You are here:
Insurance Claims
If you believe you have suffered loss or damage as a result of alleged negligence or failure, you may have the right to make a claim against the Council, its agents or contractors.
How do I make a claim?
If you feel you have the right to claim for damages you need to contact us. We will send a claim form to you.
You need to complete the form and return it to us at the address on the form. You can get a claim form from your local Barnsley Connects Office, tel: (01226) 775555. We will carry out some investigations and complete our section of your claim form.
We send this to the council's insurance section who forward it to our insurance company. The insurance company will contact you to let you know they have received your claim. They will also tell you how you can contact them and how long it may take them to assess your claim.
How you can help us
You can help us to progress your claim by giving us full details of the incident, any witnesses who may be able to provide useful information and if possible, documentary or photographic evidence and receipts for any expenditure incurred.
The sooner you return your claim form, the quicker we can progress it.
Insure your home and contents!
We suggest that all our tenants insure the building and contents in their home against accidental damage. This will give you security and protection.
We operate a low-cost contents insurance scheme. For futher information please visit the Home Contents Insurance and Summary of Cover sections.
Response Times / Next Steps
When we have received your claim, we will start work on it, or pass it on to the appropriate department to deal with.
We will tell you that we have received your claim within 2 working days of us receiving it.
Please bear in mind that depending upon the complexity of the case it may take us some time to process your claim.
We will consider your claim in conjunction with colleagues from relevant departments or outside bodies such as our insurers.
In considering your claim, we may contact you to request additional information.
We will usually provide you with a decision on your claim in writing.
Can I claim for damage to decorations after you have repaired my home?
Only if the damage has been caused through neglect on our part. If the damage is unavoidable (for example - a leak causing plaster to fall off) it is very unlikely that the insurance company will reimburse you. You really need to have your own contents and buildings insurance to cover things like this.
If we are completing major repairs you may qualify for a decorating allowance. We will tell you if you will qualify before we start any work.