Homeowners or business owners pursing a BP claim due to the oilspill are required to submit a hardship letter to the BP offices locally or to thier headquarters for review
The hardship letter details the financial difficulties the homeowner / business owner is facing and why BP should assist them (remeber they offered the assistance- they got YOU into trouble) . A BP officer will be tasked with the responsibility of reading the letter. and assesing how much financial help you ought to recieve.
if you are a homeowner make sure you have the following down on the letter:
a. value of your home before the bp oil spill
b. assessed value of your home after the oil spill
c. damage to your home ( if any)
d. quality of life in your area ( its downgrade)
e. health risks that it poses living in the area
If you are a business owner you should hahve all the above mentioned plus
a. how much your business was worth before the oil spill (pls have attached tax returns etc..)
b. how much is it worth now
c. how many cancellations youve had ( if your a fishing charter , hotel etc..)
d. how much would it cost you to start anew (capitalization, mobilization etc..)
From experience I think it is best if the hardship letter is handwritten instead of being typed. Besides detailing the financial difficulties, it should include basic account information such as the property/ business address . There is no limit on how long a hardship letter can run but it is better if it is two pages or less. The author should sign and date the letter.
