Mum being billed for window she didn't break

[Deleted User]

I had a similiar problem. Drunken neighbours broke our front door window after we politely asked them to keep the noisedown at 12.30. Their landlord came round and initially agreed to pay the bill (another of our neighbours who'd seen the whole thing initially put pressure on her). Told our Landlord as it would obviously take time to get the money from the neighbours landlord, expecting him to pursue it. But he said he didn't know if we'd done something to cause the incident and refused to even board up the door, let alone pursue the landlord, do the repair. When I tried to tell him that it was his responsibiity and not ours, he sent me a text giving me one month's notice to move out. I was not rude, just firm that he was supposed to repair the front door window.

It was no go with the landlord in spite of reassurances on here he should take care of the repair of the window and pursue the landlord next door. In the end we got hold of the lettings agency (it was some kind of social service let to supposed under 16 immigrants (they drank and drove cars, were more likely to be above 20 than under 16 lol). The window repairer did bill them directly and we heard no more. But it was a very stressful three or four weeks til the repair was done.

The tenants themselves said they'd pay for the repair. But when the police we called as the incident was happeneing came round the next day for a return visit, they said they'd been pressured into saying that (hadn't) and the person who actually broke the window had fled the house.

So it wasn't exactly hassle free but we did get the repair done and the LA paid for it. The tenents were made to move out within the month. I don't know how.

They left us a final gift.., bed bugs migrated from their house to ours I think.

luvchocolate

In my rental agreement it states the tenant is responsible for glazing damages.
I would go to the childs mother with a copy of the bill thanking her for taking responsibility for payment.

agrinnall

GDB2222 wrote: »

Hi Alas. As your mum becomes frailer, you'll need to take over responsibility for more of her affairs. Why not start here, and get her permission for you to sort this out for her?

This. I would be starting to get Lasting Power of Attorney sorted out (either or both Financial and Welfare) so that you,and anyone else who it may be appropriate to appoint as an attorney, can take charge of anything that your mum isn't willing or able to do for herself.

Look at the link below to start with, if you take your time it's relatively straightforward and shouldn't cost anything other than the statutory fees (if she has to get a signature from someone like her GP then they may also charge a fee, although my mum's didn't).

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-public-guardian/series/lasting-power-of-attorney-forms

thesaint

ValHaller wrote: »

If it were an owner occupier property, would you be advising that the owner (who has sustained the loss) should send themselves a bill and then forward it to the neighbour?

There are lots of things an owner occupier would do that a tenant wouldn't.
It's a straw man argument.

If a neighbour told me that a guest of theirs broke my window, I would send the neighbour the bill, not the 3rd party.

propertyman

Broken window- landlord's insurance claim perhaps?

The insurer may well approach the adjoining owners with the crime reference or incident number from the Police.

candytwinkle

This is an issue between the letting agent and your mothers neighbour. From what you have written at no point did your mother authorise the contractor to carry out the repairs and accept the costs. The letting agent employed the services of the contractor. Send the bill to the letting agent.

Yorkie1

luvchocolate wrote: »

In my rental agreement it states the tenant is responsible for glazing damages.
I would go to the childs mother with a copy of the bill thanking her for taking responsibility for payment.

This is an unenforceable contract term and if the situation arises, you should refuse to pay it.

Statute says that the LL is obliged to keep the structure of the property in repair. This includes windows. Contract terms cannot override statute law.

Only if the T's negligence or deliberate action caused the damage, can the T be made responsible for paying for the damage.

ValHaller

thesaint wrote: »

There are lots of things an owner occupier would do that a tenant wouldn't.
It's a straw man argument.

If a neighbour told me that a guest of theirs broke my window, I would send the neighbour the bill, not the 3rd party.

So, as owner you would bill the neighbour whose guest had broken the window. But as Landlord or Agent, you would bill the tenant whose neighbour's child had broken the window.

How many straw men does it take to prop up that line of reasoning?