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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if my landlord is being unreasonable?

165 replies

waveyc · 20/01/2023 21:02

We live in a private rented property. Last night I was upstairs in the bedroom when I heard the loudest crash and bang. Obviously went to investigate absolutely petrified thinking somebody had bricked our window, to find our glass shower screen had exploded. Glass covering every single surface in the bathroom and it had travelled outside all over the landing carpet. Thankfully our 3 year old DS was nowhere near at the time.

Me and DH spent the best part of an hour cleaning up as best as we could. I was shaken up just because I was so shocked and the noise was so, so loud.

Anyway, I reported it to my letting agent who has told us that the landlord will not be paying for the cost of a replacement and has blamed us for the damage.

For context, just over 12 months ago our oven door also shattered which he did replace. Another freak incident which we just couldn't explain. We have not damaged the shower screen in any way and now we are being told it is our fault and he is suspicious because of the oven door incident. He's said we either pay now or he deducts the money from our deposit at the end of the tenancy agreement Sad

I have no idea if we are being completely unreasonable in saying we do not want to pay for the replacement as it wasn't our fault.

AIBU?

OP posts:
AuntieEntity · 20/01/2023 21:47

@waveyc I remember walking into the bathroom and staring at it for ages because I couldn't wrap my head around what I was looking at.

JudgeRinderonTinder · 20/01/2023 21:47

Nobody had thrown anything either. It was strange 😂

Babyroobs · 20/01/2023 21:48

Gosh that's scary. Imagine the damage that could have been done if someone was in the room or shower. As others have said I'd replace with a curtain pole and shower curtain and explain to the landlord that with a child in the house and this being the second unexplained incident, you just can't risk it again.

Baconand · 20/01/2023 21:48

@waveyc who is the deposit protected with?
Your landlord will be on a hiding to nothing witholding the deposit for that. But you will have to raise a dispute. Which is stressful.

Keep everything in writing and don’t spend your own money on fixing it. I’m a landlord and these things you just have to pay for, not the tenant. Put in writing that you will not be paying and will raise a dispute if deposit is deducted.

Incidentally, my neighbours shower screen shattered once. It was due to the wall contracting. It definitely just happens.

Original poster
waveyc · 20/01/2023 21:49

This is what we were dealing with last night

To ask if my landlord is being unreasonable?
OP posts:
Original poster
waveyc · 20/01/2023 21:51

@Baconand If we mention now that we will raise a dispute if it comes to it at the end, I am worried we will be told to leave the property. Could this happen or am I overthinking it? Sad

OP posts:
JudgeRudy · 20/01/2023 21:51

Tell him you have a poltergeist and demand a visit from GhostBusters

Original poster
waveyc · 20/01/2023 21:51

@JudgeRudy Grin

OP posts:
Stopthebusplease · 20/01/2023 21:53

I didn't know that this was a phenomenon either OP, so apologies. I've now looked it up, and as someone else said, it could be that the shower door wasn't installed properly, maybe a DIY to save money? If that's the case, it could well the LL who is actually responsible for causing it, but if you have photographic evidence, then I would be taking 'anaconda1831's' advice.

Starcircle · 20/01/2023 21:54

I’m appalled by your landlord. I’ve just gone through the DPS dispute service with our previous landlord. The first thing they ask is for him to explain why he should keep your money. Unless he has a video of you going at the shower screen with an axe that will be impossible for him to prove. And the broken oven glass doesn’t imply that you broke it (why would you do that?!) it implies that he routinely does botch jobs!

Definitely do not pay for it yourselves. I think they are hoping you will just cough up.

Wiluli · 20/01/2023 21:56

I would not replace it and would keep any correspondence safe as when you leave you can dispute it with the insurance deposit scheme

mumasore · 20/01/2023 21:56

In this instance where there has been something in similar circumstances I could see why the landlord may be suspicious whether that is right or wrong.

