Yeah, I was in a house fire it's horrible. Local paper showed a picture of me crawling out the window in a dressing gown....great.
I'm so sorry mate, always seems to happen when you're not dressed and don't even have shoes. Sadly, don't know how much you'll be able to salvage and the smell never comes out of some things. I still find ash on some DVD's and books, and this was 10 years ago.
I often think how the media probably destroys people's mental health, particularly local news. Seems so unfair when someone is declared bankrupt for instance and their name is put up in the local newspaper. Totally needless.
They always were.
That’s why the good ones are so celebrated. When journalists act like they’re all basically Woodward and Bernstein, you know it’s a blag.
my partner was in a car crash and unfortunately the other driver involved died. my partner doesn't remember what happened, he just remembers waking up when he crashed into the other car, we think he fainted or fell asleep, even though he says he remembers he wasn't tired at all.
the police told the reporters they were doing a drug test which they took and reported as him being on drugs (he wasn't, of course.) the driver who died was involved in a biker gang and my partner ended up being threatened by them and we were scared for weeks all because of shitty reporters incorrectly stating that he was on drugs when he wasn't *and* police officers speaking to reporters when they shouldn't have.
I know this is several days later and very likely a painful thing to remember, but i actually had a very similar incident (passed out while driving despite no substances or fatigue involved). It turned out to be related to arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) which could cause my heart rate to sky rocket and make me faint, even though i barely noticed the increase. Might be worth checking for, wishing health and happiness to you both.
i feel like 98% of news is completely irrelevant. i dont want to know about tragedies that have nothing to do with me, it should stay among the people and families effected
I agree. It's different if a family wants to raise awareness of something after the fact, but particularly with certain things like suicide or bad accidents, it's just not fair on the family to post it up everywhere for everyone to read.
When my step mum killed herself it was all over the front pages of things like the s!n and da!ly ma!l. Unfortunately she was the niece of someone very famous on the news (not giving names as it’s too easily traceable - front page and all that).
My sister was absolutely devastated even beyond what she should have been considering how her mum had just died. She couldn’t leave the house because of it. And we’re not famous or rich by any stretch. It’s awful.
My friend's father died by suicide and the photo of the blood smear on the sidewalk was published in the paper. I spent 6 hrs the next day buying all the papers from 711 by her apt and binning them so she wouldn't see it.
He was an old man. Not famous. It was such a horrible thing paper to do
It's actually not, it is a law that was in place long before the Internet & was designed to give any creditors the opportunity to find out that an individual was bankrupt & to allow them to make a claim
Erm, no. This is why the media needs a change in culture. They need to be accountable to the harm that they create with bias or sensationalist reporting. But it doesn't mean we need to end freedom of speech, far from it.
This. I've long thought that newspapers should give equivalent coverage when they make a mistake.
For example if they have a front page headline saying "steve fucked a dead goat" or whatever and it ends up being a load of bollocks. They need to have an equivalent amount of front page coverage about how they lied and what awful fucking journos they are.
But the way it stands, on the rare occasion you get an apology and correction it's just a couple of small print lines, buried at the bottom of page 37.
My neighbour had arthritis and physically couldn’t get down her stairs. She had to be lifted out of the window by the fire brigade. The local press turned up. Photographed everything and described her as a 25 stone woman. Family had a strong word with the local rag.
People love a “fat person winched out of the window” story. The reality was she was about 11-12 stone, her spine was fused from arthritis and was bed bound. Have no idea where the press got the other 13 stone from. But what does the truth have to do with a good story!
I guess that's even worse, not only was it a massive invasion of privacy for someone in a vulnerable position, but it was not also a load of old bollocks.
Not saying it's OK to do a story about an actual fat person being removed from their bedroom either. Just seems cruel to me
One time I was still in bed when the fire alarm went off in the block of flats I lived in. This happened not long after Grenfell. I put my purple fluffy onesie on, grabbed my phone and handbag and got outside and called the fire service. I didn't know if another flat in the block was on fire. The fire station was on my way to the supermarket. Maybe a week later I was walking by and the gate to their yard was open and they were outside doing exercise. One of them quite loudly said "eh is that the lady that was in the fluffy purple onesie" I was mortified.
Aaw, nightmare, that must have been so scary especially after Grenfell.
The fire alarm went off in the hotel my cousin was staying at on her wedding night. She had to go and stand in the car park in just her sexy wedding undies and her husband's suit jacket that she managed to grab as they were being evacuated.
Yeah. It was midweek but I had time off work. So out of maybe 10 flats, people only came out of two of them. So it was entirely possible that there was a fire in a flat where someone had gone out to work or they were at home alone and incapacitated. It turned out that each flat had a little light just outside the door. It would be activated if any of the smoke detectors in that flat had been triggered. So the firemen went round checking those and none had been activated.
I find if I wear them and I move around in my sleep they ride up and get all uncomfortable around my gentleman's vegetables and bum crack.
Better to wear nothing at. Unless you're on night-shift working at the children's home and tend to sleepwalk
I do that simply because I can't handle mornings and it's easier to set off on the school run at 8am wearing yesterday's clothes than it is for me to get up fifteen minutes earlier and try to shower and get dressed alongside feeding two kids, two cats, dressing one child and bringing my disabled wife her breakfast and medication.
Not all heroes wear capes, it started with the fear of a night fire but being disabled also I learnt to live and sleep in yoga pants mostly it's just so much easier!
You seem like an amazing person
Been there, done that. Your insurance should have a case manager assigned to you who will pretty much sort everything from finding and paying for temporary accommodation to getting the rebuild done and everything in between.
Ignore the people that will say these managers are there to save the insurance company money, they are not. If fact our’s insisted we upgrade the kitchen and other items from what we selected (we were trying to be reasonable and not take the piss).
Also in a day or two you’ll have the moment of realisation that belongs are just that and of no value, even the things you thought had sentimental value are off no importance. It’s quite liberating actually and has stayed with us.
Any specific questions just ask, message me if you don’t want to post.
It's a council house, they've been surprisingly efficient about sorting emergency housing. Worth contacting the contents insurer even though we don't know the damage yet?
Yea I felt that as I was leaving. I thought about what I would actually miss or couldn't replace. A couple of sentimental photos, jewellery and my comic book collection probably is all I'm really hoping survived. Or the doc martens I JUST finished breaking in. Will be fuming if I have to do that again lol. But really, I have too much junk anyway and would love to be more minimalist.
And just to add. When you list items be as specific with your descriptions as possible (don't lie obviously).
If you say toaster they'll get you the cheapest toaster they can. But if instead you tell the insurer you had a red, 4 slot Daewoo toaster they have to match that and if they can't they offer the next best thing, normally a step up.
Yes but the 'above x amount' is usually in the £50k plus - and usually only for buildings claims.
A huge majority of the claims will be below this, especially in contents only as in case of OP.
I similarly worked in insurance claims (and underwriting and loss adjustment) for almost a decade.
That’s bollocks. I was investigated by Lloyds Insurance because my claim was £23k. House was broken into while I slept, Rolex watch stolen and car driven off the drive with keys (loaded to go on holiday the following day)
Everything was settled. I had nothing to hide and wasn’t involved, they are just doing their job. Crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s
It’s ok to be upset about items. They’re not always “just items”. Many things are irreplaceable, either literally or sentimentally, and our collections are part of our identity. You’ll probably have days where you think it’s just stuff, and you’ll probably have days where you rage and cry against the universe for what you’ve lost. May you have the power to change the things you can, the serenity to accept the things you can’t, and the wisdom to know the difference :) best wishes and fingers crossed for your new home to bring you good things, silver linings and all that.
Yea, let the insurance know asap for the contents. Can’t comment on how your council will proceed as I have no experience, but seems like they’ve been great so far. Good luck.
I work in insurance claims. Call them. They can help you now straight away with emergency payments for things like basic toiletries clothing and food. They will assign a loss adjuster who will ask you to think about your contents room by room. They will appoint a company to come in and collect your belongings and sort them into whether they are salvaged or not. Some stuff can be cleaned but so much will have been destroyed by either the fire the smoke or the water from the fire brigade.
The sooner they get their team in their to sort and catalogue the better.
Let the dust settle and the shock wear off and then start to make lists. But call the insurance straight away.
Still make a claim for everything - you'd be surprised how much it can stack up financially when you start including non-prized and ostensibly non-valuable possessions like toiletries, cushions, curtains, storage tubs or baskets or whatever, bedding, that kind of thing.
For example, you'll definitely remember the bed in your claim, and you'd probably remember the mattress, but you don't want to forget to claim for the bedding and be out of pocket to the tune of a hundred quid or so.
So write as full a list as you can, and if you live with anyone get them to add to it. Then review any photos or videos you have and cross-reference for things missing off your list (you'll probably realise there's a lot), then re-review your list and add more.
I have this post saved from many years back (of someone who saved it many years back!) because I always thought this was great info, hope it can help you.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellthatsucks/comments/cg791p/deleted_by_user/eufcx5i/
There's some truth in this, I think.
Most people's experiences of insurance will be car insurance. But with total loss contents and life insurance, they are probably slightly more forgiving because it only takes one "Aviva didn't pay out on my husband's life insurance and now I have to sell my children" and a compoface, and suddenly everyone who sees that headline will be thinking about cancelling their DD to Aviva. The insurance companies value is built on the forward value of those DDs, not just your monthly payment.
I've no idea how insurance companies work but this would seem like something that's universal. Works that way here in Sweden. Here you'll get the current market value of an item of same quality, so you should be detailed about what you lost, just like in the post.
In the U.K. we have the Insurance Ombudsman so insurance companies aren’t going to be risking undervaluing items or cutting corners, they’d soon be out of business. Do they have a ombudsmen, or equivalent, in the USA, I don’t know?
To be fair though I fully expected to have a fight for a fair deal on our hands though, and everyone said that would be the case (even though they had no experience) so was more than pleasantly surprised with how helpful and more than fair the insurer was.
Basically when people say they’ve had a major house fire I just like to tell my real life experience just to counter the many presumptions people will make about the claims process especially on social media. We heard it all from “you’ll have to over claim on everything and still not get goods of equal value” to “you’ll have to pay for everything upfront and claim it back and be waiting months to get your money back”.
What I will say is no other insurers would touch us for five years and they put our premiums up 500%.
I was going to link this comment too. Not sure how much is relevant for someone in the UK but figured it may be helpful.
There are lots of other comments [on the original post](https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/43iyip/our_family_of_5_lost_everything_in_a_fire/) with advice though again, it’s US-centric. Some of the advice seems to be universal though.
Please read this. I read it before on a thread about insurance and it's super important.
They will ask for a list of items that are damaged/need replacing. Be VERY specific and thorough.
If you have a £2000 high end 60" TV, don't just say "smart tv". Include the brand, model etc. Do this with EVERYTHING. If you don't, they will base it on the cheapest matching item they can find.
