Lambeth council damaged my ceiling, but won’t pay
A Lambeth council worker fell through my ceiling but they won’t pay the damage
Last summer I heard an almighty crash from the bedroom caused by a pest control officer from Lambeth Council falling through my ceiling.
He had been trying to shoo away pigeons but left a hole in the ceiling, with debris all over the bedroom.
We had to move out of our bedroom while it was cleaned – undertaken at our expense. Lambeth admitted liability and assessed the damage, but refuses to pay the £234 to cover the damage and our excess.
We have washed, rather than replaced, things, but the council is making it as difficult as possible in the hope we will give up. CM, London
Even though you were the innocent victim, Lambeth has treated you badly. It seems incomprehensible that a claim for such a small sum should take nine months – particularly as you have bent over backwards to mitigate the council’s loss.
It has now got its act together – it says problems beyond its control led to the delays, plus it needed VAT receipts.
It has paid £234 including an extra £20, but refused to cover your lost wages – time you were forced to take off work. Had this gone on for any longer we would have suggested a visit to the small claims court – and a bigger claim to cover the time this has taken and the distress caused.
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