£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 would refer the hotel to the reply given in Arkell v Pressdram.

Surely the issue here is that, if a door is shattering like that, its not safe in the first place and you have grounds to say that they've put you at risk.

They can not prove you are at fault. They have CCTV of you entering. They do not have CCTV of you damaging.

I would be asking for a complete refund on the ground they are trying it on, you have done nothing wrong and would they like this all over the local media?

For those saying it looks like it was ripped off the wall, the force of the explosion of glass could easily exert enough force to damage the hinges.

Use chat gpt to craft an informed legal response - this is what it’s made for!

yes glass can spontaneously shatter that being said in picture 2 the frame doesn’t look right / not square - are there any other photos

I had an oven door explode before, it was stone cold, nobody was near it and it sounded like a bomb went off and glass went everywhere.

I'd reply to the gym saying that nobody touched the door and you'd like a full refund of whatever is left with the membership prices.

Send them this https://www.meandmyglass.co.uk/blog/why-shower-glass-explodes/

The steam room door at my gym spontaneously exploded. If they have cctv I’d ask them to send me the clip of my kids actively damaging the door. Bet they can’t

Our shower screen exploded when there was no one touching it at all two years after it was installed. The manufacturer was extremely apologetic and sent us a replacement. The hotel’s response is disgraceful.

Subject: Response to Invoice and Membership Cancellation – Alleged Shower Door Damage

Dear [Name / Spa Manager],

Thank you for your email dated [date]. We are extremely concerned by both the allegations made and the actions taken.

Firstly, we do not accept liability for the damage to the shower door. As previously stated, neither of my grandsons touched or misused the door. The door shattered suddenly while they were present, and no explanation was immediately apparent. Importantly, no one was injured despite being in close proximity and wearing only swimwear, which is consistent with spontaneous failure of toughened safety glass.

While you refer to an “independent professional assessment,” no copy of this report has been provided. Please supply:

• A full copy of the expert report
• The expert’s qualifications and experience
• The specific evidence relied upon to conclude misuse rather than spontaneous failure

We also note your reference to CCTV footage. Presence in the changing room does not demonstrate causation, misuse, or negligence. Unless the footage shows inappropriate handling of the door, it cannot reasonably support your conclusion.

In addition, the individuals involved were children, who are not held to the same standards of behaviour as adults under UK law. There has been no evidence presented of deliberate, reckless, or inappropriate behaviour.

Until such evidence is provided, we do not agree that the cost of £1,674 is recoverable from us, nor do we agree that this matter has been established “beyond doubt.”

Membership Cancellation and Refund:
We are also concerned by the immediate cancellation of both children’s memberships. As no wrongdoing has been proven and liability is disputed, we do not accept that termination without notice is justified.
As only one month of a three-month membership has been used, we request a pro-rata refund for the unused period. If you believe your terms and conditions permit cancellation without refund, please identify the specific clause relied upon.

We request that this matter be placed on hold while the above information is provided and reviewed. Please confirm by return that recovery action will not be pursued pending resolution.

We hope this matter can be resolved amicably.

Yours sincerely,

[Name]

Surely the glass should be shatterproof, it must have been hit with something very heavy. How old and big are the children? Talk to the HSE about it and ask for the remains of the door to be preserved so you can have them independently examined including the fixings. It's possible it was cracked and heating and cooling cycles caused it to shatter, or it was badly fitted. Were the children in view all the time or might they have done something?

I think you need to seek legal advice. What insurers are they proposing you contact?!! I can't imagine household insurance would cover this, and even if it did, your insurance company would want their own accessors to go in and view the damage. The hotel have zero proof your son's touched the shower door, all they can prove is that your Mum and your sons were in the changing rooms when it happened, and nothing more. The hotel could take you to Court if they wanted, so you need to seek legal advice before acknowledging the email or a solicitor handles it.

Yes used to in our office - people would walk past and the movement from people walking just seemed to shatter some of the panels

Yes definitely a report to HSE.

Why are doors breaking this easily. They don't have safe doors.

Ask them to explain how the three people who apparently caused the damage were miraculously uninjured. I'm horrified at the idea of the glass shattering near two six year-olds. They could have been very badly injured with the amount of glass above their heads falling down.

Were their feet bare? They supposedly shattered a massive sheet if glass then walked over it unharmed??!!

It's the balance of probability not reasonable doubt.

I think I'd be sending a letter saying how distressed you all were at this in incident and if they try to recover for spontaneous explosion of glass you will countersue for damages for distress and shock.

I would also add that they either reinstate your membership or refund the unused portion.

A glass that I was holding exploded spontaneously. Tiny tiny pieces... The pieces were all over my clothes, in the wrists of my jumper. I was ten at the time. It was terrifying.

I've had glass spontaneously shatter with me in the same room. Home insurance covered it no question. Glazier said it wasn't unusual.

They need to start by talking to an experienced glass fitter and consider themselves lucky that neither you nor the children were hurt.

Actually it does! My friend’s shower door just exploded, she was thinly one in the house and was downstairs and heard a horrific noise .. no one else there, no windows or doors open
I also had a glass mug as a child - Christmas Eve it was on the draining board, been there a good hour or two … exploded!

Contest and counter charge for scaring your children!

As a fellow solicitor, what @prh47bridgesaid is the correct legal advice.

Your mother should simply send a written response denying the allegation that she or the children caused the damage and putting the claimant (the gym) to strict proof.

She certainly cannot counter claim for the “risk of harm” caused, only for actual injuries suffered of which there were none. She should, however, seek a refund of the cancelled memberships.

@prh47bridge My first response would be to just ask for a copy of the report and the qualifications of the person who wrote it. Would this not be a good strategy. I wouldn't acknowledge anything else just ask for the report. I am aware of your expertise in this matter which is why I am asking you.

They can hardly refuse to provide it because if they are expecting the Grandmother's insurance to cover it they too would want a copy of that report.

Maybe add that this isn't acknowledging any supposed wrongdoing of the children.

I'd be asking to see the CCTV footage. If they can see you were there, then surely they can see you did not touch the thing.

While glass may spontaneously shatter, do frames spontaneously detach from walls too? Looks a bit suss, OP. I think mummy's telling porkies.

I hear the children now have neighmares. Actually one was cut.