Is it legal to burn down your own house, as long as you dont call the fire brigade or claim on insurance?

Morgan R

In my jurisdictions, under your fact pattern (far away from neighbors real property), if you don't have a lien holder, insurance (that you submit a claim for), you can burn your own property. Now some counties (here )require a burn permit, though some require you to pay for a fire truck to stand by. And it would be wise to notify your local law enforcement agency of your date of burn because they will be aggravated (due to many calls reporting the fire) to have to send someone out to check if the burn is supervised or it is an actual accidental fire requiring government intervention (fire trucks). Farmers and ranchers burn old houses , barns , chicken coops and enormous piles of downed trees all the time. You are responsible if the fire gets out of control. The liabilty could be staggering. Your rural fire department is probably wanting a practice house (as the other posters stated), rural fire departments have little local training facilities and the volunteers really need all the practice they can get. You would benefiting your community to offer the building to them. Responsible burning would include a earthen fire break, a satisfactory water source, and at least 3 able people with access to outside communication for a building the size of a house, and the utility companies must be notified so your heat does not damage any nearby supply lines (even underground).. You are not permitted for the smoke to cross a roadway, so the wind and it's speed will be a significant factor. You really should let the professionals handle this burn. But, barring a local ordinance, you can burn your house for no gain under the above conditions. I apolgize for my answer, I have not learned to tell the out- of- US posters ; my answer is only correct in my region of the US.

stressed erica

no you could be done for crimminal damage even though its your own property! not to mention u would be responsible if anyone got hurt or the fire got out of control.

Judge Sludge says:

I have a suggestion, call the local fire department and ask them if they'd like to do a controlled burn for training purposes....They might actually be interested in such and you get your structure demolished...

Jana B

It is consider open burnign which is illegal. Have you ever seen shingles burn? Have you ever smelled it? That would greatly pollute the air. In IL you can be sent to jail for that.

Joe E

I once had a friend that wanted to burn down an old house on his property. It turned out that all he had to do was get a burn permit and notify the local fire departments as to when it was going to be burned to avoid false alarms. But, I'm sure that laws vary. Check your local authorities.

Bardic

It's not illegal, actually, now the law has been tidied up.

It is a right of property ownership to deal with property as one wishes, including its damage or destruction, however a person setting fire to his own house which is subject to a mortgage can be charged because the mortgagee will have a proprietary right or interest in the property. He can also be charged if it is arson with intent to defraud, for instance an insurance company, or with some other criminal intent.

That's under English law, by the way. As you're on the UK & Ireland site, I assume it's more relevant than all the American answers which seem to be appearing.

westgwolverine7

You can work with the fire department, and they can use your home as a practice fire for new volunteers. That way, they will ensure a contained fire, and you also benefit the community ^_^

quizzard123

Judge Sludge has a good answer. I used to be involved with a local volunteer fire brigade, and they did this regularly as practice. They even burned down their own fire hall when it was due to be replaced!

Burning your own building is really risky. You could be charged with endangering the public, other properties, violating burning and air pollution regs, etc. And SOMEBODY will likely call the fire brigade, so you won't get out that way. You've also got criminal charge coming if you either owe money on the property or it is otherwise encumbered, such as being part of a divorce.

Call the fire brigade, ask them to torch it.

woolly'ead

what a great idea. i would love to burn mine down but i bet there is a law against it . how about if you burned a bit at a time in a controlled method. farmers burn off their fields so you should be able to do the same.

Road Runner

controlled burn for training purposes is the best idea with proper notification to essential emergency services to give them the heads up at that address

Franticweasel

contact your local fire department or fire marshal to make sure that there will be no violation of state, local, or federal code, ordinences, or laws. inform the local fire department that you be conducting a controlled burn so a passer-by doesnt call emergency services causing the fire department to respond. every city state county and country have different burning laws so check with a local authority first

longliveusa

yes/// in usa ..

taxed till i die,

No it is not.

Education +

It's legal as long as you do not put anything that is not your property in danger. Such as, if you live in a townhouse, it'd definitely be illegal because you have other houses which are connected to yours.

As stated in previous answers, call the police department and ask whether they'd like to use it for training. I'm sure with a lot of legal documents, they'd be happy to use it.

Why would you want to burn it down in the first place?

oklatom

These days, usually not. At one time if you had a house to get rid of, you could call the fire department and they could use it for training purposes, burn it, put it out, start again, until there was nothing buy ashes left.

Today there are too many alleged "hazardous materials" in the house to allow it to be burned without some environmental agency having a fit about it.

To find out for sure, call the fire department and ask about it.

"isitme"

UK answer.

Technically it's arson with intent to endanger life, read on....

Arsonist never call the fire brigade either, that's not to say nobody else will.

The offence of arson has an additional charge of the intent to endanger life, the important thing to remember is that the act also allows for recklessness as to whether anybody is placed in danger, this obviously includes Firefighters which somebody MAY call, they don't actually have to attend for the offence to be complete.

The fact that it's a property also reinforces the offence.

Mikee

you can as long as you dont endanger others or animals or even a rare flower. Plus, if you dont call the fire brigade, it may take aged to burm out...

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