97-Year-Old Woman’s Loved Items Stolen During Home Repairs: Family Left Heartbroken as Ombudsman Awards Compensation

In October 2023, 97-year-old Mable Ogle fell at her home on the Isle of Wight and had to temporarily stay in a care center. However, during her stay there, a leak was discovered in her home. The insurance company hired a contractor to remove the damaged furniture, but he didn’t just stop at the damaged items.

Photo albums, war medals, love letters, jewelry and even her makeup were also taken. “They literally took everything,” says granddaughter Karen Henshaw Manchester World. “I can’t tell her what happened, her heart will break.” It was Henshaw who discovered the error when she was called by the neighbors who saw a van at the door. There, Henshaw spoke with one of the contractors who told her that it was a miscommunication and that they had been told that the resident had died.

Mable Ogle is now back at home but only lives in the living room. She only has one good eye, cannot walk and receives care at home six times a day. She doesn’t move around the house so she can’t see that everything in all the other rooms is gone. “But she knows something is wrong since she only stays in the living room,” said the granddaughter. Ogle has been awarded £2,500 in compensation from her insurance company Royal Sun Alliance for their mistake which caused undeniable distress to her family members as well as ombudsman deemed it reasonable compensation . However according to Karen Henshaw