Ensuring safe temporary housing for your residents
01/17/2025
In times of crisis, like floods or fires, your residents' wellbeing comes first. While it's best to prevent these risks, sometimes temporary rehousing is needed. Zurich Insurance understands the challenges faced by housing associations and social housing providers. We're here to help with our Alternative Accommodation Checklist.
Why use the checklist?
Finding alternative accommodation has become harder and more expensive. Tighter regulations and rising costs have forced some landlords out of the rental market, and hotels can be expensive and may have limited availability. Our checklist offers a comprehensive list of things to consider to keep your residents safe and comfortable when their homes aren't liveable.
Alison Whittington, Head of Housing and Health, said “There are many challenges around Alternative Accommodation (AA) in terms of availability and cost, but we believe that with co-ordination and creative thinking we can make a difference. The costs of AA can double or triple even on a small claim, so it is important to look at the circumstances and the needs of the customer to work out what is the best solution for the claim. To help we have produced an AA checklist, and your Account Manager and CRM will be happy to have further conversations about this.”
Key points in the checklist
Resident and home
- Location and Safety: Ensure residents are safe and housed quickly. Confirm the resident numbers and their educational needs.
- Property Details: Assess property type, bedrooms, and needed adaptations. Check their dependency on the local area and any vulnerabilities.
- Pets and Smoking: Check if pets need alternative accommodation and policies for smokers.
- Work from Home: Consider how often and what space is needed for residents who work from home.
Extent of damage
- Room Assessments: Check the number of affected rooms and the extent of the damage. Look at the functionality of heating, water, electricity, bathroom, and cooking facilities.
- Adjuster Appointment: Decide if a claims adjuster is needed to manage claim damage and accommodation.
Repairs
- Reinstatement Timeline: Estimate the time needed for repairs and explore ways to speed up the process.
- Safety Issues: Identify any additional safety concerns like asbestos or trip hazards.
Alternative accommodation options
- Temporary Housing: Determine if the resident needs to move out. Explore options like staying with family or friends, using empty properties, or considering Airbnb or holiday lets.
- Economic Solutions: Explain policy limitations early and highlight the need for cost-effective solutions.
Hotel or rental outcome
- Local Rentals: Encourage residents to look into local rentals or personal connections for housing options.
- Term Considerations: Weigh the benefits of long vs. short stays.
Communication and tracking
- Stakeholder Coordination: Maintain regular communication between stakeholders to monitor progress on reinstatement and alternative accommodation.
- Cost Tracking: Track costs per property, especially in multi-property events.
Sharna Thomson, Head of Customer UK Claims, commented “Supporting our customers in their time of need is our upmost priority in Zurich UK Claims. Where residents are forced out of their homes in the midst of a crisis, it is paramount that we find them the most appropriate place to stay, quickly. I believe our approach provides choice and an element of creativity in meeting the needs of residents, whilst ensuring costs are monitored closely in a challenging external environment. This guide is a perfect example of us trying to proactively support our customers and their residents whether they’re self-handling an alternative accommodation arrangement, or making a claim.”
