‘A next-door neighbour's renovation damaged my wall – and now I've rats coming through the cracks'

Irish Independent

2 days ago

Your questions answered
Today at 21:30
Q I live in an old terraced cottage. On one side, I share a party wall with a property that was vacant for 15 years. In the past few months, someone bought it and hired a contractor to renovate it.
I recently heard what sounded like an angle grinder on our party wall. I went up to my attic and noticed whatever work they were doing had dislodged some of the old stonework that makes up my side of the wall.
I also noticed evidence of rodents – for the first time since I've owned the home. The rodents appear to have come through new cracks in the party wall, and I've had to throw out the contents of my attic to help clear the infestation.
Can I claim against my home insurance for the loss of my belongings and damage to my wall, or should I claim against my new neighbour's insurance or their contractor's insurance?
Anne, Co Clare
​A This is a challenging scenario, particularly as building works beside older terraced properties can have knock-on effects.
While it's worth checking your own home insurance policy for any accidental damage cover, most standard home policies exclude damage caused by rodents or issues arising from works carried out on neighbouring properties, unless they directly trigger an insured peril.
You should inform your insurer as soon as possible and provide clear evidence – such as photos and receipts, and a report from a builder or surveyor if available. Your insurer can assess if any part of your claim (damage from a sudden event, for instance) is covered.
But it's unlikely they'll cover the rodent infestation or gradual damage without 'clear accidental causation', where the cause of damage or loss is clear, straightforward and easily demonstrable.
Your best route for recovery may be through your neighbour or, more likely, their building contractor. The contractor's public liability insurance is intended to cover third-party property damage arising from their work.
To pursue this, you'd need to demonstrate that their activity directly caused the damage. You could do this by showing that proper structural surveys or protections were not in place, for example.
You can also check if any notices were served under the Building Control Regulations or Party Wall Act. This would have been required before work commenced. A solicitor or qualified surveyor can help you document your position.
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Even if your own insurer does not cover the loss, they may support you in recovering costs from the third party if negligence is evident. If not, legal advice may be warranted.
'How do I calculate the rebuild cost to insure my €600k period home?'
Q I bought a 19th-century country house that I'm nearly finished renovating. I'd estimate it's worth about €600,000 now. But when I looked for insurance and tried calculating the rebuild value of the house using the SCSI (Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland) calculator, I saw the calculator wasn't intended for period homes. How do I get an accurate rebuild value, that will cover period features such as centre roses, ornate coving and wood panelling?
Patrick, Co Laois
​A You're right to question the suitability of standard rebuild calculators for period properties. The SCSI calculator is helpful for modern homes, but it doesn't fully capture the costs of restoring historical features.
I'd suggest commissioning a professional reinstatement valuation from a chartered quantity surveyor or building surveyor with experience in heritage buildings. They will give you a reliable rebuild cost that reflects the complexity and materials required to restore the house in event of a major loss.
Insurers usually accept such professional valuations as the basis for your building sum insured.
It would provide ­certainty that your policy covers the true cost of reconstruction and reduces the risk of under-insurance, where your claim payout could be reduced proportionally if the declared rebuild value is too low.
Home insurance claims are awarded on a pro-rated basis, so if your house is undervalued, insurers will only pay the amount for which you valued your property, leaving you to foot the rest of the bill.
Rebuild cost is not the same as market value and is often higher for period homes due to the specialist labour, materials and regulatory compliance involved in restoring historical details.
You mention that you've almost finished renovating your house. Be sure your policy fully reflects any higher home rebuild cost that arises on foot of these upgrades. Home insurers should always be notified of any major home improvements.
Once you have the valuation, submit it to your broker or provider so they can tailor the policy appropriately and ensure that the buildings sum insured (the most your insurer will pay if your home is damaged or destroyed and needs to be rebuilt) is correct.
You should also make sure that the contents sum insured on your policy is correct, too.
​Dominic Lumsden is a spokesperson for Peopl Insurance. Email your questions to [e-mail]