MORE than two months after devastating October floods, one Holbrook family is still living in a storage shed while their home next door goes mouldy.
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More than 60 centimetres of water flowed through the Beaumont family’s home, leaving it uninhabitable.
As their McInnes Street neighbours prepare to move back into their homes, the family of four remain in limbo.
The family lodged their claim in October with Elders Insurance and last week were told the company was waiting on builders’ assessments.
After being contacted by The Border Mail, Elders Insurance offered $16,000 for the Beaumonts’ contents less the $5000 emergency payment the family received.
“The $5000 they sent us went very quickly, just trying to make what’s basically a storage shed habitable, and now we’re stuck living in it,” Tony Beaumont said.
“While everybody else is down at the caravan park getting their accommodation paid for or moving back into their homes.”
“Elders have had eight weeks to do something.
“Other people are moving back into their houses because their insurance companies acted and treated them properly.
“But we’re living in limbo, it doesn’t make for a very good Christmas for the kids.”
Mr Beaumont said he had been treated for two respiratory infections since bright green mould infested the flood-damaged home.
The mould was treated last week.
“The people treating the mould said it should have been done seven weeks ago,” Mr Beaumont said.
“Now we’re avoiding the house because it’s just getting more and more depressing looking at it,” Jenny Beaumont said.
Elders Insurance national manager for claims Brenton Crabb said the company had a policy not to comment on individual claims.
“As we do with all our clients we try to understand what the loss is so we can appropriately compensate,” Mr Crabb said.
He said there was not a backlog of claims.
