Fire in property...any advice?

tom.gladwin

Hi There,

There was a fire at the apartment I rent, the fire brigade smashed the door down and there is extensive smoke damage to the property, the hob is ruined as is the range hood and part of the work top. The cause of the fire hasn't been confirmed and I haven't yet seen the full fire report. I have no renters insurance. The letting agency has told me I am reponsible for paying all damages, and is sending a door fitter and told me I must pay. I have also been told that buildings/lanlord insurace should cover the costs.

Anyone who can give me advice it's much appreciated!

AdrianC

tom.gladwin wrote: »

It could possibly have been a bag that flicked the induction hob on and set alight, as there was no pans or food near the hob, only a bag on the worktop that was smouldered.

Can you clarify this?

Do you really mean that a hob, on and unattended, set your possessions on the worktop alight?

If so, then it seems like absolutely negligence on your part. So, yes, your landlord is well within their rights to pass the bill on to you.

diego_94

An induction hob does not use heat conduction, therefore does not get hot. And How has a bag managed to turn it on?

theartfullodger

https://forums.landlordzone.co.uk/forum/residential-letting-questions/1090536-fire-in-rental-appartment-advice-please

Davesnave

diego_94 wrote: »

An induction hob does not use heat conduction, therefore does not get hot. And How has a bag managed to turn it on?

I agree that an induction hob could only get hot if the bag was full of something ferrous. Plastic, leather or material would not be heated. Even aluminium doesn't work on an induction hob.

Slithery

tom.gladwin wrote: »

It could possibly have been a bag that flicked the induction hob on and set alight, as there was no pans or food near the hob, only a bag on the worktop that was smouldered.

Unless your bag was made from ferrous metal then an induction hob wouldn't have caused it to catch fire as they don't produce any heat.

Also was this bag sentient? Or do you mean that you accidentally turned the hob on?

lisyloo

Insurance can cover the cost initially but if someone was negligence the6 may seek to recoup the costs.
It’s not clear who is at fault here or whether there is any fault.

G_M

Either


* the hob was in some way faulty, switched on by itself, and managed to heat up a ferrous material which in turn set fire to something
* an electrical wiring fault in the hob started the fire (newly installed?)
* you, or A N Other in the propety left the hob on and unattended.....


Pending the fire report, the balance of probability does seem to point at you though.....


If so, you bear the cost, just as a home-owner who caused a fire in their own property and had no insurance would have to.

theartfullodger

See also, looking for the answer I guess they'd like the best.... rather than all the other answers...



https://www.propertytribes.com/fire-in-propertyany-advice-t-127644358.html

tom.gladwin

I'm unsure, I know that I didn't use the hob that day so couldn't have left it on. Unsure if it was accident flicked on. Waiting to see the fire report.

tom.gladwin

Thanks for your responses, seems like it's a difficult one. I don't know how the fire started, I know for sure that I hadn't used the hob that day merely made a coffee from the kettle and went out for a few hours, only to return finding that my bag which was on the worktop and the hob had completely been destroyed. The more I think about it makes me think it's more likely to have been an electrical issue.