Can I get Compensation? - Cavity Wall Insulation Claims

How do I claim Compensation?

If you think you might be eligible for compensation, before you have someone inspect the property we recommend that you contact a cavity wall insulation legal specialist to advise you on how to proceed.

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If you have any questions contact us, we can put you in touch with cavity wall insulation experts and possibly help you claim compensation.

If your property has had cavity wall insulation (CWI) installed and you are having problems with damp or mould you might have a claim for compensation.

Millions of homes across England and Wales have undergone retro-fit cavity wall insulation over the last few years. This was seen as a quick and simple solution to make homes more energy efficient and thereby reduce heating costs. The government set targets to encourage energy suppliers to insulate as many properties as possible.

A lot of these cavity wall insulations were paid for by the Government’s ‘Green Deal’ scheme, Government ECO (Energy Company Obligation) scheme or sometimes the cost was covered by a loan and repaid through utility bills.

A large number of these cavity wall insulations were installed incorrectly or were unsuitable for the property. This has causes many problems for homeowners, including damp, condensation, property damage and health problems such as asthma and breathing problems.

The cost to fix issues such as damp and the cost for Cavity wall insulation removal/extraction will be very high!

Am I eligible for Compensation?

Do you have damp patches, bad smell or mould in your property? Was this after cavity wall insulation was installed? If yes, then you may be affected and you might have a claim for compensation.

Common signs of poor insulation are:

Damp walls
Peeling wallpaper
Rotting wood work
Condensation on windows and walls
Mould, mildew and fungus growth
High energy bills
In extreme cases: Subsidence and buckling walls

But there’s a far more serious consequence of bad insulation and mould, personal injuries like respiratory conditions may develop, or existing conditions can be made worse. For example:

Fungal infections
Sickness
Shortness of breath
Bronchitis
Asthma
Sinusitis

Do these sign and symptoms sound familiar? If these signs appeared after you had cavity wall insulation installed then it’s possible that the insulation is a fault.

To make a claim, ideally the CWI needs to have been installed within the last 6 years. But you can claim for up to 15 years if you’ve only recently discovered the problem.

How to make a claim?

Here’s the common steps made for seeking compensation:

Contact an advisor and check if you are eligible.
Register your claim with the CIGA and the installer.
Arrange for an inspection to establish the scale of the issue.
Estimate repair costs.
Arrange for repairs to be made.
Finalise the claim and receive compensation.

Who is responsible for my claim?

Responsibility falls on the people that sold you the insulation and the workers that installed it. This might be an issue because you might find it difficult to track down the installers responsible because:

you have forgotten who installed it
the installer company is no longer trading
you did not own the property when it was installed

But don’t worry, our specialists can help you deal with all these eventualities. They’ve successfully worked on many different cases related to cavity wall insulation problems and have experts on hand to assist you.

What documents do I need?

Any documents that you have in relation to the cavity wall insulation would be useful. This could include:

Your property assessment
Your signed contract or agreement
Receipts
Any warranty or guarantee
Business cards
Pictures of the property (before and after)

Personal Injury from Cavity Wall Insulation

Mould is bad for your health. If your property has mould, if possible, we advice that you avoid exposure to it. we also advise that you get the damp and mould removed as soon as possible. Some people are more sensitive than others, these people should stay away from damp and mould:

babies and young children
elderly people
those with existing skin problems, such as eczema
those with respiratory problems, such as allergies and asthma
those with a weakened immune system

Prolonged exposure of indoor dampness and mould can reduce lung function and cause other health problems like asthma. People that already suffer from asthma and allergies will be more likely to have increased symptoms when exposed.

Also, people who live in damp and mouldy homes have a greater risk of depression which, in turn, may increase the risk of respiratory symptoms and asthma.

What is Cavity Wall Insulation?

Cavity Wall Insulation is a type of insulation that fills the cavity between the interior and exterior walls of a property. In new build properties, the insulation is made from rigid foam boards and fixed inside the cavity. They’re waterproof and fitted in a way so that rainwater does not penetrate across to the inner wall.

With older buildings the insulation is retro-fitted after the property has been built. It involves the process of filling the cavity wall with a foam-like filling that stops the movement of air. This should prevent heat loss and reduce the cost of heating a home.