Next door's tenant burnt down our fence

[howmanyusernames]

Originally posted in AIBU but no response.

In the kitchen (back of house) on the 1st July, shooing a fly out the back door. Noticed smoke from house next door (HMO) and thought ‘Ah shit, another 4pm bonfire...great....get the windows closed’, but stepped out (luckily) and saw my fence on fire!
Yelled at OH to help, he put fire out, damage is half a 6ft panel width wise and full height, he took photos and sent to landlord (not the first issue we’ve had with tenants, but the first that could effect our lives!).

Tenants it seems are flicking finished fags against our fence, and (clearly) not putting them out (we have photos of the pile).

If I hadn’t noticed the fire or we’d been out I hate to imagine what could have happened to our house and his!

We texted the landlord on the 1st July and he texted back the next day saying he wasn't responsible for what his tenants do (!) but would fix it when he was down next. It's now the 6th July and the fence isn't repaired.

We have put up boards to stop our dogs getting out/going next door, and he's basically done nothing.

Do we have any sort of claim, or can we do anything else?!

We have a 9 month old baby too, and I haven't been able to sleep since this happened as if I hadn't spotted it when I did God knows how far it would have spread...

If it's an HMO is it licensed? The council may take a different view of his responsibility for his tenants starting fires.

I'd have to agree with the landlord. He cannot be held responsible for the actions of his tenants.

Have you spoken to the tenants? I think before I emailed the landlord I would have spoken to them and asked them to get it repaired ASAP.

5 days isn't a long time to have been waiting

a landlord cannot stop tenants doing anything - not possible. speak to your insurers about a claim against him.

as he is renting to the seriously stupid, he would be wise to evict before they burn the house down but that takes many months.

Would your local fire brigade come round, have a look and have a word with tenants, in this weather fires spread so easily.are you claiming on insurance for a new fence, I'd get a fire brigade report if you can and send a copy to the landlord.