AAMI dispute over home repairs set for court

Suncorp’s AAMI is fighting legal action launched by a Victorian family who say they have not been able to return home for six years due to the handling of repairs and chemical contamination at their property.

Leza Ashford, who suffers from allergies, has told A Current Affair she suffered a severe reaction upon entering the home, and ended up in hospital, after requesting that chemicals known as salicylates not be used to clean mould at the house as part of insurance repairs.

The family has launched County Court proceedings against AAMI, demanding the insurer fix or rebuild their home. A trial is expected to begin next week.

In a statement provided to A Current Affair, AAMI says expert evidence confirms there is no salicylate contamination, it does not support the mould allegations made and finds no reason to demolish and rebuild the house.

“We are defending the legal proceedings commenced against us and welcome the opportunity to resolve this dispute as the court is the appropriate place to do so based on the objective scientific evidence,” it says.

AAMI says the Ashfords lodged three claims with AAMI in August 2016, arising from minor damage associated with a leaking tap, a leaking dishwasher and a storm, There was also a fourth claim involving a leaking pipe in May the next year.

“While we have always been of the view that there was no chemical contamination or moisture issues ongoing because of the claims lodged with us, we did pay for temporary accommodation for 15 months while further investigations were undertaken,” the insurer says.

“When the further investigations confirmed that there was nothing occurring at the house caused by the claims lodged with us, payment for temporary accommodation was ceased.”

AAMI says it accepted the claims and undertook emergency repairs, including remediating “very minor” mould related to two of the events. The Ashfords were provided with a cash settlement for non-emergency repairs required, and arranged their own builder to do some work alongside other renovations, it says.

The family has provided details about their complaint on a website aamidestroyslives.com.au, where they say that they have been forced to go public “in sheer desperation”.

The A Current Affair item is available here.