Hello all,
Today we noticed that the front glass door in our rented home was broken. it could be because of the air pressure in the hall way due to leaving the backdoor open. We leave the backdoor open for ventilation every night.
Its not a person who did it because we could have seen them doing it from the other window of the house.
who would pay for this, us or the landlord?its an old house and we are living here for the last 7 years.
They don't break by themselves…
@whatswrongwithya: The door has clearly swung shut too fast and shattered on impact, whether it was done by you or the wind, i would say it is your responsibility
@Qazxswec: And looks like it had a chip on the edge top RH corner that "broke out" when the door slammed. Not cheap glass if the LL wants original quality/type glass.Getting hard to find.
The glass does sometimes break on its own. I'm not sure what caused the breakage in the OP case, but it does shatter itself.
My alfresco sliding glass door shattered while we were away from home. Initially, we thought we had been broken into, but our security cameras didn’t capture any intruders, and nothing was stolen. Later, the glass replacement technician mentioned that he frequently replaces glass that breaks by itself. Fortunately, the damage was covered by insurance.
Google it or look at the below link.
https://www.siegersystems.co.uk/technical-advice/spontaneous…
https://primalglassreplacement.com.au/blog/why-spontaneous-g…
@jv: Uber pedantic>^
So lets blame Newton shall we?
https://primalglassreplacement.com.au/blog/why-spontaneous-g…
Shower glass definitely can and does, not sure if there's any relevant difference between that and the door in this post.
@jv: Definitely a thing, I'm telling ya
https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebuilding/comments/1dk3pcc/how_l…
Are you certain it didn't slap shut when you had that pressure thing in the house from having the back door open?
No, it happened between 10-11PM the front door was shut as we have 1 year old and we don't keep it open anyway.
@whatswrongwithya: There's a good chance that door and glass are older than you. I'd argue that it should be replaced by the landlord as it's a security issue like that, and an eyesore. It's an old door, it didn't break by your negligence (as far as anyone can prove), and that decades old glass on that decades old door definitely broke through fair wear and tear. You'd probably win if you had to fight this https://eats.org.au/sites/default/files/Factsheets/Doors%20a…
Best thing to do is tactfully but convincingly talk the REA into believing this wasn't your fault and is a hassle to you, so you don't pay and the REA and landlord don't have hard feelings towards you.
Maybe over decades of painting that door and heat stress affecting the wood from winter to summer, plus the paint looks like it touches the glass on all sites slightly which more firmly fixes the glass to the flexes of the wood, so it just broke by itself. The landlord should consider themselves lucky that it didn't occur when your child was opening it, they could have been seriously injured.
who would pay for this
the wind ofcourse.
As the tenant YOU are legally responsible for the property and any such damage.
There is your answer
He who knows sweet fa
Those old glass is a pain to find a replacement, you better start looking now …
I once left my kitchen cupboard door open and I later went into the kitchen to see a number of glasses smashed on the floor. There's me thinking it was the cat when all along it was that pesky air pressure….
how did you verify it wasnt the diabolical cat?
Rear ended a car, who's at fault? Pushed by air, no insurance
Its not a person who did it because we could have seen them doing it from the other window of the house.
Not really, the tenant is only responsible for the fair market value of the item in question.
The landlord cannot claim the full cost of replacing something that was not new when it was damaged.
If this went to tribunal, they would only give the landlord a partial credit given the age of the door. And it would need to be a like for like replacement, or glass only replacement.
The landlord cannot claim the full cost of replacing something that was not new when it was damaged.
The cost of repair
Not even the cost of repair. It's basically proportional to the age as well.
I'd say they'd be lucky to get 30% of the cost of repair.
looks like pretty old glass - interesting stipple - 1930s ?
you can see not many will buy your argument about wind pressure - that would be an uphill battle to try to win that
insurance companies don't care - they just pay out - minus excess - then up the premiums next year (baskets)
if the landlord claimed heritage that could be difficult to find and expensive
if a standard glazier replaced it with privacy/patterned glass, $1-200 ?
ask the agent/owner nicely and see what they say.
minimum effort case nobody does anything and when you move out, you get your bond back.
worst case you fight for your rights - they fight for heritage replacement - you get evicted, they deduct from your bond and still sue you for more costs, and then blacklist you on the agents database.
likely result - somewhere in between … ;-)
Alternative scenario, you move out, immediately claim for the bond leaving them to have to apply for xCAT.
They take you tribunal. Tribunal laughs at them for asking $1200 for 1930's glass. They get $200. However they end up paying $200 in filing fees and $500 in agent representation fees.
