Building Insurance

As you may be aware the Council’s Building Insurance section undertook a s20 consultation exercise with you and sought competitive quotes for the building insurance commencing on 01 April 2023. Given that we are obliged to ensure cover is in place, we have had to accept the only compliant bid we received. However, this will mean an increase in the amounts payable by you. Further details of your contribution towards this charge was issued to you with the April estimates, if you require copy of this please contact us on 020 7364 5015.

The policy includes cover for:

Interior decorations and fixtures and fittings within the leasehold premises/dwelling
Private garages, including garages on nearby sites forming part of the property
Domestic outbuildings
Septic tanks and central heating fuel tanks
Sheds

The building insurance is supplied by Protector Insurance. You can read their Leasehold Buildings Policy here.

Please note the buildings insurance policy is applicable only for leasehold properties where the council is the freeholder for the residential block. If you are unsure of who your freeholder/managing agent is please check who your service charge is payable to.

Types of damage covered by building insurance

Generally, the policy insures the building against the following:

Fire, explosion, lightning or earthquake
Riot, civil commotion, strikes, labour or political disturbances
Malicious Damage
Collision by other aerial devices, any vehicle (or articles dropped from them) or animal
Storm/flood damage
Escape of water from any fixed tank, fish tank, pipe or appliance and damage caused to such by bursting or freezing
Falling trees or branches (and removing any fallen trees or branches which cause damage to the Buildings) or telegraph poles or lampposts
Theft or attempted theft
Subsidence or ground heave of the site on which the Buildings stand, or landslip
Damage caused by collapse/impact of television or radio signal receiving apparatus
Accidental Damage

What building insurance does not cover

Building insurance does not cover every situation. For example, faults caused by mechanical breakdown, hidden defects or wear and tear are all treated as normal repairs. Other examples of situations not covered include:

Carpets (if there are any), and contents in your home or the communal areas of the block
Repairing pipes or replacing heating boilers or radiators that have worn or broken down (although you can claim for damage to the building caused by the sudden escape of water)
Maintenance failures such as rain seeping through worn out window seals or through holes in the roof (in these circumstances you may be able to submit a liability claim, please contact the insurance section for advice)
Effects of condensation or damp in the block
Loss or damage after the home has been unoccupied for more than 30 days
Reduction in cover should the property be lent, let or sublet in whole or part

If you sub-let your property, we suggest that you or your tenant consider additional landlord/tenant’s liability insurance. This will cover accidents in your property that cause damage to any of your neighbours’ properties. For example, you may be liable for the cost of repairs if you have a leaking washing machine, which damages the flat below yours.

Making a building insurance claim

If you need to make a claim for your property on the building insurance policy, you should:

Check the policy booklet and schedule of cover to see if the loss or damage is covered and what conditions might apply.
Pay the first £50 (the ‘excess’) of any claim (except for subsidence where you pay the first £1,000).
Contact the insurer’s nominated loss adjuster Sedgwick’s directly on: 0161 823 1912 or email protectorclaims@uk.sedgwick.com
Make your claim within 30 days.
Quote policy number: 3139238
Not carry out any repairs (except for essential emergency works up to £250) without the Insurer's approval. If you do carry out essential emergency works please retain receipts as these may be requested by Sedgwick’s when you report the claim.

Building Insurance

Making a building insurance claim

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