Builders public liability insurance

[Amy1000]

We employed a builder to build our house, he has caused damage to next door's property and the cost to put right his handy work will be £65k he gave us a copy of his insurance certificate it now turns out he only gave us page 3 knowing full well we would have trouble trying to claim on this. Does anyone know how to make him give us the correct information? we have tried the insurance company direct and they don't want to help as they know it will be a big claim and we have instructed a solicitor but he is just ignoring everyone he has even laughed at the fact our neighbour is 68 years old, he words are you can't touch me.
Is there a law to help in this situation because by law he has to have public liability insurance. Trading standard won't ge involved as we are the only ones who have made a complaint and they have to have 2 or 3 complaints.

[ummmm]

And your neighbour hasn't complained?

[bednobs]

i dont understand why you are having to do all the work - shouldn't the insurance company and the builder be dealing with it? Or the neighbour using his insurance company to sue the builder (who i presume was self employed?)

[redcrx]

shouldnt the neighbour be the one who should claim.
they should tell their building insurers and ask for them to claim again the builder's insurance company.
you shouldnt need to get a solicitor at all really.

[redcrx]

£65k sounds like almost a full rebuild. what did they do?

[Amy1000]

The neighbour has complained but the builder still refuses to give his details in fact he is very abusive about it.
Not sure what insurance the neighbour has going to check.
Is nearly a rebuild as nearly everythig that has been build needs to be repaired mostly the slab and the roof.

[R1Geezer]

Nowt to do with you. The neighbour should contact his insurers and explain, then they will go after the builder. Fire the T055er though sounds like a right cowb0y, the house he build will be a pile of sh1te. Don't pay him anything up front for christ sake, he'll be off to Barbados leaving the place half done. Where did yo get this builder out of the Ponderosa!

[redcrx]

"Is nearly a rebuild as nearly everythig that has been build needs to be repaired mostly the slab and the roof. "

i meant what damage has been done to your neighbours

[Amy1000]

The neighbours house has been flooded several times and the roof is damaged

[Nosha123]

£65k is an awful lot of money - and I doubt their house would even be habitable with that much damage to it - what are you basing this figure on?

[Nosha123]

Not sure if I am misreading your post - but I dont understand....

1) you cannot claim for damage to your neighbours house - your neighbour has to do this
2) where did you get the £65k from... you can build a small house for not much more. Only a professional surveyor or reputable builder can give you an idea od the cost for any repairs
3) you have a copy of his insurance certificate - which should be sufficient proof in the case of Public Liability - though I doubt it will cover shoddy workmanship. I think it would cover accidental damage.
4) You say he gave you page 3 of the document knowing full well you would have trouble claiming? Not sure I understant this at all!

Your neighbour (or her insurers) will need to get a full written report done on the damage then contact the builder for immediate repair work or bill him the costs.

He cannot just get away with this - so dont know why he is laughing.
Presumably you know his home address and contact details???? I bloody hope so!!

[redcrx]

the neighbour shopuld have contacted their insurer the very first time their property flooded.

Tell them to contact their buildings insurer immediately. If they are not insured then they need to seek legal assistance

[ummmm]

Maybe they haven't got insurance.

[Nosha123]

Amy.. "we have tried the insurance company direct and they don't want to help"

what did they say?
Is that a valid policy?
does it exist?

[Amy1000]

The £65k is what the surveyor has reported to us including a full list of defects which are all related to the builders incompetence and the damage to the neighbours house.
The neighbour is my partners mother and our house joins on to hers. The insurance company said that they can't say the insurance policy is valid but they can't also say if the insurance certificate is a fraud they don't know as it is page 3 and clearly states the policy number they say its not one of theirs it must be a broker scheme but they can't find it - we have said if they don't stop fobbing us off we will go to the press.
Yes we know his address and contact details but he must have done this before - his is a proper crook

[Nosha123]

Not much point going to the press I think.. unless maybe someone like Watchdog are interested...
I know this is hindsight.. but there is nothing more valuable than a recommendation.. especially when it comes to people working on your own house!
Thats not going to help you now... sadly... BUT - you need to get your partners mother to commence action... any delay may mean the repairs get worse - and if proven she may not be able to claim the full amount.
he is liable - and the surveyors report will stand you in good stead. The action has to come from her though as the owner of that property.

If you have issues re your property then you have to treat that as a separate issue.

How did you let this chap do so much work if it was all sub-standard??? He must have done quite a bit to get the roof finished?

I hope you are not living in it at the moment! Is it safe?? Have you had the LA Building inspector round (you should have if you required planning permission!)

[Nosha123]

I have to say £65k still sounds very steep...

What are some of the defects listed in the report?

[Amy1000]

The insurance company concerned changed its name last year and they don't want the bad press as they are one of the big ones when I checked the insurance last year they told me it was valid now they don't know - we have consulted a solicitor and we have a really good case against the builder but would only be able to afford to go after him through the insurance.
No we are not living in the house at the moment but will have to move in there at some date in the near future. I have contacted cowboy builders, trading standards, watchdog etc they are interested but will only look into further if we can find others out there that he has done the same thing too. We did have his company credit checked, checked references, checked his work and we have also hired on recommendation and still had problems.

[Amy1000]

Sorry the LA Building inspector regularly inpected and signed off the work, a lot of the work that has been paid for in not done - for example we paid for all the brickwork and there is walls missing we were told the brickie are coming back Monday etc we were on his back all the time to get the work done but as we both work full time to pay a mortgage and rent on the flat we could not be there every day as it was impossible that is how he got away with so much.

[bednobs]

what does the neighbours insurance company say? Surely they should be helping her?

[Nosha123]

if the LA Inspector has been and approved the work done so far.. what are the faults with your building? You mention its nearly a rebuild - from slab to roof (or is that the neighbouring house you refer to - if so How has he cause damage to the slab and roof of your neighbour???)
What are some of the defects in the report?