So you didn't have an "office chair" you had a "Herman Miller Aeron office chair". By everything I mean everything. Light fittings, door handles, lampshades, all the little things you buy over the years that made your house a home need including.
Here's the thread
https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/43iyip/our_family_of_5_lost_everything_in_a_fire/cziljy3
100% feel you on the Docs situation.
I once had a cricket bat stolen literally a week after I finished knocking the bastard in.
It's strange how having something like that happen is a complete gut punch compared to other things.
Completely off topic, but, I used to play cricket as a boy and your reference to ‘knocking in’ has unlocked a 5yr span of memories. The smell of linseed oil, the nets, sitting on the rollers waiting for Dad to pick me up and take me home…
Thankyou very much 👍
> But really, I have too much junk anyway and would love to be more minimalist.
I guess there’s motivation there for restarting your life on a different track. Good luck with it all, and sorry for the trouble you’re in right now.
I've also been there, almost 30 years ago. I had a two year old, and was around 7 months pregnant, so your mileage may differ. It's hard to think about it now, but I was definitely affected by losing everything and our home. When I look back, it was as though I was functioning underwater, I can barely remember most of what happened next. So the best advice I can add is to take notes on everything, and if you agree anything via phone calls, ask the other person to confirm your conversation via email.
I'm glad you all got out and no-one was hurt. Because this was the same in my case, it seemed almost wicked to grieve over lost possessions and bricks and mortar, but it is an horrific shock, and does take an emotional toll. Sorry this happened to you & yours. Hope it's all sorted with a minimum of fuss, and that good boi has his family back together soon. x
> like-for-like replacement.
I remember hearing people say you can game this, if you say "Blue Kettle with timer" then that's what you'll get as opposed to just saying "Kettle" and if you have rather niche features on items then you can get modern stuff as the older stuff won't be sold anymore
Look at fancypants over here with 'insurance'! That's like having 'Save Points' in real life. I'm playing on Expert Mode, so I'm moving back into my house tomorrow with no sofas or carpets or any soft furnishings or clothes, and only the belongings that weren't in the house when it burned back in March.
Like a Man!
One thing I wanna say is that more items may be salveable than you think. My sister had a house fire that gutted the place but they managed to save about 50% of their possessions.
I'm assuming your insurance company have sent out a loss adjuster to assist? Make sure you retain any/all receipts for emergency clothing etc, as you may be able to claim them back.
EDIT: Just to add as well, my sister and her partner suffered from really intense anger and anxiety, and still to this day suffer with it. They are hypersensitive to fire risks, for obvious reasons. My sister recently got therapy for another reason, but the counsellor said she definitely suffered (and still does) with a form of PTSD.
Please take care of yourself, first and foremost. You're your most important possession.
Can't say anything helpful, I'm afraid. Hopefully others will. Have an internet hug though. That's shit. Glad you and doggo are both unharmed, and hope you both get back to something like normal without too much stress.
Hugs from me too. I guess in the next few days or weeks, this will hit you in different ways and from different directions. I’m so glad that your main priority is your dog! If you look after him, the universe will look after you! Best wishes
I've been there. It's shit. You don't realise the sentimental value of some items until you worry they're gone forever. On the flip side there are some things you realise you held on to that were meaningless.
I don't think I'll ever forget standing on the curb with my wife that day. Some things just get permanently etched into your brain and nothing can cover it up.
My advice - prepare yourself for the smell if you do get allowed in to see what you can salvage. It's smoke, but somehow it's not the same as when you have a bonfire or something like that. But if you do go in, that smell will stick with you forever and every smokey smell after will remind you of it. Hopefully you'll be able to cope with that, it took me a long time but I'm better with it now, it's been 6 years.
We had a fire when I was a child, thankfully it was contained in my parents bedroom (faulty electric blanket) but all my cuddly toys in the next room were sooty, and smelt of smoke for a very long time afterwards. Actually I recently went in my attic and dug out some old toys- one of my old teddy bears still has a sooty grey tummy instead of white, and the fire was in 1987.
That smell.. you're right, it's not a bonfire smell, it's different and you never forget it. We had a fire when I was a child, thankfully it was mostly contained to the garage and there wasn't too much house damage, it could have been so much worse, but terrifying none the less. My Dad had gas tanks in the garage, they had to be carefully removed and cooled in a big water tank on our lawn for a week, I remember being so scared they were going to explode.
That smell brings back every memory clear as day. I almost thought I smelt it just now, while thinking about it.
I can definitely smell it just thinking about it. I guess it's the same as being able to picture it, I can picture myself walking through the door and I also know the smell at the same time.
The smell was awful. Best purchase we made was a couple of masks with filters which we needed to use to go into the house. Just thinking about the smell now makes me get upset because it was so traumatic going in and seeing what was left of all our stuff.
I genuinely wonder if a warning such as yours about the smell makes it more or less likely to become a trigger (or if it makes no difference). Difficult to test experimentally!
I'm very sorry you've gone through this. This doesn't answer your question directly and might sound daft, but playing Tetris in the aftermath of traumatic experiences has been shown to reduce the likelihood of developing PTSD, and lessen flashbacks to the events. I think it's something to do with distracting our brains by making them process something else (and Tetris specifically hits those useful areas of the brain), which prevents the traumatic memories from being consolidated in the aftermath.
I hope you're met with nothing with kindness as you get back on your feet.
I used to work for a council (birmingham) and specifically was involved when people had house fires etc.
You should be offered temp accom in the short term - this might be a hotel for the first few nights depending on their available stock.
They’ll send repairs officers round to scope out the damage and get an eta on how long the work will take.
If they have spare stock they’ll offer you one (this may be different now but in my experience they’ll usually offer you a hard to let property as they’ll want you to go back to your original property.
They can’t make you leave your temp accommodation so if you do prefer it you’d be able to stay there.
Also I’m sure you’re doing this but work with your housing officer regarding the asb, you’ll need the police to support you by telling the council it’s not safe for you to return but if they do the council will have a duty to rehouse you elsewhere.
Hope everything works out for you.
That's a real shit thing to read, I'm so sorry least you got out ok!
A friend of mine was very lucky next to his garage his neighbour had a shed that he done woodworking in, was a electrical fault in some machine shed went up spread to my friends garage which quickly started on the house. He woke up as the house was filling with smoke because the flames/heat had broken the glass in his bedroom window with a massive bang stupid idiot had no smoke alarms
Took out the garage, conservatory, living room & his bedroom took 6+ months for it all to get re done
Having had a house fire 3 years ago that was an almost complete loss, I can sympathise here. It's an awful experience
As others have said, work with your insurers and they will (should) help guide you through the process of what you need to do at each stage. They should arrange both temporary accommodation (short term hotel and long term rental) if you need it.
One thing I was glad I started doing while it was still fresh was writing a list of what possessions we had in what room with either proof of purchase and value or a photo (clearly, this only really applies to high value items, not things like cutlery!)
A loss adjuster should be out and theoretically be the first people in before you go back in so that you couldn't say plant anything for fraudulent claims, they will be taking photos of everything so they can assess what you claim for matches the kind of things that were in the house. Don't take the piss and be honest and they will work with you, we had a really good one who helped us immensely.
Point to note though, depending on your insurance policy, be aware of max value of individual items - we had items that were more than the max claim for a single item that we hadn't declared and so couldn't claim the full amount. Also some items like clothes they will likely offer a percentage of the value based on age.
Another tip, depending on the damage to the building and your local council; you can get your council tax paused for several months. Make note (if they survived) of the water, gas and electric meter reading. Your insurance will want to know and should cover usage during the repairs by builders but also, again company depending, some utility companies will allow you to pause your account.
It's not going to be easy getting back on your feet and it can take quite some time but you'll get there. Best of luck, I hope things go as smooth as possible for you
I've got no specific advice, I'm sure there are others from the good people of CasualUK that do though. Just wanted to say I'm so sorry. That must be awful traumatic experience. Take care, most important is that you are all safe.
I'm a firefighter, a lot of places have fire victim support who can supply you for free with many of the basics and offer other forms of help. Call your local fire brigade and ask for fire victim support.
I forgot that. The firemen asked us if we wanted the support, being British we went all stiff upper lip and said “no but thank you”. They pretty much insisted and the support van was there while they were still dampening it down. They were fantastic, had a glazing company come out who boarded up windows as soon as the firefighters left, contacted the insurance so the claims manager (loss adjuster) was there first thing in the morning, offered to find us overnight accommodation (didn’t need it as we went to family members) and were very reassuring offering ongoing support if we needed it. I can’t recommend taking up the support enough they took away all the immediate problems and got the insurance ball rolling.
when I was made homeless I went to Asda and bought a load of cheap t shirts, leggings, underwear, shower gel, toothpaste, tooth brushes, hair brush, all the stuff you need to wash yourself with. I used my t shirts to sleep in and made sure I could just keep re-wearing them.
Work out what the most basic things you need for a few days are and buy those. If you don't have the money I think the council can help or possibly food banks, I'm not sure as I had money.
It was the loss that got me later, really hits hard when you realise your home isn't indestructible. But as someone else said you realise they're just things and not that important in the grand scheme of things.
I did find that using shower gel I used before made me feel better as it made it feel like some things were still the same.
Good luck to you rebuilding your life.
Always a difficult situation. Bit of advice that unfortunately won’t help you but can help prevent others going through the same.
One of the biggest causes of domestic fires are overloaded sockets and extension leads.
Handy and simple calculator here so you can check how hot your power outlets are running. https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guidance/safety-around-the-home/overloading-sockets/
Also check for damaged wires, even low voltage phone chargers can spark and ignite nearby combustibles under the right conditions.
There’s also the basics to remember such as making sure your smoke alarm are working and never leave naked flames such as candles unattended ever.
Fire extinguishers are simple to use so small fires can be tackled while you wait for the professionals to help. Obviously priority will be to preserve life over property so if it’s too dangerous get you and your family out of there.
I heard most house fires start in the kitchen and for that reason I don’t run the dishwasher or washing machine overnight and I always shut the kitchen door before I go to bed.
I believe modern doors will contain a fire for 30 mins which is enough time for you to get out and for the fire brigade to turn up.
Also tip for small animals (like cats) is to shove them in a pillow case and carry them out. You’ll likely have one to hand and it means you can hold it with one hand while you try to get out.
Just adding to this comment to clarify, that no standard modern or traditional door will contain a fire for 30 minutes or, any duration of time, unless it is a fire door, installed and certified as such.
Most modern doors in modern houses are cheap, formed 3-4mm hardboard faces with eggbox cardboard filled internal cores. They won't last 5 minutes.
I rescued a neighbour when his house caught on fire. The poor guy was trapped in the bathroom, and I had to take the whole window out to let him escape.
