Broken Window - Who Pays?

[Applez]

Illinois

Earlier today, one of those open-towards-you windows (not sure what their called exactly) fell on my dads head while he was trying to close it. The problem is that the two locks (far left and far right of the window) that are use to keep the window in place have been broken for quite some time now. I told the landlord some time ago and he claims that 1) I didn't tell him and 2) because of that, I owe for the window.

So my question is this: who owes? Let's say I don't have any proof that I told him (only verbal - no certified letter, etc), isn't he still liable if a faulty window in his unit falls on a tenants head?

 

[Applez]

One more thing. Do you guys have any tips on how to protect myself against this in the future? Is legally recording my calls with him (by telling him he's being recorded) the only way to have proof that he agreed to fix something? I mean I was thinking about a certified letter and thought that he could just say that letter was about anything under the sun. Unless I'm mistaken, even if I made a copy of the letter, you can't really prove that the copy I have and the certified letter I sent and he received are the same thing. So any ideas from anyone?

 

[Gail in Georgia]

" I told the landlord some time ago"

"So my question is this: who owes?"

You do since you were aware that the locks were broken and still attempted to fiddle with the window.

Send dated requests for repairs by mail and keep a copy for yourself as documentation.

Gail

 

[FarmerJ]

If you had sent certified letter and LL ignored it then next logical step would have been to call in inspections and let them order the LL to repair it. sad to say yes the window should have been left closed then a certified letter could have been sent anyway to remind the LL that this is a second request (first being a approximate date of the phone call) I know this is going to to sound messed up but even though the window was not working right it should have been left alone , pay the repair and make sure next time even if its a loose hinge to send a certified letter w copy you keep for own records and if LL ignores then call inspections.