No one is getting evicted. You cannot evict a tenant for cracked glass.
In short, the tenant is responsible for all such breakages.
Nothing to do with WHO broke it.
Nothing to do with WHO broke it.
What if the landlord broke it during an inspection?
He said all such breakages. Start your own glass replacement company for an infinite money trick.
Since landlord doesn't live in that house, it is your responsibility.
Its not a person who did it
what about an animal?
who would pay for this
You.
At least nobody got hurt… make sure to clear up all the shards. Nothing worse than getting a sliver of glass in your foot.
Nothing worse?
Two slivers of glass would be worse.
Or one in each foot.
Whilst your foot is on fire… Much worse
make sure to clear up all the shards
There’s an Engadine Maccas joke in there somewhere
Lego is worse.
Just replace it yourself with some 3mm frosted acrylic.
Ideally should be a like for like unless the landlord approves otherwise.
Could be very difficult to find a piece like that, plus it’s an access door so the sooner it is fixed the safer. Swap to acrylic first and then take the time to find a similar replacement.
Any frosted glass will do as a replacement provided you get Landlord approval.
why dont you put yourself as the landlord, who do you think should fix it?
through no fault of your own
A big assumption here…
OP stated they didn't break it, yet you want to side automatically with the Landlord.
OP stated they didn't break it
Very unlikely…
Sounds like they're trying to find excuses for breaking it.
you want to side automatically with the Landlord.
Even more unlikely that the landlord broke it.
@jv: lmao so you'd side with a landlord automatically, as stated. The OP states they did not break it.
You're cooked, to the enth degree.
@jv: It's barely 11AM and you're already on the terps, mate? Where did I say the LL broke it?
OP has paid that LL's mortgage for seven years.
OP has paid that LL's mortgage for seven years.
No, they pay rent if they are using a standard rental agreement.
@jv: You're so desperate to side with the LL you think OP would post here, anonymously, and lie to OzBargain. Critical thinking isn't your strong point, huh?
You're so desperate to side with the LL
No, that is only in your imagination.
Unless you can prove the Landlord was there and broke the door, the responsibility is with the person renting the home not to damage the property they are renting.
you think OP would post here, anonymously, and lie to OzBargain
hahahaha yeah this has never happened on the Internet before. OP crowdfunding ideas to get out of paying the bill.
@ThithLord: Let’s keep our focus on what happened. The OP heard a loud noise, suggesting the door swung open and broke by itself, likely due to negligence from the renter not securing it properly. Using a door stop or similar precaution is a basic responsibility to prevent such incidents if you know it's a draft prone area.
Full disclosure. I own a single investment property, initially intended as our long-term residence before we had the opportunity to build elsewhere. Selling at that time would have meant a significant loss, so we decided to rent it out. This isn’t about profiting at the expense of tenants. Many renters prefer the flexibility of renting over buying, as they aren’t locked into one place. I handle accidental damages without passing costs onto the renters. Regarding property investment, I agree that if someone only invests heavily in property without diversifying, you profit at tenants’ expense. In this specific case, however, the responsibility for the damage clearly lies with the renter.
The OP heard a loud noise, suggesting the door swung open and broke by itself, likely due to negligence from the renter not securing it properly
You came to that conclusion all by yourself.
OP has stated there were cracks in the pane that they reported to the Real Estate many months/years before, which was not actioned.
Case closed.
@ThithLord: Not per his original post, which is what I am going off.
Also I know it's difficult for some to not throw insults when having a civil discussion online. But you do you. Lucky the case is closed so I don't have to continue talking to an angry troll.
Have a good one, if you can.
Not per his original post, which is what I am going off.
Then why did you say the below? That's not in OP's post.
The OP heard a loud noise
Try not to be so smug, fella.
OP has stated there were cracks in the panel
Not per his original post.
it could be because of the air pressure in the hall way due to leaving the backdoor open
Original post. Air pressure, implying it slammed shut.
Just returning the same amount of smugness you have been dishing out. Give and take, fella.
EDIT.
Look… All our smugness and bias' aside. In this particular instance, if there were existing cracks in the glass which were brought up in the past, then sure. That may not have helped with the shattering. There is still the question of how those cracks got there in the first place (could have slammed open/shut in the past which is why OP mentioned the air pressure). Who knows, except OP.
If it were me, I would think that if someone has decided to call this place home for 7 years and I haven't had any issues with them, then I'd look into fixing it. Shit happens.
Another classic shitpost from you. "The landlord class." Lol.
Actually, this is the first time I haven't seen a barrage of landlord-hate. Just a couple of haters today.
