Not sure what to do?

sunflower27

Hi all

yesterday I had an accident in the kitchen. Basically, the extractor fan above my kitchen hob fell down. I was standing under it at the time cooking and managed to somehow grab it before it hit the hob, but I have two nasty gashes across the bridge of my nose. Am fairly certainj that they will scar looking at them.

Looking at the fan afterwards I noticed that it was never secured in with anything. It was merely wedged tightly between the two presses either side of it.

I own my own place (it was built and I bought it in 2009). It is quite high-end in the sense that all fittings etc are of very good quality so this shoddy workmanship has surprised me. I live in a block of duplexes so I am not sure if this is a one-off or if all of the other places are exactly the same re the hob only being wedged in.

Should I just contact the management company? Will they organise for a new extractor to be fitted? If I need surgery or anything on my nose, will that be covered? Am going to see the doctor today as it happened late last night and I was able to stop the bleeding so I didn't go to the hospital. The nose is sore today but not swollen as I put an ice pack on it and used those surgical strips to close the wounds.

Sorry for all the questions....

Thanks in advance

Little CuChulainn

Why would you think the management company would be responsible for fixing your extractor fan? And why would they pay for your surgery? Did they build the place or install the fans?

sunflower27

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

Why would you think the management company would be responsible for fixing your extractor fan? And why would they pay for your surgery? Did they build the place or install the fans?

Because they can tell me who built the place. I also think the other tenants should have their fans checked. If it had fallen on to a small child it could have been far more serious than two gashes across my nose.

RenegadeDisco

How about a bit self responsibility. Sueing culture gone mad

sunflower27

How is it my responsibility if the extractor fan was never installed with any screws? Merely pushed up in place and held by gravity alone?

This is not sueing culture gone mad but shoddy workmanship. If it had fell on someone you knew I doubt you'd be so quick to say 'ah, no problem'.

I have never sued in my life but this is simply not on.

sunflower27

RenegadeDisco wrote: »

How about a bit self responsibility. Sueing culture gone mad

No need to be so sad. I don't see how this is going to cause you any distress.

Arthur Beesley

sunflower27 wrote: »

How is it my responsibility if the extractor fan was never installed with any screws? Merely pushed up in place and held by gravity alone?

This is not sueing culture gone mad but shoddy workmanship. If it had fell on someone you knew I doubt you'd be so quick to say 'ah, no problem'.

I have never sued in my life but this is simply not on.

The solicitor you used when purchasing will know who the builder was.

The management company has no legal responsibility here.

Do you have contents insurance?

Little CuChulainn

sunflower27 wrote: »

Because they can tell me who built the place. I also think the other tenants should have their fans checked. If it had fallen on to a small child it could have been far more serious than two gashes across my nose.

Management companies just take care of day to day running of a place.

sunflower27

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

Management companies just take care of day to day running of a place.

I'd imagine they also know who the builders are.

sunflower27

Arthur Beesley wrote: »

The solicitor you used when purchasing will know who the builder was.

The management company has no legal responsibility here.

Do you have contents insurance?

Yes, I do.

I will call my solicitor, thanks.

imitation

The most cost/time effective thing may just be to claim costs off your home insurance. Otherwise you maybe paying a solicitor to hunt down a non existant builder who will never pay up. Might still be best to talk to a solicitor though.

It might be a good idea to mention it to your neighbours, if they have the same problem then maybe a notice for the other neighbours so they avoid such a fate.

sunflower27

imitation wrote: »

The most cost/time effective thing may just be to claim costs off your home insurance. Otherwise you maybe paying a solicitor to hunt down a non existant builder who will never pay up. Might still be best to talk to a solicitor though.

It might be a good idea to mention it to your neighbours, if they have the same problem then maybe a notice for the other neighbours so they avoid such a fate.

Thanks imitation

The solicitor is a friend so I will ask him anyway. Cheers for your advice.

userod

Why the hell would even the builder have any responsibility here? 5 years later. LOL.

Little CuChulainn

sunflower27 wrote: »

I'd imagine they also know who the builders are.

If they were originally hired by him they would.

sunflower27

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

If they were originally hired by him they would.

I'd actually be surprised if a management company DIDN'T know. I've emailed the guy I know there so I'll find out sooner or later.

sunflower27

userod wrote: »

Why the hell would even the builder have any responsibility here? 5 years later. LOL.

Why? Because there are warranties lol. Sometimes up to 10 years LOL

Little CuChulainn

sunflower27 wrote: »

I'd actually be surprised if a management company DIDN'T know. I've emailed the guy I know there so I'll find out sooner or later.

That would be like being surprised if your gardener didn't know who built your home. The residents generally choose the management company once they have established a committee.

kravmaga

sunflower27 wrote: »

Hi all

yesterday I had an accident in the kitchen. Basically, the extractor fan above my kitchen hob fell down. I was standing under it at the time cooking and managed to somehow grab it before it hit the hob, but I have two nasty gashes across the bridge of my nose. Am fairly certainj that they will scar looking at them.