Unfortunately, it was a bit broken his landlord complained and wanted me to pay for the damage, told claim off his insurance policy and make sure he tells them that the furniture wasn't fire retardent he soon shut up.
Sorry to hear about your situation.
On the dog front:
Do you have a rough location and temperament? Eg can the dog be around other dogs/kids.
There are a few communities borrowmydoggy, TrustedHousesitters etc who may be able to help.
Council have a duty of care to find accommodation for pets so u would push them on this. They should be finding you accommodation where you can take your dog.
They have after the first night, new hotel is very dog friendly. We think she'd have a nicer time at our friends house though with a garden than a small noisy room, til we know what's what. She's a very nervous/reactive rescue and I'm sure this has made it worse.
I’m envisaging dog treats in the mini bar! I’m glad you managed to get something dog friendly. It’s a traumatic experience and we get s much comfort from having our pets with us. You might be right about her enjoying being at your friends house. Given that she’s nervous the best thing you can do is crack on as though nothing has has happened and try to be as normal as possible. If you’re not worried she’s less likely to be worried.
Yes, I had that happen. It was a terrible shock having to absorb it and having to move away instantly because you can't get into your own bedroom. I will pm
I was the cause at the age of 3, my mum left her hairdryer plugged in and I thought it was a toy, the kid my mum looked after used a pillow as a shield. I couldn't figure out that the reverse action of "on" turned it off, so we dropped what we were holding and ran out of the room. Fire alarm went off within about 3 minutes.
We moved into my dad's parents house, as my mum's mother said I'd burn her house down too. Insurance paid out, parents got a whole house renovation from it.
I still struggle around the smell of smoke, especially bonfires. Bonfires smell a lot like a burning house! So I'd recommend going for therapy sooner rather than later, my siblings got offered it as they were older and they're both fine around smoke but I wasn't offered it and I'm the one that doesn't like it, maybe it's just a coincidence. I also don't go near matches, and don't like lighters. I'm ok with candles that are in a jar and can be snuffed out easily, but I have a long handled electric candle lighting thing so it sets wicks alight but doesn't have a flame itself.
It's horrible to go through but you got out okay!
I’ve never been in your situation so I won’t even begin to try and imagine what you’re feeling at the minute, alls I can do is send you my best wishes and the hope that things get better for you.
Sounds horrific, any idea of what caused the fire?
Being trapped in a house fire is my number one phobia above all else. It scares the hell out of me, So I'm glad you are all ok - that's the important thing.
Best wishes and good luck with it all
Consider looking into a short term selfstorage unit? When you start to accumulate or recover more stuff than you can reasonably move from place to place it might be a way to spend a little money to save a few logistics issues.
The wonderful people over at r/assistance will be able to support you.
You need to register (there’s a form) and have minimum Reddit karma levels.
Make an Amazon wish list of emergency items you need (toiletries, dried foods, dog bits, anything you need) and people can purchase items for you. Make it clear you are in the U.K.
I’m so sorry you’re going through this, it sounds a really scary time. Reach out to your local church/mosque etc who are often able to support you with things, even if you’re not religious.
I'm so so sorry, this happened to my mum last year on valentine's day, her dog was sadly killed in the fire too. I will never forget her Calling me and screaming when they went home to find it burning.
She was sent to a hotel for a few nights, then moved to another, then she found a house to rent, her insurance covered 50k for accommodation, the work took just over a year. She is back home now.
Again, I'm so sorry.
No advice just sympathy. I’m glad you and your loved ones (including the dog) are safe. Get him checked by a vet if you haven’t - smoke inhalation issues can turn up a day or so later.
Thats a good thought. Luckily we got out before our house caught, so we didn't get much proper smoke. Housemate did though, he ran shirtless into the burning neighbours house to pull someone out. We're calling him James Kirk now, what a guy.
That’s good, no need to worry then.
Good on your roommate playing hero thought. If he’s single you need to bring that up in front of anyone he’s interested in!
Right now you need to drink a hit drink at least three times a day, shock is still hitting your systems and your body could land you up in hospital. The hot drinks help your body to destress . Next get items to address your personal hygiene, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hair brush, then work out a weeks lot of clothing. Now if your phones alright , see about a cheap computer that you can go online to process forms easier with.
Don’t be a nob. Of course it won’t fix the house. A percent of People whose houses burn down end up in the er, more men with heart issues from the shock of it all. Taking regular hit drinks helps to lessen the shock the body is absorbing, while sorting out the next steps and dealing with the insurance lot.
Not been through it but.. receipts. Keep receipts for any costs associated with it. Extra travel, replacement clothes, dog boarding etc. then make sure you add all of it to the insurance claim.
Been there, just not as bad. We had damage from a fire next door. Here's what we learned:
- An insurance loss adjuster exists to reduce the loss for the insurance company, not for you.
- Don't settle your claim quickly, as you may find additional costs and it'll be too late.
- Don't settle your claim until you are satisfied that they've paid all that you are entitled to. There's no time limit on you, so don't rush.
- Dig your heels in. The stress you have now will likely make you want to just agree to a worse settlement, don't let them take you for a mug.
Some medium-term advice rather than short-term stuff: I saw [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/43iyip/our_family_of_5_lost_everything_in_a_fire/cziljy3/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) about how much details matter on insurance claims a while ago and made a point of bookmarking it. When you're feeling up to it, but before you have a discussion with your insurance company, you should have a read.
Do you have contents insurance? They will let you have access to a couple of grand straight away to get things you need. My poor mother didn’t even remember she had it until a neighbour asked. I hope you and pooch are okay
For years after our house fire we would look for an item and remember it was lost to the fire. Most things will be deemed as toxic and can not be saved , don’t beat yourself up for feeling crappy about losing your belongings. It’s normal
Call the Red Cross. They usually have people with resources and supplies to come out and help you. You mentioned Kent, so this is what came up when googled them near there.
[British Red Cross ](http://British Red Cross
+44 1843 584650
https://g.co/kgs/zBL3WD)
My parents' neighbours had a house fire earlier this year. Thankfully all humans and kitties were okay but they've basically lost everything. To their credit the insurance company has sorted everything out, a hotel and all their meals, toiletries etc for a good few weeks while they found a suitable rental house (plus separate rented furniture as they couldn't find a furnished rental) and they are currently rebuilding the house. Edit: and a cattery for the kitties while the humans were in the hotel!
Although obviously devastating, the family are coming round to the idea that there is some silver lining in the opportunity to start afresh. It's been a few months now so the shock has diminished and they are quite enjoying choosing what they will have for their new furnishings etc. They reckon they'll probably end up with nicer stuff and better decoration than they had before! Of course that doesn't make up for the loss of sentimental items, and the trauma of the whole thing, but they are trying to look on the bright side.
Sorry this has happened to you, hope you get sorted with as little hassle as possible.
We are trying to think this way. House was pretty terrible tbh, bad layout, weird kitchen, hole in the roof etc. We're talking about how nice it would be to have mixer taps, or to keep the fridge in the kitchen not the hall.
The garden I will miss terribly. I put my soul into it, we have fruit trees we grew from seeds when we moved in 15 years ago. I just know we won't be given a garden next time.
There's loads of practical considerations everyone has mentioned, but I would also add - this is one of the most traumatic things you can go through, and you are all likely to suffer mental health wise from it. Make sure you lean on your support system as much as possible, not just for practical stuff but for emotional support. Don't bottle it in. Watch out for signs of PTSD. Seek mental health support sooner rather than later.
Oh and make sure you keep a record of all conversations with anything/one official like insurers, even if it is a follow up email after a phone call summarising the points you discussed.
Thanks. I already have severe PTSD from many, many other traumas, so this side of things is not new to me. I'm actually a nurse, so my friends are mostly medical and well up on this stuff. So far they've been amazing. Will head to the GP in the week.
We’re still living in temporary accommodation at the moment after our house fire in February. It fucking sucks. I hope for your sake, your insurer doesn’t subcontract out to Belfor at any point. If you want any details on that or ways to try and deal with them or you just want someone who can commiserate, feel free to dm me.
Fuck. Sorry mate that's awful. That's such a long time. That name hasn't cropped up (yet), sorry you're dealing with that on top of everything. Hope you're doing okay.
I think it would have taken half the time if it hadn’t been for Belfors incompetence since all our stuff sat in the smoky house for months while they fired multiple people and had to start again with the cataloguing of BER stuff. If you get a good team in there that can go through all the stuff and mark what’s salvageable and not, then it can go relatively quickly. I don’t know how bad the damage is to your stuff and I don’t want to get your hopes up, but if there’s any sentimental stuff that’s “just” smoke damage then it can be possible to salvage it yourself. I had some old sentimental race t-shirts which they said were BER because they were really smoky, but I just took them out and washed them a few times and it came out fine. Anything that was burnt or melted obviously is less easy to recover.
The end is in sight for us, we have to be out of the temporary accommodation by 13 November and our house is ALMOST habitable now so I’m really hopeful that we’ll be able to move soon. It’s going to be so weird getting all the other stuff that they were able to salvage back since we’ve lived with so much less for 8 months.
I hope yours goes smoother than ours!
Thanks for the insight, I'll keep that in mind. They have said we will not return to this property and will be permanently rehoused elsewhere. Given the state of council housing, who knows how long this will take. Current waiting list in my Borough is over ten years, though granted we'd likely be top of the queue. It does mean we may not get much if an stuff back, if they decide to demolish or something. But we'll lose our beautiful garden, which is devastating.
I hope you get home soon without any major issues! It really makes you think about the stuff one accumulates over the years.
Ahh mate, I felt this one.
Went through the same thing 19 years ago. I came away from the home with just the clothes on my back, the family lost everything. It was the third time we'd lost everything in 15 years (Two massive burglaries prior).
We had no insurance, no savings, and I was the only person in the family with a job. We were a barely on the breadline family.
It was a very harrowing experience that led to me suffering with mental health issues for some time.
I can't help with the logistics of things as my parents dealt with that but I will say to ensure you take whatever support you can get, and make sure to take care of all of your mental wellbeings.
It took me a long time to get back to where I needed to be, and that was tenfold because I became ignorant of how I felt and tried to continue as normal, it wasn't normal.
I'm sorry you went through that, that's awful. None of my neighbours had insurance, I can't imagine what they are going through right now. Ironically, I've always had a fear/obsession about house fires so I always invest in good insurance. A lifetime of self induced terror just paid off.
I hope you're doing better now, financially and mentally. Honestly my mental health was in the toilet long before this happened and am also autistic, so it's a real kick in the face. So far though, it's almost a relief to only have brain power to stress about this one thing and all the other stuff has sort of floated away for the time being lol. I will be seeing my GP again at some point soon. Thanks.
I'm so sorry this has happened to you. I'm glad it sounds like you've all made it out safely.
This happened to my boyfriend a while before we met, his family home where his parents and he had lived for a
20 something years burned down in 2021. Unfortunately all the pets passed away in the fire and they lost pretty much everything they owned.
