Landlord Insurance Clauses
How many landlords have the time or the inclination to read their building insurance policies from start to finish?
The special clause that has recently appeared in two of my policies is the requirement to have the property electrics checked & certified every three years. This is not a legal requirement, but if missed a landlord could inadvertently find they’re not covered if they come to make a claim.
In the last few years the level of cover being offered has been considerably eroded, especially when the property is empty. Also more & more onerous requirements are being put on landlords to comply with the insurance company’s restrictions.
The temperature that my insurance provider requires the heating to be kept on 24/7 in an empty property has crept up from 13 degrees to 15 degrees. In this day and age this waste of energy is ridiculous. As long as the heating is keeping the property warmed to above freezing surely this should be sufficient?
I would be interested in getting other landlords comments on this, especially as to whether claims are being refused more regularly.
Regards
Carole
Comments
Have Your Say
Every day, landlords who want to influence policy and share real-world experience add their voice here. Your perspective helps keep the debate balanced.
Not a member yet? Join In Seconds
Login with
Previous Article
Buy To Let Property Deals To ConsiderNext Article
Skipton Building Society Legal Action
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 1434
9:08 PM, 2nd April 2014, About 12 years ago
Reply to the comment left by “Ray Davison” at “02/04/2014 – 13:42“:
The P in PAT stands for Portable.
Built in ovens and fridges are not portable and therefore do not require PATing. This is the advice given to me three days ago when I asked my electrician about PATing a fridge-freezer whilst he was doing other work for me.
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 1434
9:26 PM, 2nd April 2014, About 12 years ago
Reply to the comment left by “Ray Davison” at “02/04/2014 – 20:40“:
Here is a link that you might find useful
http://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/faq-portable-appliance-testing.htm
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 233
9:27 PM, 2nd April 2014, About 12 years ago
Yes, but technically, so I have been advised by my electrician friend who I previously referred to, it means any appliance that is not hard-wired into the mains circuit. Anything connected by a three pin plug is classed as portable. I suggest your electrician just didn’t want to go to the effort involved for what he was being paid and that is exactly my point.
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 22 - Articles: 3
10:23 PM, 2nd April 2014, About 12 years ago
Reply to the comment left by “Ray Davison” at “02/04/2014 – 20:43“:
It can be when its cold! Recorded -1 in a house around Christmas; try working in that for 3 hours when you cant feel your fingers or toes! lol!
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 704
10:24 PM, 2nd April 2014, About 12 years ago
I’m no expert in this but last time I read something detailed on it I was amazed to see how many small items I’d have thought portable weren’t and more to the point how many large items – in some cases very large – were portable for the purposes of PAT.
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 233
12:04 AM, 3rd April 2014, About 12 years ago
Reply to the comment left by “Sian Hemming-Metcalfe, MAPIP” at “02/04/2014 – 22:23“:
Done it Sian, many times!
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 646 - Articles: 1
6:49 PM, 6th April 2014, About 12 years ago
Reply to the comment left by “Industry Observer ” at “02/04/2014 – 11:33“:
i would wager that the number of deaths due to faulty fixed electrical installations is far less than caused by gas, before or even after introduction of compulsory inspections.
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 646 - Articles: 1
11:30 PM, 6th April 2014, About 12 years ago
Reply to the comment left by “Ray Davison” at “02/04/2014 – 20:40“:
its usual for the oven plug to be to the side of the oven (rather than directly behind) so it is accessible. thus the plug (and more importantly heat resisting cable) should be capable of being checked without removal of the oven from its housing unit.
Member Since August 2013 - Comments: 109
9:46 PM, 8th April 2014, About 12 years ago
Bit late I know, but in response to Garys point on the 2nd. You do not need to test existing installations to current regs.
I encountered this recently when getting a spur added.
So older installations might fail current insulation breakdown tests, may have wire fuses and so on, but that is not a reason to say the house needs rewiring to pass the test.
Similarly it is also permissible to add an extension onto an old installation – thus mixing different editions of regulations, it just needs a sticker.
I got told I needed a rewire for the spur – but these problems dropped away when I revealed that I am a chartered electrical engineer (not practising).
Before you brand me a bad landlord, I did have the earths beefed up and the wire fuses upgraded with RCD and MCBs.