£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.

That's actually outrageous. If you can be bothered and can afford it I'd get a solicitor on to it. Your family could have been injured by the exploding glass. There's no way that they've had an expert prove it was misuse and they should have their own insurance cover the replacement.

Yeh neither would I but clearly the place allows children so that's the spa's issue! If someone doesn't want kids around they can join an adult-only place.

Ours too, plus some glass windows at work. It's definitely a thing.

https://www.dgcos.org.uk/news/spontaneous-glass-breakage-explained
yes it can

She’s getting lots of helpful information here so that’s good. You are on two forums and the OP is on two forums.

Happened to me on hols 2 years ago, the door was just like that one going into the loo. We were on the balcony and it just shattered. It didnt explode out, more like it just dropped. It was the oddest thing.
Not a chance would I pay them, in fact, id be asking them for their health and safety statement and a copy of their public liability. And then Id see my solicitor.

My oven glass door (which wasn’t on) spontaneously exploded just as I was leaving the kitchen. Gave me the fright of my life 😬

I’ve just posted saying the same thing 😁 a million little pieces all over the kitchen floor.

Dear [Name / Management],

I am writing in response to your email dated [date]. I am appalled by its content and by the conclusions you have chosen to reach.

I categorically deny that either of my grandsons touched, misused or in any way interfered with the shower door in the ladies’ changing room. The door shattered suddenly while we were present. There was no inappropriate behaviour and no explanation was demanded or offered at the time because none existed.The fact that no one was injured, despite both children being in swimwear and standing nearby, strongly suggests a sudden failure of the glass rather than any act on our part.

Your attempt to state with “no doubt” that the door was broken due to inappropriate use is both incorrect and unfair.Your reliance on CCTV footage simply showing that we were present in the changing area proves nothing. Being the only people in the room when something fails does not mean we caused it. Presence is not proof of wrongdoing.

I am equally concerned by your reference to an “independent professional” whose report I have not been shown. You have provided no detail of who this person is, what qualifications they hold, what evidence they reviewed, or whether they considered the well-known phenomenon of toughened glass shattering spontaneously due to defects, stress or installation issues. Until such time as I am provided with the full report, I do not accept your conclusions.

As the operator of the hotel and leisure facilities, you are responsible for ensuring that fixtures and fittings are safe and properly maintained. A glass shower door shattering in normal use raises serious questions about its condition and installation. It is only by luck that neither of my grandchildren was injured. Had they been, the consequences could have been very serious.

Your demand that I pay £1,674.00 to replace the door is entirely unfounded. I will not be notifying my insurers or making any payment in relation to an incident for which I am not responsible.I am also extremely disappointed by your decision to cancel both children’s memberships with immediate effect. This action is wholly disproportionate, particularly when you have failed to establish any misconduct. The memberships were purchased for three months, only one month has been used, and you are now refusing to provide the remaining service.

Unless you can point to clear contractual terms allowing you to cancel memberships without refund on the basis of an unproven allegation, I expect a refund of the unused two months for each membership.To be clear, I am not the party who should be treated as having done something wrong. I brought my grandchildren to facilities I believed to be safe. I reported the incident responsibly. I am now being accused, invoiced, and penalised for something that was entirely outside my control.

I therefore ask that you:
• Confirm in writing that you are withdrawing your claim for the cost of the shower door
• Refund the unused portion of both cancelled memberships
• Provide me with a copy of the expert report you rely upon, together with details of the door’s installation and maintenance historyIf this matter is not resolved promptly and sensibly, I will consider my next steps.I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,
[Name]

My shower door spontaneously exploded - I was in the garden and heard an explosion - the company we bought it from replaced it and said sometimes it happens due to invisible defects in the glass. Seems it's reasonably common from the other posts....I think you're owed an apology.

Is there anyone on Mumsnet who HASN'T had glass door/screen spontaneously explode?

Just goes to show how common it is and how out of order the gym/leisure centre management are.

I agree with this. Some suggestions earlier in the thread were good/helpful, but some of the lengthy, wordy, messages that some posters are suggesting are a bit much. No need for it at all. Just 'see you in court' will do really! But a few snippets out of a few posts will be fine. All the lengthy ones that you have to scroll down the page 4 times to readl, with multiple numbered points are too much.

I still think THIS is one of the best responses - maybe the best one - on the thread. @Showerexplosion are you OK? Do you have an update?

Anyway, this one...

@financialcareerstuff · Today 09:44

Answer:

Don’t be ridiculous. My children were under constant supervision and did not touch the glass. That is a fact. In fact they could have been severely injured. It was a frightening experience for both them and for my mother, and your dangerous facilities are responsible. It is farcical to suggest that six year olds would even have the strength to cause this damage, never mind that they could have walked away blessedly uninjured if they had been right by the door when it exploded. It is also a well documented fact that glass doors such as this can explode without provocation- often due to invisible damage caused weeks or months before.

Your message is insulting and doesn’t even bother to attach this ‘report’ from your ‘expert’. You have responded to responsible customers, who were endangered by your facilities and reported what they saw in good conscience, as if we are criminals. The event was already traumatic, especially for my son, who has autism and needs a calm, quiet, predictable environment (I hate to wonder whether your hostility and accusations are actually due to not wanting children with special needs in your facility?)

I suggest you replace the door with a type that is not dangerous to your customers, whose safety you are responsible for.

I ask that you refund my membership in full- I no longer want to be part of your establishment. And if I get any further difficulty from you on this matter, I will escalate to your Group management and share this shocking treatment publicly.

Very well worded reply! I think this will make them reconsider their position.

Once our patio door that separated lounge to conservatory exploded - thankfully we were all sitting in the room at the time so the blame game did not occur. Hope you get it sorted

Ask for legal advice on your home or car insurance?

I got home this evening and immediately my oven (both top and bottom) spontaneously exploded. Annoying but ok these things happen, clear it up and move on.
I then walked into my conservatory and that spontaneously exploded too including the ceiling. Now I'm getting angry but I stayed calm and went to collect the broom from greenhouse and yes you guessed it - whole thing spontaneously exploded

It's not harassment to have a civil dispute over costs, and contact the other party about this and to claim the costs you believe are owed. People have lost all sense of what so many words mean.

Wow they are lucky it didn’t hurt your kids , I would still go after them for trauma
No way you need to pay for that , they have insurance .
if you have home insurance sue them .Thats is what I would do .

@CalmShaker I'm currently staring at my intact lounge glass door wondering what its fucking problem is. I'm also going to have words with my non-exploding shower screen. Feel very left out.

And I should add I had a shower door exploding when nobody was even in the bath room in the middle of the night . It happens

Id say they're chancing their arm looking for someone else to pay for it. If you do, great, otherwise they will just leave it. They don't have a lot of evidence really. I would send an email back stating your case, make it clear that you aren't happy either because your children could have been hurt. Stress this and mention that you will seek legal advice if needed. See what they say! And then do get legal advice if it goes further. You could probably actually sue also if you wanted!

I work for a shower company. They handle 1,000's of glass shower panels. The glass panels do explode. There are many reasons for this explosion to occur.

1. The manufacture process
2. The transport journey
3. The fitting
4. The customer misuse

In the cases that the shower glass explodes, the client is given a FREE replacement!

Bin the letter

Look up the head of the hotel group on LinkedIn and tell him what his staff are doing, harassing a family like this.