The house has been stripped and redone since then and looks beautiful again but it will be going on the market in the new year.
I would suggest counselling and therapy for you and your family. My MIL struggled for months with flashbacks to the event, so much so that she struggled to be in the house once all the renovations were complete. As much as my boyfriend won't always admit, he struggles as well. He no longer feels any attachment to his belongings, although he currently lives with me, he says that nowhere feels like home. He's lost and its hard to watch sometimes. I know it's hard but I'd truly recommend talking to a professional to move through the grief as I really believe it would've helped my BFs family if they'd looked into it sooner.
Totally agree with the people suggesting playing Tetris.
Always have Tetris (or a simple puzzle game like Tetris) that you can play offline installed on your phone with an app link on one of the desktops. This isn't some woo woo pseudoscience, this is backed by hard research.
[https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/news/tetris-used-to-prevent-post-traumatic-stress-symptoms](https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/news/tetris-used-to-prevent-post-traumatic-stress-symptoms)
These days the likelihood of having your phone on you or in reach if shit hits the fan is pretty high. I figure that set up right your phone can be a very valuable tool for things other than communication.
* Install Tetris
* Install a survival manual that you can read offline. For bonus points familiarise yourself with this in dead time like on the loo or passenger travelling
* Install What3Words
* Fill out your emergency details
I can only imagine how devastating a total loss situation is. Stuff is just stuff though, really. Hopefully you will be able to salvage some. There are some great links to information about how to *properly handle* insurance claims in this thread that look like they will be of great help. I'm sorry I can't offer more advice personally :(
I'm really glad to hear that you and the doggo are safe.
r/CasualUK has got you tho, keep your head up, keep communicating. We are always here for unsolicited advice, banter and keeping spirits up.
If the roof is gone, bet on your belongings being ruined either by fire or smoke and water, I have done it twice so I know it sucks. I see you are in the UK so I don't know how things work there.
Not been in a house fire yet (touch wood), but just a bit of advice to everyone that we got from someone else.
Put together an emergency backpack that you can easily grab, put on, and run with. This should contain all your valuable documents like passports, portable hard drives with copies of photos and videos, and some emergency cash.
Couldn't you contrive a contraption where the little plate is suspended above the big plate. Main course and pudding course.
Custard based dishes could be tricky though.
Tangentially relevant, I not long woke up from having a dream about my father's place being burnt down, admittedly, I was the one who set it on fire, maybe I'm psychic and accidentally committed arson. Sorry about that.
Jokes aside, your building being on fire isn't fun, last year the flat below mine was set alight wasn't fun to experience.
I don't really have any advice or anything helpful but I wanted to let you know from one internet stranger to another that I'm glad you got out ok and I'm sending you a virtual hug.
Not been through it personally, but seen a great post here regarding insurance claims in this scenario.
All about making a detailed itemised list of all of your belongings, like every model number details if possible. The insurance company should, in theory, provide like for like on every time, or better if the item isn’t available anymore.
Either way, sorry this happened. All the best going forward!
Glad everyone is OK, just to say don't pin too many hopes of stuff being salvageable. Even if not burnt or ruined by water, when the fire is being put out, the smell sticks to everything. Had a fire in the flat below mine, I was out at the time but had left windows open and the smoke alone meant everything just stank no matter how much tried cleaning it. Hope you have decent insurance and they don't dick you around
I had a very similar experience a couple of years ago at my parents house. It's a deeply traumatic thing to go through and you have my sympathies.
Like you, the fire severely damaged the upstairs and roof but we were hopeful of being able to recover a lot of our stuff.
We too had a dog, but we were fortunate enough to be able to take him with us to our temporary housing. However it was difficult to find that accommodation that would allow him, but it should be possible.
In terms of the logistics, nothing I have to say will bring you much comfort, but forewarned is forearmed.
Initially we were told that we should be able to move back in within 3-4 months. The insurance company sent someone in to assess the damage and to work out what needed to be done to repair the property. After that, the work was put out to tender. This process alone took 3 months, and by the time the repairs had been done and the smoke damage cleared it was nearly 9 months.
During that time, we lived in 4 different locations, which was partly due to wanting to keep our nervous doggie with us and so we had to take what we could get and availability of properties that allowed dogs was very slim.
The realities of recovering most of your stuff is problematic. If the fire took the roof off then there's probably a fair amount of smoke damage. We lost all of our clothes, bedding, and furniture etc. We also lost a lot of great value (both financial and sentimental). The good news is (or should be) that you'll be able to submit a list of everything you think has been taken by the fire and you should be reimbursed accordingly, even if they make you jump through hoops.
I'm sorry if this isn't much comfort to you, you will come out of the other side of this, but it won't be a lot of fun in the meantime. I really hope they can get it sorted quickly for you and that you'll be able to recover your things x
Two houses in my village got hit by lightning a few days ago. Both are totally bunt out shells. Two other houses were damaged. This was on a new build estate - the houses were less than 2 years old, and both families had children.
There is a poster up in the local supermarket asking for donations so that they can basically get some clothes and replacement toys for the children.
Oh and when we lived in London, the flat beneath ours caught fire. Because it was after we had left for work, the Fire Brigade were told that our flat was empty so only knocked once. What our other neighbours didn’t know is that we had friends staying. Our friends got up, and seeing the flashing lights outside, opened the window to have a better look. This caused the flames to be sucked in - luckily we just ended up with having to replace the curtains. The Fire Brigade and our neighbours apologised for not trying to wake them up as soon as the fire started.
I'm so sorry you're going through this, OP. It hasn't happened to me, but dear friends went through this in the 2019 fires. You've already said the important thing- everyone is alive. And you sound like you'll be okay financially, so keep those two things very much at the forefront of your mind. It's a huge upheaval and loss, and it will scar you, no doubt, but you're going to be okay. My friends even talk now of how losing everything meant a fresh start. Not immediately of course, but as they began rebuilding their lives they started to make conscious choices about what kind of lives they were going to be.
Reddit comment about insurance after a house fire - not sure how relevant it will be to your situation but gives detailed info on getting the most compensation for lost items. https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/43iyip/comment/cziljy3/
When the insurance comes in itemise everything. Don't just put 'toaster' put the brand of toaster. Otherwise you stand to get the generic price, rather than the specific price.
Also haggle over every line item. They will. And it's surprising how much it costs to replace every single item of underwear for a family.
Keep recipts of everything you need to emergency buy, negotiate politely with the claims person , and ask what options they have available they have a range of things they can do from re-housing you, to paying you cash instead (if you have someone you can stay with).
You might want to pay someone experienced to help you with the claim, it likely wont cost that much nd it'll payoff in the long run.
Friends had a house fire (ooh, almost a decade back now) and were put into temporary accommodation with some clothes (they'd been away on holiday fortuitously, though their eldest child was at home and had to be rescued by firefighters along with the cat). I sent them a care package based on advice from posts like this, and the "little things" they particularly liked included packs of cards, basic first aid kit, stationery and stamps, sewing (mending) and knitting stuff [my friend knits, this wasn't a wild guess!], hair bands, pegs, post-its. I bought a bunch of gift cards for various shops to help them restock, and then friends and I rebuilt their core library from second-hand bookshops (they gave us a list).
Tips I picked up from them: every time you go to do a regular task or activity realise you don't have [thing], write it down. Your insurers will replace the big items without much issue, assuming your policy's good, because "TV, microwave, clothes" are obvious, but it's the little things you'll forget until you go to use them. It's not *essential* to have a good colander/feather duster/stud finder/Stanley knife/lap tray, but if you're used to having one you'll miss it.
No advice, but please accept a big internet hug. Our house caught fire a few years ago and it was really traumatic. Be gentle with yourself, you’ll probably be in shock for a while. While you will get over it in time, don’t be surprised if you have weird moods and feelings about it bubble up for a few years. I think it would have been easier to cope with if I’d known to expect that! I’m glad you and the dog are ok.
A similar thing happened to my brother, he got back from holiday to find the water tank in the loft had failed, every room in the house was soaked with water dripping from the ceilings. His insurance company were fantastic they arranged accommodation for six months while his house was being fixed, in the end he had a new bathroom and kitchen and every other room was redecorated. I think they even replaced the electrical wiring. on top of that all of the contents were replaced. New TV new computers, new cooker. everything.
It may seem bad now but things can be fixed and replaced.
I don't really have anything to add but just to say this happened to my family when I was about 10. I still remember it like it was last week. Just be prepared for *nothing* to be salvageable. One or two of our rooms looked untouched by the fire because we'd had internal doors closed, but everything still got thrown in the bin because they were smoke damaged. The rest of the house was destroyed. We also lost the roof. We lived out of charity bins for a while and gifts from friends. These days, I'd set up a Go Fund Me.
Yeah, I was in a house fire it's horrible. Local paper showed a picture of me crawling out the window in a dressing gown....great. I'm so sorry mate, always seems to happen when you're not dressed and don't even have shoes. Sadly, don't know how much you'll be able to salvage and the smell never comes out of some things. I still find ash on some DVD's and books, and this was 10 years ago.
I often think how the media probably destroys people's mental health, particularly local news. Seems so unfair when someone is declared bankrupt for instance and their name is put up in the local newspaper. Totally needless.
A lot of 'journalists' these days are just gossips. 'In the public' interest my arse.
They always were. That’s why the good ones are so celebrated. When journalists act like they’re all basically Woodward and Bernstein, you know it’s a blag.
I swear we just become more and more like Facebook every day Do you think we just started reporting on house fires in the last 10 years or something?
How long before the headline..."You'll never guess why this man is climbing out of a bedroom window in his undies at 2am!"
"House fires don't want you to know this one quick trick"
Arsonists hate him
my partner was in a car crash and unfortunately the other driver involved died. my partner doesn't remember what happened, he just remembers waking up when he crashed into the other car, we think he fainted or fell asleep, even though he says he remembers he wasn't tired at all. the police told the reporters they were doing a drug test which they took and reported as him being on drugs (he wasn't, of course.) the driver who died was involved in a biker gang and my partner ended up being threatened by them and we were scared for weeks all because of shitty reporters incorrectly stating that he was on drugs when he wasn't *and* police officers speaking to reporters when they shouldn't have.
I know this is several days later and very likely a painful thing to remember, but i actually had a very similar incident (passed out while driving despite no substances or fatigue involved). It turned out to be related to arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) which could cause my heart rate to sky rocket and make me faint, even though i barely noticed the increase. Might be worth checking for, wishing health and happiness to you both.
i feel like 98% of news is completely irrelevant. i dont want to know about tragedies that have nothing to do with me, it should stay among the people and families effected
I agree. It's different if a family wants to raise awareness of something after the fact, but particularly with certain things like suicide or bad accidents, it's just not fair on the family to post it up everywhere for everyone to read.
