broken glass

lynzpower

is it a room dividing type window?

Your best best is to call environmental health for advice. If for example you wont lose crucial light then I guess it could be boarded or an internal wall built instead ( thats the LLs responsibility, not yours)

pararct

You need to weigh up what the chances are of the landlord issuing you a S21 should you endear him to Environmental Health who may issue him an enforcement notice (to change the glass).

Yes you may be able to avoid the cost of paying for this new window but at the same time you may well need to look for somewhere else to live in as little as 8 weeks.

Sounds unfair I know but that is the way rental law works!!

JanCee

lynzpower wrote: »

is it a room dividing type window?

Your best best is to call environmental health for advice. If for example you wont lose crucial light then I guess it could be boarded or an internal wall built instead ( thats the LLs responsibility, not yours)

She has said it is an external window. Her son broke it & she needs to pay for it. Simple.

lynzpower

Sorry I missed that it was an exterior window.

if the window is from the floor to sill 35inches = my tape measure makes this 90centimetres

Thus the hazard of falling between levels applies

" Relevant matters affecting likelihood and harm outcome
22.20 For windows, matters relevant to the likelihood of an occurrence include:
a) Ease of window operation – degree of difficulty to use window catches and
opening lights.
b) Safety catches – lack of such catches or features to catches.
Housing Health and Safety Rating System
144
c) Opening limiters – no restriction preventing windows being opened more than
100mm.
d) Sill heights – less than 1,100mm above floor level and/or lack of safety glass or
guarding.
e) Disrepair of window – to frame, catches, hinges, sashes, safety devices and opening
lights.
f) Ease of cleaning – outer surfaces that are difficult to clean."
22.21 For balconies, landings, roof parapets, basement wells, etc, matters relevant to the
likelihood of an occurrence include:
a) Height of guarding – extending less than 1,100mm above the balcony, roof surface
or floor.
b) Easily climbed guarding – constructed so as to facilitate climbing by young children.
c) Openings in guarding –openings greater than 100mm.
d) Construction/repair of guarding – insufficient strength and fixing.
22.22 For windows, balconies, landings, roof parapets, basement wells, etc, matters relevant
to the severity of the outcome include:
a) Height above ground – the distance of a fall to the ground or next level.
b) Nature of ground – the nature of the surface and any features which may be
collided with.
c) Non-safety glass – the lack of safety glass where appropriate in the window or
guarding."
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/142631.pdf

Where the expected fall is more than 300mm ( which falls under falls on level surfaces) then the hazard applied is Falling between levels.

The link to the document is http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/142631.pdf

G_M

The window may not have complied with current building Regs, but as long as it complied with the Building Regs in force at the time it was installed it is legal.

Since the glass now needs replacing, it must be replaced with glass that complies with today's current Building Regs. This is what the glazier means.

If a tenant damages the property (spill paint on carpet, break window, whatever) then the landlord can charge the tenant for the damage.

helphelphelphelp

Hi

Our glaziers only charge £22.50 per m2 for 6mm laminated glass but they are exceptionally cheap! The quote you have had works out about £95 per m2 which isnt the most expensive but you could probably get it for around £60 or so. Have you tried calling any local glaziers and asking what they charger per m2 for supply and installation and arranging it yourself?

Werdnal

We recently bought a couple of double glazing units to replace some in our living room window that have misted up inside. The glazier advised that if they fit them themselves, they are not allowed to supply non-safety glass, as the window is below such-and-such a height from the ground. However, if they supplied them to us, they could supply ordinary glass for us to fit. The regs have changed in last few years, as they didn't apply when we had the windows professionally installed about 8/9 years ago.

I don't think its compulsory for LL's to change the fitted glass, but any replacements must be up to the current regs. Rules and regs over this type of thing are changing all the time.

I would agree with GM here - any damage caused by tenant, even accidental, is tenant's responsibility to pay for. TBH if the T doesn't pay at the time, LL would be justified in retaining the money out of the deposit when the T leaves.

I appreciate the advice above about getting the work done yourself - by all means get some alternative quotes, but ask your LL BEFORE you arrange for the work to be done. To be honest there are glaziers and cheap glaziers and if it was my property, I would want to ensure a proper, guaranteed job was done, for safety and security reasons. If LL does not approve, they could insist the work is re-done and you'll then be paying twice!

leveller2911

http://www.double-glazing-uk.co.uk/Englandwales.asp

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and the diagram explains the critical area.

Just my opinion but the glass in question may well have met the bulding regulations when it was first fitted but obviously doesn't comply now.The replacement glass will need to meet regulations(see link) but personally if I were a landlord I would have made sure it complied with current regs before I let the property just for peace of mind. I guess some landlords don't give a monkeys and just think of the money........Personally I think paying 50-50 would be fair........

4mm tounghend single glazing is around £15-00 per SQ metre double glazing obviously more..

leveller2911

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

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!

Whats a "normal" window? or an "abnormal" window ?:D

silvercar

G_M wrote: »

The window may not have complied with current building Regs, but as long as it complied with the Building Regs in force at the time it was installed it is legal.

Since the glass now needs replacing, it must be replaced with glass that complies with today's current Building Regs. This is what the glazier means.

If a tenant damages the property (spill paint on carpet, break window, whatever) then the landlord can charge the tenant for the damage.

Agree with this, but is this a case of betterment ie should the tenant have to pay for the cost of replacement like for like, but the landlord pay for the cost of improving to comply with current standards?