We glaze a lot of rentals in Hamilton, from student houses off Main West to duplexes in the north end. The glass is the easy part. The confusion is over who is supposed to pick up the phone. This is general information, not legal advice, so check the Residential Tenancies Act or the Landlord and Tenant Board if there is a dispute.
The general rule in Ontario
The landlord is responsible for maintaining the rental in a good state of repair and fit for habitation. A broken or cracked window is a repair, so it falls to the landlord to arrange and pay for it.
The exception is damage. If a tenant, their guest or their pet caused it, the landlord can hold them responsible for the cost. What does not change is the order of events: the window still gets fixed, and the money gets sorted afterwards.
If you are the tenant
- Report it in writing the same day. Text or email, with a photo. That timestamp protects you.
- Make it safe. Tape both sides of the crack. Keep people and pets away from a shattered pane.
- If the opening is not secure or the weather is coming in, tell the landlord it is urgent. Board up is same day.
- Do not hire the glazier yourself unless the landlord asks you to, or you have gone through the proper steps for an emergency repair. Paying and then trying to recover it is the hard road.
- Keep the paperwork. Messages, photos, dates.
If you are the landlord
- Get sizes and photos from the tenant. Width then height of the visible glass, and whether it is single pane or double. That is enough for a price on the call.
- Board up first if the unit is open. Secure and dry beats waiting for made-to-measure glass.
- You do not need a new window. If the frame is sound, replacing the glass costs a fraction of it. We only do glass and repairs, so nobody here is trying to sell you a whole unit.
- Give us access details up front. Who is home, when, parking. Missed access is the main reason a one-hour job takes two visits.
What it costs
| Job | Cost |
|---|---|
| Emergency board up | quoted on the call, same day |
| Single pane | $150 to $350 installed |
| Sealed unit, standard | $350 to $650 installed |
| Large or tempered | $650 to $900+ |
| Screen rescreen | $45 to $95 |
Stock single pane sizes often go in the same day. Sealed units are built to your opening, usually three to seven business days after measuring.
Invoices and units
We are used to working between owners and occupants. Tell us which address, which unit, who lets us in and who gets the invoice, and we keep those separate. Multi-unit buildings can be measured in one visit and glazed in one visit.
Broken pane in a rental right now? Send a photo and the size and we will give you a price and a slot on the call.