Window falling out - who's responsible and what to do?

September 3, 2011 2:34 PM

My window is falling out.

I have a new roommate who moved in yesterday, and today I noticed her window was hanging at a crazy angle out of it's frame. I left her a message and missed her call when she called back, but she just said in her message she had "noticed it too". Not that she'd seen it happen. Afraid it would fall out and shatter, I went in her room and could see that it (a double paned number) was almost completely detached from the frame. It appears it was only attached by some sticky weatherstripping (or the weatherstripping is glued between the window and the frame?) The window was leaning, top first, out of the frame, and only attached by one narrow strip to the bottom of the frame.

So, I gently grasped the window to try to take it into the house before it fell to the ground and into a million pieces. Of course the glue on the bottom strip was stronger than I thought and I created a big break through the outer of the two pieces of glass. AND it's still friggen attached to the frame!

I did my best to put it back in the frame but it is not attached anywhere but the bottom. IT's not obvious to me how to remove the entire window including frame. It's the sort that you turn a handle to open the window sideways - like the way a door opens.

In any case, I don't really know what to do now. Is this something I should lean on the new tenant about? Is this the landlord's problem? I know windows are expensive and I don't know how to proceed in terms of dealing with the actual window or assigning (or accepting) financial responsibility.

posted by serazin to home & garden (4 answers total)

Contact your landlord. Assuming the roommate wasn't moving items in through a window, this is the landlord's repair.
posted by DarlingBri at 2:40 PM on September 3, 2011

There are many, many different kinds of windows. What kind you have will determine how it should be taken out / repaired / replaced.

However, this is the landlord's problem anyway. Don't mess with it and cause more damage than you already have. Call the landlord. Make him / her deal with it, post haste.
posted by dersins at 2:42 PM on September 3, 2011

OK, I called the landlord.
posted by serazin at 7:30 PM on September 3, 2011

Accepting financial responsibility? Are you for serious?

Do you realize the level of property neglect required for a window frame to be falling out in the manner that you describe?

Trying yourself to get the window back in place was not simply to save the windown or help the new roommate. Water is now getting into the insulated walls of the building. That is where and how mold begins to form. Nevermind issues of theft and safety.

You took responsible steps to secure the window. You had no intent to damage it. Your intent and effort were directed at covering for the landlord's neglect.

There is NO REASON for you to accept any financial responsibility for this.
posted by Flood at 4:50 AM on September 4, 2011