Instructions from KFH regarding Flood Insurance Claims

I don't know if anyone shares my confusion regarding the message from KFH concerning the problems created by flooding.

Below is a copy of my message to Tahlia and I look forward to seeing what she has got to say:

Hello Tahlia,

I hope that all is well with you. At the outset, I should perhaps correct a misunderstanding that you appear to have, and to confirm that I have not stood down from my role as Secretary of the RQRA. I have announced my intention to do so but only once the outstanding matter of the proposed development of the Canbury Place Car Park has been determined. Obviously it follows that I would then resign as soon as arrangements have been made for a successor to take over. It is fair to say that I have not been at all active in RQRA matters over the past few months – this due to a health condition which, although not serious in itself, has involved a type of fatigue which, hopefully, now appears to be gradually improving.

Anyway the point of me writing to you now is to discuss the following topic:

Building Insurance Claims

I am sure that owners, like me, do genuinely appreciate the clarification of the position relating to insurance claims to be made in the event of flooding in one of our flats. However, there are certain parts of your advice that are a cause of puzzlement.

For example, you state that water damage might, inter alia, result from leaking central heating pipes or radiators. I am not aware of any such type of heating in this Development and wonder if we are looking at a poorly edited “cut and paste” exercise?

Be that as it may, I struggle to follow your advice to those owners who experience a flood caused by an adjacent property that they should then knock on the door of that flat or, in the event of no answer, leave a note. Only then should they inform the Concierge team. With so many of our flats being unoccupied, much valuable time in stopping the water flow could be lost, making the consequent damage that much more serious.

Unfortunately, the question of flood causes is not as simple as you imply, with many of the floods emanating from leaks in properties immediately above that of the “victim”, and on occasions from a flat higher than that particular one. Furthermore, due to very poor quality of the plumbing installation made by St. George at the outset, the leak could come from any flat above, regardless of angle and perhaps even from common parts/non-residential pipes/drains.

Whatever the source, the priority must be to identify without delay the source of the leak and its closure. Accordingly, it must be entirely appropriate for the victim to contact the Concierge Team so that appropriate action can be taken as quickly as possible.

As soon as this has been completed, a form can be issued to the “victim”, this containing details of how to obtain an insurance claim form (for repairs to/replacement of items not covered by normal household insurance policies). I suggest that this assistance is the minimum we can expect from a caring Property Manager.

Hopefully, such an arrangement will ensure that the Head Concierge is not overloaded with work resulting from the insurance side of flooding, for we do share your wish that he is not over-burdened with such matters. We do accept that, for the more involved type of flooding (eg. when common parts are proved to be the cause or where the source of the flood is difficult to locate), he will have to monitor the situation, perhaps being responsible for the engagement of a plumber to work on behalf of all us in the Development.

This understanding would go some way to remove our concern that his time is not overspent on attending to Property Management responsibilities, for we are only too aware that we do pay him to complete his Head Concierge duties and, that separately, we also pay a large amount of money to KFH for them to act as Property Managers.

I should appreciate it if you could give consideration to my suggestions and let me know what you think.

Kind regards,

Des