Alternative accommodation for Leamington households

The Leam runs east to west through the middle of Leamington and is prone to flooding in extreme weather, with especially heavy floods in 1998 and 2007. The 1998 flood seriously damaged Jephson Gardens beside the river, which were restored with National Lottery money. The old village of Leamington Priors stood on the south bank of the Leam; the Georgian New Town grew up on the north side from the early 19th century.

Fire, storms and escapes of water can put any home out of use, from the Regency terraces around Clarendon Square and Lansdowne Circus to the newer streets of Heathcote and Warwick Gates. Most families want to keep the same schools and the same commute while the builders are in.

Humber Hub is about 9 miles by road from Leamington, Stoke Lodge and Stoke House about 10 miles and Sullivan Heights about 12 miles, with the A46 linking the town to Coventry. That keeps the school run and work within reach for the weeks or months a claim takes.

A hotel room cannot feed a family for weeks or wash its clothes. A whole house gives each person a bed, a kitchen for proper meals and a washing machine. Claims handlers and loss adjusters can book on the household's behalf.

The claim reference goes on the pro-forma invoice. If the repairs overrun, the stay is extended with a fresh pro-forma, up to twelve months in all.