Hastings Direct’s kitchen-leak claim leaves family in prolonged temporary housing

Eight months after a leak beneath a fitted fridge-freezer caused extensive damage to the floorboards of a Croydon home, the policy-holders remain unable to return to their residence. The insurer, Hastings Direct, only began repair work more than five months after the claim was first reported. Contractors removed all kitchen units—including many that were undamaged—despite those items not being listed in the agreed schedule of works. The insurer now seeks an £8,000 contribution from the claimants to replace the removed appliances, leaving the kitchen non-functional.

The Guardian

Hastings Direct acknowledged that its service “has fallen short” and attributed part of the delay to the “unexpected extent of the damage” and to “issues” with the contractors managing the claim. The company admitted that the kitchen units and appliances “should never have been removed” and described the premature statement about the removal as a mistake. It pledged to shoulder the cost of the blunder as a “goodwill gesture” and, under pressure from the claimants, agreed to a revised repair programme with an estimated timescale. The insurer also extended the temporary accommodation allowance by an additional month.

The Guardian

The family, including a two-year-old child, has been living in temporary flats for nearly three months, far beyond the two-week period initially promised. The insurer’s policy of authorising accommodation only in two-week increments has created ongoing uncertainty about future housing. The parents have incurred extra nursery costs while working from home, paid for cattery care for two cats, and rely on take-away meals because the kitchen lacks basic facilities.

The Guardian

• Delay between claim reporting and start of repairs: > 5 months

The Guardian

• Total time since leak discovery: 8 months

The Guardian

• Insurer-requested contribution for kitchen replacement: £8,000

The Guardian

• Temporary accommodation initially promised: ~2 weeks; actual stay: ~3 months, now extended by 1 month

The Guardian

Hastings Direct has set a new repair programme and extended accommodation support, but no definitive completion date for the kitchen works has been provided. The claimants remain dependent on temporary housing while awaiting the final resolution of the repair and cost-recovery dispute.

The Guardian