will have lost lots of irreplaceable personal items.

Hope the whole business is not too long and painful to resolve and you can get back to some sort of normality, though no doubt patience and fortitude will be required.

Good luck!

Mike

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[Frankie]

Sorry to hear of your disaster and as it sounds like it will be some time before you are able to return to your home I suggest a call to the insurance loss adjuster before moving into your van. The cost to the insurance company of providing you with furnished temporary accommodation for that period of time can outstrip the actual repairs to the house. A deal should be done before you do anything.

Hi Snowbird, thank you for the suggestions, Insurance covers for temp accommodation or will pay campsite fees if we decide to move off driveway, will be ok for up to 2 yrs on average site fees. Staying put for time being.

Regards

 

[Frankie]

We may not be that far from you. Let us know if we can help with anything.

Many thanks for your kind offer,

 

[dippingatoe]

What a dreadful thing to have happened to your beautiful home and shocking to loose all your possessions. So sorry and my thoughts are with you

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[Hollyberry]

Oh bugger, that looks awful. But you all got out ok, that's the main thing. When you've got the insurance sorted I hope you can turn your full timing into a positive thing and enjoy it.

 

[ianandkath]

just heard about your loss, feel so sorry for you to have lost so much.
hope you can get everything sorted soon and carry on with you life

 

[Ambilkate]

So sorry to hear about you home our thoughts are with you xxx

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[Snowbird]

Hi Snowbird, thank you for the suggestions, Insurance covers for temp accommodation or will pay campsite fees if we decide to move off driveway, will be ok for up to 2 yrs on average site fees. Staying put for time being.

Regards

I know at the moment you will not be thinking straight, BUT at times like this you can sink or swim. Your insurance company was happy to take your premiums in the knowledge that there was little chance you would ever claim anything back. They are obliged to find you alternative accommodation until your home is back in a liveable state. The more it is costing THEM for that to happen, the quicker it will happen. The more YOU try and save THEM money, the more it will cost YOU. Harsh facts, but believe me, true facts. Believe me when it is all sorted do you think the insurance company will think, oh he didn't claim for accommodation so we will reduce his premiums. I wish you luck and hope all turns out as it should, BUT make no mistake given half a chance THEY will nail YOUR hat on if YOU let em.

 

[Jagtazman]

I know at the moment you will not be thinking straight, BUT at times like this you can sink or swim. Your insurance company was happy to take your premiums in the knowledge that there was little chance you would ever claim anything back. They are obliged to find you alternative accommodation until your home is back in a liveable state. The more it is costing THEM for that to happen, the quicker it will happen. The more YOU try and save THEM money, the more it will cost YOU. Harsh facts, but believe me, true facts. Believe me when it is all sorted do you think the insurance company will think, oh he didn't claim for accommodation so we will reduce his premiums. I wish you luck and hope all turns out as it should, BUT make no mistake given half a chance THEY will nail YOUR hat on if YOU let em.

Harsh but true and good advice
Check your insurance policy for alternative accommodation it should be included however there will be a limit.
If I were you I'd use it especially now in the early days. As already mentioned you can then look at trying to save the insurer money buy using a MH or friends home etc, but if you do negotiate with insurer. If I can say you X can I have Y. If you just offer insurers will snap you hand off and if a problem down the line forgot how much youve save them, make so all agreements are documented in letter or emails.
If you have a good adjuster it should be plain sailing. If you dont like / get on with the adjuster ask for a 2nd opinion and/or someone else. If you dont ask you dont get, most insurers will say no but if you push hard enough they will bend. OH and whatever you do DO NOT accept an early cash settlement if offered.
Let the insurer replace like for like. Ive seen too many people accept a cash settlement and do work themselves or get someone in on cheap only to find unforseen problems and end up costing them more in the long run.

 

[Rob and Val]

Can't offer any advice. Can't imagine what you must be going through. Just wanted to say that we were both really sad to hear what has happened.

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[houdini]

Really sorry to hear of your plight, wish you all the best and we are all with you in spirit.

