£1670 for exploding shower door at pool- please help

[Showerexplosion]

My children attended a hotel swimming pool with my mum where they all have membership. A few weeks ago a shower door exploded while they were in the changing rooms. My mother maintains that my children did not touch the door and that it simply exploded.

Neither of my children were hit by the broken glass despite both being in only swimming costumes.

Today she received an email stating:

At approximately 16:10, the glass shower door in the ladies’ changing room was found shattered. Photographic evidence is attached. You reported the damage to Reception at that time, but no explanation was provided. Given the seriousness of the situation and the safety risks posed to other guests, we immediately initiated a full and detailed investigation.

As part of this investigation, we commissioned an independent professional specialising in glass safety and installation to assess the damaged door. Their expert conclusion was clear: the door did not fail due to a defect or spontaneous breakage. The shattering was consistent with improper handling or misuse, and not with normal or appropriate use of the facility.

We also reviewed our CCTV footage covering the Spa and Wellness area. The footage confirms that only yourself, xxxxxx and xxxxxx were present in the changing facilities during the time the damage occurred. No other individuals entered the area before or during the incident. This evidence, combined with the professional assessment, leaves no doubt that the door was broken due to inappropriate use while your grandsons were in the changing room.

The cost of replacing the door is £1,674.00. A detailed breakdown of the replacement cost is attached for your review and we request that you notify your insurers of this cost as we are seeking reimbursement of the replacement of this shower door caused by your actions.

In addition, due to the seriousness of the incident, the safety implications, and the behaviour that led to the damage, we have taken the decision to cancel both xxxxx and xxxxx memberships with immediate effect.

Are we liable for this cost? Are we entitled to a refund for the cancelled memberships - we have only used one month of a 3 month membership for both of them.

I include the pictures they sent me. Any help with how to respond greatly appreciated.

Completely agree with this, I wouldn't even engage other than to say they're being ridiculous, you've reported the incident to the HSE, and you expect to receive a refund of your membership fees. Their email isn't a letter of claim. They probably haven't even engaged their legal team or an 'expert' - a real expert's fees would probably be double the cost for the door 🙄

Our ensuite shower door exploded. I was downstairs, hubby was napping on the bed. All I heard was a loud, repetitive noise. I bolted up the stairs thinking something had happened our baby (also napping) but both of them still happily asleep. Opened the door to the ensuite and couldn't believe my eyes. Thousands of pieces of glass, but none of them sharp looking. The manufacturer replaced it, free of charge.

@SerpentQueen Our oven door also went while being closed gently. Hundreds of tiny pieces. We were told it sometimes happens, from a fault in the glass or uneven fitting.

Tell them to gtf

Are they getting their clam in first before your mum makes a formal complaint or makes a h&s report maybe?

It would surely be almost impossible for them not to have been hit by the glass if they were near enough to have been responsible for the damage, given how it completely shattered.

Yes it does

My glass table spontaneously exploded, it was a fault with the tempering process apparently. I absolutely would not pay for this, they can't prove you were at fault

I would get some legal advice before replying. I would be tempted to turn this back on them. Where was their concern for your children’s safety. I would be tempted to say the glass hit them from a distance. Also send them info on exploding doors. I would also question their Insurance.

Mine too - a separate hinged glass door, inside the main door. Also just before Christmas!

You'd also need to wonder how on earth anyone would have been able to assess the door as presumably in a public gym changing room the broken glass and any loose or sharp bits were cleaned up pretty promptly - so what were they assessing - an empty door frame?

They were hardly going to leave it in-situ for a forensic analysis when the 'inspector' could arrive.

“Thankfully, my children were nowhere near the door when it shattered, otherwise they could have been seriously hurt. We will not be entering into any further correspondence regarding this matter.”

Courtesy of chat gpt - use it to draft your response.

Short answer yes it is possible for them to ask but that does not mean you are automatically liable or that you should pay without challenge.

I am assuming this is England or Wales.

Liability
The hotel has to prove on the balance of probabilities that your children caused the damage through misuse. It is not enough for them to say only your family were present and therefore it must have been you. Toughened glass shower doors can and do shatter spontaneously due to nickel sulphide inclusions, edge damage from previous use, or installation stress. This is well known and recognised in British Standards.

An expert saying it was not spontaneous does not make it fact. You are entitled to see the full expert report, the expert’s qualifications, and exactly what evidence they relied on. Photos after the event are weak evidence. CCTV not showing misuse is also weak. Absence of other people is not proof of wrongdoing.

If the children were not injured that actually supports spontaneous failure. Toughened glass usually explodes outward into small cubes when it fails internally, not when struck hard by a person.

Unless they can show misuse on CCTV or clear physical evidence such as impact marks consistent with force, they will struggle to prove negligence.

Insurance
They can ask you to notify your insurers but you are not obliged to claim unless you accept liability. If you have home insurance with family liability cover, notify them but make clear liability is denied.

Membership cancellation and refunds
They can usually cancel memberships under their terms if there is alleged misconduct, but they cannot normally keep money for services not provided unless the contract clearly allows it as a penalty. Most consumer contracts do not allow retention of prepaid fees where the business cancels. You should ask for a pro rata refund for the unused two months.

What to do next

1. Respond in writing denying liability.
2. Request
3. The full independent expert report
4. The expert’s credentials
5. Maintenance and inspection records for the shower door
6. Installation date and supplier
7. CCTV footage showing the alleged misuse
9. State that spontaneous failure of toughened glass is a recognised risk and that no evidence of misuse has been provided.
10. Ask for a refund of the unused membership period.
11. Do not pay unless ordered by a court.

If they pursue payment
They would need to take your mother to small claims court. The burden of proof is on them. These cases are very often defended successfully when there is no direct evidence of misuse.

Yes, happened to my rear windscreen (tempered) last year and my parents double glazed window (normal glass) years ago.

My friends coffee table exploded, luckily no-one in the room at the time. Another friend was woken by the sound of an explosion around 3am. A half shower door over the bath had exploded.

Err no. They can get lost. Who has insurance to cover exploding glass doors at health clubs?! What a silly thing for them to say. Glass can occasionally do strange things. Tell them where to stick it.

I wouldn't ask for the expert report or any other information at this point. It's simply not your concern. Time enough if you end up in legal dispute, but you aren't there now, and there's no need to create work for yourself or suggest you're taking them seriously. You're not opening a dialogue here. You're telling them to return your membership fees and back off.

WOW @Squidgoals that's savage! (on your pic on your post at 21.20...) I hope no-one was hurt!

No not hurt but I did nearly shit myself when it went bang. We’ve lived here for 8 years and it could have gone at any time, which is a scary thought

NRTFT but do you have legal protection with your home insurance?
If you have any concerns with how to respond seek legal advice through that.

The hinges look old and rusted.

I would be responding by telling them I would be seeking legal advice regarding the hazard to the children and the distress caused.
They were lucky not to be injured and there is a duty of care towards them.
I would also tell them you will be seeking a refund of the cancelled membership.

Today I learned that glass can spontaneously explode!!!!!

I had a glass shower screen which literally spontaneously shattered. We hadn't even used that shower for years. I was sin the bathroom one day and it just shattered

Absolutely agree. Glass does this, patio doors and oven doors are notorious for it. Mine was a big glass salad bowl, exploded all over my dinner party. Turned out everyone else had a sudden glass death story (and no dinner).

Tell them you'll see them in court.

They’re completely trying it on. I’m appalled!