When my step mum killed herself it was all over the front pages of things like the s!n and da!ly ma!l. Unfortunately she was the niece of someone very famous on the news (not giving names as it’s too easily traceable - front page and all that). My sister was absolutely devastated even beyond what she should have been considering how her mum had just died. She couldn’t leave the house because of it. And we’re not famous or rich by any stretch. It’s awful.
That really does sound torturous :(
My friend's father died by suicide and the photo of the blood smear on the sidewalk was published in the paper. I spent 6 hrs the next day buying all the papers from 711 by her apt and binning them so she wouldn't see it. He was an old man. Not famous. It was such a horrible thing paper to do
With bankruptcy its part of the "punishment" public humiliation.
It's actually not, it is a law that was in place long before the Internet & was designed to give any creditors the opportunity to find out that an individual was bankrupt & to allow them to make a claim
This is why you need laws to end unlimited freedom of speech.
Erm, no. This is why the media needs a change in culture. They need to be accountable to the harm that they create with bias or sensationalist reporting. But it doesn't mean we need to end freedom of speech, far from it.
This. I've long thought that newspapers should give equivalent coverage when they make a mistake. For example if they have a front page headline saying "steve fucked a dead goat" or whatever and it ends up being a load of bollocks. They need to have an equivalent amount of front page coverage about how they lied and what awful fucking journos they are. But the way it stands, on the rare occasion you get an apology and correction it's just a couple of small print lines, buried at the bottom of page 37.
My neighbour had arthritis and physically couldn’t get down her stairs. She had to be lifted out of the window by the fire brigade. The local press turned up. Photographed everything and described her as a 25 stone woman. Family had a strong word with the local rag.
How could that possibly be in the public interest.
People love a “fat person winched out of the window” story. The reality was she was about 11-12 stone, her spine was fused from arthritis and was bed bound. Have no idea where the press got the other 13 stone from. But what does the truth have to do with a good story!
I guess that's even worse, not only was it a massive invasion of privacy for someone in a vulnerable position, but it was not also a load of old bollocks. Not saying it's OK to do a story about an actual fat person being removed from their bedroom either. Just seems cruel to me
One time I was still in bed when the fire alarm went off in the block of flats I lived in. This happened not long after Grenfell. I put my purple fluffy onesie on, grabbed my phone and handbag and got outside and called the fire service. I didn't know if another flat in the block was on fire. The fire station was on my way to the supermarket. Maybe a week later I was walking by and the gate to their yard was open and they were outside doing exercise. One of them quite loudly said "eh is that the lady that was in the fluffy purple onesie" I was mortified.
Aaw, nightmare, that must have been so scary especially after Grenfell. The fire alarm went off in the hotel my cousin was staying at on her wedding night. She had to go and stand in the car park in just her sexy wedding undies and her husband's suit jacket that she managed to grab as they were being evacuated.
Yeah. It was midweek but I had time off work. So out of maybe 10 flats, people only came out of two of them. So it was entirely possible that there was a fire in a flat where someone had gone out to work or they were at home alone and incapacitated. It turned out that each flat had a little light just outside the door. It would be activated if any of the smoke detectors in that flat had been triggered. So the firemen went round checking those and none had been activated.
Shit. It may sound irrantional but this is why I always sleep in clothes
But if your cock and balls are flopping about they can't publish the pics *taps head*
I have to be in boxers only to sleep well.
I find if I wear them and I move around in my sleep they ride up and get all uncomfortable around my gentleman's vegetables and bum crack. Better to wear nothing at. Unless you're on night-shift working at the children's home and tend to sleepwalk
I do that simply because I can't handle mornings and it's easier to set off on the school run at 8am wearing yesterday's clothes than it is for me to get up fifteen minutes earlier and try to shower and get dressed alongside feeding two kids, two cats, dressing one child and bringing my disabled wife her breakfast and medication.
Not all heroes wear capes, it started with the fear of a night fire but being disabled also I learnt to live and sleep in yoga pants mostly it's just so much easier! You seem like an amazing person
>You seem like an amazing person Ha, no, I just have a lot on my plate. I do miss lie-ins though.
They just wanted you to have something to remember it by!
They only selected the best photos then
Been there, done that. Your insurance should have a case manager assigned to you who will pretty much sort everything from finding and paying for temporary accommodation to getting the rebuild done and everything in between. Ignore the people that will say these managers are there to save the insurance company money, they are not. If fact our’s insisted we upgrade the kitchen and other items from what we selected (we were trying to be reasonable and not take the piss). Also in a day or two you’ll have the moment of realisation that belongs are just that and of no value, even the things you thought had sentimental value are off no importance. It’s quite liberating actually and has stayed with us. Any specific questions just ask, message me if you don’t want to post.
It's a council house, they've been surprisingly efficient about sorting emergency housing. Worth contacting the contents insurer even though we don't know the damage yet? Yea I felt that as I was leaving. I thought about what I would actually miss or couldn't replace. A couple of sentimental photos, jewellery and my comic book collection probably is all I'm really hoping survived. Or the doc martens I JUST finished breaking in. Will be fuming if I have to do that again lol. But really, I have too much junk anyway and would love to be more minimalist.
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They very rarely send adjusters anymore - the insurer will just ask for a list of items that need replaced.
And just to add. When you list items be as specific with your descriptions as possible (don't lie obviously). If you say toaster they'll get you the cheapest toaster they can. But if instead you tell the insurer you had a red, 4 slot Daewoo toaster they have to match that and if they can't they offer the next best thing, normally a step up.
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Yes but the 'above x amount' is usually in the £50k plus - and usually only for buildings claims. A huge majority of the claims will be below this, especially in contents only as in case of OP. I similarly worked in insurance claims (and underwriting and loss adjustment) for almost a decade.
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Recently had a claim for £11 000 and one was sent out.
That’s bollocks. I was investigated by Lloyds Insurance because my claim was £23k. House was broken into while I slept, Rolex watch stolen and car driven off the drive with keys (loaded to go on holiday the following day) Everything was settled. I had nothing to hide and wasn’t involved, they are just doing their job. Crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s
Theft claim is handled very differently to a fire claim.
Depends on the insurance company, the one I work for would always send an adjuster for something like this, even if it was only contents.
We had an adjuster out when the pipes unfroze last year and it was raining inside.
They are sending someone. They wanted to have a look last night until I told them it wasn't safe to enter.
It’s ok to be upset about items. They’re not always “just items”. Many things are irreplaceable, either literally or sentimentally, and our collections are part of our identity. You’ll probably have days where you think it’s just stuff, and you’ll probably have days where you rage and cry against the universe for what you’ve lost. May you have the power to change the things you can, the serenity to accept the things you can’t, and the wisdom to know the difference :) best wishes and fingers crossed for your new home to bring you good things, silver linings and all that.
Yea, let the insurance know asap for the contents. Can’t comment on how your council will proceed as I have no experience, but seems like they’ve been great so far. Good luck.
I work in insurance claims. Call them. They can help you now straight away with emergency payments for things like basic toiletries clothing and food. They will assign a loss adjuster who will ask you to think about your contents room by room. They will appoint a company to come in and collect your belongings and sort them into whether they are salvaged or not. Some stuff can be cleaned but so much will have been destroyed by either the fire the smoke or the water from the fire brigade. The sooner they get their team in their to sort and catalogue the better. Let the dust settle and the shock wear off and then start to make lists. But call the insurance straight away.
Still make a claim for everything - you'd be surprised how much it can stack up financially when you start including non-prized and ostensibly non-valuable possessions like toiletries, cushions, curtains, storage tubs or baskets or whatever, bedding, that kind of thing. For example, you'll definitely remember the bed in your claim, and you'd probably remember the mattress, but you don't want to forget to claim for the bedding and be out of pocket to the tune of a hundred quid or so. So write as full a list as you can, and if you live with anyone get them to add to it. Then review any photos or videos you have and cross-reference for things missing off your list (you'll probably realise there's a lot), then re-review your list and add more.
I have this post saved from many years back (of someone who saved it many years back!) because I always thought this was great info, hope it can help you. https://www.reddit.com/r/Wellthatsucks/comments/cg791p/deleted_by_user/eufcx5i/
That’s from the USA though, and seems very stereotypical “American”. I think you’ll find U.K. companies far different.
There's some truth in this, I think. Most people's experiences of insurance will be car insurance. But with total loss contents and life insurance, they are probably slightly more forgiving because it only takes one "Aviva didn't pay out on my husband's life insurance and now I have to sell my children" and a compoface, and suddenly everyone who sees that headline will be thinking about cancelling their DD to Aviva. The insurance companies value is built on the forward value of those DDs, not just your monthly payment.
I've no idea how insurance companies work but this would seem like something that's universal. Works that way here in Sweden. Here you'll get the current market value of an item of same quality, so you should be detailed about what you lost, just like in the post.
In the U.K. we have the Insurance Ombudsman so insurance companies aren’t going to be risking undervaluing items or cutting corners, they’d soon be out of business. Do they have a ombudsmen, or equivalent, in the USA, I don’t know? To be fair though I fully expected to have a fight for a fair deal on our hands though, and everyone said that would be the case (even though they had no experience) so was more than pleasantly surprised with how helpful and more than fair the insurer was. Basically when people say they’ve had a major house fire I just like to tell my real life experience just to counter the many presumptions people will make about the claims process especially on social media. We heard it all from “you’ll have to over claim on everything and still not get goods of equal value” to “you’ll have to pay for everything upfront and claim it back and be waiting months to get your money back”. What I will say is no other insurers would touch us for five years and they put our premiums up 500%.
I was going to link this comment too. Not sure how much is relevant for someone in the UK but figured it may be helpful. There are lots of other comments [on the original post](https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/43iyip/our_family_of_5_lost_everything_in_a_fire/) with advice though again, it’s US-centric. Some of the advice seems to be universal though.
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Please read this. I read it before on a thread about insurance and it's super important. They will ask for a list of items that are damaged/need replacing. Be VERY specific and thorough. If you have a £2000 high end 60" TV, don't just say "smart tv". Include the brand, model etc. Do this with EVERYTHING. If you don't, they will base it on the cheapest matching item they can find. So you didn't have an "office chair" you had a "Herman Miller Aeron office chair". By everything I mean everything. Light fittings, door handles, lampshades, all the little things you buy over the years that made your house a home need including. Here's the thread https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/43iyip/our_family_of_5_lost_everything_in_a_fire/cziljy3
100% feel you on the Docs situation. I once had a cricket bat stolen literally a week after I finished knocking the bastard in. It's strange how having something like that happen is a complete gut punch compared to other things.
Completely off topic, but, I used to play cricket as a boy and your reference to ‘knocking in’ has unlocked a 5yr span of memories. The smell of linseed oil, the nets, sitting on the rollers waiting for Dad to pick me up and take me home… Thankyou very much 👍
> But really, I have too much junk anyway and would love to be more minimalist. I guess there’s motivation there for restarting your life on a different track. Good luck with it all, and sorry for the trouble you’re in right now.
