interior door jammed - tenant kicked it in - who pays?

[Claymore]

I'm letting it go this time. Longstanding tenant - always pays rent on time. I've explained that this must not happen again and that if another lock fails she should get help or call us. She was fine with this and said she understood.

[theartfullodger]

There's who should pay (IMHO tenant in this case..)

& who actually pays if there is a dispute: (Deposit scheme ADR, small-claims...). That I guess depends on evidence.. Memo to self: Pictures of all doors next time I photograph property in conjunction with inventory..)

[Claymore]

That said, given that it sounds like the kids could have readily been got out of a ground floor window while the problem was sorted out - and there was a 14-year-old involved - then I don't consider it acceptable for the tenant to have done what she did. (If it had been an upstairs/internal room and the kids were toddlers, entirely different matter.

Years ago - a mortise latch went on us. My son was trapped in his bedroom and he was about 6 years old. I talked to him through the door and said don't worry - I'm here and told him his granddad was coming round with his tools to get him out. We enjoyed a lovely little chat and about 20 mins later, my dad appeared and he opened the door. Obviously, I can imagine a 14 year old wouldn't be as calm as a 6 year old (not!).

[jjlandlord]

There are 2 issues, I think:
- whether what the tenant did was reasonable,
- who's liable for the cost of repair.

Even if it was reasonable to kick the door in, IMHO that does not imply that the tenant is not liable.

Here, IMHO the tenant has damaged the door and is liable.

[Ericthelobster]

Contrary to what appears to be popular belief, mortise latches (if that's what it is?):
1358100e-e723-4d0c-8135-d6f6482d31b7_400.jpg
...are indeed susceptible to jamming , and moreover, unscrewing the door handle will not help resolve it - it's quite fiddly to sort out and I would say beyond the reach of and what would be expected of a tenant to sort out.

That said, given that it sounds like the kids could have readily been got out of a ground floor window while the problem was sorted out - and there was a 14-year-old involved - then I don't consider it acceptable for the tenant to have done what she did. (If it had been an upstairs/internal room and the kids were toddlers, entirely different matter.

[Claymore]

Tell her that if this happens again she must call you and not kick the door in or she pays. Do you think it is genuine or a hissy fit?

I'd be pretty fed up too.

I don't know. I can't make up my mind on this one. Part of me thinks her kids have had a fight but then I think, give her the benefit of the doubt because she drew my attention to it earlier (although we couldn't see any problem). Her daughter is 14 and it was in the daytime when this happened. It wouldn't have taken 2 minutes to take the screws out of the handle :-(

[JK0]

Same thing just happened in one of my properties. I am totally peeved as I think it was unnecessary. Tenant did report about a month earlier that the lock kept catching. We went and inspected the lock and it was fine - just sprayed a bit of DW40 and heard no more until this!

I am going to replace the door at my cost but I'm going to fit one of those ball bearing catches so that the new door just pushes and pulls shut. Tenant said she didn't want this but tough - if she couldn't be bothered to get a screwdriver out and take the handle off the door - she will think twice about kicking in another door if the lock starts playing up.

My uncle (foolishly in my view) has those sort of door closers in his semi detached house. This has caused a lot of aggro with the neighbours, as it is impossible to close them quietly.

[Interlaken]

Tell her that if this happens again she must call you and not kick the door in or she pays. Do you think it is genuine or a hissy fit?

I'd be pretty fed up too.

[Claymore]

Same thing just happened in one of my properties. I am totally peeved as I think it was unnecessary. Tenant did report about a month earlier that the lock kept catching. We went and inspected the lock and it was fine - just sprayed a bit of DW40 and heard no more until this!

I am going to replace the door at my cost but I'm going to fit one of those ball bearing catches so that the new door just pushes and pulls shut. Tenant said she didn't want this but tough - if she couldn't be bothered to get a screwdriver out and take the handle off the door - she will think twice about kicking in another door if the lock starts playing up.

[elniinio]

I don't think it matters why T decided to kick the door in and break it. She did and she is responsible for sorting it.

[mrcid]

Yeah how can a door just 'jam'?

[Interlaken]

Does this door have a history of jamming? Or did nasty boyfriend come round and do that or as JKO suggests 'child damage'?

I would immediately go and inspect in great detail. I would be suspicious.

[JK0]

Why did the door jam in the first place?

I bet it was a crayon stuck under it by a naughty person.

[emwithme]

Why did the door jam in the first place?

[hugh2010]

she admits damaging the door. she admits causing the damage. she pays.

she must at least pay for the old door to be repaired, or if the repair costs is comparable to the cost of a new door, pay for a new door.