11 December 2007
Sitting in the empty shell of what was his modern family
home, this father of three is now left wondering where he and his relatives
will spend Christmas.
All hopes of moving back into their flood-hit home were dashed when Dean
Harrison was told the building work to repair the property will not begin
until January 7 next year.
Nearly six months after the floods, the terraced house in Wold Road, west
Hull, is still drying out, while Mr Harrison, 43, his wife Joanne, 34, and
children Nikita, 13, Natalie, 12, and Jack, six, are left to live in cramped
conditions in a caravan in the back garden.
It's a situation that thousands of people are facing this
Christmas.
During a flooding summit meeting in London yesterday, the Association of
British Insurers (ABI) revealed less than half of the 165,000 insurance
claims from the floods have been settled.
The ABI also revealed only 42 per cent of the claims have been completed and
they expect only 40 per cent to be back in their homes for Christmas.
However even the ABI does not have the exact figures to reveal the amount of
people in Hull and the East Riding who are left unable to spend Christmas in
their own homes.
"We know Christmas is not going to be the same this year," said Mr Harrison,
a carpet fitter.
"Its very depressing to think about spending Christmas in a caravan.
"Usually we would have all our Christmas decorations up by now, the kids
would be getting excited and we would be looking forward to spending the day
together.
"Usually we get up early, open our presents then just spend the day inside
our house as a family together.
"But this year there are no decorations, no tree, and instead we will all be
on top of each other in the caravan.
"We've been in there since June. There is nowhere to put our clothes and no
room for us to move around each other.
"But we can't go in the house, its damp and cold because the boiler has been
ripped out and I don't even like our presents being in there so I've stored
most of them with friends."
Mr Harrison, who is insured with Churchill, said he blames his insurance
company and loss adjustor Crawfords for being stuck in the caravan through
winter.
He has watched his neighbours who are insured with other companies move back
into their properties, and has this week even laid a carpet in his next-door
neighbour's house to make sure they are ready for Christmas.
He said: "We've had nothing but problems with our insurers.
"We've had to chase them for everything, they instructed builders to strip
the house out, then nothing was done.
"I've seen my neighbours move back into their house, so I know it can be
done."
In Hull and the East Riding 20,000 people were affected by the floods.
More than 8,600 households were damaged and of these, 6,300 people were
forced to live in temporary accommodation with more than 1,400 people in
caravans.
Yesterday floods minister John Healey said during the meeting his top
priority was to get families back in their homes for Christmas.
However, Mr Healey admitted the volume of cases was hampering the insurance
industry's ability to complete home repairs and drying and settling claims.
He said: "Certain challenges remain. These include the fact that it takes
time for properties and new plaster to dry out so repairs can be made
effectively and safely.
"The onset of winter has further hampered this - for example dehumidifiers
struggle to extract moisture from properties.
"There are also issues around heating and cramped conditions for those in
caravans."