A “pipe that burst so spectacularly” was how water company Severn Trent described last year’s incident in Chester Green. Now, after more than a year, residents are still feeling the impact – in the form of increased insurance premiums.
“I claimed the damage from the flood back through my home insurance and that has now doubled the cost from just over £300 per year to over £600,” Derbyshire Live quoted a resident as saying. Affected homeowners had to rely on their insurance policies as, according to the report - very little compensation came from the water company.
In fact, residents noted being paid only £100 – an amount one affected customer called “an insult.” A Severn Trent spokesperson, however, said the compensation was provided on a case-by-case basis.
The main burst on Mansfield Road, at the junction with Alfreton Road and Old Chester Road, in March 2017, with witnesses saying the plume of water was three storeys high.
“I think everyone on the street is entitled to more compensation,” said the same resident who found the £100 payout insulting. “I can’t get home insurance now because of this. If I admit that the house was flooded in the past year the price goes up so high that it’s unaffordable.
“At the moment, they want to charge me £1,500 per year, which is just excessive for a two-up two-down house.”
