I’ve never had any trouble getting renter’s insurance, although, when I had a car, and I got renter’s and auto from the same place, the renter’s was way cheap.
Does the place require the OP to have renter’s insurance? Some places do, and some don’t. The window clause may be a way of ensuring that the tenant gets it, and that it covers the windows.
Honestly, even with a lease written like that, I’ll bet if the landlord were actually responsible for the broken window, like a worker putting a ladder through it while climbing up to clean gutters, or paint trim, the landlord would replace it.
The problem with other scenarios is that it’s hard to prove what happened. I stranger’s kid threw a ball through the window? or your kid did? If the landlord has agreed to pay for third party accidents, then no one is ever going to admit to accidentally breaking a window themselves.
Ask for the clause to be changed to something like “aside from breakage cause by workers under contract of the management, or other management negligence,” and then get renter’s insurance that covers glass.
Also, make darned sure there are no tiny cracks already in the windows.
Did they change it to them being responsible all the time, or them being responsible for damage not caused by you (in whatever wording)? Because I rent from a housing association (in England) and they have a clause that says you’re responsible for fixing windows if you break them yourself, but not if someone/something else (like a burglar, the weather or a neighbourhood kid) does. Which is fair enough.
(I assume everyone lies if they do break their own windows because it would cost a hefty sum to get someone in to fix the windows yourself - they’re not normal windows).
I don’t remember if we just struck the clause or change it; I’ve moved out of state since. Also struck a clause that allowed then to raise my rent if the water bill got too high.
I wish I had as reasonable a landlord as you. I consider myself a good tenant, but I got hit with the “you’re responsible for all broken glass” crap too. I misinterpreted that particular phrase in my lease and assumed that by law the landlord was supposed to pay to repair windows when anyone other than myself, guests, or family had broken them. How wrong I was! It isn’t fair to have to pay to repair something I didn’t damage, no matter what a lease says. And who pays $240 for plywood to cover broken windows?! Yeh, they hit me with that too. I’m out $988 now for something I didn’t do; ridiculous.
People like you love to reply to, and be sarcastic about only certain parts of things without really analyzing it and recognizing how that person feels, what they previously thought, or must be going through. I had only agreed to it because she told me I would only have to repair them if I broke them. SHE had interpreted that way, so yes it confuses and angers me! Also BECAUSE it had been 3 years ago that I had signed that lease, of course I’m going to forget about such things. Who reads through their lease every day of every year? But I’m just venting, so whatever. You think what you want.
Oh you forgot what you signed 3 years ago, well then that’s a different case all together. Isn’t there something in the parole evidence rule that says if you have forgotten what you signed it no longer applies. Forgive me, you should have made that more clear.
I have not always been a good person, window breakage in rentals over the years: wrestling with brother, drunk, sliding glass door; shuriken throwing practice under influence of drugs, all 4 windows back of house; dog jumped through window trying to get postman; random bottle rocket firing in house, cracked pane; locked out of house, twice, 2 windowpanes; somebody’s husband mad at me, brick through window; brother playing Steven Seagal after catching wife and neighbor banging, neighbor’s head thrust through two windows. Been some pretty bad wall damage, too. Don’t punch the wall unless you know where the studs are.
