[ok cleaning]

hi every one i have been cleaning windows for 20 years now and unfortunately i had the worst working day of my life on thursday (10th )  my son was away with his girl friend on a week of holiday and i decided to drive his van to work that day for a change while i was cleaning the last house of my working day and the van was parked at my customers drive way ( with my son's van fiat doblo 51 plate ) and the house owners were on holiday  too  i noticed some smoke under the bonet  something was wrong paniced and called 999 more and more smoke raising and then in a matter of minutes smoked turned to huge flames my van vas on fire burning like hell people started rush whats happening but no fire engine in view the fire was so big and intense that the window of the house started braking the gutters was melting i was so desperate that the house and the trees  near by would catch fire and than half an hour later the fire engine turned out and put the fire out my van was coplately burned out and there was only the shell of a fiat doblo left all my belongings in the van etc was burnt too and there was some damage to my customers house too and i ofcaorse did nt know that the fire man was on strike that day that s why they were so late to turn up any way after two or so hours the fire was out lots of mess every where every body left and i left too came home called the insurance company did tell them what happened ok they said and moved van away from my customers driwe way same evening and did tell me that the van is write of and and did asked me to post all the paper work to them asap for the final settlement did called my public liability insurance company to tell them wat happened and did noting to do with us they said it s not you did cause the damage to the house it s your van and so your van insurance will cover the damage they said called my van insurance company again and told them as but they got lots of excuses to not to pay like your van is too old or etc like asking for a service history of fourteen year old van after a long conversation they asked me to post all mot s and documants and they will consider and decide to pay or not to pay for the damage and me stuck in the middle i got all the necessary  insurances  but neither wants to pay but they both took my money last twenty years this is not right  i hope they will decide pay out and i can sleep in the other hand my son is coming back home tomorrow and no idea what happened he will have the biggest shock of his life so far he is only 20 no van to go to work with of a while  I'm afraid he has to work with me in my van for awhile he likes it or not and we ll start thinking to set up another van for him once this case is settled and hope the outcome will be the fair one for  me what i understood that insurance is not some ting i ll be comfortable to feel any more and i wish what happened tome will never happen again not just tome to non of us

[Jonny 87]

Aaaaaaaaannnnnnnnddddddd breath!!!!!

Woah.

That sounds like a nightmare,

I would have thought your van insurance will need to pay. Just like if you crashed into someone's wall they would pay out for that.

[PoleKing]

That's harsh bud.
Be interested to see why she caught alight in the first place.
Did you get any pictures?
All the best with the insurance companies.
Who were you insured with (motor & PL)?

[Window Lickers]

Don't like the sound of that - an insurance company trying to wriggle out of paying if you haven't got a full service history. That'll be a lot of guys on here I'd imagine.

[AuRavelling79]

Typical insurance behaviour I'm afraid. When push comes to shove I believe they will pay out between them but try to wriggle and squirm as to who owes what.

Put every conversation in writing (and record and get names).

Use recorded delivery. Include a letter to both insurers that due to the unhelpful response from their staff on your initial contact you are seeking legal advice and that from this point on all fees will be forwarded to them.

This of course assumes that the fire is not due to any modification you have had made.



 

[Fin Clearview]

Frightening story, i would of grabbed customers hose and had a go myself mate . Hope the insurance works out, note to myself - buy a fire extinguisher this week.

[Arnold Palmer]

Terrible story. I hope that the insurance companies see you right.

P.S.

These are for you:  ...........,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,???

[AuRavelling79]

Top ten most common causes of car fires.

Least likely at top.

10. Design Flaws
9. Poor Maintenance
8. A crash
7. Arson
6. Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Batteries
5. Overheating Catalytic Converters
4. Overheating Engines
3. Spilled Fluids
2. Electrical System Failures
1. Fuel System Leaks




Source How Stuff Works website.