For the sake of £50-60 I would replace it. Better for you to get one cheap then a huge chunk taken out of your deposit

Original poster
waveyc · 20/01/2023 21:58

@mumasore It just doesn't make sense though. We are being penalised for absolutely nothing, I have nothing to gain from causing any damage or by lying about it saying it's an accident. Finances are already stretched without forking out for something that wasn't my fault

OP posts:
Littlebluedinosaur · 20/01/2023 21:58

This happened to me in the past in a house that I owned and the shower screen was around 5 years old. We hadn’t been in that bathroom or used that shower for over 48 hours and it just shattered. Sounded like a gunshot. The manufacturer sent us a new screen free of charge and we paid someone a small amount to install it. Is there any record of the manufacturer? The landlord should sort it really though

Nik2879 · 20/01/2023 21:59

This exact same thing happened to my mum and dad. Took them about an hour to brush it all up. Luckily nobody was hurt. They live in shelted accommodation so rented to. They just bought a new one from argos think it was around £50. The only thing we could put it down to was the heat in there. It aways hot and theres no window in the bathroom. Very odd thing to happen though. Must of been very scary for you hope you get it sorted.

Original poster
waveyc · 20/01/2023 21:59

@Starcircle Exactly, this is not the first time either that he has been reluctant to pay/do everything as cheap as possible

OP posts:
windywalk · 20/01/2023 22:00

Around Christmas 2021 a teeny tiny crack appeared in our kitchen window.

It slowly travelled up & eventually went from corner to corner.

A stress crack / fracture apparently.
Can be caused by weather, temperature.

You could see there was no impact, nothing had struck it.

The landlord had it replaced but on top of a boiler constantly causing issues I think the landlord had enough.

I was given a section 21 in January 2022.
Moved out last July.

I have a glass shower panel in my new place.
it cost me around £60 from screw fix & a local handy man charged £30 to fit it.
It's not "that" expensive.

I know you shouldn't be paying for it but if you don't want to rock the boat.

Alternatively, as previously advised stick a curtain up, keep all your evidence & worry about it when you are moving on!

mumasore · 20/01/2023 22:00

@waveyc we had an arsehole landlord so I say it from the point of we knew certain things would cause trouble so decided it wasn't worth the fight.

As I say if finances allow I'd rather do £50 than over £150 for the landlord to have his pick should it not fall in your favour.

FYI we had no toilet that we could do a no2 in as it wouldn't flush properly. Landlord said it was our fault and it went ok for months and months and he became a bane of our existence so have experience with annoying ones

Hintofreality · 20/01/2023 22:01

What do you use to clean the glass? The Pink Stuff, for example, is really popular but can cause glass breakages over time.

Original poster
waveyc · 20/01/2023 22:02

@Hintofreality I've heard that also, but I don't use that. The only thing I use is soapy water and some ordinary glass cleaner

OP posts:
MrsHGWells · 20/01/2023 22:02

OP that is rubbish by your LL and letting agent.. tenant safety should be paramount. So very thankful know one was harmed.

OP see if you can get the glass tested? Was it approved safety glass? Or any photos when you moved in that could prove existing an old shower door?

are there any manufacturers branding in the glass or shower door? Take photos and evidence of the situation.

Original poster
waveyc · 20/01/2023 22:04

We were told the shower screen is about 7-8 years old and that if there was an issue then surely it would have already happened previously..

OP posts:
Starcircle · 20/01/2023 22:04

@waveyc same landlord perhaps!? 😂 Honestly I found dealing with him really upsetting and stressful. I’m waiting for the outcome of our dispute and I really want my money back and then I’ll be well rid of him. We have a lovely landlady now who treats us really well and completely trusts us! Perhaps moving somewhere with a better landlord wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world? I know it’s not easy to find these days though

skips22 · 20/01/2023 22:05

Landlord should definitely replace, it is not your fault.
This happened to me and my god I shit myself!!! Didn't realise it was a thing until I googled it, nightmare

Starcircle · 20/01/2023 22:07

Just send him this thread OP - look how many other people it has happened to! Doesn’t even sound that rare! 😅