Help! I've smashed my neighbour's front door!

[ThrowThoseCurtainsWide]

Just that really. We're in a terrace and my external porch door opens outwards. It's a stupid design if you ask me as the wind catches it, but it's temporary accommodation so there isn't much I can do about it. I always hold on to it if it's windy, but everything looked still this morning so I opened it without holding on. Just at that moment a gust of wind came and blew it all of the way open (180 degrees). There was a massive bang and the handle went straight through the glass of next doors front door.

I'm mortified! He came out and was very nice about it. I couldn't stay long as we were already running late for school, but I apologised profusely and offered to pay for it.

But I'm now totally mortified and avoiding going home!!!! Should I stick a note through the door with my phone number on? In an ideal world I would never ever go home so I do t have to face it!!

I think he came out and was nice about it, then the worst part of it is over!

It's fine, you've apologised and offered to pay. Just move on.

I agree that the worst part of over now - he was gone about it.

Can you put a cement filled flowerpot between the doors so it can only open 90 degrees?

Fine. Not gone.

There isn't really anywhere to put a flowerpot, it would have to be at least 3 feet tall, there's less than a foot between the two doors and a big step up from the ground.

I've attached diagrams.

Any ideas how much front doors cost? Or what the insurance excess would be to replace it?

I'm sitting in the car as I write this and someone just opened their car door into mine... that must be karma!

the glass will likely be less than 100 quid to replace even if a double glazed unit - for e.g. a full depth 1/3rd with window in our house replacement glass was 70 quid when the seal failed a few years ago. So it depends on the size of the glass but its not going to be 500

You say it's temporary accommodation - do you mean you are renting? If so I'd approach the landlord. They should not have a door that opens so far that it hits your neighbour's property, so hopefully you can push the cost back to your LL.

Yes it's rented, but through an agency. We were homeless last year so are in council-provided temporary accommodation until we get to the top of the housing register.

Good idea about contacting the agency though. I don't hold out much hope, I've been asking them to fix my plumbing (no cold fill outlet for washing machine) for months

If it's rented accommodation I'd say it's the landlords responsibility.

A bit of rope fastened to the inside of your porch door attached to a hook on the wall at the hinge side of the door would stop the door flying open as far.

You only need to replace the glass. Last window I had to replace was about £200, but that is probably larger than the glass in a door, and living rurally the place has to travel 25 miles to get to the house.

That sounds like a design flaw (as in the door will open further than 90 or 100 degrees. Can you contact the landlord and take their advice?

What should I say to the property agency? I don't want to rock the boat, I'm so grateful that we have somewhere to live that I've just been putting up with the little niggles.

There is a thingy that looks like it should stop the door opening all of the way, but it's not attached anymore, my guess is that the wind caught the door and broke it. I'm not sure what I can attach a hook to for a bit of rope, but I'll give it a go