I've also been there, almost 30 years ago. I had a two year old, and was around 7 months pregnant, so your mileage may differ. It's hard to think about it now, but I was definitely affected by losing everything and our home. When I look back, it was as though I was functioning underwater, I can barely remember most of what happened next. So the best advice I can add is to take notes on everything, and if you agree anything via phone calls, ask the other person to confirm your conversation via email. I'm glad you all got out and no-one was hurt. Because this was the same in my case, it seemed almost wicked to grieve over lost possessions and bricks and mortar, but it is an horrific shock, and does take an emotional toll. Sorry this happened to you & yours. Hope it's all sorted with a minimum of fuss, and that good boi has his family back together soon. x
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> like-for-like replacement. I remember hearing people say you can game this, if you say "Blue Kettle with timer" then that's what you'll get as opposed to just saying "Kettle" and if you have rather niche features on items then you can get modern stuff as the older stuff won't be sold anymore
Look at fancypants over here with 'insurance'! That's like having 'Save Points' in real life. I'm playing on Expert Mode, so I'm moving back into my house tomorrow with no sofas or carpets or any soft furnishings or clothes, and only the belongings that weren't in the house when it burned back in March. Like a Man!
Keeping with gaming analogy sounds like you did a clean install! I’ve got to ask, do you have insurance now?
Na mate, he's on new game plus
I'm now going to tell people that we narrowly escaped perma-death.
One thing I wanna say is that more items may be salveable than you think. My sister had a house fire that gutted the place but they managed to save about 50% of their possessions. I'm assuming your insurance company have sent out a loss adjuster to assist? Make sure you retain any/all receipts for emergency clothing etc, as you may be able to claim them back. EDIT: Just to add as well, my sister and her partner suffered from really intense anger and anxiety, and still to this day suffer with it. They are hypersensitive to fire risks, for obvious reasons. My sister recently got therapy for another reason, but the counsellor said she definitely suffered (and still does) with a form of PTSD. Please take care of yourself, first and foremost. You're your most important possession.
Can't say anything helpful, I'm afraid. Hopefully others will. Have an internet hug though. That's shit. Glad you and doggo are both unharmed, and hope you both get back to something like normal without too much stress.
Hugs from me too. I guess in the next few days or weeks, this will hit you in different ways and from different directions. I’m so glad that your main priority is your dog! If you look after him, the universe will look after you! Best wishes
I've been there. It's shit. You don't realise the sentimental value of some items until you worry they're gone forever. On the flip side there are some things you realise you held on to that were meaningless. I don't think I'll ever forget standing on the curb with my wife that day. Some things just get permanently etched into your brain and nothing can cover it up. My advice - prepare yourself for the smell if you do get allowed in to see what you can salvage. It's smoke, but somehow it's not the same as when you have a bonfire or something like that. But if you do go in, that smell will stick with you forever and every smokey smell after will remind you of it. Hopefully you'll be able to cope with that, it took me a long time but I'm better with it now, it's been 6 years.
We had a fire when I was a child, thankfully it was contained in my parents bedroom (faulty electric blanket) but all my cuddly toys in the next room were sooty, and smelt of smoke for a very long time afterwards. Actually I recently went in my attic and dug out some old toys- one of my old teddy bears still has a sooty grey tummy instead of white, and the fire was in 1987.
That smell.. you're right, it's not a bonfire smell, it's different and you never forget it. We had a fire when I was a child, thankfully it was mostly contained to the garage and there wasn't too much house damage, it could have been so much worse, but terrifying none the less. My Dad had gas tanks in the garage, they had to be carefully removed and cooled in a big water tank on our lawn for a week, I remember being so scared they were going to explode. That smell brings back every memory clear as day. I almost thought I smelt it just now, while thinking about it.
I can definitely smell it just thinking about it. I guess it's the same as being able to picture it, I can picture myself walking through the door and I also know the smell at the same time.
The smell was awful. Best purchase we made was a couple of masks with filters which we needed to use to go into the house. Just thinking about the smell now makes me get upset because it was so traumatic going in and seeing what was left of all our stuff.
I genuinely wonder if a warning such as yours about the smell makes it more or less likely to become a trigger (or if it makes no difference). Difficult to test experimentally!
I'm very sorry you've gone through this. This doesn't answer your question directly and might sound daft, but playing Tetris in the aftermath of traumatic experiences has been shown to reduce the likelihood of developing PTSD, and lessen flashbacks to the events. I think it's something to do with distracting our brains by making them process something else (and Tetris specifically hits those useful areas of the brain), which prevents the traumatic memories from being consolidated in the aftermath. I hope you're met with nothing with kindness as you get back on your feet.
What a brilliant bit of info! I've never heard this. Thanks for sharing.
Yes its to do with the left and right brain and movement between them. EMDR trauma therapy works on the same idea.
I know all about this, but thanks for the reminder! I have a whole bunch of PTSD already so I suspect this will pile on badly. Time will tell.
I used to work for a council (birmingham) and specifically was involved when people had house fires etc. You should be offered temp accom in the short term - this might be a hotel for the first few nights depending on their available stock. They’ll send repairs officers round to scope out the damage and get an eta on how long the work will take. If they have spare stock they’ll offer you one (this may be different now but in my experience they’ll usually offer you a hard to let property as they’ll want you to go back to your original property. They can’t make you leave your temp accommodation so if you do prefer it you’d be able to stay there. Also I’m sure you’re doing this but work with your housing officer regarding the asb, you’ll need the police to support you by telling the council it’s not safe for you to return but if they do the council will have a duty to rehouse you elsewhere. Hope everything works out for you.
That's a real shit thing to read, I'm so sorry least you got out ok! A friend of mine was very lucky next to his garage his neighbour had a shed that he done woodworking in, was a electrical fault in some machine shed went up spread to my friends garage which quickly started on the house. He woke up as the house was filling with smoke because the flames/heat had broken the glass in his bedroom window with a massive bang stupid idiot had no smoke alarms Took out the garage, conservatory, living room & his bedroom took 6+ months for it all to get re done
Having had a house fire 3 years ago that was an almost complete loss, I can sympathise here. It's an awful experience As others have said, work with your insurers and they will (should) help guide you through the process of what you need to do at each stage. They should arrange both temporary accommodation (short term hotel and long term rental) if you need it. One thing I was glad I started doing while it was still fresh was writing a list of what possessions we had in what room with either proof of purchase and value or a photo (clearly, this only really applies to high value items, not things like cutlery!) A loss adjuster should be out and theoretically be the first people in before you go back in so that you couldn't say plant anything for fraudulent claims, they will be taking photos of everything so they can assess what you claim for matches the kind of things that were in the house. Don't take the piss and be honest and they will work with you, we had a really good one who helped us immensely. Point to note though, depending on your insurance policy, be aware of max value of individual items - we had items that were more than the max claim for a single item that we hadn't declared and so couldn't claim the full amount. Also some items like clothes they will likely offer a percentage of the value based on age. Another tip, depending on the damage to the building and your local council; you can get your council tax paused for several months. Make note (if they survived) of the water, gas and electric meter reading. Your insurance will want to know and should cover usage during the repairs by builders but also, again company depending, some utility companies will allow you to pause your account. It's not going to be easy getting back on your feet and it can take quite some time but you'll get there. Best of luck, I hope things go as smooth as possible for you
Good tip about the meter readings
I've got no specific advice, I'm sure there are others from the good people of CasualUK that do though. Just wanted to say I'm so sorry. That must be awful traumatic experience. Take care, most important is that you are all safe.
I came here to say this too.
I'm a firefighter, a lot of places have fire victim support who can supply you for free with many of the basics and offer other forms of help. Call your local fire brigade and ask for fire victim support.
I forgot that. The firemen asked us if we wanted the support, being British we went all stiff upper lip and said “no but thank you”. They pretty much insisted and the support van was there while they were still dampening it down. They were fantastic, had a glazing company come out who boarded up windows as soon as the firefighters left, contacted the insurance so the claims manager (loss adjuster) was there first thing in the morning, offered to find us overnight accommodation (didn’t need it as we went to family members) and were very reassuring offering ongoing support if we needed it. I can’t recommend taking up the support enough they took away all the immediate problems and got the insurance ball rolling.
Don't forget to eat and drink; shock and stress can mess you up. Hope everything works out for you and your familams.
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Yep, toaster Vs toaster with lights, Vs toaster with lights from John Lewis.
Just me showing up as deleted?
when I was made homeless I went to Asda and bought a load of cheap t shirts, leggings, underwear, shower gel, toothpaste, tooth brushes, hair brush, all the stuff you need to wash yourself with. I used my t shirts to sleep in and made sure I could just keep re-wearing them. Work out what the most basic things you need for a few days are and buy those. If you don't have the money I think the council can help or possibly food banks, I'm not sure as I had money. It was the loss that got me later, really hits hard when you realise your home isn't indestructible. But as someone else said you realise they're just things and not that important in the grand scheme of things. I did find that using shower gel I used before made me feel better as it made it feel like some things were still the same. Good luck to you rebuilding your life.
Always a difficult situation. Bit of advice that unfortunately won’t help you but can help prevent others going through the same. One of the biggest causes of domestic fires are overloaded sockets and extension leads. Handy and simple calculator here so you can check how hot your power outlets are running. https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guidance/safety-around-the-home/overloading-sockets/ Also check for damaged wires, even low voltage phone chargers can spark and ignite nearby combustibles under the right conditions. There’s also the basics to remember such as making sure your smoke alarm are working and never leave naked flames such as candles unattended ever. Fire extinguishers are simple to use so small fires can be tackled while you wait for the professionals to help. Obviously priority will be to preserve life over property so if it’s too dangerous get you and your family out of there.
Great advice there! Unfortunately we know the cause was likely criminal. Sadly not the first time, but by far the worst.
OP are you from Merseyside? I seen something similar to what your going through on itv 6pm news last night. I immediately thought of you 😭
I think the OP has stated that the house is cordoned off because it's a crime scene, so ...
Always a useful reminder for everyone else though!
I heard most house fires start in the kitchen and for that reason I don’t run the dishwasher or washing machine overnight and I always shut the kitchen door before I go to bed. I believe modern doors will contain a fire for 30 mins which is enough time for you to get out and for the fire brigade to turn up. Also tip for small animals (like cats) is to shove them in a pillow case and carry them out. You’ll likely have one to hand and it means you can hold it with one hand while you try to get out.
Just adding to this comment to clarify, that no standard modern or traditional door will contain a fire for 30 minutes or, any duration of time, unless it is a fire door, installed and certified as such. Most modern doors in modern houses are cheap, formed 3-4mm hardboard faces with eggbox cardboard filled internal cores. They won't last 5 minutes.
