Insurance conditions for burst pipe in unoccupied home

[GymBunnie]

my insurance (holiday home) stipulates that water damage is not covered between 1 November and 31 March unless the stopcock is turned off.
I do this every year, including last October.
However someone has interfered with the stopcock (which is located on the outside (street side) wall of the property), turning it on. I have had a burst pipe.
How on earth can I "prove" (or explain) that I complied with this clause and therefore lodge a claim?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

You can't. Suck it up. I'm not sure if I believe you.

 

[motorbiking]

Do you employ someone to look after the property?

 

[GymBunnie]

Do you employ someone to look after the property?

No I don't

 

[motorbiking]

There was no internal valve?

 

[GymBunnie]

no, the mains water is shut off from the outside only. And that should - in theory - be sufficient, as it stops the flow of any water into the property. When I arrived however the meter door was wide open. Not sure if left by meter reader - but someone had switched the mains back on. Result....following the cold snap.....a major burst. Ps Don't appreciate the other poster's "not sure if I believe you" comment. This is 100% truth.

 

[motorbiking]

Is this part of a complex? e.g. static holiday home type thing?

 

[GymBunnie]

No it's a detached residence, in a residential neighborhood

 

[HERTS P&D]

You will have a internal stopcock and should of turned that off and drained down. If not then you should of had one fitted.

Andy

 

[GymBunnie]

ok thanks for the advice. For future, how would I know how / where to locate internal stopcock. Is there a "standard" location for example?

 

[GymBunnie]

Further to the reply regarding the internal stopcock, what's the position if the burst occurs at a point between the external principal source and the internal stopcock ie it would not make a difference if the internal was on or off. I appreciate that you're not insurance underwriters but just interested in some relevant, sensible views on this please

 

[IWalkLikeHimaMartian]

You are responsible for pipes on your property.
Usually a meter is located inside, so if the burst occurs on your property but before the meter, you are still responsible for the repair.
Some water authorities may, or used to, offer a repair service, but a) it is still your responsibility and that may charge you for the repair, and b), they may take weeks to fit it into their schedule.

 

[IWalkLikeHimaMartian]

You will have a internal stopcock and should of turned that off and drained down. If not then you should of had one fitted.

Andy

Or maintained the heating on a low setting?

 

[EFLImpudence]

The stopcock is usually where the pipe enters the premises. That could be anywhere - within reason - but most likely in the kitchen, airing cupboard or similar.

As for leaks outside, I believe the householder is responsible for the pipework on the house side of the meter.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Small print on house insurance would say that if a house is unoccupied for 30 days or more then the incoming water mains would need to be turned off and some times drained down.

Andy