Looking at the fan afterwards I noticed that it was never secured in with anything. It was merely wedged tightly between the two presses either side of it.

I own my own place (it was built and I bought it in 2009). It is quite high-end in the sense that all fittings etc are of very good quality so this shoddy workmanship has surprised me. I live in a block of duplexes so I am not sure if this is a one-off or if all of the other places are exactly the same re the hob only being wedged in.

Should I just contact the management company? Will they organise for a new extractor to be fitted? If I need surgery or anything on my nose, will that be covered? Am going to see the doctor today as it happened late last night and I was able to stop the bleeding so I didn't go to the hospital. The nose is sore today but not swollen as I put an ice pack on it and used those surgical strips to close the wounds.

Sorry for all the questions....

Thanks in advance

I would get your nose x-rayed just in case as there maybe septum/ cartilidge damage.

Surprised the poor instal of the fan was not spotted by your snag list before you moved in.

The type of extractor hood in your photo should have been secured to the wall with screws+ raw plugs etc. Looks like the electrician who installed it cut corners.

I am sure the management company/agent must know who the builder is/was or the site foreman for follow up. Builder could be in NAMA now.

Builders who are registered with HOMEBOND are liable for certain structural defects for up to 10 yrs post build date. Not sure that would cover an internal cooker hood not fitted/ installed correctly.

http://www.homebond.ie/home_builders/publications1/house_building_manual/

Hope this helps.

godtabh

kravmaga wrote: »

Builders who are registered with HOMEBOND are liable for certain structural defects for up to 10 yrs post build date. Not sure that would cover an internal cooker hood not fitted/ installed correctly.

http://www.homebond.ie/home_builders/publications1/house_building_manual/

Hope this helps.

I can confirm a fan is not structural.

imitation

godtabh wrote: »

I can confirm a fan is not structural.

Yeah, its unlikely the builder installed it. In my house for instance the kitchen guys installed it and the electrician wired it. The builder was effectively done before this stage and had no contract obligations towards the kitchen. It can be one of those things that falls between the stools as the kitchen installer may not put it up and the electrian may not want to do it. No excuse to wedge it up there though.

chinacup

imitation wrote: »

The most cost/time effective thing may just be to claim costs off your home insurance. Otherwise you maybe paying a solicitor to hunt down a non existant builder who will never pay up. Might still be best to talk to a solicitor though.

It might be a good idea to mention it to your neighbours, if they have the same problem then maybe a notice for the other neighbours so they avoid such a fate.

+1 about mentioning it to the neighbors. We had an electrical fault in our council house few years back that caused a big fire and turns out a few other houses in the estate had them too and problems started happening soon after our fire. I would send a note round the estate for others to give theirs a check. And I would be inclined to agree about giving the management a call its not on for that to happen at all. Laziness by whoever put it up. The main thing I would tackle is the safety issue though, it might be more hassle than its worth trying to claim.

userod

sunflower27 wrote: »

Why? Because there are warranties lol. Sometimes up to 10 years LOL

LOL. Best of luck with that "can you fix my hob you put in 5 years ago" haha

sunflower27

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

That would be like being surprised if your gardener didn't know who built your home. The residents generally choose the management company once they have established a committee.

As it turns out, the management company do know the building company as they had dealt with them with issues in the past in relation to another matter regarding structural issues. :cool:

Furthermore, the management company are having their agm in August and will be attaching a memo for all residents to check their fans have been installed correctly with the correct fittings (so not simply suspended between presses). The management company a

Waiting for solicitor to get back to me.

Thanks to those who provided useful help and didn't use this thread as a chance to bemoan the fact someone was going to question shoddy workmanship.

sunflower27

userod wrote: »

LOL. Best of luck with that "can you fix my hob you put in 5 years ago" haha

It wasn't the hob hahaha. Can you read? hahaha

Little CuChulainn

sunflower27 wrote: »

Thanks to those who provided useful help and didn't use this thread as a chance to bemoan the fact someone was going to question shoddy workmanship.

Is that supposed to be a dig at me?

userod

sunflower27 wrote: »

It wasn't the hob hahaha. Can you read? hahaha

Do you have your warranty book? I'm sure the builder will be right back over at the ready. Did you buy the Hob off kia or what lol

nibtrix

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

That would be like being surprised if your gardener didn't know who built your home. The residents generally choose the management company once they have established a committee.

The management company is comprised of the owners of the houses/apartments in the development. The management agents are the company hired to run the day to day business/upkeep.

Kenny Logins

RenegadeDisco wrote: »

How about a bit self responsibility. Sueing culture gone mad

Eh? Somebody made a balls of fitting that extractor fan, and it wasn't the OP.