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Direct Line: Landlord Insurance reviews

2.74
Based on 41 reviews, last reviewed 8th Oct 2024
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Latest highest rating:

4

A bit disappointed the huge increase in premium year... A bit disappointed the huge increase in premium year on year particularly as I had no claims. Needs to be looked into more as it feels very "Cowboyish... Read more Reviewed on: 23rd August 2024
Adrian Dawson's avatar
Adrian Dawson

Latest lowest rating:

1

Direct Line promise 4 hours I waited 72 hours I was persuaded to take out a landlord home emergency insurance by a Direct Line Insurance advertisement on the radio promising a qualified engineer a... Read more Reviewed on: 8th October 2024
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Testadura

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Does Direct Line landlord insurance do a good job protecting your property? Read and write our Smart Money People Direct Line landlord insurance reviews and you will help other landlords to find the best landlord insurance policies on the market.

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Direct Line Landlord Insurance reviews (18)

Direct Line promise 4 hours I waited 72 hours

1
I was persuaded to take out a landlord home emergency insurance by a Direct Line Insurance advertisement on the radio promising a qualified engineer attending the emergency within 4 hours. I thought it was a good idea to give my tenants peace of mind and spent approx £ 1700 per year. In the three years I was with them I had 4 emergencies. They never turned up withing the 4 hours promise. In one emergency a tenant had notice a few drops of water falling down from the boiler I was contacted by the tenant and immediately I registered the emergency with their call handlers. I was phoned back after half an hour and was told that, they did not have an engineer to attend the job but could get one the following morning. I phoned the tenant to notify about an engineer turning up the following day and also asked them to check if the boiler was still working. They run the hot water, the boiler fired up and the running water was hot. I asked the tenant to turn the boiler off for precaution. The following day no engineer turned up at the same time the the water escaping from the boiler had increased so much the tenant had to put buckets underneath to minimise the flooding of the kitchen. I rang again to complain about the engineer not showing up and was promised another engineer for the following day. the same happened again. The engineer did not turn up! I rang again and was promised yet again another engineer for the following day. The engineer turned up that was 72 hours later from registering the emergency 68 hours later than their 4 hours promise. The only thing the engineer did was to write the boiler off as unrepairable and the reason was the electrical had got wet so I was left with a £ 2400 for a new boiler. At the beginning was only the odd drop and the boiler was still working had they come within the 4 hours the boiler could have been rescued this was said by the engineer that fitted the new boiler. Their engineer lied on the report saying he had worked on the outside flue. The tenant said that, he never went outside, it was just a way to cover their failure the company managing Direct Line landlords policies is DAS Legal Expenses while the company managing the repairs is called CET in fact CET is also dealing with complaints, they never accepts full liability they just offer you between £ 100 to £ 200 to go away the only thing they accepted is that, they have given me a below the standard service which I would describe as terrible service. Direct Line never gets involved with the complaints although they have mis-sold the insurance policy to me, shockingly they still show on the website that, a qualified engineer will attend the emergency within 4 hours. They have no shame! Reviewed on: 8th October 2024

Avoid using, find another option

1
Been with direct line for over 10 years, I never needed to cliam until last year, the process has been a nightmare and is still ongoing after 8 months the property still hasn't been repaired, the tenant has now moved out due to the repairs not been completed. Never will I have insurance with them again. Not answering calls and email replies take weeks. Very disappointing. Reviewed on: 7th May 2024

Very unreliable

1
Phoned direct line because ive landlord insurance with emergency cover i would have been better off talking to a monkey engineer didn't turn up had to make my own arrangements Reviewed on: 11th December 2023

DIRECT LINE LANDLORD INSURANCE FRAUDSTERS

1
MASSIVE FRAUDSTERS - PLEASE AVOID AT COST - TRICKED ME GETTING INSURANCE AND DID'T PAY OUT A PENNY - CLAIMS HANDLER DISMISSED THE CASE DISMISSED MY CASE BY STATING THAT THERE IS A 90 DAY PERIOD BEFORE MAKING A CLAIM - TOLD ME TO READ THE SMALL PRINT ON THE POLICY SCHEDULE - PLEASE DON'T TRUST - THEY WANT YOUR PREMIUM - PLEASE BE AWARE.. Reviewed on: 3rd October 2023

