Putting Croydon First

Labour: fighting for you across Croydon

Wicks demands action on riot compensation

Malcolm Wicks, MP for Croydon North, has hit out at the glacial pace at which compensation is being paid out under the Riot Act.  Nearly four months after the devastating Croydon riots, arson victims have received nothing.

Malcolm Wicks commented:  “The speed at which the claims are being processed would embarrass a self-respecting snail.  It is unacceptable that my constituents are being left in financial crisis due to the woeful way in which the claims are being handled.”

One constituent, whose flat was burned down during the riots, met with a Loss Adjuster who was so ill-informed that he insisted on meeting him at his Croydon address.  On arrival, he was shocked to discover that the address no longer existed, despite being told that the house had been destroyed. 

Some people are now in the dreadful situation where they are paying for a mortgage on a property that no longer exists and rent on temporary accommodation whilst they wait for compensation claims to be resolved.  Malcolm Wicks’ intervention follows two constituents who visited his advice surgery about their plight.

This all stands in stark contrast to the assurances given to the Prime Minister by the Association of British Insurers in the wake of the riots who promised ‘claims would be dealt with as quickly and constructively as possible’.  It is clear that this is not happening.

Malcolm Wicks has written to Prime Minister, David Cameron, to remind him of the promises he has made in order to secure the desperately needed compensation for the victims of Croydon’s riots.  He has also tabled questions to the Home Secretary asking for facts about how much compensation has been paid out.