Can I refuse replacement of stained glass window?

[painintheglass0]

Help Please, MNers!

I'm in major need of advice regarding a tricky situation with my LL, and I can't figure out: Where does our 'right to peaceful enjoyment' end and the landlord's 'right to access for repairs' begin?

Quick context:
When we moved into our beautiful period rental a few months ago, we noticed some cracks in the stunning stained glass panes of the front door. These had been 'made good' with sellotape. We mentioned this in our inventory confirmation email, thinking it might need attention but not being overly concerned. However, my other half logged a 'repair request' for it through an automated portal—despite my fears about losing the stained glass. I even had a bad dream about it!

To our shock, the landlord has now decided to remove the stained glass entirely and replace it with a basic pane of frosted glass, giving us just 24 hours' notice, which my partner seems to have unwittingly agreed to in a phone call. My bad dream has come true.

It might sound pathetic, but losing this stained glass door is heartbreaking for me. The door's wow factor is one of the main reasons I fell in love with this house. As a lover of period features, I can't understand why the landlord would want to remove such a unique element from their property.

Can we stop this from happening? The managing agents have shown no empathy when I've asked what the alternatives are to retain the original feature before drastic action is taken. They basically told me it was not my decision to make and I have no say in the matter.

This afternoon, I sent the glazer away and told them I don't want the work to be carried out (and have been verbally warned that a £££'s bill will be coming my way because of it).

Any advice, similar experiences, or guidance on how to handle this situation would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you so much.

Don’t get attached to a house that doesn’t belong to you. You’ll be even more heartbroken when he asks you to leave for sending away his contractors

Twenty years ago I replaced a frosted glass window in my normal size hallway door and put in a stained glass panel instead, it was within keeping with the age of the property. This window cost £500. I'm not surprised that the LL has gone for the cheaper option and if I were the LL I wouldn't even be entering into a conversation about repair/replacement.

but also that I would be open to a conversation about splitting the cost with the landlord

Good lord, this sounds so entitled! "open to a conversation about splitting the cost"?

I'd be billing you for the difference between a standard frosted glass, and a repair of the original glass.

Look, it's lovely that you care about this house, but you're naive. If ever you want to buy a house, vendors will see you coming. In the end, it's just a house (and I own and love several period properties).

Why would the landlord want to try to negotiate with you when you've just demonstrated that you will act unilaterally and without negotiation?! Sending the glazer away is just, wow.

I really do understand the desire to preserve original attractive features. But your partner requested a repair! And then agreed to the glazer coming round! And as others have already said, it isn't your house so you are not responsible for decisions like this.

I think you need to get a hobby. I can't imagine getting so upset about a piece of glass in a door that I don't own. My main concern would be safety and warmth and broken glass wouldn't reassure me of either of those.

Ask the landlord if you can keep the removed panel, then ask the contractors to remove the panel carefully, that way you can restore, frame and display it.

How about trying to source some stained glass window film to make the new glass look more in keeping with the original style? You can get some lovely patterns which look pretty decent.

At my parents house the stained glass windows were taken away and encased in doubled glazing then refit.

I was going to suggest just this. A glazier should be able to remove it without breaking it further and you can keep it and turn it into some artwork that you can take with you as and when you leave.

Other people seem way more outraged than i am. Obviously this has happened in a very messy way but I'm sure if you immediately explain that you will pay for the glazier today, the landlord will get over it pretty quickly and you won't be evicted!

That said, it's the landlord's house and even if you like the glass as it is, they are likely to be thinking in the long term and future tenants who will prefer a modern and secure window. But definitely talk to them on the basis that you are prepared to pay for a different type of repair. Personally if I was a landlord and the tenant offered to pay the extra cost of restoring period features, I'd jump at it.

Hi @Tupster yes fair play, I did write a pretty vigorous message upthread - it was this bit in the OP "Where does our 'right to peaceful enjoyment' end and the landlord's 'right to access for repairs' begin?" that particularly riled me...

Through a weird set of circumstances, I'm an accidental-ish LL of one (lovely, period) London property. I can't afford to live there myself, basically, so instead I live out in the countryside where life and properties are cheap and I WFH full-time with 2 young kids.

Because my life is busy, I actively seek out tenants who are reasonable, self-sufficient, non-spoilt, non-babies, and who don't waste my time.

With that hat on, if one of my tenants had raised a problem with me, requested for me to find a solution, waited while I did the admin to organise that solution, and then thrown a tantrum and sent my contractor away before they could implement my solution - then that makes them an unforgivable arsehole who I want out of my property (and life) asap.

In the OP's shoes, I'd have been proactively writing emails to the agents for them to forward to the LL way BEFORE I reported the repair, explaining that the glass was a loved feature that had some damage and exploring options to restore rather than replace, and offering to share/pay the costs.

But I'm biased, obviously! 😉 And I hope the OP gets it sorted and salvages the relationship so that they can stay in the home as long as they want.

Good god, no it isn't.

It's quite possible the landlord is keeping the stained glass, what with it belonging to them and all.

No, they don't look lovely. I would be pretty irritated about a tenant who did something like that to a newly glazed door, and require them to make good before vacating.

They just peel off. It’s not glued down or anything!