 

[Minxy]

I would seriously suggest you get temporary accommodation sorted now as spending time in a motorhome is nice for a holiday but not to live in long term unless it is what you really want to do, ie if you had always intended to make that choice and didn't have it forced on you.

As time moves on you'll want to start getting bits and bobs, even more clothes, shoes etc, so will need somewhere to put them, also a MH which is used for permanent living will suffer more from wear and tear, and your MH insurers probably won't cover you for 'living' in it either and, depending on what make it is, the manufacturer might claim it's not being used as intended - I believe Swift for example have some strange rules about this on their newer MHs.

 

[Graham and Jane]

Good luck in rebuilding your lives

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[sedge]

I think @BobtheBass advice would be far more use to you at present than mine - yes it was my career - but his work experience is right up the sharp end - exactly where you are right now. Mine was more in underwriting TBH and I'm brill at interpreting clauses and wordings - but not at estimating claims from an insurance POV. However I most certainly know the current prices of decent furniture and furnishings since we've been replacing some of ours very recently. You can pay £1000 for a decent half glazed 'dresser/sideboard' and at least the same for a ruddy bed before you start on incidentals. Don't mention a Bridgecraft 3 piece suite - they've never been cheap - but Hell - how much ? ! now. Yes we could afford it - but I'd have a helluvajob justifying THAT much even to myself today.

For instance Leekes (even if there isn't one near you) have a fairly comprehensive online site, with very very few cheap and nasty items on it or in the shops. All 'good quality' stuff on there.

 

[BobtheBass]

Happy to help. Dealt with many, many fire claims over the years so I should have most answers, subject to any changes in the 4 years since I retired.

Buildings and contents policies both usually have alternative accommodation cover, with limits of course, so add up the two amounts and you will see what is the most you can claim. Insurers won't pay those amounts until you have actually expended the costs on your accommodation though, but a simple rule of thumb is that you are entitled to a similar level of comfort as you had before the fire, i.e., if you had a three bed semi you can rent a three bed semi till yours is rebuilt. Adjusters will always be happy to consider ideas that save insurers money, like buying a caravan or even going on holiday if it's cheaper than renting. Its nice to be near the house to oversee the repairs though.

Make lists of everything you throw away, and perhaps take photos of the remains to prove you had them. Don't exaggerate your claim thinking that the adjuster will cut it back anyway. It has to be factual. The adjusters job is to give you a fair settlement within the policy cover, and will probably try to replace the more major items for you (you choose of course) as insurers use their own preferred suppliers who give them discounts. Personal items all have a value so don't disregard them, and read though your policies (copies will be available on line if yours have been burnt) to see what other things you may be able to claim for. There may be a limit on things kept in the garage/shed, or garden furnishings. Above all ask the adjuster for help if you need it. He won't prepare your claim for you but he will tell you how to do it and what information he will require. Contrary to what people may think he doesn't get paid a fee based on what he can save on the claim, so use his services.

 

[Peter Sansom]

So sorry to hear of your troubles. I hope you manage to recover some of your personal items, furniture and fitments can be replaced but those things that you have had for years like photos, valuables, papers etc can't. Fingers crossed that you get to move back in sooner rather than later and all goes well with your accommodation situation

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[megsdad]

Glad no one was hurt.

 

[MaidinDevon]

So sorry to hear your news. My sister had a major fire just after her baby was born and they had to move out for months while it was put right. Ironically the fire was started by the plumber installing central heating, so the baby would be warm!

I agree with all of the advice on here. Take your time making decisions, maybe friends or family have photos of your home which shows your possessions, or can help you remember what has been destroyed.

Good luck

Karen

 

[Frankie]

Hi all
Many thanks for all your kind words and support. Sorted a couple of home comforts this week. Broke into lounge window and pulled out bt router, cut telephone wire and rewired into our shed, dried out router and it amazingly works so now got decent internet in van, bought a set of new phones, base unit in shed and extension in van so now also have a landline. Have run long extension lead into a neighbours property for keeping batts charged etc, almost home from home, shame about the view though, May be on drive for a while until buildings insurance get there act together.

Regards Frankie

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[irnbru]

Good to hear things are a little better. Anything that makes life easier is a bonus.
Hope insurance is sorted out soon.