Q: tenant damaged door - landlord insurance?

Situation: Our property manager / agent has advised that one of the tenants went to the bathroom, closed the door and got locked in with nobody home for some hours. When another tenant got home, he used the crow bar to break the door down to get the locked tenant out. Agent said the bathroom latch was faulty and did not go in all the way when the handle was turned. Therefore, the door has been damaged beyond repair and a new door has to be sourced and installed. When we looked at the photo of the damaged door, it appeared that the door latch could have been opened by the use of a coin or a screwdriver, instead of drastic action of a crow bar. The locked tenant could not get out of bathroom via a window because the bathroom is upstairs.

Question: We have landlord insurance with EBM Rent Cover Ultra for our property. We don't know how much a new door would cost. Will we be able to put in a claim with EBM for this?

Thanks in advance for your views / suggestions / comments.

 

If it is covered, it’s still worth getting the agent to get a couple of quotes for replacement so you can determine if it’s more than your insurance excess.

 

I would just pay for a new door. You saved some money on a new lock you would have needed anyway.

 

being with EBM your excess is going to be $300-$500

a single door should be anywhere between $150 -$500

no brainer, dont use insurnace

also, this lock story they gave, it could be true or BS, but you cant prove it, unfortunately thats the life of being a landlord

 

It can happen.

I rented a place a few years ago and one morning got locked in my bedroom because the door handle came off. Second storey flat; no one else home; and I had to get to work...

Quite stressful. I did manage to get out by myself eventually by repurposing something to turn the latch. Would be uncomfortable to be locked in a bathroom.

 

You also have the cost of a new privacy door handle and the fitting cost plus painting.
Many older houses require minor work to the door prior to fitting.
A handyman on speed dial would have saved a lot of money as most interior doors mechanisms are pretty easy to pull apart and usually just require a Phillips and a very small flat bladed screw driver .
Just got to know what your doing.

 

If the latch was faulty, it wouldn't retract regardless of which side of the door you were on.

A good push on the door may have been just as effective.

 

Thanks, all, for your replies - really appreciated. Good to get different views. I will ask the agent to get at least 2 quotes for a new door, then call EBM to find out what the excess would be. It is probably cheaper to pay for the new door then to claim from EBM.

 

If it's just a plain internal door $35 + door handle $20, paint/painting $50, cut down door $25 + pickup, Fitting and disposal of old door.Approx up to $200-$250. If no door frame damage.