Landlord broken window

[denimflame]

Hi,

I have a small broken window pane on my front door. I broke the window myself when I got locked out of my house quickly nipping to put something in my bin and my toddler shut the door on me, the door has a deadbolt. Both doors and windows were all locked and my toddler was inside with candles on etc and I couldn't get in.

I called the landlord before I broke the window in a panic as he had a spare key and asked him if he'd be able to come round and unlock the door and he basically said no and the only other option was to break the window to get the deadbolt off and then get it replaced it should only cost about £20.

So I did just that.

Skip to a couple weeks later and I've had multiple glazers come round to measure the window pane as it's a weird size and has a leaf pattern design and I've been invoiced about £200-300 for a very small window pane. The door isn't even a nice door to pay that sort of price to get it fixed, it has no letterbox on it when we moved in, the doors not fitted properly so wind comes through the sides etc honestly it's better just replacing the sodding door at this point.

But anyway I bought some window pane repair kit and cut it down to size, putty around it and I don't think I did a bad job.

Landlord comes round and he says he's not happy with it it needs to be leaf patterned. He is selling the house and we have to move out and I'm worried that he's going to deduct £200-300 off for the window pane when he originally said it should only cost £20.

I'll attach a photo of the window.

In no way do I think I'm in the right but I tried my best to replace it so it wasn't just a hole in the door...

His mistake in not protecting your deposit will cost you a LOT.

Typo, @mewkins ? Cost the landlord a lot, surely?

(Don't want the OP to be discouraged from following your excellent link! )

Honestly thank you all for your replies they are very helpful and I will definitely take a look at the links to get it back. I think my plan of action is to pay him the rent when it's due this month (I think he's expecting the full months rent but I'm on a rolling contract and I paid a months deposit in advance so he'll only be getting money from the date my rent is due to the date my notice ends). I'll give him the 10 days from there to decide what he "wants" to do with the deposit. And then I'll ask him what scheme he "protected" my deposit in (although I know for a fact he hasn't) so that I can dispute it through them and for proof of certification that he "protected" it. 😳 I feel there's a storm a brewing.

No, this is good news for you!

And thank you @UpsideDownChairs I never even thought about the door being outdated it is most definitely a very old door which would need replacing. When we had estate agents round to value the house for him I did hear him say that to get the price he's asking for there's multiple works that need to be made on the house, one being the door because it's extremely outdated and old. I will definitely bring this up if he decides to be funny!

Of course you can. You can get one in B&Q, Leader doors or direct doors for around £190-230. You may need to pay someone to install if you can't do it yourself or have a handyman/woman in the house. It's something we have done multiple times ourselves. We are talking a nice solid wood front door, nothing fancy like armoured door.

Yes I meant HIM. 😁

Ignoring the fact your LL has completely screwed up not protecting your deposit, that fix is a total riot and I’m not surprised your LL isn’t happy. But you’ll get away with it.

I wonder how many tenants actually manage to pursue their landlords for their unprotected deposits and get the judge to award the tenant 3xdeposit in compensation...

Correct!

He’s up shit creak without a paddle.

I remember a similar thread on here. Lots of posters said it was as simple as filling in an online form. Personally, I wouldn’t do it, but I’d use it as leverage to get the full deposit back.

That's not a predicament that's a blessing. Now he gets to deduct nothing and can get a big fine.

Quite a few!

Enough to scare my ex landlord into settling out of court

But you're a grown-up. On what planet these days does it cost £20 to get anything fixed?! Yep, he gave you the wrong info and that's unfortunate. But you shouldn't have taken his word for it and it's really not his problem.

He claims he's had multiple windows fixed for £20 at this particular glazers....so that's why I went on his word. I've even offered if he knows the glaziers personally and they discount because they know him I'll pay for it. He's measured the window up and is going to check with them but if it turns out to be £200-300 like I'd originally been quoted the door isn't even worth that in the first place knowing that the new buyers of the property will place the door in a heartbeat I certainly would. Surely it would be cheaper or agreeable to just come to terms with replacing the whole door rather than a hefty priced small window. I know it's not his fault.

Ah - I think that’s illegal. You may have bargaining power here

Agree he's a complete fool (and possibly worse) for not protecting the deposit, but regarding the glass there's a perfectly easy way round all this

The pattern's a standard one, so carefully remove the matching piece on the other side and take it to a glass supplier to have a replacement piece cut

And yes I realise the intact piece would be "the other way round", but I'm pretty sure the supplier will be able to allow for that - at least, they did when I had to request similar

This.

What would you have done if LL hadn't answered? You'd still have ended up smashing a window to get in. It's okay you saying you rang him to bring round the spare key but you have no idea where he was at the time. If he'd been an hour away you wouldn't have waited.
He's seriously fucked up by not protecting your deposit however you can't seriously think that you shouldn't have to pay to repair the window/door.

@mummyh2016

I didn't state that I shouldn't pay for the window. I've made multiple attempts to get it quoted and fixed and I replied to a message before as the landlord knows someone who is a glazier who does it for cheap hence him saying it shouldn't cost too much so I've even approached the landlord to get the details. I've even said I feel guilty although he hasn't protected my deposit the fact that the window had been smashed.

I asked for simple opinions on whether as a landlord people would be happy with what I did.

I've been quoted £200-300 for a small patterned window to be replaced in a door that is botched anyway and is incredibly old, outdated and let's in way too much draft. The house is being sold...the new buyers are just going to buy a new door.

Instead of forking out for a small window surely it'd be easier to compromise with the landlord about replacing the door (as that'll ultimately count toward the value of the house when he sells it).

I'm aware that the window is smashed. I'm aware it's not his fault I just stated the full story so people could understand the picture on why I HAD to smash the window.

I would love to be able to replace a front door for £250!!

The fact remains you were the one who locked themselves out and that is how yiu regained access. It is for you to pay the cost of replacing like for like.

@denimflame Get a quote for a full replacement door. If you can do that for under £1k can you let me know who by?

He won't be able to evict you or serve notice unless he returns the deposit to you and indeed you could claim against him for the non protection. So if you don't want to pay let him know all this. If you are unsure how to phrase this I suspect Shelter or CAB would be able to help.

I’m also gobsmacked at the £250 front door. And internal door yes, but a secure front door?!?

An old knackered door for a new one isn't replacing like for like - it's betterment.

The door doesn't need replacing though - just the glass she broke. Betterment would only come into play had there been an issue requiring replacement of the door which there hasn't

As a landlord, I would not accept your repair, it's awful and you should have put the right glass in there

However, rogue landlords who don't follow the law and give the rest of us a bad name piss me right off!

Keep paying your rent so you are in the right, but ask him to give you details of the deposit scheme yours is protected in. If he can't, claim 3 x your deposit and take the £200 for glass from that amount. You can be morally right and quids in!

Has he given you your official 2 months' notice yet?