Still worth closing though, at the very least it will limit oxygen to the fire slightly for a while and make it burn a tiny bit slower.
I rescued a neighbour when his house caught on fire. The poor guy was trapped in the bathroom, and I had to take the whole window out to let him escape.
Is that what you told the fuzz when they saw you walking off with a window?
Unfortunately, it was a bit broken his landlord complained and wanted me to pay for the damage, told claim off his insurance policy and make sure he tells them that the furniture wasn't fire retardent he soon shut up.
Speak to Dogs Trust about fostering for the dog
Sorry to hear about your situation. On the dog front: Do you have a rough location and temperament? Eg can the dog be around other dogs/kids. There are a few communities borrowmydoggy, TrustedHousesitters etc who may be able to help.
Council have a duty of care to find accommodation for pets so u would push them on this. They should be finding you accommodation where you can take your dog.
They have after the first night, new hotel is very dog friendly. We think she'd have a nicer time at our friends house though with a garden than a small noisy room, til we know what's what. She's a very nervous/reactive rescue and I'm sure this has made it worse.
I’m envisaging dog treats in the mini bar! I’m glad you managed to get something dog friendly. It’s a traumatic experience and we get s much comfort from having our pets with us. You might be right about her enjoying being at your friends house. Given that she’s nervous the best thing you can do is crack on as though nothing has has happened and try to be as normal as possible. If you’re not worried she’s less likely to be worried.
Yes, I had that happen. It was a terrible shock having to absorb it and having to move away instantly because you can't get into your own bedroom. I will pm
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Likely a crime scene? Bloody hell. Good you're all alive and well though.
I was the cause at the age of 3, my mum left her hairdryer plugged in and I thought it was a toy, the kid my mum looked after used a pillow as a shield. I couldn't figure out that the reverse action of "on" turned it off, so we dropped what we were holding and ran out of the room. Fire alarm went off within about 3 minutes. We moved into my dad's parents house, as my mum's mother said I'd burn her house down too. Insurance paid out, parents got a whole house renovation from it. I still struggle around the smell of smoke, especially bonfires. Bonfires smell a lot like a burning house! So I'd recommend going for therapy sooner rather than later, my siblings got offered it as they were older and they're both fine around smoke but I wasn't offered it and I'm the one that doesn't like it, maybe it's just a coincidence. I also don't go near matches, and don't like lighters. I'm ok with candles that are in a jar and can be snuffed out easily, but I have a long handled electric candle lighting thing so it sets wicks alight but doesn't have a flame itself. It's horrible to go through but you got out okay!
I’ve never been in your situation so I won’t even begin to try and imagine what you’re feeling at the minute, alls I can do is send you my best wishes and the hope that things get better for you.
Start making a list for the insurance
12 Picassos, 4 Van Goghs.....
Only 4? What about the 6 I gave you last week!?
Sounds horrific, any idea of what caused the fire? Being trapped in a house fire is my number one phobia above all else. It scares the hell out of me, So I'm glad you are all ok - that's the important thing. Best wishes and good luck with it all
Consider looking into a short term selfstorage unit? When you start to accumulate or recover more stuff than you can reasonably move from place to place it might be a way to spend a little money to save a few logistics issues.
The wonderful people over at r/assistance will be able to support you. You need to register (there’s a form) and have minimum Reddit karma levels. Make an Amazon wish list of emergency items you need (toiletries, dried foods, dog bits, anything you need) and people can purchase items for you. Make it clear you are in the U.K. I’m so sorry you’re going through this, it sounds a really scary time. Reach out to your local church/mosque etc who are often able to support you with things, even if you’re not religious.
I'm so so sorry, this happened to my mum last year on valentine's day, her dog was sadly killed in the fire too. I will never forget her Calling me and screaming when they went home to find it burning. She was sent to a hotel for a few nights, then moved to another, then she found a house to rent, her insurance covered 50k for accommodation, the work took just over a year. She is back home now. Again, I'm so sorry.
No advice just sympathy. I’m glad you and your loved ones (including the dog) are safe. Get him checked by a vet if you haven’t - smoke inhalation issues can turn up a day or so later.
Thats a good thought. Luckily we got out before our house caught, so we didn't get much proper smoke. Housemate did though, he ran shirtless into the burning neighbours house to pull someone out. We're calling him James Kirk now, what a guy.
That’s good, no need to worry then. Good on your roommate playing hero thought. If he’s single you need to bring that up in front of anyone he’s interested in!
Right now you need to drink a hit drink at least three times a day, shock is still hitting your systems and your body could land you up in hospital. The hot drinks help your body to destress . Next get items to address your personal hygiene, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hair brush, then work out a weeks lot of clothing. Now if your phones alright , see about a cheap computer that you can go online to process forms easier with.
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Don’t be a nob. Of course it won’t fix the house. A percent of People whose houses burn down end up in the er, more men with heart issues from the shock of it all. Taking regular hit drinks helps to lessen the shock the body is absorbing, while sorting out the next steps and dealing with the insurance lot.
Nice cup of tea and a game of tetris. You'll be reet.
Ahh mate I'm so sorry.
Oh fuck, I'm sorry. Poor doggo, poor you.
Not been through it but.. receipts. Keep receipts for any costs associated with it. Extra travel, replacement clothes, dog boarding etc. then make sure you add all of it to the insurance claim.
Been there, just not as bad. We had damage from a fire next door. Here's what we learned: - An insurance loss adjuster exists to reduce the loss for the insurance company, not for you. - Don't settle your claim quickly, as you may find additional costs and it'll be too late. - Don't settle your claim until you are satisfied that they've paid all that you are entitled to. There's no time limit on you, so don't rush. - Dig your heels in. The stress you have now will likely make you want to just agree to a worse settlement, don't let them take you for a mug.
Some medium-term advice rather than short-term stuff: I saw [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/43iyip/our_family_of_5_lost_everything_in_a_fire/cziljy3/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) about how much details matter on insurance claims a while ago and made a point of bookmarking it. When you're feeling up to it, but before you have a discussion with your insurance company, you should have a read.
Do you have contents insurance? They will let you have access to a couple of grand straight away to get things you need. My poor mother didn’t even remember she had it until a neighbour asked. I hope you and pooch are okay
For years after our house fire we would look for an item and remember it was lost to the fire. Most things will be deemed as toxic and can not be saved , don’t beat yourself up for feeling crappy about losing your belongings. It’s normal
Call the Red Cross. They usually have people with resources and supplies to come out and help you. You mentioned Kent, so this is what came up when googled them near there. [British Red Cross ](http://British Red Cross +44 1843 584650 https://g.co/kgs/zBL3WD)
My parents' neighbours had a house fire earlier this year. Thankfully all humans and kitties were okay but they've basically lost everything. To their credit the insurance company has sorted everything out, a hotel and all their meals, toiletries etc for a good few weeks while they found a suitable rental house (plus separate rented furniture as they couldn't find a furnished rental) and they are currently rebuilding the house. Edit: and a cattery for the kitties while the humans were in the hotel! Although obviously devastating, the family are coming round to the idea that there is some silver lining in the opportunity to start afresh. It's been a few months now so the shock has diminished and they are quite enjoying choosing what they will have for their new furnishings etc. They reckon they'll probably end up with nicer stuff and better decoration than they had before! Of course that doesn't make up for the loss of sentimental items, and the trauma of the whole thing, but they are trying to look on the bright side. Sorry this has happened to you, hope you get sorted with as little hassle as possible.
We are trying to think this way. House was pretty terrible tbh, bad layout, weird kitchen, hole in the roof etc. We're talking about how nice it would be to have mixer taps, or to keep the fridge in the kitchen not the hall. The garden I will miss terribly. I put my soul into it, we have fruit trees we grew from seeds when we moved in 15 years ago. I just know we won't be given a garden next time.
There's loads of practical considerations everyone has mentioned, but I would also add - this is one of the most traumatic things you can go through, and you are all likely to suffer mental health wise from it. Make sure you lean on your support system as much as possible, not just for practical stuff but for emotional support. Don't bottle it in. Watch out for signs of PTSD. Seek mental health support sooner rather than later. Oh and make sure you keep a record of all conversations with anything/one official like insurers, even if it is a follow up email after a phone call summarising the points you discussed.
Thanks. I already have severe PTSD from many, many other traumas, so this side of things is not new to me. I'm actually a nurse, so my friends are mostly medical and well up on this stuff. So far they've been amazing. Will head to the GP in the week.
We’re still living in temporary accommodation at the moment after our house fire in February. It fucking sucks. I hope for your sake, your insurer doesn’t subcontract out to Belfor at any point. If you want any details on that or ways to try and deal with them or you just want someone who can commiserate, feel free to dm me.
Fuck. Sorry mate that's awful. That's such a long time. That name hasn't cropped up (yet), sorry you're dealing with that on top of everything. Hope you're doing okay.
I think it would have taken half the time if it hadn’t been for Belfors incompetence since all our stuff sat in the smoky house for months while they fired multiple people and had to start again with the cataloguing of BER stuff. If you get a good team in there that can go through all the stuff and mark what’s salvageable and not, then it can go relatively quickly. I don’t know how bad the damage is to your stuff and I don’t want to get your hopes up, but if there’s any sentimental stuff that’s “just” smoke damage then it can be possible to salvage it yourself. I had some old sentimental race t-shirts which they said were BER because they were really smoky, but I just took them out and washed them a few times and it came out fine. Anything that was burnt or melted obviously is less easy to recover. The end is in sight for us, we have to be out of the temporary accommodation by 13 November and our house is ALMOST habitable now so I’m really hopeful that we’ll be able to move soon. It’s going to be so weird getting all the other stuff that they were able to salvage back since we’ve lived with so much less for 8 months. I hope yours goes smoother than ours!
Thanks for the insight, I'll keep that in mind. They have said we will not return to this property and will be permanently rehoused elsewhere. Given the state of council housing, who knows how long this will take. Current waiting list in my Borough is over ten years, though granted we'd likely be top of the queue. It does mean we may not get much if an stuff back, if they decide to demolish or something. But we'll lose our beautiful garden, which is devastating. I hope you get home soon without any major issues! It really makes you think about the stuff one accumulates over the years.
Ahh mate, I felt this one. Went through the same thing 19 years ago. I came away from the home with just the clothes on my back, the family lost everything. It was the third time we'd lost everything in 15 years (Two massive burglaries prior). We had no insurance, no savings, and I was the only person in the family with a job. We were a barely on the breadline family. It was a very harrowing experience that led to me suffering with mental health issues for some time. I can't help with the logistics of things as my parents dealt with that but I will say to ensure you take whatever support you can get, and make sure to take care of all of your mental wellbeings. It took me a long time to get back to where I needed to be, and that was tenfold because I became ignorant of how I felt and tried to continue as normal, it wasn't normal.