Choose another company. Buyer beware

1
Cost £1022 for annual landlord insurance supposed to be all singing and dancing policy including rent guarantee. They will do everything to avoid paying out. Taking an age to send any money. BEWARE. That if at the end of the tenancy your house is in a poor state the excess applies to every room. And there is a minimum amount before you can claim. They don’t tell you this. Just tell you that you have a £200 excess which when four rooms are damaged is £800 and claim needs to be approx £4000 befor they will consider. The claim centre staff are curtious and helpful. But. This is a sneaky company working around small print. They will do all they can to avoid paying you anything. All I have is an expensive insurance and a wrecked house with no recompense. If you use them after reading the reviews on here and you are unlucky enough to have to claim. You only have yourself to blame Reviewed on: 19th July 2023

It doesn't pay to be honest

1
Been with Direct Line Landlord insurance for several years, no complaints, competitive etc. However, we are planning to refurbish 1 of the 2 flats in the property, so trying to do the right thing, I rang to ask whether we needed to let them know the property would be unoccupied for a short while whilst the workmen are in. It's a straightforward job, replaster, rewire, redecoration, new kitchen, bathroom etc. They took details, said they'd call back. An hour later they called to say they'd canceled the policy, refused to insure, said they don't deal in 'High risk' I was left with a tenant in a property with no insurance. Fortunately there are some decent insurers out there and I got sorted immediately. We have used DL for home, car and landlord for several years, i was perfectly happy, but we've never made a claim or asked to change the policy, I guess you only know the measure of them when you do. I will NEVER EVER use them again. Reviewed on: 8th November 2022

False Marketing

1
Well I have phoned up twice with quotes that they said they would match or beat in their marketing promotion. Absolute rubbish. They ask for details of the competitors quote that I have sent twice by an email I was provided and then it is just ignored. Timewasters and false marketing claims. Reviewed on: 15th October 2022

Appallingly bad service

1
I spend £500 per year on my Landlord insurance. During the bad storms back in February 2022, a tree blew down on my disabled tenant's back garden and also hit the roof. The damage was substantial roof repairs, tree surgeons the lot, and Direct Line was useless. It took several weeks before they actually listened to my complaints and sent a company to determine the damage and claim. They won't cover the removal of the tree and I'm still waiting on the final payment. Trying to get through to somebody to log the initial claim was a joke, covid or no covid. I pay £500 per year for the landlord insurance on this one and only rental property which I own and I expected a decent service and coverage for that sort of price. I've been with them for a few years now, had my car and my own house insurance with Direct Line, never had a claim, and each year it goes up and up in price. I won't be using Direct line for any of my insurance needs from now on. Reviewed on: 15th September 2022

Not there when you need them

1
Paid insurance for many years. When needed they are full of excuses to prevent you from making any claim. Basically told it would be cheaper to do any repairs myself…..absolutely useless as insurance. Reviewed on: 10th August 2022

Don't go anywhere near Direct Line, they don't pay out when you have a claim!

1
ZERO ratings for Direct Line! Don't believe what you see or read in their adverts as they don't pay out. I only went with them because of the landlord rent guarantee cover and they immediately reneged on that agreement because of the virus but yet they still expect you to pay each month. Then when the tenants did eventually leave, owing £12,000 and damage to the property, yet again, Direct Line did not pay out on the damage despite I had cover for Malicious damage etc, all singing and dancing cover costing me a fortune and Direct Line found a way to get out of paying anything. AVOID AT ALL COST. If you still choose Direct Line after reading all the comments informing you about Direct Line....then you are a fool to yourself and your hard earned money!! Reviewed on: 10th November 2020

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