# Broken window and tenancy question. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 8, 2016, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broken-window-and-tenancy-question/745520 "2016-02-08T07:39:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broken-window-and-tenancy-question/745520/21 "2016-02-17T07:27:10Z")
Good thing you got it fixed. I heard a theory that a broken window can lead to much more serious crimes, such as murder and mayhem. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broken-window-and-tenancy-question/745520/22 "2016-02-17T07:38:47Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Good thing you got it fixed. I heard a theory that a broken window can lead to much more serious crimes, such as murder and mayhem. TODDLER TERRORIZES TOURISTS WITH GLASS SHARDS…news at 9! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broken-window-and-tenancy-question/745520/23 "2016-02-17T08:53:31Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > It was a bit surreal really. The morning after the ‘accident’ I emailed the property manager to notify them of the damage AND to ask for their preferred repairer. The agent was bloody snooty, and told me “IN FUTURE JUST REFER TO THE RENTAL PACK KAMBUCKTA” but also gave me the number of their glazier. > > To be honest, I was taken aback! I thought it was incumbent on us to report all damage, but the response indicated she didn’t want to know about it at all, and was essentially pissed off that I’d notified her. > > Meh… 😕 Yeah, I’d think the same. That’s NOT how I’d want any property manager representing me to act. I’m torn now between saying ‘fuck it, I’ve changed my answer, phone the Tenants Union and find out your rights so you can stand on them’ and on the other hand ‘hmmm, they do sound like the sort of dicks that might give you grief and blacken your name to other agents - maybe not worth it over a window’ ☹ ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broken-window-and-tenancy-question/745520/24 "2016-02-17T18:25:32Z")
I would determine whether the situation that caused the fall was a hazard existing through the negligence of the owner, and whether their insurance should cover the damage, not to mention any injuries to your grandson. You are quite lucky his injuries weren’t much more serious given the fact it was not tempered glass. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broken-window-and-tenancy-question/745520/25 "2016-02-17T22:32:18Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > You can make the case that the landlord should have already replaced the window with safety glass, and all you have done is to give him the incentive to do so. The lease implicitly mandates the landlord to provide you with a safe living environment, which is defined by any current building code. When I was six I shut the storm door by pushing on the glass, breaking it and injuring myself. The law had already mandated that the glass was supposed to be safety glass, and it wasn’t. The landlord wanted my parents to pay for the replacement glass… until she found out she could get fined if my folks complained about the glass not being to state requirements. They didn’t file a complaint, and she paid for the newly installed safety glass. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2016, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broken-window-and-tenancy-question/745520/26 "2016-02-19T21:10:07Z")
> [@Eliahna](#): > > Safety glass wasn’t mandatory when the house was built 100 years ago, but has been since at least 2006 when the current standards were adopted. This isn’t a “new” standard, just a newer one than the house. > > I don’t see what’s wrong with expecting **Kam** to pay for an equivalent replacement and have the landlord pay for the upgrade. Like for like is a pretty standard compensation. Legally that can’t be done, so \*\*Kam \*\*reimburses the landlord for the value of the broken window, then the landlord pays the difference to get it up to modern code, and claims it on tax. As you said, the code did and does not requires replacement of all the windows with new safety glass windows. The landlord did not break the window. But once the window was broken, I would expect the code requires that the new glass must be in accordance with the code. An “equivalent replacement” is not permitted under the code. As the fault for the replacement resides with the tenant, it seems that the tenant should be responsible for the cost. _OP should check her lease for the agreement between lessee and lessor._ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broken-window-and-tenancy-question/745520.md?page=1)