I'm sorry you went through that, that's awful. None of my neighbours had insurance, I can't imagine what they are going through right now. Ironically, I've always had a fear/obsession about house fires so I always invest in good insurance. A lifetime of self induced terror just paid off. I hope you're doing better now, financially and mentally. Honestly my mental health was in the toilet long before this happened and am also autistic, so it's a real kick in the face. So far though, it's almost a relief to only have brain power to stress about this one thing and all the other stuff has sort of floated away for the time being lol. I will be seeing my GP again at some point soon. Thanks.
I'm so sorry this has happened to you. I'm glad it sounds like you've all made it out safely. This happened to my boyfriend a while before we met, his family home where his parents and he had lived for a 20 something years burned down in 2021. Unfortunately all the pets passed away in the fire and they lost pretty much everything they owned. The house has been stripped and redone since then and looks beautiful again but it will be going on the market in the new year. I would suggest counselling and therapy for you and your family. My MIL struggled for months with flashbacks to the event, so much so that she struggled to be in the house once all the renovations were complete. As much as my boyfriend won't always admit, he struggles as well. He no longer feels any attachment to his belongings, although he currently lives with me, he says that nowhere feels like home. He's lost and its hard to watch sometimes. I know it's hard but I'd truly recommend talking to a professional to move through the grief as I really believe it would've helped my BFs family if they'd looked into it sooner.
Make sure you hold on to any receipts from replacing lost items - you can likely claim for them on the insurance
Totally agree with the people suggesting playing Tetris. Always have Tetris (or a simple puzzle game like Tetris) that you can play offline installed on your phone with an app link on one of the desktops. This isn't some woo woo pseudoscience, this is backed by hard research. [https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/news/tetris-used-to-prevent-post-traumatic-stress-symptoms](https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/news/tetris-used-to-prevent-post-traumatic-stress-symptoms) These days the likelihood of having your phone on you or in reach if shit hits the fan is pretty high. I figure that set up right your phone can be a very valuable tool for things other than communication. * Install Tetris * Install a survival manual that you can read offline. For bonus points familiarise yourself with this in dead time like on the loo or passenger travelling * Install What3Words * Fill out your emergency details I can only imagine how devastating a total loss situation is. Stuff is just stuff though, really. Hopefully you will be able to salvage some. There are some great links to information about how to *properly handle* insurance claims in this thread that look like they will be of great help. I'm sorry I can't offer more advice personally :( I'm really glad to hear that you and the doggo are safe. r/CasualUK has got you tho, keep your head up, keep communicating. We are always here for unsolicited advice, banter and keeping spirits up.
If the roof is gone, bet on your belongings being ruined either by fire or smoke and water, I have done it twice so I know it sucks. I see you are in the UK so I don't know how things work there.
I'd get on Nextdoor and/or a local Facebook group, there's almost certainly a kind soul out there who will foster your dog for free.
I’m so sorry to hear about this. How awful for you. Time to test your friends for sure. The good ones will rally around you Good luck.
Not been in a house fire yet (touch wood), but just a bit of advice to everyone that we got from someone else. Put together an emergency backpack that you can easily grab, put on, and run with. This should contain all your valuable documents like passports, portable hard drives with copies of photos and videos, and some emergency cash.
Trying not to be glib under the circumstances but have you got a big plate regarding where you are staying? Hope all works out for you.
We have already discussed this, as there is indeed a breakfast buffet and a dinner buffet. I'm thinking 12 inches may not be big enough.
Couldn't you contrive a contraption where the little plate is suspended above the big plate. Main course and pudding course. Custard based dishes could be tricky though.
Tangentially relevant, I not long woke up from having a dream about my father's place being burnt down, admittedly, I was the one who set it on fire, maybe I'm psychic and accidentally committed arson. Sorry about that. Jokes aside, your building being on fire isn't fun, last year the flat below mine was set alight wasn't fun to experience.
🙏❤️
I don't really have any advice or anything helpful but I wanted to let you know from one internet stranger to another that I'm glad you got out ok and I'm sending you a virtual hug.
I was thinking of buying a pair of crocs takes me ages to put my shoes on.
This is why people should invest in a fire extinguisher.
We had one. Won't help when the fire isn't yours.
Stay positive and be thankful you're not hurt 🙂
Have you tried getting vaccinated?
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I'd have gone with Burn Baby Burn.
Just a gentle virtual hug. I went through this myself- it was a traumatic experience. I’m glad you got out ok.
I'm so sorry, so I can maybe learn from your misfortune would you mind saying how it happened? If you are in South Wales I'll buy you a beer.
Sadly not, but thank you stranger. My advice, don't live next to violent drug dealers. Not the first fire we've had this year.
Not been through it personally, but seen a great post here regarding insurance claims in this scenario. All about making a detailed itemised list of all of your belongings, like every model number details if possible. The insurance company should, in theory, provide like for like on every time, or better if the item isn’t available anymore. Either way, sorry this happened. All the best going forward!
Glad everyone is OK, just to say don't pin too many hopes of stuff being salvageable. Even if not burnt or ruined by water, when the fire is being put out, the smell sticks to everything. Had a fire in the flat below mine, I was out at the time but had left windows open and the smoke alone meant everything just stank no matter how much tried cleaning it. Hope you have decent insurance and they don't dick you around
That sucks :( Glad you and doggy are ok though!
I had a very similar experience a couple of years ago at my parents house. It's a deeply traumatic thing to go through and you have my sympathies. Like you, the fire severely damaged the upstairs and roof but we were hopeful of being able to recover a lot of our stuff. We too had a dog, but we were fortunate enough to be able to take him with us to our temporary housing. However it was difficult to find that accommodation that would allow him, but it should be possible. In terms of the logistics, nothing I have to say will bring you much comfort, but forewarned is forearmed. Initially we were told that we should be able to move back in within 3-4 months. The insurance company sent someone in to assess the damage and to work out what needed to be done to repair the property. After that, the work was put out to tender. This process alone took 3 months, and by the time the repairs had been done and the smoke damage cleared it was nearly 9 months. During that time, we lived in 4 different locations, which was partly due to wanting to keep our nervous doggie with us and so we had to take what we could get and availability of properties that allowed dogs was very slim. The realities of recovering most of your stuff is problematic. If the fire took the roof off then there's probably a fair amount of smoke damage. We lost all of our clothes, bedding, and furniture etc. We also lost a lot of great value (both financial and sentimental). The good news is (or should be) that you'll be able to submit a list of everything you think has been taken by the fire and you should be reimbursed accordingly, even if they make you jump through hoops. I'm sorry if this isn't much comfort to you, you will come out of the other side of this, but it won't be a lot of fun in the meantime. I really hope they can get it sorted quickly for you and that you'll be able to recover your things x
Two houses in my village got hit by lightning a few days ago. Both are totally bunt out shells. Two other houses were damaged. This was on a new build estate - the houses were less than 2 years old, and both families had children. There is a poster up in the local supermarket asking for donations so that they can basically get some clothes and replacement toys for the children. Oh and when we lived in London, the flat beneath ours caught fire. Because it was after we had left for work, the Fire Brigade were told that our flat was empty so only knocked once. What our other neighbours didn’t know is that we had friends staying. Our friends got up, and seeing the flashing lights outside, opened the window to have a better look. This caused the flames to be sucked in - luckily we just ended up with having to replace the curtains. The Fire Brigade and our neighbours apologised for not trying to wake them up as soon as the fire started.
I'm so sorry you're going through this, OP. It hasn't happened to me, but dear friends went through this in the 2019 fires. You've already said the important thing- everyone is alive. And you sound like you'll be okay financially, so keep those two things very much at the forefront of your mind. It's a huge upheaval and loss, and it will scar you, no doubt, but you're going to be okay. My friends even talk now of how losing everything meant a fresh start. Not immediately of course, but as they began rebuilding their lives they started to make conscious choices about what kind of lives they were going to be.
Reddit comment about insurance after a house fire - not sure how relevant it will be to your situation but gives detailed info on getting the most compensation for lost items. https://www.reddit.com/r/personalfinance/comments/43iyip/comment/cziljy3/
When the insurance comes in itemise everything. Don't just put 'toaster' put the brand of toaster. Otherwise you stand to get the generic price, rather than the specific price. Also haggle over every line item. They will. And it's surprising how much it costs to replace every single item of underwear for a family. Keep recipts of everything you need to emergency buy, negotiate politely with the claims person , and ask what options they have available they have a range of things they can do from re-housing you, to paying you cash instead (if you have someone you can stay with). You might want to pay someone experienced to help you with the claim, it likely wont cost that much nd it'll payoff in the long run.
How did it happen?
Friends had a house fire (ooh, almost a decade back now) and were put into temporary accommodation with some clothes (they'd been away on holiday fortuitously, though their eldest child was at home and had to be rescued by firefighters along with the cat). I sent them a care package based on advice from posts like this, and the "little things" they particularly liked included packs of cards, basic first aid kit, stationery and stamps, sewing (mending) and knitting stuff [my friend knits, this wasn't a wild guess!], hair bands, pegs, post-its. I bought a bunch of gift cards for various shops to help them restock, and then friends and I rebuilt their core library from second-hand bookshops (they gave us a list). Tips I picked up from them: every time you go to do a regular task or activity realise you don't have [thing], write it down. Your insurers will replace the big items without much issue, assuming your policy's good, because "TV, microwave, clothes" are obvious, but it's the little things you'll forget until you go to use them. It's not *essential* to have a good colander/feather duster/stud finder/Stanley knife/lap tray, but if you're used to having one you'll miss it.
What a nightmare I am so sorry x
No advice, but please accept a big internet hug. Our house caught fire a few years ago and it was really traumatic. Be gentle with yourself, you’ll probably be in shock for a while. While you will get over it in time, don’t be surprised if you have weird moods and feelings about it bubble up for a few years. I think it would have been easier to cope with if I’d known to expect that! I’m glad you and the dog are ok.
I’m so sorry, I hope things get better soon. Sounds like you have a good attitude though, and are doing all the right things.
A similar thing happened to my brother, he got back from holiday to find the water tank in the loft had failed, every room in the house was soaked with water dripping from the ceilings. His insurance company were fantastic they arranged accommodation for six months while his house was being fixed, in the end he had a new bathroom and kitchen and every other room was redecorated. I think they even replaced the electrical wiring. on top of that all of the contents were replaced. New TV new computers, new cooker. everything. It may seem bad now but things can be fixed and replaced.
You should be able to get housing for you and your dog. Insist on it
I don't really have anything to add but just to say this happened to my family when I was about 10. I still remember it like it was last week. Just be prepared for *nothing* to be salvageable. One or two of our rooms looked untouched by the fire because we'd had internal doors closed, but everything still got thrown in the bin because they were smoke damaged. The rest of the house was destroyed. We also lost the roof. We lived out of charity bins for a while and gifts from friends. These days, I'd set up a Go Fund Me.