Landlord tenant situation

[Iwanttoliveonamountain]

I'm new to this so may be a duplicate post. I am a landlord and had to have some work done on a property with long term tenants. I found alternative accommodation for them but when they returned certain valuable possessions had been taken. The police have now completed their enquiries. What should happen now.

They claim from contents insurance.

Absolutely squat all to do with you.

they claim on their contents.

Was it a burglary or the builders?

Whose possessions were they, yours or the tenants.

Its the tenants property. No sign of a break in but the items have gone. Builder kept the keys for the week.

You change the locks.

they claim on their contents insurance. If they don’t have contents insurance then that is their fault.

What is contents insurance? I private rent and I’ve never heard of it before

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/insurance/insurance/types-of-insurance/household-contents-insurance/

@pedropony76

Not sure how you've never heard of it, it's an essential bill imo

You don’t have any of your belongings insured? That’s something to put right tomorrow. Go onto a comparison site and find a good deal. And make sure you’re realistic about the value of what you have in your home - most people greatly underestimate. Go room by room and note down what you have and its value.

I think, legally, that I am not responsible but what would you consider to be a fair response. I mean the items would not have been taken if my tenant had not had to leave for a week.

Following with interest. Was the work essential, or a spruce up?

And what was the value of the items taken?
Of course could be sentimental, but I am trying to reason out whether they have done you a huge favour by being displaced so you can make the place a bit nicer for them, and therefore may consider contributing to the stolen items. Alternatively that the work was essential and that you were being a responsible landlord who chose the wrong company to hire.

Either way they should have had contents ins and it could have happen with any visitor to the home; just shit luck it happen to be your builder

Interesting.

There’s nothing valuable in my flat at all. The most expensive thing is probably the cooker, fridge etc and that’s all the Landlord’s anyway so it’s not mine to insure. I don’t know anyone that has that, not common in my estate I’m sure lol.

Sorry to distract from your thread OP

They should definitely have contents insurance.
You change the locks, they claim on insurance.

Not all contents insurances will cover you during renovations for loss from builders and their subcontractors.

They should have taken valuable items away.

If the OP has appointed even a half way legitimate company to do the work - they will have insurance to cover this scenario.

If she has not, and the tenants do not have insurance that covers this scenario, then the OP is liable.

Her responsibility as landlord was to appoint a legitimate builder. If she failed to do that, she has failed in her responsibility to her tenants

But they have nothing more than circumstantial evidence that the builder was involved at all.
The items could have be lost or stolen before the builder and only noticed afterwards.

How do you know these valuable possessions exist, if your tenants suspect they have been stolen then they should report it to the police, hopefully they have insurance and photographs of anything valuable.

The items could have be lost or stolen before the builder and only noticed afterwards.

Or never existed in the first place ...

@pedropony76 contents insurance literally insures all your things in your house. When my Nans house flooded, the buildings insurance took care of the structural work, and contents insurance paid for the replacements of the carpets, curtains, appliances, furniture, light fittings, literally everything had to be redone from the bare brick - if she hadn’t have had contents insurance she wouldn’t have been able to afford to replace everything.

sorry to derail the thread OP, I think that the renters should claim on their contents insurance, or if you feel personally responsible, ask them how much it would cost to replace the items, and perhaps give them some money towards a replacement? You don’t have to though!

tell them to claim on contents insurance and if you want to be generous you pay the excess.

(I rent. I have it, always have, I’d be mad not to, if my house burnt down I’d be stuffed!)

Builders are forever leaving all doors wide open. It’s just as likely some random opportunist wandered in and grabbed stuff. Most insurance companies won’t pay out unless there is evidence of a break in I’d have thought?

what was the value of stuff taken? Was it sentimental? I’d apologise but ultimately they should of removed valuables beforehand.

Landlord isn't liable.
What proof is there that the items ever existed, or that the builders were involved?
Tenants may be chancing their luck!

Tenants need to claim on their contents insurance.

OP - do you have a legal helpline with your Landlord insurance? They will be able to advise/ help.

Given the police have investigated if assume they’re were confident the items existed

If the tenents were out the property for a while and there were builders in then their contents insurance might not have covered any loss anyway.

I'm not sure of the legal situation though. OP, Did you have insurance to cover the builders?

How much money are you talking about and what type of items?

I'm faintly astonished the police investigated, unless it means that they gave out a crime number.
Is there definite proof that this stuff existed, because if it is really valuable I don't understand why it wasn't insured.