François Bertrand has only one wish. “Going home is all I want”, breathes this resident of 6 rue Paul-Bounin. A century-old building in the Valrose district whose roof went up in smoke. It was May 30, 2023, just one year ago.
Since then, some victims have still not been able to return to their homes devastated by the flames or the liters of water poured by firefighters to put out the fire. This is the case of François, 88 years old, and his wife Lucette, 84 years old.
“When you reach a certain age like me,” the octogenarian whispers modestly, “you start to wonder if you will ever return…” Because for now, the temporary is dragging on. A huge umbrella tarpaulin still serves as a roof at 6 rue Paul-Bounin. The elevator was only put back into service a few months ago. Before, the Bertrands had to brave their age and the five floors to get to the expert assessments on foot. An insurance battle whose affected residents unanimously denounce the “inhumane” nature of this battle.
“We are being asked to replace the parquet floor with carpet”
“We had four meetings with the opposing party”, explains Virginie Rucart. And this mother doesn’t hide it: “It went badly.” “During these assessments, you find yourself with 15 people who arrive at your house without even bothering to say hello. They are not there to listen to you. They are the ones who lead the dance and they know it.”
“It feels like a souk, adds his partner. They behave like carpet merchants. They ask us to make lower estimates, to put carpet where there was parquet!”
Same observation from Christian who lives in the sixth floor. This last floor which burned completely and which will have to “almost completely rebuild”, warns Magalie Mailland, the building trustee. And yet, Christian breathes, “I am asked to produce invoices and photos, even though we have lost everything.”
On arrival we offer to compensate him “barely 40% of quotes made by professionals”. For this resident, it is clear that insurance “are doing everything to reduce the bill they will have to pay.”
“They say they will wear us out”
“Everyone rejects responsibility, Hector agrees.and in the meantime it’s us who take out the money.” Lawyer fees for those who took one. Rent in addition to the credit that was already running for others. Until this dry cleaning bill, rather steep, that the Bertrands received: 9,000 euros! This was the price to pay to recover their clothes which were submerged in water after the intervention of the firefighters. “And of course, this will be deducted from the compensation”Lucette breathes.
“They play on people’s vulnerability. They tell themselves that they will wear us out”, believes Alexandre Rucart. Especially since most contracts limit the cost of rehousing to two years. Without waiting for the end of this period, some insurance companies already seem to have turned off the tap. “They no longer take us on the phone, no longer answer our letters”deplore many of these victims.
Triple punishment
“People who have lost everything”, recalls their co-ownership trustee. Who, it’s a double punishment, was robbed of what was left of them because there were burglaries after the disaster. And in the end, triple punishment, they will probably never be compensated for their real loss. She is fighting so that the common areas, starting with the roof, are finally restored.
If after a year of work most of the expert opinions have finally been delivered, Magalie Mailland also knows that a battle awaits her: “The hardest part remains to be doneshe whispers. Now we will have to present the bill to the insurers.” Christian admits that he now laughs when he comes across one of their advertisements: “You know, the ones where they tell you that in the event of a disaster they will take care of everything…”
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