A FED-UP financial advisor whose house was damaged by "freak weather" has hit back at an insurance giant which refused his claim.

Trevor Speid, 43, returned from holiday to find his lounge ceiling and floor damaged by water after his roof leaked.

Neighbours reported torrential rain and an "intense downpour" and golf ball-sized hailstones caused the damage.

But Mr Speid's insurer, Halifax St Andrews, is refusing to pay because weather experts at the Met Office could not confirm the freak storm had happened.

Mr Speid, of Allerford Road, Catford, fears he will have to pay thousands of pounds to remove poisonous asbestos uncovered by the water.

Mr Speid, who is married to Beata, 43, and has a three-year-old daughter Ania, said: "I'm really angry. I returned from holiday on August 28 to find my house had been damaged.

"My neighbours, who are keen gardeners, keep a close eye on the weather and they can both confirm the storm and hail took place.

"But what am I supposed to do if the Met Office can't confirm it? It now looks like the insurers are able to escape paying up, using this absurd loophole.

"If Halifax doesn't pay up, I'm going to have to pay around £5,000 myself."

Halifax does offer an "unlimited sum" to cover full rebuild costs in the event of storm damage to a house.

But the firm will not pay up because the Met Office cannot confirm there were wind gusts of at least 40mph nor that there had been rainfall in excess of 50mm in a 24-hour period.

A Met Office spokesman says that it is impossible to detect every localised weather event. He added convectional storms can produce a lot of rain and hail in a short space of time.

A Halifax spokesman said: "In this instance the damage caused to Mr Speid's property was not covered under his buildings policy as it was due to wear and tear'."

Not the first time

Mr Speid is not the first to have his claim declined following freak weather. In August, the Birmingham Mail reported a lecturer from the University of Birmingham, Dr Kenneth Wardle, initially had his claim declined by Halifax insurance for damaged caused to his house roof by the 120mph tornado.

At the time, Halifax's senior claims manager Martyn Foulds admitted the system used by Halifax did not account for freak weather. The report said the insurer eventually paid up.