Cost for council to replace window

[Andy]

No, but there's nowt as good as a public confession to save the court system some time.

[ARWadsworth]

Do you think I can be arrested and charged twice for the same offences just because I asked how much the window will cost to replace on the net?

Adam

[Chris Bacon]

Well, good luck with it (unless you've been unspeakably bad for no valid reason, of course).

[ARWadsworth]

Guilty as charged. As I told the police when in custody.

Adam

[Chris Bacon]

You ought to add "IANAL".

[ARWadsworth]

The next door neighbour did not like me doing some DIY in my house on Bank Holiday Monday. His threats to my cats and me (using a pick axe) made me a little angry. It is surprising how the police cells allow you to calm down given enough time.

Adam

PS The new cells have great stainless steel bogs and sinks. Mind you I never saw the old ones.

[Chris Bacon]

Why do you come out with stuff like that unless you're stirring the brown stuff? You've no idea what ARW was arrested (assumption) for, or what, if anything, ARW said at the time.

[Andy]

I'm sure you're right, there must be a valid explaination for smashing down someone's door with a sledgehammer and then beating them up. Anyone without such a valid explaination would just be a lunatic thug.

Troll though I think.

[Guy King]

The message from "ARWadsworth" contains these words:

Depends on how much he thinks you're going to give him another kicking, I'd have thought.

[ARWadsworth]

See my reply to Mary.

Adam

PS So what do you think the window will cost? We could do a sweep stake. That would make a change from plasic pipes and the winner still gets FA. I will start with £120 (inc Vat and the lot) Any other offers? I will post a copy of the letter that will no doubt arrive through my post box soon with the total inside.

[Chris Bacon]

I don't know of the exact circumstances, but...

A saving "valid explanation" to be offered to the court would have to be quite something, IMO.

I should think that Mr. W. will shortly be absent for a little while, that depending on various things.

[Phil L]

After reading the thread and knowing the circumstances, I can safely say that the council will not replace the glass, they will more likely change the door and even possibly the door frame too, after all, they are getting paid to do it and if it were my house this is what I too would do, they're highly unlikely to keep costs down.

Expect it to be no less than £500

No they're not free, you may get legal aid depending on your circumstances but if not, expect a bill of £90ish

Depending upon damage to neighbours face, expect to pay compensation of about a grand, maybe more, plus a fine, all in all it should cost you about £2000, but at least you saved some cash by not getting a builder in and doing it yourself. :-p

[powerstation]

Wrong Its Free at the Police station regardless of your financial status, it is of course different when you appear at the local mags court.

[Cicero]

========================== The Council will have to take some kind of legal action to make you pay for the damage and almost certainly they have an obligation to claim only for the actual damage. They can't claim for a new door and frame just for their convenience. Even a sledge hammer used on a pane of glass is not likely to cause damage requiring a whole new door and frame.

Since you've been charged with causing criminal damage it will probably be up to the Court to make some kind of order for restitution - if you're convicted. They may not make any such order and if they don't the Council may feel that it's not worth pursuing you for the cost.

Cic.

[Phil L]

Maybe the frame wasn't damaged, but the door could certainly have been almost destroyed - georgian wired glass? - add a few tubes of silicone and well screwed in internal beads and it's fairly safe to say that the inside of the door will be beyond repair, but this is just conjecture, it could have been on a thin bed of old putty and fell out with the first crack. The door frame is questionable but not impossible, if it's showing signs of rot, the council will not hang a new door on a rotten frame and simply claim that it was knocked out of square by the sledghammer.

IANAL but I am a landlord, and anyone causing criminal damage to any of my properties will pay for the full cost if caught, I can't imagine that a local authority would be any different.

[fred]

In article , ARWadsworth writes

My guess, 10quid for materials plus no more than an hour labour so daytime rates 50quid or emergency call out 100quid. Whatever the charge it should be no greater than a tradesman would charge to do the same job. They have suffered a loss but can't charge you a disproportionate amount to put that right, they must mitigate the loss and not charge you for unnecessary work. Bear in mind however that it could be difficult to prove what was absolutely necessary if parts are removed from the site and skipped after the job.

Representation at the police station whilst under questioning is free whether by the duty solicitor or your own. You may also be permitted free advice from a duty solicitor at court although that is said to be more problematic, far better to have your own if that is the way it goes.

Sorry to see you in this spot Adam and hope it goes well for you. IANAL.

[Cicero]

==================== I agree that the Council will want their full 'pound of flesh' but they are obliged to mitigate their losses. If the door and frame were in poor condition I doubt if they could claim the full cost of a new door and frame.

As far as compelling crooks to pay for criminal damage is concerned, the operative words are, 'if caught'. We seem to live in a society in which causing criminal damage is seen as just a little bit of casual pleasure for bored juveniles.

Cic.

[Cicero]

==================== I agree that the Council will want their full 'pound of flesh' but they are obliged to mitigate their losses. If the door and frame were in poor condition I doubt if they could claim the full cost of a new door and frame.

As far as compelling crooks to pay for criminal damage is concerned, the operative words are, 'if caught'. We seem to live in a society in which causing criminal damage is seen as just a little bit of casual pleasure for bored juveniles.

Cic.

[Owain]

Let's hope you get an animal-loving DIY enthusiast for a magistrate then.

Is he being charged with anything?

Owain

[Micky]

As someone already said they are free at the police station. When I experienced it my solicitor sent me a copy of the bill, he was charging the Government (or whoever) £165 an hour and he was there for at least 4 hours (sitting around doing nothing for at least 3 I must add!)