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Renting property - window smashed by cleaner, insurance?
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It might be hard to prove it was the cleaner's fault, if you do Money Claim. I was once sitting at my computer in my own house and a very large double glazed window (the inside pane) just went CRACK and was totally wrecked. Looked like someone has punched it but it was pretty much spontaneous. Company who fixed it said can happen with temp changes or just age or bad luck
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You need to speak to a window company and get them out ASAP. You need to get them to establish WHAT caused the window to break.
Is it double glazed? Is the impact inside or outside?
Could a bird or something external have hit it to cause the damage?
Is the glass is toughened, what sort of impact would it require to break it?
Lots of Qs that need answering immediately before the evidence is taken away.
How big is the glass pane?
Toughened glass needs a huge impact to break it unless there is a fault. If the glass was faulty the LLs insurance should pay.
I would write to LL saying that you need to establish the cause of the broken window before liability for payment is established.
Toughened glass tends to break into tiny pieces. Did it do this? Can you add a photo?Should've = Should HAVE (not 'of')
Would've = Would HAVE (not 'of')
No, I am not perfect, but yes I do judge people on their use of basic English language. If you didn't know the above, then learn it! (If English is your second language, then you are forgiven!)0 -
I would write to LL saying that you need to establish the cause of the broken window before liability for payment is established.
Chances are you are not going to be able to establish conclusively where the fault lies.
It could be a manufacturing fault - LL should pay and pursue manufacturer/ fitter depending on FENSA rules.
It could be a combination of age, wear & tear, impact from a bird or stone - again LL should pay.
It could be cleaner's accident, in which case the cleaner or Housekeep (or their insurers) should pay.
If the window was fairly old it may be a combination of age and impact, in which case the whole issue of a LL not being entitled to betterment comes into play.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 -
Surely the window cleaner will deny liability?
How can you prove it?
Glass does sometimes just break/shatter
Someone I know was woken up in the middle of the night to the noise of their shower screen shattering It was less than 12 months old.0 -
Chances are you are not going to be able to establish conclusively where the fault lies.
It could be a manufacturing fault - LL should pay and pursue manufacturer/ fitter depending on FENSA rules.
It could be a combination of age, wear & tear, impact from a bird or stone - again LL should pay.
It could be cleaner's accident, in which case the cleaner or Housekeep (or their insurers) should pay.
If the window was fairly old it may be a combination of age and impact, in which case the whole issue of a LL not being entitled to betterment comes into play.
Exactly this. Most scenarios the LL should pay, so it would be helpful if the OP could establish the likelihood of an internal impact causing the damage.
Unless the cleaner confesses of course...
Should've = Should HAVE (not 'of')
Would've = Would HAVE (not 'of')
No, I am not perfect, but yes I do judge people on their use of basic English language. If you didn't know the above, then learn it! (If English is your second language, then you are forgiven!)0 -
Presumably this is toughened glass and it can shatter spontaneously. I had one do this while we were out so knew it wasn't anything anyone had done. The fault was a nickel sulphide inclusion.
Toughened glass is very difficult to break and I would be surprised if the cleaner did it. If it isn't toughened then it should be if it's floor to ceiling.
Exactly.
Also, what kind of window is this? Glass doesn't offen cost £1900 plus VAT! Are they replacing the frames as well, if so why?!Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
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theartfullodger wrote: »Beware, if they pay up I'd bet the cleaner loses their job.
Well he/she did the damage....so.....:cool:0 -
moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »Well he/she did the damage....so.....:cool:
But how do you know?Eat vegetables and fear no creditors, rather than eat duck and hide.0 -
Lets hold on a minute.
Everyone seems to be jumping on the bandwagon and blaming the cleaner where there is not a shred of evidence that the cleaner did it. DG units can, and do shatter of there own accord. If they have been fitted incorrectly and not supported on packers, then the stresses and strains of thermal expansion can cause them to push against the frame and shatter. Also, if there is something called an 'inclusion' in the glass ( a minute imperfection), them again this becomes a weak point and the glass can shatter).
So lets not hang draw and quarter the cleaner without evidence. And truthfully if you pursue a claim against the cleaners insurers, they are simply going to say 'prove it' and you will have nowhere to go on this one.Eat vegetables and fear no creditors, rather than eat duck and hide.0 -
Your Housekeeper is a self-employed contractor and may have their own insurance to cover such incidents (please note we don't track this).
Something you'd expect a professional company to do. As would only take a few minutes annually.0
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