broken glass

double_mummy

heya everyone wondering if anyone had some knowledge i could use.

I have been living in my house for 13 months, my tenancy ran out on the 6th june but have continued paying rent since and i am still living here.

On saturday my son accidentally broke one of the windows in the living room. We informed the LL right away and he had it made secure.

He is now saying because his insurance has an excess of £300 we now need to pay for the new widow (around £150 inc instillation)

we had someone around to price it up for us and he has said that the glass is illegal for use in a residential property and has been for quite a few years (it is too thin and not strengthened in any way and is not safety glass) and that he should have changed it before we moved in and if LL had of done that then the window would not have broken

any ideas on where i stand with this?

thanks

RAS

This sounds bizarre. None of the glass in my house is safety glass.

BitterAndTwisted

I'm surprised that your landlord isn't asking you to pay for 100% of that damage. If I were a landlord I'd insist on it.


You don't need safety-glass in a normal window: that is absolute cobblers!

lynzpower

I take it its an internal window or glass door. Yes in Private rented these should be safety glass.

I suggest you call your local EHO and see what they say about it, they may wish to assess the property for other hazards.

Are there other non-safety glass windows or doors in the property?

casper_g

Part N of the Building Regulations includes a requirement for glass in "critical locations" to be protected against breaking. This can be either by using toughened or laminated glass, by limiting the size of the panes of glass, or by physically protecting the glass from impact. Like all the building regs though, these requirements will only apply to new work being carried out. If the window has been in place since nefore the regs were introduced there will be no requirement to upgrade them AFAIK.

Edit: I've seen a good few sites stating that internal doors in rented property must be safety glass, but I don't know what specific law/regulation requires this. Obviously it's desirable for safety glass to be used, but if the OP wants to persuade the landlord to replace the glazing then knowing of specific documents to wave at them will be useful!

lynzpower

Hi Casper - HHSRS states:

I know that In HHSRS Collision and Entrapment identifies safety glass

"f) Disrepair to windows – disrepair of windows, frames and/or window furniture.
g) Windows location – windows opening across pathways.
h) Non-safety glass – in a door, low window or other vulnerable location.
i) Unprotected gaps – gaps of over 100 mm in banisters in which young children
could get trapped" etc

Page 164 http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/142631.pdf

double_mummy

no its a big external window but is only 4mm thich which isnt up to the standards (according to the glacier)

just really confused!!!!

BitterAndTwisted

The glazier is talking twaddle.

double_mummy

it is 1300mm x 1230 mm if that helps and is less 35 inches off the floor

lynzpower

What sort of window is it

Is it at the bottom or top of any stairs or steps?

How did your son fall into it?

This is the reason basically, these kind of injuries cost the NHS money. I know of a case where the Landlord is being asked to replace a non safety glass door even though no injury has occured.

I hope your son is ok?

double_mummy

yeh my son is absolutely fine

he just tripped and put his hands up and his hand went through the window

it is 35 inches off the floor up to the ceiling