£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.

I wouldnt respond asking for the report

I had a shower screen exploded in the middle of the night, it does happen! Sod them. They cant prove it was you.

I would be tempted to find references/examples related to similar glass explosions (chat gpt?) and politely forward them, along with something about the fact that they have shown no consideration for the potential harm that could have come to the children. Also, noting that a glass safety expert paid for by them is not impartial. Good luck with this OP x

Another vote for yes it can happen - have heard of two cases only recently ! Was your mum right with them when it happened? How old are they ? Really frightening for all

They are trying it on. The email says they have cctv showing you were the only people in there, not that they have cctv of you actually causing the damage. This suggests to me that they have no evidence that you caused the damage, but are trying to scare you into paying anyway.

I would be tempted to email them asking for cctv showing that you caused the damage, but it would probably be a good idea to seek legal advice before you contact them at all to make sure you don't accidentally say anything that could be interpreted as an admission of guilt.

No way! In fact I would be writing my own letter back saying that unless they refund your gym membership you will be pursuing a charge against them for endangering your kids with unsafe glass. What they have given you is not proof. If they have CCTV footage of your kids actually breaking it that's proof.

Is there any chance they did? I would want to be absolutely sure before I went in all guns blazing but if I was sure I would be on the warpath. How dare they accuse you mother of lying?!

DH had a window in the car just so it when he was driving!

yes it very much is a thing and unless they have any proof that it was anything other than this I would say no way

Years ago I was just getting on a bus when the drivers window just shattered out of nowhere

It's a real shame that as well as totally blaming your mum/children that they did not even bring themselves to ask if they were all ok.

Our oven exploded when we weren't in the room. It was hot though, I had just taken the dinner out of it. (Candy replaced the glass free of charge when I let them know)

It really does - I had a glass explode in my hands at a pub once. Rapid temperature changes can cause it shatter.

They are 6 year old twins. My mother is adamant that they were nowhere near the door. Also neither were hit by the glass.

I thought that was the compensation they were offering for the trauma etc not asking for payment? Is there cctv? You could do a SAR for it, but I’d be seeking legal advice.

I'd only reply to ask for a refund for the membership costs.

This. I had a cold oven door explode a few years ago.

Their 'expert' is talking nonsense. If they have any proof that your dcs were responsible, then let them produce any evidence.

Request the report and the footage and if you don’t receive them you will be getting legal advice as to how best to proceed but without th evidence they have clearly stated exists you will not be doing anything and if they can’t produce the evidence please could they send through a refund of the membership

How could a child even purposely smash a shower screen like that unless they had something akin to a hammer with them?!

Our oven door did it when it was only a couple of years old. The noise it made was just crazy and it took forever to clean up all the glass. Shower doors are notorious for it too.

As a PP has said unless they have CCTV of it being broken then they don’t have proof that it was the kids’ fault. I’d definitely be looking at legal advice.

Well our back door spontaneously shattered once. No one was even in the room. we were told it does happen sometimes

Surely they can’t make you pay, they have no actual evidence that they did anything!

And for my random glass shattering anecdote, one day I was sat on the sofa when the living room window shattered suddenly. Scared the crap out of me, it was so loud and glass everywhere. I ran outside thinking someone must have throw a brick but then realised from the outside it looked absolutely fine, it was only the internal double glazing pane that had actually broken.

Insurance doesn't take away liability. If OP's mother was negligent and broke the door or allowed the children to behave in a way that resulted in the door breaking, she is liable. If she is liable and the hotel reported the matter to their insurance, the insurance company would be entitled to come after OP's mother.

However, in this case it does not sound like OP's mother or her children were negligent and, even if they were, the hotel needs enough evidence to prove it on the balance of probabilities. I therefore think OP's mother should reply stating that neither she nor the children caused the door to break, that she will not pay the amount demanded by the hotel and that she wants a refund of the unused part of their cancelled subscriptions within 28 days, failing which she expects to take legal action against them without further notice.

Ask them to press legal charges as you aren't paying

I’ve heard of glass spontaneously exploding too, I remember reading a couple of years back about garden furniture sets people were buying and the glass table tops were shattering.
How can they say they’ve had it inspected when the glass is in a million pieces?

Had a friend live in a block of flats where gradually every single shower screen randomly exploded due to dodgy installation/materials!

They have zero ability to make you pay, unless they take you to court and win which would be near impossible to do as they have zero proof and would cost more than the door. What are they on about, your insurers? Who has insurance for that? It’s their insurance that needs to pay, they’re trying to scape goat you

Not sure how an “expert” would be able to tell how it broke when it’s all shattered into pieces. I’d tell them to jog on and I’d threaten them with reporting them for having faulty equipment that could have injured your child!

They can't possibly have cctv of the screen exploding because it's a shower and having cameras filming where people are naked would be illegal.

I also agree that shower screens and glass are very capable of shattering spontaneously with nobody nearby, happened to a sliding door of mine.

I would reply politely to the gym that your mum will not be paying, that you expect a full refund of any balance left int heir memberships and potentially will be consulting lawyers to take appropriate action regarding the harassment you've been subjected to.