Six days after moving into dream home hail forced family out
JUST six days after moving into their dream home in Kellyville, a family was forced out after the devastating hail storm that hit the Hills.
Rouse Hill
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IT IS a nightmare that Behnoosh Khalaj hopes she and her family will wake up from.
Just six days after moving into their dream home in Kellyville, the most devastating hailstorm to hit the Hills for a long time, has forced them out.
The storm rained down hailstones as big as tennis balls and broke 300 tiles on their roof, damaged both their cars and left Mrs Khalaj, her husband Sina Mavaddati and daughters Avena, 8, and Avisa, 3, in shock and tears.
The damage is estimated at a massive $100,000 but fortunately their insurance with Allianz is expected to cover it and also the rented accommodation they are currently using while their home is being cleaned up and repaired.
It also left one of their guests facing a $6,400 damage bill for his rented car
“I just think it was a bad dream and I will wake up soon,” an emotional Mrs Kahalj said.
“This has never happened to us before and it’s quite horrific.
“I can’t even think of moving back once the repairs are done as I don’t think we will be safe when it rains again.
“We had moved into our home only the previous Saturday and were entertaining guests from Sweden for lunch when the storm started.
“At first we thought it was nice to see the hail from inside the house before I suggested to my husband that he better cover his uncle’s rental car to prevent damage.
“I first spotted a leak in the kitchen when I went there to prepare some tea and put a bucket under it.
“Then I spotted another leak and another and realised all our light fittings were full of water and the ceilings too had water.
“I had to also rush to Castle Hill to pick up my eldest daughter at that time but when we went out, we found that our the windscreens in our cars were damaged and had to use our uncle’s car which was usable despite being damaged.
Mrs Khalaj said they were overwhelmed at the speed in which the new four-bedroom house was being damaged by the rain coming through the leaking roof.
She said most of their furniture and equipment have been damaged and will have to be replaced while their clothes also copped a drenching.
“It’s financially tough for us at the moment as we have to pay for the rent, though Allianz has said they will reimburse us, while repaying the mortgage is the most difficult,” Mrs Khalaj said.
“The person Allianz sent out to check our damage after I insisted it was an emergency, has been wonderful and told us we had to move out for three months.
“The first night stayed with our friends before moving to a hotel for two days and then to our rental accommodation.”
Mrs Khalaj said juggling her work with looking after her children while dealing with the home disaster is sometimes overwhelming.
She said when they were building their home, they were told by their constructors that putting sarking in their roof was optional and many residents did not usually do it, which was the reason they decided not to install it.
“I think if we had installed sarking in our roofs, the damage would have not been so extensive,” Ms Khalaj said.
IAG’S HAIL INSURANCE CLAIMS FOR THE HILLS
Kellyville: 1580 (vehicles); 971 (homes)
Rouse Hill: 850; 329
Beaumont Hills: 593; 357
Castle Hill: 395; 280
Glenhaven: 357; 221
Kellyville Ridge: 362; 70
Total: 4137 (vehicles); 2228 (homes)
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