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Direct Line: Landlord Insurance reviews

Name: Landlord Insurance
Rating: 3.02 (41 reviews)

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2.64

Based on 41 reviews, last reviewed 8th Oct 2024

No new 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

100% decrease in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

37%

17%

2 star

44%

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

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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About this product

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.

Direct Line Landlord Insurance reviews (41)

Review of the Direct Line, Landlord Insurance:

Neither I nor my agent kept informed!

I bought Landlord insurance and paid the extra for Legal Expenses. My tenant defaulted on his rent payment, so I activated the legal department and informed them from an early stage that there may be problems. As the property is fully managed, I nominated my "agent" to deal with matters on my behalf. Direct Line Legal are a firm called "DWF" based at Bristol; they have repeatedly failed to keep me or my agents informed of what is happening. Because my tenant is in the property but not paying me any money, this is resulting in considerable financial hardship not to mention worry and anxiety for myself! AVOID this firm if you feel you should be kept informed at the very least; and want everything to proceed at acceptable speed. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR LANDLORDS! Reviewed on: 5th September 2018

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 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

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" Reviewed on: 23rd August 2024

Bit disappointed that they won't consider lowering i...

Bit disappointed that they won't consider lowering increased annual premiums each year. I've been with them for years and they always maintain that their new premium amount is not flexible. Reviewed on: 23rd August 2024

excellent service, had a boiler emergency and direct...

excellent service, had a boiler emergency and direct line sent an engineer the day after. never had such fast response with other insurers. I really recommend direct line to other 'accidental' landlords like me! Reviewed on: 23rd August 2024

Avoid using, find another option

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

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

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

Not a bad product - read the small print

Have been with DL for a couple of years and pay extra for emergency call out - disappointing, when we had a vigorously leaking tap - they simply sent someone out to shut the water off rather than fix the problem. Apart from that, they seem okay. Reviewed on: 23rd August 2023

Choose another company. Buyer beware

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

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

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