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home accident: who pays
Former Member
Posts: 1,875,648 The Mix Honorary Guru
Hello, I have just moved house and am renting with my partner a studio flat situated in the attic. We have signed the contract few days ago. After signed the contract we wrote an email to the agent asking him his personal or the agency contact number as he hasn't provide us one. He did not reply to our request. We wrote him several email asking him other things. He reply to us just after few days not answering all our questions, but giving us a mobile number for maintenance.
Yesterday I was trying to open the window located on the toilet roof. As I could not reach it I stand on the bath tub and the toilet, but felt loosing balance and at once find the toilet crushed on the floor, with a lot of water on the floor and with my leg injured. My partner called the ambulance and I then went to the hospital to have my wound stitched. In the meanwhile my partner was a bit shocked and while calling the maintenance number was excusing us for the damage, not thinking about the fact that the toilet tore completely off the floor and crushed, because it was glued to the floor with just a small quantity of silicon. He then went to work so the contractor called me (I was on my way back home from the hospital) and told me that they cannot initiate the works without the agency authorisation. He explained me that I need to contact the agent and ask them the authorisation for the works. I explained him that I was unable to connect to the internet and did not have the agent number. He replied me that in that case, because it is very urgent, I have to write him (contractor) a message expressing that I am willing to pay for their work if the agency does not cover the cost. I wrote them a text where I expressed what happened and that I am expecting the agency to cover the cost of the work that I am paying in advance. Once I arrived at home I called the contractor again and explain him that I actually did not have money to pay him the same day and that I think I should speak to the agency because I believe they should cover the cost of it. The contractor said to me to pay him cash and just do it between us without agency. I told him annoyed that I did not have money, so he told me that it was okay and he was coming. He came and did the work. I noticed once again the broken toilet and told the contractor that I believe that a toilet cannot be just glued to the wooden floor with a small quantity of silicon and that I believe that this goes against the health and safety regulation. He replied me that the silicon they are us is very strong. While talking he also told me that he has the agent private number but he could not give it to me. I did not ask, but start thinking about the fact as they asked me to write an email to the agency to have the authorisation and it seems strange that they actually have the agency number, so could have asked the authorisation without me.
Once they finished they told me to pay £380 to the agency for the work.
Later in the evening I saw the prices for a toilet bowl and thought that maybe £380 is a very high price.
I am writing to you to understand if I wrong to refused paying for the work and expecting the agency to cover the costs
Yesterday I was trying to open the window located on the toilet roof. As I could not reach it I stand on the bath tub and the toilet, but felt loosing balance and at once find the toilet crushed on the floor, with a lot of water on the floor and with my leg injured. My partner called the ambulance and I then went to the hospital to have my wound stitched. In the meanwhile my partner was a bit shocked and while calling the maintenance number was excusing us for the damage, not thinking about the fact that the toilet tore completely off the floor and crushed, because it was glued to the floor with just a small quantity of silicon. He then went to work so the contractor called me (I was on my way back home from the hospital) and told me that they cannot initiate the works without the agency authorisation. He explained me that I need to contact the agent and ask them the authorisation for the works. I explained him that I was unable to connect to the internet and did not have the agent number. He replied me that in that case, because it is very urgent, I have to write him (contractor) a message expressing that I am willing to pay for their work if the agency does not cover the cost. I wrote them a text where I expressed what happened and that I am expecting the agency to cover the cost of the work that I am paying in advance. Once I arrived at home I called the contractor again and explain him that I actually did not have money to pay him the same day and that I think I should speak to the agency because I believe they should cover the cost of it. The contractor said to me to pay him cash and just do it between us without agency. I told him annoyed that I did not have money, so he told me that it was okay and he was coming. He came and did the work. I noticed once again the broken toilet and told the contractor that I believe that a toilet cannot be just glued to the wooden floor with a small quantity of silicon and that I believe that this goes against the health and safety regulation. He replied me that the silicon they are us is very strong. While talking he also told me that he has the agent private number but he could not give it to me. I did not ask, but start thinking about the fact as they asked me to write an email to the agency to have the authorisation and it seems strange that they actually have the agency number, so could have asked the authorisation without me.
Once they finished they told me to pay £380 to the agency for the work.
Later in the evening I saw the prices for a toilet bowl and thought that maybe £380 is a very high price.
I am writing to you to understand if I wrong to refused paying for the work and expecting the agency to cover the costs
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Comments
As it sounds like you caused it to break if I'm right in reading you were standing on it? Then it may be down to your part to pay the bill as it may not be seen as a fault but you would have to check with your agents
I would contact the agent and explain the current situation and see what they suggest
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