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17
Jan 2022
Last Updated: 17/01/2022
Ripon property owners to take complaint to insurance ombudsman
With no settlement of their claim in sight, owners of properties in danger of collapse in Ripon are making a complaint to the insurance ombudsman.
Owners of properties in Bedern Court in Ripon face a demolition bill of at least £75,000 as arguments over a long-standing insurance claim continue.
Three apartments and a house in a block at the 29-unit residential complex were evacuated in October 2020 as sinkhole activity raised fears of a catastrophic collapse.
Bedern Court Ltd (BCL) – a not-for-profit company controlled by owners and leaseholders - is preparing a complaint to send to the insurance ombudsman, but, with the continuing deterioration of the stricken block, is faced with having to find the money to take the building down.
BCL chair, Mat Pritchard, told the Stray Ferret:
"We are already doing everything we can to mitigate the risk and, with time running out, have obtained quotes from four demolition contractors.
"These have come in at £75,000 and upwards and, unfortunately, in the absence of settlement from the insurers, the bill will have to be paid by the owners of the 29 properties."
In pursuit of its claim, BCL has supplied insurers Aviva and QBE with detailed reports from geologists and a monitoring engineer. But Mr Pritchard pointed out:
"As we have been getting nowhere with the insurance companies, we have sought legal advice and decided to make a formal complaint to the ombudsman."
He added:
"In addition to our protracted discussions with the insurers, we have kept all authorities updated and have used fencing to shutter off part of the courtyard area as a safety measure."
Fencing also remains in place to block entry from Skellgaths into Peacock's Passage, which runs alongside the affected block.
Ripon City Council wrote to North Yorkshire County Council in November calling on it to demolish the block, after city council leader Andrew Williams said:
“If the perilous state of the building means it’s not safe to walk along Peacock’s Passage, it can’t be safe to walk or drive past it on Skellgarths. It needs to be demolished as quickly and safely as possible.”
However, NYCC has said that this matter is not its responsibility and now the city council has written to Harrogate Borough Council asking it to carry out a detailed risk assessment at Bedern Court.
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