'Our dream house went up in flames hours after we got the keys'

'Our dream house went up in flames hours after we got the keys' The blaze had ripped through the home, damaging virtually every room A family came back to see their 'forever home' up in flames just hours after they got the keys. It took months and thousands of pounds to repair the damage, which is believed to have started on an electric hob. Pregnant Leane Burns, 43, and her partner John Webster, 42, completed on a four-bedroom detached house near Southampton, Hampshire as they prepared to have a baby. They collected the keys shortly after 1pm and moved belongings in with the help of a removals company. At around 5pm, after leaving the property for less than 40 minutes to collect food, the couple returned to find their new home on fire. Leane said a neighbour called to warn that black smoke was pouring from the house, and she initially struggled to believe it could be serious given how little time had passed. The family rushed back to find fire crews tackling a blaze which ripped through the kitchen. Most of the fire damage was contained there, but smoke and soot spread throughout the home, damaging virtually every room and thousands of pounds worth of possessions. Investigators later traced the fire to the electric hob, with the family told it may have been accidentally switched on while furniture and boxes were being moved into the property. John, an operations manager for an electrical contracting firm, was escorted through the house after the flames were extinguished and said firefighters told him there would be no gas or electricity and the family could not stay there. He said: "The floors were swimming with water and all the ceilings were black. The smell caught your throat, and there was heat everywhere. "They asked if I had any idea what had caused it and I said, 'I've had the keys for five hours. We haven't even put the kettle on.'" That evening, the couple, their then-three-year-old daughter Isabelle, and dog Jessie checked into a hotel while waiting for their insurance provider to arrange emergency support. However, they claim help was difficult to access over the bank holiday weekend and that they were forced to find and pay for temporary accommodation themselves. The fire happened back in May 3, 2024 - but they are now sharing their story about their battle to repair the home. They spent five months after the blaze moving between hotels and Airbnb rentals, spending £11,000 on emergency accommodation. Leane said the uncertainty was exhausting, particularly as she was 12 weeks pregnant at the time and suffering from hyperemesis, adding that the stress worsened her illness. The couple also claim their damaged home was left unsecured for several days after an emergency contractor failed to fully board it up, leaving them worried about their possessions. They say the insurance claims process then became a lengthy battle, with John claiming it took six weeks before decontamination work began while smoke and soot continued to affect the property. The family say they eventually took their complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service over the handling of the claim and secured increased settlements and compensation after challenging valuations. A qualified electrician, John rewired the property, installed new radiators and worked alongside builders on the kitchen and utility room, with the couple estimating they spent around £85,000 on repairs. He said: "What should have been four years' worth of renovation work ended up being crammed into about nine months. I spent my 40th birthday rewiring the house. "After work every day and every weekend, I was there trying to get it ready before the baby arrived. We didn't just have to repair the damage from the fire. We had to make the house liveable before our daughter was born." Two weeks after they moved back home in October 2024, Leane gave birth to their second daughter, Cecily. Despite being back, the couple say they are still discovering what they lost in the fire, including keepsakes they had hoped to pass down to their children.