Fires Prevention (Metropolis) Act 1774

1774 CHAPTER 78 14_Geo_3

An Act . . .F1 for the more effectually preventing Mischiefs by fire within the Cities of London and Westminster and the Liberties thereof, and other the Parishes, Precincts, and Places within the Weekly Bills of Mortality, the Parishes of Saint Mary-le-bon, Paddington, Saint Pancras and Saint Luke at Chelsea, in the county of Middlesex . . .F1

1—73.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

74—78.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

79. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

80—82.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

83 Money insured on houses burnt how to be applied

And in order to deter and hinder ill-minded persons from wilfully setting their house or houses or other buildings on fire with a view of gaining to themselves the insurance money, whereby the lives and fortunes of many families may be lost or endangered: it shall and may be lawful to and for the respective governors or directors of the several insurance offices for insuring houses or other buildings against loss by fire, and they are hereby authorised and required, upon the request of any person or persons interested in or intitled unto any house or houses or other buildings which may hereafter be burnt down, demolished or damaged by fire, or upon any grounds of suspicion that the owner or owners, occupier or occupiers, or other person or persons who shall have insured such house or houses or other buildings have been guilty of fraud, or of wilfully setting their house or houses or other buildings on fire, to cause the insurance money to be laid out and expended, as far as the same will go, towards rebuilding, reinstating or repairing such house or houses or other buildings so burnt down, demolished or damaged by fire, unless the party or parties claiming such insurance money shall, within sixty days next after his, her or their claim is adjusted, give a sufficient security to the governors or directors of the insurance office where such house or houses or other buildings are insured, that the same insurance money shall be laid out and expended as aforesaid, or unless the said insurance money shall be in that time settled and disposed of to and amongst all the contending parties, to the satisfaction and approbation of such governors or directors of such insurance office respectively.

84, 85.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

86 No action to lie against a person where the fire accidentally begins

And no action, suit or process whatever shall be had, maintained or prosecuted against any person in whose house, chamber, stable, barn or other building, or on whose estate any fire shall, . . . F1 accidentally begin, nor shall any recompence be made by such person for any damage suffered thereby, any law, usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding; . . . F2 provided that no contract or agreement made between landlord and tenant shall be hereby defeated or made void.

87—100.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

101. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

102. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1