Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for a hand hold. We lost our home.

154 replies

notgreatthanks · 19/06/2022 06:26

We have had a house fire. We weren't there and are all ok. We have lost the majority of our belongings, we were visiting family so had a suitcase of clothes/toiletries . We are staying there until accommodation can be sorted in our home town. It was upstairs so some of down stairs may be salvageable although some has smoke damage but need to wait till it's been assessed . It's just unreal we have gone from having normal everyday lives to losing our home within a few hours. We are lucky to have family support and that we are all ok but all our stuff is gone (memories etc. we don't know if it will all be covered on insurance yet and there's stuff that's irreplaceable. Nothing anyone can do just want to share.

OP posts:
Ponderingwindow · 19/06/2022 16:39

I know the silver lining is that you are all ok, but it has to be a huge shock and feeling of loss.

Ohthatsexciting · 19/06/2022 16:58

Do you have children OP?

Original poster
notgreatthanks · 19/06/2022 17:30

Ohthatsexciting · 19/06/2022 16:58

Do you have children OP?

Yes two one teen one 5 ur old . Teen is o k although upset at what she's lost. 5 ur old doesn't understand fully.

OP posts:
Ohthatsexciting · 19/06/2022 20:10

notgreatthanks · 19/06/2022 17:30

Yes two one teen one 5 ur old . Teen is o k although upset at what she's lost. 5 ur old doesn't understand fully.

Show quote history

I would suggest looking at perhaps the children talking to a professional - this will be a very very traumatic and unsettling time for them

ParadiseCove · 19/06/2022 20:26

I am very sorry to hear about your situation - it must be a min incredibly difficult time. One thing I would recommend is considering appointing a loss assessor to handle the claim on your behalf. From experience, claims of this nature can unfortunately go on for months without any resolution and insurers will not always act in your best interests, which can be very difficult to handle at such an emotional and disruptive time. Sending you all the best.

Nicnak2223 · 19/06/2022 20:32

Op I'm on the south coast and aware of a house fire locally to me last week. If you think this is you please let me know how old your children are and if you need anything once back.

Julia001 · 20/06/2022 17:57

Big hugs from me - that’s so shit , I am so sorry , when you get over the loss and the shock - think of all the lovely new things you can get with the insurance xxxx

Theoldwrinkley · 20/06/2022 18:03

We had a fire December 2006. Just before DS GCSE's and mocks. To be honest looking back 16 years we were devastated st the time but our insurers (Direct Line) could not have been better. Made all the hassle almost 'easy'. Ours was caused by (apparently a known fault) with a portable Bush tv and video player. The loss adjuster had just dealt with a fire in a school library caused by exact same model of tv. What worried me more was I was v seriously ill in 2011 and when I was eventually allowed to day room when in hospital they had same model of tv.

Tessabelle74 · 20/06/2022 18:10

Gutted for you OP. Hope you get things sorted ASAP

NoClueForAName · 20/06/2022 18:53

This happened to my family in October 2019. I’m so so sorry you have to go through this. I really hope your insurance covers it.

it was hideous for us and we were in total shock for a few weeks. But we did get through it and you will be ok. My kids are absolutely fine now fwiw (they were 9/7/4 when it happened).

SlickShady · 20/06/2022 19:31

I'm so sorry for you. Short of losing actual human life or limb, this is probably the worst thing that could happen to someone. I hope you manage to rebuild and recover smoothly.

Jumpjumpjumper · 20/06/2022 19:35

Are you in Essex, op?

Caelan2018 · 20/06/2022 20:22

Sorry to read this happened to you this happened to my family also years ago When I was going to primary school I still remember coming back form 2 weeks aways ad we were on hols at the time in UK visiting family we only had what was in our cases I remember pulling uo outside it in the dark on way from airport And mother crying in passenger seat it was not only our home it was their livelihood too pub/grocery store and our home was upstairs it was all gone x but we got there in the end it too was an electrical fault hope your all OK that's the main thing x

Grrrrdarling · 20/06/2022 20:48

notgreatthanks · 19/06/2022 06:26

We have had a house fire. We weren't there and are all ok. We have lost the majority of our belongings, we were visiting family so had a suitcase of clothes/toiletries . We are staying there until accommodation can be sorted in our home town. It was upstairs so some of down stairs may be salvageable although some has smoke damage but need to wait till it's been assessed . It's just unreal we have gone from having normal everyday lives to losing our home within a few hours. We are lucky to have family support and that we are all ok but all our stuff is gone (memories etc. we don't know if it will all be covered on insurance yet and there's stuff that's irreplaceable. Nothing anyone can do just want to share.

HUGE HUG COMING YOURS & UIUR FAMILIES WAY 🤗
A fire can be so devastating but try to think of it as a fresh start. What you had can’t all be replaced but you are all alive & safe. Hold onto the small things to be thankful for because they will get you through this.
The insurance again is something you can’t do anything about.
Many aren’t fully covered as people don’t often update what they have covered on it even when they renew & many undervalue the contents of their house.

