Yesterday evening very heavy winds caused damaged to our metal roller blind.
It came off the rail and is not usable.
I rent the property and have household insurance.
I read elsewhere that the external blinds are Landlord's responsbility as long as the damage is not caused by negligence. However, my regie is a pain in the neck and I would prefer to have it fixed myself.
I think I read somewhere that those blinds need to be up with strong winds, so if they were damaged by the heavy wind when down, it is not the landlord ́s issue?
As heavy winds have been forecast very clearly in Press, TV, etc- the blinds should have been rolled back if it is a blind over the balcony, for instance. They could argue that it was negligence if you did not.
When our stores were pelted by hailstones a few years back, ECA covered replacement of them all. Also the cost of replacing a huge window.
Having a weather warning is only good if you are present and able to react to said warnings. I don’t believe that failing to be clairvoyant is to be penalized.
Yes- we also got a window paid for last year, and the top of a chimney stack. But blinds were not covered. I mean, windows are there- nothing you can do.
In this case, metal blinds- so not sure. But for instance, if you leave a blind over a balcony opened when heavy winds are clearly forecastes, then they would not be covered, and it would be seen as negligence. So, as said, just depends. Closed metal blinds could be damaged by hailstorms, but not by wind, as in taken off hinges, generally. Perhaps John could post some photos?
Had a similar one a few years ago, and was told that in my rental contract it states that blinds need to be put in high winds. Not doing so shifts the blame into my responsibility.
"Put in" as in down or up? During high winds here, stuff is always flying around so I'd rather have it hit and damage a blind instead of the actual window. But tomorrow I'll have to pull out the contract and see whether it says anything.
Having experienced multiple hail damaged stores at the same time as many neighbours we know to put up the stores if hail threatens. Sourcing the replacement parts was time consuming and having them replaced too, even longer. The one big broken window (just the outside pane of dual glazing) was replaced in three days despite being not square or rectangular. The cost was proportionally less. ECA paid it all.