Locked in bathroom
- Thread starter letin
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Complainer
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niceoneted
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Complainer the OP did have a post responding to Elcatos question in post no 14. In the response they mention that there brother had been in the hotel room with them on one of the days and that he had gotten locked in. The post seems to have disappeared from the thread.
Complainer
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Nice one, Niceoneted.
M
mercman
Guest
I will not doubt your qualifications but why do Insurance companies insist on locks on some Fire doors in houses ?
OP without dragging the matters any further or longer, never mind requesting a refund. Demand it. If they say NO, pass the incident to your solicitor. I bet that they will then pay up.
Mercman,
Please, don't stand in awe of my qualifications, or anyone else's.
Most of my advice offered to AAM is experience-based.
Besides, any professional is only as good as their current knowledge.
Case in point - I didn't know that insurance companies required locks on some Fire doors in houses [mine doesn't] and I'd be obliged if you could clarify that by return.
We need to increase the AAM knowledge base...
======================
There may be a degree of confusion here between requiring a lock on a door which ALSO happens to be a fire door, and requiring a lock on a fire door because its a fire door.
Security and fire safety are often at loggerheads when it comes to buildings which are in operation.
So for example someone may want a lock on a garage door, to prevent casual entry to the house by roundabout means.
======================
That having been said, I didn't define my terms in the response you quoted and relied on the assumption that it was an inner room served by an accommodation door until it was called a fire door by the OP - IOW, people use this door.
Normally bathrooms are classed as areas of low fire risk and so fire doors in houses are seldom specified for bathroom enclosures.
However, if something is a fire door through which people pass, it normally
These are intended to be opened only by trained personally to reduce the risk of disruption of services or hazard.
A difficulty can arise for example when there are multiple lettings and fire stairs serve all storeys that need to be secured.
If one of the stairs is compromised by smoke, and you don't find out until you are in it, how can you get out if the fire door lock behind you?
A thorny one and there are several compromises but no ideal solution.
ONQ.
ONQ.
All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at hand.
Please, don't stand in awe of my qualifications, or anyone else's.
Most of my advice offered to AAM is experience-based.
Besides, any professional is only as good as their current knowledge.
Case in point - I didn't know that insurance companies required locks on some Fire doors in houses [mine doesn't] and I'd be obliged if you could clarify that by return.
We need to increase the AAM knowledge base...
======================
There may be a degree of confusion here between requiring a lock on a door which ALSO happens to be a fire door, and requiring a lock on a fire door because its a fire door.
Security and fire safety are often at loggerheads when it comes to buildings which are in operation.
So for example someone may want a lock on a garage door, to prevent casual entry to the house by roundabout means.
======================
That having been said, I didn't define my terms in the response you quoted and relied on the assumption that it was an inner room served by an accommodation door until it was called a fire door by the OP - IOW, people use this door.
Normally bathrooms are classed as areas of low fire risk and so fire doors in houses are seldom specified for bathroom enclosures.
However, if something is a fire door through which people pass, it normally
- cannot have a lock on it
- can only have a removable locking device - removedion times of operation [padlock and chain]
- must be one way secured to prevent access from the outside of the building [press bar lock] or
- be fitted with a tumbler lock.
These are intended to be opened only by trained personally to reduce the risk of disruption of services or hazard.
A difficulty can arise for example when there are multiple lettings and fire stairs serve all storeys that need to be secured.
If one of the stairs is compromised by smoke, and you don't find out until you are in it, how can you get out if the fire door lock behind you?
A thorny one and there are several compromises but no ideal solution.
ONQ.
ONQ.
All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal action be taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the matters at hand.
The fact that you knew the door was faulty, and made the hotel aware of the issue would have a significant impact on any case. Once you're aware of a hazzard, it's difficult to argue someone else is liable. It could be argued that you locked yourself in there on purpose with the aim of seeking compensation.
Equally, once a hotel is made aware of a hazard, it's reasonable that they should do something about it.
I don't think a resident is necesarily at fault if they neglect to remember a faulty door at three in the morning. If the resident was serious about engineering a compo claim, surely it would have been better not to inform the hotel in adavance about the faulty door.
Hi all,
Surely the fact I highlighted the fault to the hotel would put them more liable?! As they were aware of the fault/danger and did nothing to correct?
If I didnt realise the door was faulty, didn't report it surely the hotel could stand behind "hmm we had it serviced recently, and it seems to be "one of those things"". The fact that this wasn't a "surprise" and they were aware would deem them liable?!
I'm quite surprised on peoples views on this.. Surely if you rent a car, see the car is not 100% in your eyes, report to hire company and they advise its ok they become liable as they were aware of the "fault" and yet continued to rent the car full well knowing its fault and potential hazard to the customer?
Surely the fact I highlighted the fault to the hotel would put them more liable?! As they were aware of the fault/danger and did nothing to correct?
If I didnt realise the door was faulty, didn't report it surely the hotel could stand behind "hmm we had it serviced recently, and it seems to be "one of those things"". The fact that this wasn't a "surprise" and they were aware would deem them liable?!
I'm quite surprised on peoples views on this.. Surely if you rent a car, see the car is not 100% in your eyes, report to hire company and they advise its ok they become liable as they were aware of the "fault" and yet continued to rent the car full well knowing its fault and potential hazard to the customer?
Would this not be a case of volenti non fit injuria?
Personally I think they should at least have either offerred to comp your stay for that night or issue you with a voucher for a complimentary return stay out of goodwill.
Out of curiousity, did you ask to be transferred when you first noticed the problem having seen someone else lock themself in? Was there a lock on the door or was the handle to open it broken that you could only open from outside? Hotel must note have been too busy if no one staying in any of the surrounding rooms could hear you calling out or banging on the door or wall to next room assuming the bathroom backed onto another room.
On a more humourous note I know of a guest who called up one of the daily radio afternoon chat shows to express their outrage and disgust at the hard core adult content available on a pay-television channel in a foreign hotel owned by an Irish hotel group only to be found to have spent more than 40 minutes over the two nights of her stay watching said channels when a representative of the hotel called in to the show to respond
The analogy isn't quite right here. It's more like you hired a car, noticed the brakes wren't working, notified the hire company, but then proceeded to drive it anyway.
I doubt any court would find the hotel 100% liable in your circumstances.
Can the original poster advise what type of claim they are looking to receive from the hotel eg free weekend break or are they looking for money?
I think its annoying that you got locked in your bathroom alright but the face is you knew it was faulty. It all depends aswell what the hotel staff said when you reported it (did they say we will have the handyman up to look at it tomorrow or offer a room change)?
The most I could see you being entitled to is your money back or a complimentary weekends stay at the hotel.
Can I ask also why you didnt ask them to change your room when you realised the door was faulty?
I think its annoying that you got locked in your bathroom alright but the face is you knew it was faulty. It all depends aswell what the hotel staff said when you reported it (did they say we will have the handyman up to look at it tomorrow or offer a room change)?
The most I could see you being entitled to is your money back or a complimentary weekends stay at the hotel.
Can I ask also why you didnt ask them to change your room when you realised the door was faulty?
Complainer
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I don't think it is a 'court' issue. However, the hotel should clearly have made a goodwill gesture to keep the customer. It would cost the hotel a negligible amount to offer her free accommodation for 1 or 2 nights. The hotel would probably cover their costs by why they would spend in the bar and restaurant.
Im not sure if you are legally entitled to anything but customer service should come into play here somewhere. not a pleasant situation to be locked into bathroom for 6 hours. You had notified them of the problem they should have moved you to a different room if they could not fix the problem.