Leaseholder Insurance This leaflet explains your obligations for both building and contents insurance. 1
Leaseholder Insurance Building Insurance The following notes are a guide to the cover provided. In all matters concerning insurance, the terms and conditions in the policy documents apply. Under the standard South Lakes Housing (SLH) lease the landlord is responsible for insuring the building against loss or damage. You will be notified about any changes to the policy and can request details of the cover provided once each year if required. This is the normal arrangement for buildings divided into a number of units since it is important that there should be one single insurer covering the risks to the building as a whole. Other properties in the same block that are still occupied by SLH tenants are insured under a separate buildings insurance policy with the same insurer. Insurance premiums are based on the sum insured for each individual property. These are index linked annually by policy renewal to keep up to date with inflation. The premiums are charged to each leaseholder as part of the service charge in line with your lease. As the insurance is paid for through your service charge you can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal (LVT) at any time to challenge the charges for buildings insurance (for further information please contact the LVT or a solicitor). All insurance enquires should be directed to Susan Gardner (Finance Officer). 2
Frequently Asked Questions As a Leaseholder what information should I recieve? All leaseholders are supplied with an insurance pack which contains: Home Insurance Schedule Statement of Cover Important Notes: o Changes of Information o Claims and Underwriting Exchange o Fraud Prevention and Detection Emergency Home Assistance Card Please remember to give these documents to your buyer, should you ever sell your property. If you need a copy of any of these documents, please contact Susan Gardner (Finance Officer). We are only required to provide one pack per property per year. Extra packs can be provided but you may be charged a fee. What does my insurance policy cover? Please refer to your policy booklet as this contains full information about the cover provided. If you have any specific queries please contact Susan Gardner (Finance Officer). If I discover damage to my property what is the first thing I should do? In the case of major damage such as fire or flood call 999 first. Next you should contact SLH s repairs hotline (0845 057 0080) and finally contact Susan Gardner (Finance Officer) to obtain a claim form. 3
For minor accidental damage to the building (as defined within your policy) you should contact the repairs hotline in the first instance and then contact Susan Gardner (Finance Officer) to discuss whether you can claim for the cost of repair under the buildings insurance. You should confirm whether or not the damage caused is due to vandalism. Please note that insurers often want their insurance assessor to inspect the damage before repair works are carried out. Who deals with insurance claims? Claim forms will initially be sent to you by SLH. You should complete this and send it direct to the insurance company who will acknowledge receipt of your claim and deal with it. SLH do not normally get any details about how your claim is progressing. However this procedure will be different if the claim affects more than one property. If this applies to you please contact Susan Gardner (Finance Officer) for more information. What happens if I cannot claim for the cost of repairs from the insurance? SLH will repair most structural and external problems as required by your lease. If it is not possible to make an insurance claim the cost will be apportioned as required by your lease and included in your service charge bill. You can challenge this bill through the LVT in the normal way. Are there any changes that I need to notify SLH of? The policy states that you must notify SLH of any changes which may affect the insurance arrangements. These include: Improvements which affect the insurance valuation of the property 4
Sub-letting & Multi-occupancy Lodgers Unoccupied property Can Leaseholders arrange their own buildings insurance? You can only do this if the wording of your Lease specifically permits it. Most SLH leases require the landlord to provide buildings insurance. You should seek legal advice if you are considering arranging your own buildings insurance. If SLH provide my buildings insurance and I have arranged my contents insurance with the same company can I claim a discount? You can t claim a discount through SLH but you could approach your agent or your insurance company direct to ask for a discount. Contents Insurance Many tenants and leaseholders believe that SLH automatically insures their furniture, belongings and decoration against fire, theft, vandalism or water damage such as burst pipes. This is not the case and we strongly advise that all tenants and leaseholders take out contents insurance for their home. You can take out contents insurance with any insurance company. We work with Royal and Sun Alliance plc who have set up a scheme especially for our customers. Subject to acceptance, this scheme is simple and value for money. Premiums are payable weekly, monthly or annually. This includes cover for: Fire, lightning, explosion, storm and flood Escape of water from a domestic appliance 5
Theft Riot or vandalism Accidental damage to television Freezer contents Personal money Loss of keys Accidental death cover Some exclusions may apply. Further information and full policy wording is available on request. Do I really need to arrange contents insurance? Please remember that in an event such as a fire or a flood from a neighbouring flat, SLH is not responsible for replacing any of your personal effects that may be damaged. Do not take the risk of not being insured. Contact Details To make a claim or to discuss the insurance policy further please call Susan Gardner on 01539 717717 ext.7606. To report a repair please call 0845 057 0080. 6
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0845 057 0080 If you require further information please contact a housing officer at one of our offices - details at the bottom of this page. You can get a copy of this document in different formats such as large print, Braille, audio, or in a different language by calling 0845 057 0080. Pode obter uma cópia deste documento em vários formatos, como por exemplo em Braille, áudio, ou numa outra língua. Para tal ligue para o 0845 057 0080. 如 果 您 想 获 取 该 文 件 的 不 同 版 本, 如 : 大 字 体 印 刷 盲 文 音 频 或 不 同 语 言 版 本, 请 致 电 :0845 057 0080. Paskambinę telefonu 0845 057 0080, galite užsisakyti šio dokumento kopiją įvairiais formatais, pavyzdžiui, atspausdintą dideliu šriftu, Brailio raštu, užsisakyti garso įrašą arba gauti dokumentą, išverstą į norimą kalbą. Aby otrzymać kopię tego dokumentu w innych formatach, takich jak duży druk, druk Braille'm, audio, lub w innym języku proszę dzwonić pod numer 0845 057 0080. 0845 057 0080 u arayarak, bu dokümanın bir kopyasını büyük puntolu, körler için kabartmalı, ses dosyası gibi değişik formatlarda veya farklı bir dilde edinebilirsiniz. Registered office address: Bridge Mills Business Centre Stramongate KENDAL Cumbria LA9 4BD Tel: (01539) 717 717 Fax: (01539) 717 716 Email: info@southlakeshousing.co.uk Area office address: Town Hall Queen Street ULVERSTON Cumbria LA12 7AR Tel: (01539) 717 717 Central Tel: 8 www.southlakeshousing.co.uk Registered office as above Industrial and Provident Society Reg. No. 31419R Tenant Services Authority Registration Number 4686