Fire Prevention in country homes needs improving, says fire safety charity

Colvin Fire Prevention Trust launches it's latest fire protection seminar

Fire prevention measures in many country estates and homes are inadequate and need updating, according to a new fire safety initiative aimed at owners of larger, country homes.

With over 50,000 homes, including more than 60 listed buildings and country estate homes, lost to fireevery year in the UK, specialist insurer Hiscox and professional valuers, Gurr Johns, have joined forces with fire safety charity, the Colvin Fire Prevention Trust (CFPT) in a call for better fire safety in stately homes and country estates accross Britain.

The CFPT was founded by Jamie Cayzer-Colvin, following the death of his father, Mr Michael Colvin MP, and his mother in a house fire in February 2000. The Trust, in association with Hiscox and Gurr Johns, is running a series of seminars aimed at educating owners, managers and trustees of larger homes and estates about the risks associated with fire and what they can do to help prevent a fire occuring.

Jamie Cayzer-Colvin Commented:

"Many historic houses often have outdated fire protection and it is vital that owners, estate managers and trustees are alert to the risks and prepared should the worst happen. Different properties are managed in different ways but someone has to take responsibility for ensuring the correct procedures are in place. I have seen the effects of house fires first hand and the devastation can be horrific. Fire prevention is not an optional extra - preventative steps save houses and ultimately save lives."

Fires are estimated to cost the UK nearly £7bn a year and the trust is warning that owners of larger homes in particular could be left considerably out of pocket if they fail to protect, insure and manage their properties adequately. Hiscox research shows that the average homeowner is underinsured by up to 40%, a figure that can rise significantly for larger homes which often contain fine art or antiques. In the event of a fire, when the devasation can be total, failure to insure and to insure fully can lead to properties remaining in disrepair and force trustees and managers into sizeable debt.

Charles Dupplin, Head of the Private Client Division at Hiscox added:

"Underinsurance is rife in all types of homes throughout the UK - from central London apartments to large country properties. When you consider that a fire can destroy an entire house, it is essential that the property and all its contents, from antique furniture to curtains and clothes, are fully covered for the amount it would cost to rebuild or replace them at current prices. All homeowners should spend time thinking about how much this figure will realistically be. The final amouny will always be more than you think, so it is better to be prepared now and avoid financial problems later. It only costs around 100 to increase your contents cover by £25,000 which is not much to pay for the additional peace of mind".

"Stately houses and historic homes are often treasure troves of interesting and valuable art and antiques. In addition to having the right insurance, homeowners need to keep a regular check on their valuables with adequate invertories of their possessions and revaluations, if not annually, then certainly after redecorating or buying new items for the home. By supporting the Trust we can help better educate homeowners not to take any risks with their homes, possessions or lives".

The Colvin Fire Prevention Trust was formed as a registered charity in April 2001 by Jamie Cayzer-Colvin and Peter Johnston. Peter Johnston is Chairman of the Trustees and owner of the Arthur Ackermann and Peter Johnson Fine Art Gallery.

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