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Door Smashed who to repair?
Kolokial
Posts: 60 Forumite
Hi all,
So, let me set the scene, I've come home one night, put my key in the door and turned it to let myself in. I've walked in, removed my key from the lock and proceeded to swing the door towards its frame. I turn towards my room door, to suddenly hear a smash as the glass pane in the front door has just shattered and collapsed to the floor.
Immediately I was on the phone to my letting agent explaining what has happened. My details were noted and presumably passed on. A day passed with no response. I followed up the phone call with an email asking when it would be fixed. I received a reply the day after advising they were acknowledging my email. The day after that, I received another email stating that they didn't believe the door smashed "the glass cannot shatter except if the door has been closed with force or smashed.", and that my options were to repair it myself, or to have them repair it and an invoice sent to me.
A little distraught about this, given that I only closed the door. I may have been a little handed, but no more than usual.
The door itself had been repaired within the last 6-8 months, it was hanging (due to being old we think, we're the first tenants in the house since it was made into a HMO) so a pin was put on it to stop it from hitting the bottom step as it closed. I think that this pin has come loose and the door has hit the bottom step when I closed it and has caused the door itself to bend and shatter the glass.
My main concern here is that
a) the door is not exactly safe and could allow anyone unwanted access, and has been this way for several days now.
b) The LL wants me to pay for all of it.
Thanks in advance everyone.
So, let me set the scene, I've come home one night, put my key in the door and turned it to let myself in. I've walked in, removed my key from the lock and proceeded to swing the door towards its frame. I turn towards my room door, to suddenly hear a smash as the glass pane in the front door has just shattered and collapsed to the floor.
Immediately I was on the phone to my letting agent explaining what has happened. My details were noted and presumably passed on. A day passed with no response. I followed up the phone call with an email asking when it would be fixed. I received a reply the day after advising they were acknowledging my email. The day after that, I received another email stating that they didn't believe the door smashed "the glass cannot shatter except if the door has been closed with force or smashed.", and that my options were to repair it myself, or to have them repair it and an invoice sent to me.
A little distraught about this, given that I only closed the door. I may have been a little handed, but no more than usual.
The door itself had been repaired within the last 6-8 months, it was hanging (due to being old we think, we're the first tenants in the house since it was made into a HMO) so a pin was put on it to stop it from hitting the bottom step as it closed. I think that this pin has come loose and the door has hit the bottom step when I closed it and has caused the door itself to bend and shatter the glass.
My main concern here is that
a) the door is not exactly safe and could allow anyone unwanted access, and has been this way for several days now.
b) The LL wants me to pay for all of it.
Thanks in advance everyone.
When someone calls you, you don't need to confirm a damn thing. The person who called you however, could be anyone.
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Comments
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I think this has been discussed before. Apparently it is possible for glass to smash without miss-use.
Landlord is responsible for replacing glass. Would be for landlord/ insurance to pay unless they can prove tenant was negligent.
I don't think it unreasonable for the tenant to sweep up the glass and tape up the door.I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages & student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.0 -
Thanks silvercar :-)
We've swept and cardboarded it up, but if the house were empty anyone could peel it back and see a lovely gaping hole.
Do you have a link to the other discussion?When someone calls you, you don't need to confirm a damn thing. The person who called you however, could be anyone.0 -
The landlord is responsible for this unless the tenant has not acted in a tenant like manner as regards looking after the property.
if you are absolutely sure that this is not your fault and can prove that the door was already faulty (is this documented in your inventory when you started your tenancy?) then you need to follow up your email and write to your landlord to the address on your tenancy agreement (keep a copy of the letter and free receipt from PO)and ask for an immediate repair. (a damaged front door is classed as urgent)
If you can get a free estimate to repair the damage with a note saying that the pin had come loose (which caused the breakage) from a professional then this should help your case.
You could also call Shelter to check whether you can repair it and deduct money from rent as/if this is an urgent repair.0 -
Personally, If I were the tenant, I would get the glass repaired first, then discuss with the LL who's fault it is.I am a LandLord,(under review) so there!:p0
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Personally, If I were the tenant, I would get the glass repaired first, then discuss with the LL who's fault it is.
It is for the landlord to arrange repair and then to discuss who pays.I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages & student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.0 -
Errrr you smashed it, you pay and fix for it0
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Errrr you smashed it, you pay and fix for it
Glass can smash through normal usage.I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages & student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.0 -
As a landlord:
Smashed Glass with no crime number = tenant pays
Smashed Glass with crime number person unknown to tenant = Landlord pays
Smashed Glass with crime number known to tenant = Tenant pays
Smashed Glass due to fault eg. door broken = Landlord pays
All circumstances = Tenant makes effort to clean it up!
As for the doorstop/pin you talk about making the door twist is a possibility, if it is a new addition.0 -
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