Family's dream home destroyed hours after getting keys

A couple watched in horror as their £85,000 renovation project began just hours after their dream house went up in flames – forcing them into temporary accommodation while they raced to rebuild before the arrival of their second baby.

A couple's dream of a fresh start turned into a nightmare when their new family home went up in flames just four hours after they collected the keys.

Leane and John's home after it was ravaged by a fire. | Leane Burns / SWNS

placeholder image — Leane and John's home after it was ravaged by a fire. | Leane Burns / SWNS

Leane Burns, 43, and partner John Webster, 42, had spent nine months preparing to move into their four-bedroom detached house near Southampton, Hampshire. But on May 3, 2024, their excitement turned to devastation when they returned from collecting food to discover their new home engulfed in smoke.

Leane Burns and John Webster watched their dream home go up in flames just hours after collecting the keys. | SWNS

The couple had left the property for just 35 minutes when a neighbour called to warn them of black smoke pouring from a window. Their three-year-old daughter Isabelle was safe, but beloved rescue dog Jessie had been asleep on the sofa when the blaze broke out. Firefighters managed to rescue the pet as flames tore through the kitchen, with investigators believing the electric hob may have been accidentally switched on while removal men were unloading boxes.

Leane, who was 12 weeks pregnant and suffering from severe sickness, said: "We'd owned the house for about five hours." Although the fire was largely contained to the kitchen, thick smoke and corrosive soot spread throughout the 1,800 sq ft property, ruining possessions and damaging almost every room.

The couple's four-bedroom detached property suffered extensive smoke and soot damage after the kitchen fire. | Leane Burns / SWNS

The family spent five months living between hotels and Airbnb rentals, claiming they were left to arrange their own emergency accommodation while struggling with their insurance claim. At one point, they were spending around £1,000 a week on temporary stays, eventually racking up £11,000 in accommodation costs.

John, an electrical operations manager, also claims the damaged property was left unsecured for several days, while some of their belongings were dumped in a skip without their knowledge. The couple eventually took their complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service, saying they secured increased settlements and compensation after challenging valuations.

But with another baby on the way, there was no time to waste. John took on months of gruelling renovation work, rewiring the house, installing radiators and helping rebuild the kitchen and utility room.

John spent months renovating the property, completing major work before the arrival of baby Cecily. | SWNS

The couple estimate they spent around £85,000 on repairs, with John even spending his 40th birthday rewiring the property. Finally, on October 22, 2024, the family moved back into their home – just two weeks before Leane gave birth to daughter Cecily on November 6.

But the ordeal has left its mark. Leane said: "I don't think we've properly processed what's happened and we still don't know the full extent of what we lost."

The family are now sharing their renovation journey on Instagram at @lifewithleane.