HarrietsweetHarriet · 20/06/2022 21:48

I'm so sorry OP.
All I can say is that the worst part has already happened so everything from hereon in will be upward steps.
I hope- and I'm sure this will be the case - your family and friends will give you all tremendous support.
Please keep us updated when you can on how things are going.
Big hugs xx

Fluffmum · 20/06/2022 22:34

So sorry to hear this cwtches

Lemons1571 · 20/06/2022 22:58

We’ve been there too. It was one of the most awful things that I’ve ever been through (and that’s saying something). So hard, as so few people understand unless they’ve been through it.

i think the icing on the cake was when the insurers couldn’t find a rental for us, as anything local was for 4 people max. There was only one that would have fitted us all but the person letting it didn’t want “that kind of family”. So we lived in a Travelodge for months on end. The schools kindly fed the children as we had no kitchen. Even then people said to me how lucky I was not to have to do any housework.

People also said to us that we must focus on the positive, that no one was hurt. I get where they were coming from. It just doesn’t work like that though. It’s like jumping from the second floor instead of the eighteenth- yes the damage is less but there’s still a complete and utter nightmare that has to be got through.

Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions. I hope you have supportive family that will feed you, and offer use of a washing machine xx

Labyrinthian · 21/06/2022 00:04

I just want to say to hope you are doing ok, I had a house fire and it really stressed me as it was overwhelming. However when the professional cleaners went in they managed to salvage a lot we didn't expect so maybe not all is lost. Also we hired an intermediary agent to act on our behalf and negotiate with the insurance company, he did all the paperwork and he did all the valuations on items and worked with the insurance company assessor so we got a much higher offer from insurance. This might be worth considering. Wishing you the best of luck with this difficult time

Original poster
notgreatthanks · 21/06/2022 04:16

Labyrinthian · 21/06/2022 00:04

I just want to say to hope you are doing ok, I had a house fire and it really stressed me as it was overwhelming. However when the professional cleaners went in they managed to salvage a lot we didn't expect so maybe not all is lost. Also we hired an intermediary agent to act on our behalf and negotiate with the insurance company, he did all the paperwork and he did all the valuations on items and worked with the insurance company assessor so we got a much higher offer from insurance. This might be worth considering. Wishing you the best of luck with this difficult time

Thank you we saw loss adjuster today most of upstairs is A write off. Downstairs is better. One of issues we do not have expensive stuff so some of it may be deemed not worth cleaning/restoring as would be cheaper to replace.

OP posts:
Original poster
notgreatthanks · 21/06/2022 04:21

Lemons1571 · 20/06/2022 22:58

We’ve been there too. It was one of the most awful things that I’ve ever been through (and that’s saying something). So hard, as so few people understand unless they’ve been through it.

i think the icing on the cake was when the insurers couldn’t find a rental for us, as anything local was for 4 people max. There was only one that would have fitted us all but the person letting it didn’t want “that kind of family”. So we lived in a Travelodge for months on end. The schools kindly fed the children as we had no kitchen. Even then people said to me how lucky I was not to have to do any housework.

People also said to us that we must focus on the positive, that no one was hurt. I get where they were coming from. It just doesn’t work like that though. It’s like jumping from the second floor instead of the eighteenth- yes the damage is less but there’s still a complete and utter nightmare that has to be got through.

Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions. I hope you have supportive family that will feed you, and offer use of a washing machine xx

Thank you yes it's just unbelievable. Obviously we are grateful we were not hurt but losing our home in space of a couple hours. Dealing with insurance etc. scared we won't get enough payout. Worried we will not find a rental (we have a dog) I feel like I'm going to wake up any minute.

OP posts:
Original poster
notgreatthanks · 21/06/2022 04:23

Jumpjumpjumper · 20/06/2022 19:35

Are you in Essex, op?

No. Literally I knew nobody who had a house fire before it happened to me but it seems to happen to so many people.

OP posts:
Original poster
notgreatthanks · 21/06/2022 04:25

Nicnak2223 · 19/06/2022 20:32

Op I'm on the south coast and aware of a house fire locally to me last week. If you think this is you please let me know how old your children are and if you need anything once back.

Not me but another poor family. I'm sure they would appreciate the help. Thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
notgreatthanks · 21/06/2022 04:26

It was caused by a portable charger that was 'on charge' unbelievable the damage it has caused.

OP posts:
Maybebabyno2 · 21/06/2022 04:32

I'm so sorry this happened to you OP, please just try and take solace in the fact no one was injured. Memories can be replaced, people can't. I truly hope the insurance gets sorted quickly and you can focus on rebuilding and try to have some fun picking out colours and new furniture. Trying to look for the positives in these situations is the only way to get through it. 💐

RachaelN · 21/06/2022 10:02

Oh I am so sorry to hear this. No amount of insurance can replace personal belongings and memories.
You are all alive and well and will recover from this in time. Sending big hugs xxx