[russ_clark]

Get back on to your Insurance company and tell them if they don't sort it out you will make a complaint to the FOS
Financial Ombudsman Service.
Your Insurance Company have 8 weeks to sort out the claim .
If they have not sorted it within that timescale the FOS will take on the complaint.
The big insurance company treat their claimants like poop most of the time and they normally say things
to make you feel like your not covered. The truth is generally you are and the more noise you make the more chance you have of getting paid out.
Good Luck Russ

[robert mitchell]

in my experience the most likely cause of a car fire (excluding arson) is electrical problems .

i have been to loads of them .

As for the half hour wait ........may as well get used to that with all the cuts the tories want to make.

[Jonny 87]

in my experience the most likely cause of a car fire (excluding arson) is electrical problems .

i have been to loads of them .

As for the half hour wait ........may as well get used to that with all the cuts the tories want to make.

You'll just need to clean more houses during your 4 days a week off mate. That should cover the shortfall!

😄😄😄😄

[robert mitchell]

ha ha , its not about money its more about the stations they will be closing .

longer attendance times , more people and property will be damaged /destroyed.

The tories want to privatise the fire service , thats what all these attacks are about , make it more attractive to a private firm.

unfortunately that means a worse service and a higher cost .

If you speak to somebody that has never needed the fire service they don't seem to care , speak to someone that has been cut out of there car or rescued from there house fire or any of the many other things we do , they all say we are worth double what we get.

The fire service only cost each household in the country around £70-£80 a year .......pretty cheap i think.

[Window Lickers]

ha ha , its not about money

It is when you're van and livelihood and that of your sons goes up in flames when you call 999.

[Clever Forum Name]

I think i will be investing in a fire extinguisher now as well.

I hope it gets sorted OP.

[robert mitchell]

ha ha , its not about money

It is when you're van and livelihood and that of your sons goes up in flames when you call 999.

True , but the brigades are talking about having longer attendance times for that kind of shout , 15 min target by which time your not going to save anything .

We have a really good fire service and its relatively cheap but the tories want to destroy it .


I meant its not about money for me .

[gary999]

ha ha , its not about money its more about the stations they will be closing .

longer attendance times , more people and property will be damaged /destroyed.

The tories want to privatise the fire service , thats what all these attacks are about , make it more attractive to a private firm.

unfortunately that means a worse service and a higher cost .

If you speak to somebody that has never needed the fire service they don't seem to care , speak to someone that has been cut out of there car or rescued from there house fire or any of the many other things we do , they all say we are worth double what we get.

The fire service only cost each household in the country around £70-£80 a year .......pretty cheap i think.

Yes Yes we all know fireman are worth their weight in gold in a emergency
situation

But give it a rest,we had twenty pages of your complaints a few months back
this post is about a window cleaners problems not another opportunity for
you to hijack a thread to drum up support for the fire service

Time and place matey

Best of luck to the OP and him sorting his problems out.

[ben M]

I think i will be investing in a fire extinguisher now as well.

I hope it gets sorted OP.

+1

[robert mitchell]

ha ha , its not about money its more about the stations they will be closing .

longer attendance times , more people and property will be damaged /destroyed.

The tories want to privatise the fire service , thats what all these attacks are about , make it more attractive to a private firm.

unfortunately that means a worse service and a higher cost .

If you speak to somebody that has never needed the fire service they don't seem to care , speak to someone that has been cut out of there car or rescued from there house fire or any of the many other things we do , they all say we are worth double what we get.

The fire service only cost each household in the country around £70-£80 a year .......pretty cheap i think.

Yes Yes we all know fireman are worth their weight in gold in a emergency
situation

But give it a rest,we had twenty pages of your complaints a few months back
this post is about a window cleaners problems not another opportunity for
you to hijack a thread to drum up support for the fire service

Time and place matey

Best of luck to the OP and him sorting his problems out.

Thats not quite what happened now is it , go and re read that old thread .

a certain person was spouting a load of bull as facts and i corrected him , a certain person who is never wrong .

I answered the thread because he had a half hour wait for a fire engine , this is unacceptable .

i make no apology for drumming up support for the fire service .........although that was not my intention.

Its a lovely day .....bugger off and catch some fish .

[gary999]

Talk about public sector workers being self involved

[Arnold Palmer]

Its a lovely day .....bugger off and catch some fish .

I think he already has one on the line. Just a case of reeling it in.