A family has warned that a major home insurance provider's failures have forced them out of their home. Writing to the Guardian newspaper's consumer affairs section, the Hastings Direct policyholders said they have been effectively homeless for eight months after reporting a leak.
The couple, who have a two-year-old daughter, said: "Eight months after reporting a leak to our home insurer, Hastings Direct, my husband and I and our two-year-old are still effectively homeless." They cited "significant delays, poor communication and conflicting information" throughout the process.
They explained that they initially agreed to move into temporary accommodation for what they were told would be approximately two weeks, but it has now been nearly three months. "There is still no functioning kitchen in the property, which means we cannot return home," they added.
Ongoing Disruption and Costs
The family described the insurer's practice of authorising accommodation in two-week increments, creating uncertainty about where they will stay next. They have had to pay for extra nursery sessions for their daughter since both parents work from home, and the latest temporary flat is too small to accommodate all of them.
They have also had to keep their two cats in a cattery at their own expense and, because the kitchen is ill-equipped, they rely on takeaways and ready meals. "We still have no clear timeline for when the work will be finished," they said.
Industry-Wide Concerns
The case comes after a super-complaint from consumer body Which? in 2025, which described the home and travel insurance sectors as "broken". A super-complaint is an action by a consumer body when a large number of customers are affected.
Which? highlighted cases including an insurer initially refusing to pay out for a cancelled holiday because the trip had technically started before the flight was turned back after two hours.
Responses from Insurers and Regulator
The insurers' trade body said providers worked hard to help customers, handle claims efficiently, and had paid out many millions of pounds. Rocio Concha, director of policy at Which?, said that serious failings in the travel and home insurance markets had been "tolerated for too long" by the insurance industry and the regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
