Lovely Neighbours Broke Front Door Glass Pane - Needs Replacing

Yorkie1

Police know nothing about LL&T law, sadly.

The LL is legally responsible for maintaining and keeping in repair the structure of the building - s.11(1)(a) Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. He can only make you pay (or deduct the money from your deposit) if you were responsible for the damage, which you clearly were not.

I would write to the LL (not email, text or phone) stating that you have taken legal advice, that you were not responsible for the damage, provides the crime reference number, and state that s.11 of the LTA 1985 places the responsibility firmly on him, and asking him to confirm in writing when the damage will be made secure and then fixed.

Keep a certificate of posting from a post office to prove the communication.

If he does not respond within a few days, go to environmental health.

This is assuming you're in England and Wales.

Alternatively, if he really won't play ball then there is a procedure for getting repairs fixed and deducting it from rent. Look it up on the Shelter website and write your letter accordingly.

mikey72

The property is still secure, and if it's toughened glass, it's merely a nuisance, not a hazard.
Then again, if it's covered in blood, I doubt it's toughened.

Swopping the glass is an easy diy job, but it should be down to the LL.

PasturesNew

It is the LL's responsibility.

If you'd slammed the door shut: in temper or by being a bit heavy-handed one day and it broke you pay
If your friend turned up drunk and lobbed a brick through the window because you wouldn't let them in at 3am: you pay
Random, unprovoked, idiot breaks window: LL pays

It's then up to the LL whether they take it on the chin, claim on their insurance, or pursue whoever did it.

NVRAM

No clue why hes saying you're responsible OP.
Decline to pay let him do the repair.
You have contents insurance?

bryanb

NVRAM wrote: »

You have contents insurance?

Front door is hardly "contents"

southcoastrgi

get a bit of thin ply cut it to shape & cover the whole glass panel just stick it in place with some gripfill or sealant & paint it white if LL don't like it tough, but tbh i'd tell the LL to get stuffed if he wanted me to do it or pay for it, broken glass on a tenanted property is a heath hazard tell him he's gotta fix it or you will report him to the local council.

keystone

I'm inclined to suspect that perhaps LL doesn't believe OPs story!.

Cheers

capeverde

Go to a glass manufacturer and negotiate for cash. I pay under £40 per square metre for toughened units. Just take a picture of the pattern in. Remember to get the thickness of the glass as well as the size. If its a modern door they are usually 28mm thick but check. 5 minute job to replace it, but when you do, google the term 'toe and heel' this basically stops the weight of the glass making the door drop. there are videos of how to do it.

Edwardia

Personally it seems like criminal damage ie deliberate damage or reckless behaviour causing damage, to me so I'd be complaining to police abt the way they just let a drunk get away with damaging my home and since he left his DNA behind it would be easy to nick him. Lazy policing on their part.

I'd def follow Yorkie1's advice, it wasn't your friend and you didn't do it so why should you be £90 down ?

Jaynne

Edwardia wrote: »

Personally it seems like criminal damage ie deliberate damage or reckless behaviour causing damage, to me so I'd be complaining to police abt the way they just let a drunk get away with damaging my home and since he left his DNA behind it would be easy to nick him. Lazy policing on their part.

I'd def follow Yorkie1's advice, it wasn't your friend and you didn't do it so why should you be £90 down ?

I don't think the police do dna testing for low value crimes like this as its too expensive