Accidental damage to homes costs £172 a time

Over half a million homes in the UK are damaged each year by calamitous neighbours, according to a new report, with £172 being the average cost of damage.

Abbey Home Insurance has found that neighbours are causing damage to around 543,000 homes every year with people in London being the most likely to suffer damage to their homes and the Welsh being the least likely.

Accidents caused by those living nearby cause about £93.4 million in damage every year with one in 20 people having to pay out over £1,000 to mend their homes.

"Not all damage caused to people's homes by their neighbours is malicious, in many cases this type of damage is accidental," said Prasad Shastri from Abbey.

"However there are often misconceptions about whose insurance is to be used to claim for it. It is always the policy holder of the damaged home that will need to submit a claim."

So for example, if your neighbour cut down a tree and it smashed your window then only you could claim for damage to you property, not your neighbour.


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