Really Shaken Up

[joeylittle]

@Casey_03 - can you just leave it to him to drive the conversation, and stall until you are gone? I guess you'd need to weigh whether or not there's a deposit to get back and how much you think he'd give back, anyway - vs. the cost of fixing/replacing the door.

Otherwise - @Friday has it right, I think. When dealing with anyone who is going to try and take you for more than you owe - you've got to meet them at their game and channel your inner bulldozer.

 

[The Albatross]

You didn't mention what side of the door the pins were on. I've had to do that before, remove the pins, when locked into a room.
Sounded stressful, very sorry about that. I've also learned how to take apart the knob and trip it to get out of locked room. Presence of mind though at times when under stress is hard to come by I know. For me it was a necessity to know that for you it was the stress of hearing your child on the other side of the door.

 

[The Albatross]

Just read back... custom made security door.

 

[Kailani]

You sound like a loving, caring mom who will do anything to help her baby! Wish you could be cloned! The faulty door is the landlord's problem. He shouldn't make you replace it. If he does, I would calmly try to meet at a reasonable solution between you and him and then look for another housing situation. He doesn't deserve you as a renter.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Would it be worth getting quotes and just getting the door replaced yourself with a standard kitchen door.

I agree with this. Doors are pretty cheap and you can even salvage them from houses being torn down.

Id do a normal internal (non-lockable) door. A good coat of (cheap) paint to match (ish) the walls and its all good.

And all of that is way more than Id do after that HUGE tramtic event that could have gone a WAY bad way.

 

[Casey_03]

The landlord came by last night to carry out one of his monthly inspections. I showed him the door right away and told him what happened. As I expected, he tried to fault me for the whole thing, asking why I had to break it, and then belittling me by saying I was simply "not strong enough" to open it (even though my very strong former roommate said he was also unable to open it and got locked in once before). I quickly shifted the conversation and asked him why the hell he never warned me that he had a faulty door -- got him to admit that he knew the door was broken. From there I had basically won the argument and he said he'll pay for a new door knob but I have to pay for the door itself.

 

[Kailani]

Sounds greedy. I'd look for other options but you know your situation better than me

 

[Pakadlangitok]

I am sure it will not cost too much! And the fact that you are OK and got to your baby? MOMMA KUDOS TO YOU!! If anyone on this world would for a second think they they would not have torn the sH*(&t out of that door to get tho their crying baby, well, I would like to know what kind of monster that would be who would blame you. You should be on the news for MOM of the year. It makes me almost cry to think what you went through with your baby in the other room!! You deserve a medal.