General Chat

what a shock she has had. About 2 weeks ago they noticed a crack in their front room ceiling. Yesterday she called my mum in to look at it as it had got a lot worse. This morning half of their ceiling has come crashing down!! Mum heard it from her's and she is very hard of hearing. Thank goodness that one of them wasn't sitting underneath - they would have been very badly hurt. Of course the insurance company won't pay out so it will cost them a lot to put right. I wouldn't want to step into the room above! Maz. XX

Why wont the insurance pay out? seems daft if the house was insured- because she didnt limit the damage by reporting the original crack I suppose - i'd be quite worried about what had caused the crack! Jess x

I'd be worried about why the crack appeared in the first place. The Insurance company should pay out. Just glad no-one was hurt. Gem:)))

I think she has had some problems before that were put down to slight movement of the front of the house. I would have demanded they come out and check though. Maz. XX

Maz that brings back memories. We used to live in a flat and upstairs was rented out to a lad that was fond of shall we say frolicking in the shower. About 4 oclock one morning after he must of been in there with girlfriend for hours our bedroom ceiling came crashing down. Turned out there wasn't any sealant around the shower and the water had just seeped down until that night in a particularly amourous season with lots of water ceiling gave in. Fright of my life was so loud, thank goodness it was over the other side of the room to our bed.

Dawn its a good job that he and his girl didn't drop into your bedroom too!! Mum says that it looks as if the rest of neighbours ceiling may come down too as there are some more cracks. I feel really sorry for her - I know what she's going through after the flood I had last year. Maz. XX

That's awful !!!!!!!! Insurance companies are dreadful with their small print etc. Hope it gets sorted out soon xx

no not Norwich! did you see in the paper the other day though about that house in Kent that fell in a big hole - it was awful, half an hour and the whole front of the house was gone! Maz. XX

That's nothing Maz, in Norwich we had a double decker bus suddenly fall down a hole that appeared in a main road. My late friend and his mother (also now deceased) lived in a house opposite and it affected their house too so they had to be moved out. Trouble is, a lot of houses in Norwich are built over a maze of chalk mines and roads are disappearing often these days. My house has stood for more than 100 years so I hope it will still be there in another 100. Sad about the neighbours' ceiling - can't see why the insurance won't pay unless they were underinsured, which happens a lot these days too.

Hi Liz, I think chalk pits are the problem in Bromley too - one of the girls on here was telling me about it. I would be screaming at the insurance company, maybe they will when the shock has worn off a bit! Maz. XX

Hi Would her bulidings insurance not cover if there is movement? Saying that I think you maybe have to pay the first £1000 for subsidence. Marion

It might be a good move to check that your mum's insurance covers subsidence !

Thanks Brian, that's a good idea! Maz. XX