OP has paid that LL's mortgage for seven effing years
I doubt it…
They probably were just paying the rent to live in a property owned by somebody else.
If they wanted to pay mortgage, they would have bought their own property…
greedy profit.
Proof that they were making a profit ???
More likely the money was going to pay Dan's property taxes…
More likely the money was going to pay Dan's property taxes…
Don't like maintaining an asset and paying the taxes due? Invest in something else, then.
and paying the taxes due?
They weren't due… Dan created them.
Makes sense to pass them onto renters.
Sell up.
Nah…. I like to have properties in my investment mix…
Diversification reduces risk.
@jv: You get what you vote for. Did you expect anything better from an authoritarian pee wee who runs over kids on their bikes and blames his wife?
You get what you vote for.
What did I vote for?
Two thirds of Victorians did not vote for him.
@jv: Maybe those 2/3rds should have all voted for one other party instead of multiple random ones if Victorians hated him so much. Guess Victorians aren’t the smartest tools in the shed.
@ThithLord: So if I invest in say VAS which includes mining, banking and retail shares like combank, BHP and Woolworths am I after pure greedy profit or is this profit ethically ok? Can you explain the difference between say investing in housing vs commercial property. Is pure greedy profit ok if I buy comercial realestate?
14 landlords reading, and counting
As a landlord myself, I actually am on the fence on this one. How can air pressure break glass, unless the pressure was extreme? Perhaps wear and tear due to age of the glass or poor design.
years ago RAAF jets, I think the Mirage III that we had through to the late 80s broke the sound barrier over glasshouses in Virginia/Andrews Farm SA. The sonic boom (ie. airpressure) shattered the glass.
Lol.
As dense as the OP may come across, I'm pretty sure they'd notice the almighty, earth-shattering sound of a f**king sonic boom overflight, especially if it's low enough to the ground to shatter glass windows. It's one of those things you really can't miss nor mistake for anything else.
it's more likely that a change in temperature caused it, and being up to 50-100 years old evidently, this glass just had it. Could have been hit one too many times in the past
It's a large piece of old ordinary glass, full of flaws that eventually grew into a crack and broke. Being on a door doesn't help.
Back door AND front door were left open, gust of wind caught the front door and it slammed shut, breaking the glass as a result.
Whatever the cause, real or imagined, get your cheque book ready.
Fix it like a landlord would, slap a piece of board over it and call it a day.
it could be because of the air pressure in the hall way due to leaving the backdoor open
Are Mythbusters still going?
Glass looks to have broken from the inside from the pics. Unless you have a jet engine in the back yard it was very likely some physical interaction or a hard slam shut……….
Wont cost too much if you measure it carefully and replace it yourself. Give the actual opening size to the glass folk and theyll cut a size that will fit.
Yes, its protruding outwards.
at around 10-11PM I was on the couch and wife and kids were asleep thats when we bith heard a bang.
The agent called to tell they have someone booked to do the job but now i am a bit scared as they would charge x10 times.
So you heard a bang loud enough to wake your wife?
Was that the open door slamming shut due to the back door also being open? The debris has been ejected outwards which suggests that either the door was slamming shut or the glass was impacted from the inside.
If it was really just exploding glass, debris would be both inside and out.
Tenants responsibility to repair
Case closed
Bloody OP didn't include this in their original post.
@Caped Baldy: Yeah would have been much easier to apportion liability to the landlord knowing the sonic boom originated from inside the house.
Replacing it yourself would probably be cheaper than starting an argument with the LL and them possibly raising rent or evicting you. I'm no expert but it shouldn't be too expensive to replace with a piece of frosted glass. Might even be cheaper to replace the entire door.
Agree, if I was the landlord, and if the tenant was a good one, then, i’d be inclined to wear the cost, or maybe see if we could come up with a compromise, e.g., LL pays for a new door, tenant installs the door if they are handy…
As the tenant of the property, you are responsible for any damage beyond fair wear and tear. As this would be classified as damage, you (the tenant) would need to pay for the repair. It would be cheaper for you to arrange to get it fixed opposed to the landlord. Looking at the photo, I would expect around $200 - $300 for the replacement.
this is how it should be seen, now the OP could approach the agent / LL & there's a small chance the LL would cover it, but in most circumstances it'll be the tenants responsibility unless they can prove they were not at fault. Have seen similar enough times, as someone else said get a piece of frosted glass to replace it, do not use the agents trades as you will most likely pay more especially if they try to find similar glass (which will be an expensive nightmare)
The problem is if there are multiple panes of glass on the single door. The new glass should match the glass on the rest of the door.
The person who broke it.
Sounds like you're trying to find excuses for breaking it.