Help with the OH broken window in JBR apartment and landlord dispute | ExpatWoman.com
 

Help with the OH broken window in JBR apartment and landlord dispute

88
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 27 July 2011 - 20:55

Hi ladies. I am sure this isnt a straightforward issue but its worth seeing if anyone else has had this problem. My OH lives in JBR as a sublet from a women who acts as 'landlord' but Im sure she is a tenant herself, subletting, as she didnt enter into an official lease with him and he pays cash monthly. This has worked out very conveniently so far as he will be moving over to join me in a few months (Im in London now) and easy to pack and go. Anyway, he got home the other day to find his bedroom window 'shattered' - still in its frame but the glass looks like a spiders web. He knew that Idama management co had been cleaning the facades that day so presumed they had somehow bumped it with a hoist. Anyway, his 'landlady' got Idama in and they agreed that it was the inner pane of glass and therefore his fault !! Its really hard, almost impossible for a person to smash that glass Im sure. Anyway of course now she is demanding that pays for the damage but its not his fault and could cost a fortune. Rera are no help without a formal lease agreement in place. and also, Im sure there should be some kind if insurance policy to cover him in this?
Has anyone else had a problem with this sort of damage in an apartment? Its messy for sure

993
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EW GURU
Latest post on 06 August 2011 - 12:36
A pane in our bedroom broke similarly 5 months back and no signs of any repair even though LL said we wont have to pay for it
333
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 06 August 2011 - 08:23
This happened to us in Southridge a couple of years ago, It just smashed spontaneously while I was in the kitchen one morning, the temperature change as the sun came up on that side of the building caused it apparently. The maintenance guys said it was not unusual. Of course the landlord saw that it was an internal pane and implied to my OH that I was lying about not causing it ( he was in Aus). It remained unrepaired for about 6 months and was still that way when we left. We got our security deposit reurned in the end as he was trying to blame the window cleaning guys then. If she is subletting then she has no legal leg to stand on so I would not pay it, perhaps go halves if she is agreeable and he wants to stay there.
1861
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 06 August 2011 - 01:27
if he's planning on moving out, I would just leave it, especially if the replacement cost is going to be more than his deposit... Play hard-ball with the "LL"... gosh, if you're paying in cash monthly and it's looking likely that you won't see the deposit back, just don't hand over your last month's rent - she hasn't got a leg to stand on! It's actually got a film on it that contains the shatter, so from a safety point of view, it's not really a worry. Sometimes also windows will fracture if there's movement in the structure (through heat, etc...)
78
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 August 2011 - 23:16
Are the window shattering experiences in particular JBR buildings? or random? Secondly, whether it is inside or outside (and def not the tenants mistake), then shouldn't the landlord be the one fixing it??? After all, he owns a defective property.
5
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 August 2011 - 21:47
We are also in JBR and had the same problem although it was the outside pane that shattered. Idama fixed our pane but we had to create a huge song and dance to get it fixed quickly (even then it took 6 weeks). They said that it happened ALOT with the glass used for JBR and that it was obviously poor quality!!
1100
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 05 August 2011 - 20:14
Hey Cheggars - thats so interesting ! Do you know of the name of the insurance company - are they the insurers for the whole development? or your Landlords own insurance company for contents? Derien - sadly no contract and yes she has a deposit in hand but its a smallish amount. Well, without a contract she has no hold over your husband to fix it anyway. I would get a quote as to how much it is to fix it and if its less than the deposit, get it fixed and if not I would just forfeit the deposit, subletting is illegal, so its not like she's going to chase you down with the law... In saying that if your husband doesn't want to leave her with the bill then maybe he could agree with her to go halves, or just pay it if he feels the need to.
88
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 05 August 2011 - 19:51
Hi Cheggars - wonder if you could tell me a little more about the insurance report. Was it the landlords insurance company or that of the property management company (ie Salwan or Idama?) They are now acting like its the first they have have heard of this when we know its fairly common with high rise toughened glass, and that its happened in JBR before. I can understand if you cant reveal the insurance company's name but would be great to know who commissioned the report. Thanks !
88
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 27 July 2011 - 22:11
Hey Cheggars - thats so interesting ! Do you know of the name of the insurance company - are they the insurers for the whole development? or your Landlords own insurance company for contents? Derien - sadly no contract and yes she has a deposit in hand but its a smallish amount.
1575
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 27 July 2011 - 21:13
Is there a contract in place between the sublet lady and your OH? If not, then your OH should just put a cardboard box over it and move out. Let the lady explain it to the real landlord with whom she has a contract. Unless she is holding your husbands deposit
1575
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 27 July 2011 - 21:13
Is there a contract in place between the sublet lady and your OH? If not, then your OH should just put a cardboard box over it and move out. Let the lady explain it to the real landlord with whom she has a contract. Unless she is holding your husbands deposit
1575
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 27 July 2011 - 21:13
Is there a contract in place between the sublet lady and your OH? If not, then your OH should just put a cardboard box over it and move out. Let the lady explain it to the real landlord with whom she has a contract. Unless she is holding your husbands deposit
57
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 27 July 2011 - 21:08
I used to live in JBR and had a similar thing happen. I was standing in the living room with DH then suddenly there was a bang and the window had shattered. We were on a very high floor so unlikely something was thrown at the window but we presumed it was a bird flying into it. We had Idama out they said it was shattered from the inside only so we must have done it! I had a guy from an insurance company around (about something else) and he said this had happened elsewhere in JBR. They had had a specialist report done that had said it was very likely it was caused by a tiny almost invisible flaw in the glass during manufacture that made it weak and eventually shattered it. If I hadn;t been there when it spontaneously shattered I also wouldn't have believed it, just like my landlord didn't and we ended up having to pay for it too. Not sure what you can do about it really. It's almost imposssible to prove it wasn't you.
3804
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 27 July 2011 - 20:59
Well if he is indeed subletting from the other lady, unless she has written permission from the actual LL to sublet, then they are both breaking the law to begin with, so he really doesn't have anywhere to stand on the matter. Ask Idama how much they'll charge to replace it.
 
 

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