A recent news story has placed the spotlight on conservatory insurance, and serves as a good reminder of its importance.
Gloucestershire couple Richard and Nicola Burge’s battle with their local council ended up in court after they were not allowed to cut down a 40-foot tree which ended up damaging their conservatory.
The Burges had no choice but to build a new structure, and sue their council to force them to pick up the bill.
In the end the pair won £25,000 to pay for their new conservatory. The original was constructed around 12 years go at the back of their house. Not long after its construction, cracks began to appear in it.
Their insurer spent two years carrying out tests on the conservatory, and, as the problem worsened, experts confirmed tree roots were undermining the structure. Eventually, the cause was traced to an oak tree just outside the couple’s garden.
However, when the insurance firm spoke to the council about the oak, the authority placed a tree preservation order on it.
The Burges first asked to be allowed to cut down the tree six years ago, but was told by the council that the ‘visual amenity’ of the local area would be impaired if this happened.
Instead, the couple had no option but to take down their beloved conservatory instead. They built a second one, which their insurer paid for, on firmer foundations.
It sparked a court battle between the council and the insurer, with the former insisting the couple should have had a more strongly built structure in the first place. However, the judge ruled in favour of the insurer, stating that the pair were right to put their faith in their original builders, while the council should have allowed the tree to have been felled.
The lesson to be learned? Make sure your conservatory is covered in your building insurance, and be aware of the position of any large trees when planning where to build your conservatory.
At Worthing Windows we can advise on this and similar issues whether you’re after conservatories in Lancing or an orangery in Shoreham. Talk to us today.