Broken Apartment Window Repair

PDD

Hi Folks,

A friend of mine foolishly opened a window in my apartment during high winds and as a result the window has been broken (the brace at the top has snapped). Luckily I was able to rescue the window before the brace at the bottom snapped and it fell to the ground, the window has been put back in the frame and has been locked so its completely secured and not going anywhere for the time being.

I had a look at my insurance policy and it turns out its contents only due to the block policy of the apartment block covering everything else. I know that the block insurance policy for apartments is to cover the rebuild costs but is it only a rebuild and nothing else? I was wondering if anyone knows if the window would be covered by the apartments block policy as it is in an external wall that is technically the responsability of the management company.

Regards,

Dave

athtrasna

If you check your lease you'll see that you are almost certainly responsible for your own door and windows.

Even if you were to have cover, the excess on block insurance policies tends to run between €750-1000 so you'd probably be better off sorting it yourself.

Paulw

Ask your management agent. Chances are, it is covered, however, as has been pointed out, the excess on such a policy may be higher than the cost of repair/replacement anyway.

Get a price for the work, check with the management agent, and then you'll know exactly where you stand.

I'd bet, you'll have to pay for it yourself.

PDD

Hi Folks,

Many thanks for the response, I am checking with my management agent to see what the situation is.

@athtrasna - I cannot find any mention of this in the lease or at least the documentation that I was given.

@PaulW - Im currently checking with my agent, if the excess is something as rediculously high as that then I will be bringing that up at the AGM and trying to ammend it. Unfortunately I'm on the third floor which means that the biggest cost will be renting scafolding, a scissor lift, a cherry picker or something similar just to reach the heigth of the window to carry out the work.

Also to the best of my knowledge an exterior walls on my apartment are considered the responsability/property of the management company hence how they can refuse permission to errect satelite dishes and basically the whole reason for a management company (to maintain the structural integrity of the building for all residents). As the exterior walls are the responsability of the management company then why would I be reponsible for the doors and windows? (Yes I know its a condition in the lease etc but surely the logic of it is baffling, on the one hand your paying a mangement company to maintain an exterior wall but on the other hand you have to pay for the most breakable part of it).

I could be wrong and no doubt its yet another stealthy way management companies shaft residents. Any idea if it is possible to get a block insurance policy that includes window repairs or is that at the discretion of the management company?

Paulw

Management companies can't shaft residents, since the residents are/run the management company.

It's normal for the excess to be large, due to the cost of the policy and the value insured. For a smaller excess, you pay a much larger premium. That's normal for any insurance policy (car, home, contents, etc).

Neither the management agent nor management company set the excess for the insurance policy, this is normally set by the insurer.

I doubt any policy would exclude window repair, but it is highly likely that the excess on the policy would mean a simple window repair would cost less than the excess.

Yes, an upper floor, needing a cherry picker or something, well ... the management agent should be able to help you out, but again, it may cost you.

athtrasna

What PaulW says is absolutely correct. Large excesses are the norm for any of the few companies that provide block insurance policies. Part of the reason was the number of fraudulent claims. The Apartment Owners Network did a lot of research on block insurance last year.

Walls are different to windows and doors in that a wall can't be exclusively for your benefit. Your front wall is also the wall to the apartments below you. Your floor is someone else's ceiling. Your windows benefit only you hence the distinction in the leases, ours anyway.

Don't forget, management companies don't shaft owners...you are part of the management company, a member. That brings rights and responsibilities. You have a say in your company. You already mentioned AGMs. You need to be positive and active in your management company to best protect your investment. Talking about being shafted is counter-productive IMO...I speak as an owner director, got involved in our MC 4 years ago and our company goes from strength to strength and fees have come down year on year.

Victor

Depending on the type of window (post a pic if you want), its quite possible that the repair could be done from inside - I had a whole window replaced from the inside (although I'd love to know how he did it).

The management company may have a handman or contractor who can do this work.