Landlord sent bill for damages to downstairs shop?

Jack-_4

Hi guys. (Sorry for the long post)

I've got a tricky one for you all, slightly embarrassing as well.

Friday night me and my partner went for a meal in Birmingham. Lovely time upon arriving home we realised we had left the house keys there. With no spare set to hand.

Instead of traveling 50 miles back to get them we thought it would be a good idea to enter via our bathroom window.

This didn't end well. I ended up falling into the shop below us via the roof that leads to our window.
(now it's light I can confirm it's only plastic sheeting:/) apart from that there was no other damage apart from my pride.

In the morning we made the shop owner aware of the situation before she opened the shop and we contacted the police. Attempted to contact the landlord who owns both our flat and the shop below but no answer.

I made the shop keeper aware I had waterproofed the roof and that a handyman was coming out to replace the broken plastic sheeting. Two hours later the landlords handyman turned up to fix it. I also made him aware I had already booked someone to take care of the situation and it would be completed today.
He continued with the work.

I have had no contact at all until late 8pm tonight I've had a letter arrive for a £175 bill for the work taken out.

1) i feel that's way to expensive from quotes I'd recived.
2) shouldn't they have contacted me before work had been taken out? It's not like I was avoiding the situation.

I just don't know where I stand with this bill? I've searched the Internet high and low but all I can find is Tennant and landlord stuff, as the property in question isn't nothing to do with my tenancy I'm baffled.

Miss_Samantha

Pay and move on.

NYM

Well...:) if it were my property that was damaged, I'd prefer to have my own workmen carry out any repairs. That way I'd be confident that it would be done to my satisfaction and not 'on the cheap'

Not suggesting that you would have had the repairs carried out by cowboy types though!

How does the £175 charge compare to prices you received?

Jack-_4

NYM wrote: »

Well...:) if it were my property that was damaged, I'd prefer to have my own workmen carry out any repairs. That way I'd be confident that it would be done to my satisfaction and not 'on the cheap'

Not suggesting that you would have had the repairs carried out by cowboy types though!

How does the £175 charge compare to prices you received?

I emailed the landlord this evening and I have a feeling this will be his reply.
I think if I had been made aware of the charges coming my way before the work started I wouldn't feel so bitter.

We had two quotes one at £50 if we brought the sheet (£22 we found some for)
The other quote was £90 all in
So a fairly big difference to what we have recived bill wise.

NYM

That does seem to be quite a difference .
It's a shame but I think you'll have to just pay up unfortunately.

davidmcn

Jack- wrote: »

I think if I had been made aware of the charges coming my way before the work started I wouldn't feel so bitter.

And I expect he would be less bitter if you had made him aware you were going to fall through his roof...not really a situation where you can claim any moral high ground.

Doozergirl

I think you missed the opportunity to a) not cause damage b) fix it yourselves.

£175 isn't actually a lot to find someone at short notice and downstairs will be happier with their own tradesperson. I think it's fair. I expect if the shoe were on the other foot you'd like to know who was fixing it.

Cough up, I say. It was entirely of your own making. The faster you pay, the less time you'll have to spend thinking about it.

Jack-_4

Doozergirl wrote: »

I think you missed the opportunity to a) not cause damage b) fix it yourselves.

£175 isn't actually a lot to find someone at short notice and downstairs will be happier with their own tradesperson. I think it's fair. I expect if the shoe were on the other foot you'd like to know who was fixing it.

Cough up, I say. It was entirely of your own making. The faster you pay, the less time you'll have to spend thinking about it.

Getting someone out to the job at 2pm the same day isn't really a missed opportunity when I had informed the shop owner.

Appreciate the advice thanks

[Deleted User]

Sounds like a lack of thought/consequences appraisal. Must have been some alcohol involved to have you thinking clambering over a roof covered with plastic sheeting was a plausible idea.

We pay for mistakes, we learn because paying out is painful. Hopefully you won't do something like that again.

It may be more than your quotes, but its a reasonable price.

Doozergirl

Jack- wrote: »

Getting someone out to the job at 2pm the same day isn't really a missed opportunity when I had informed the shop owner.

Appreciate the advice thanks

Of course it was missed opportunity when they organised someone quicker than you could.

Pixie5740

I'm quite pro-tenant but in this case I think if all this escapade costs you is £175 then you're winning.