Signum2003 asked:
I have just had my set of keys stolen from a locked locker inside my local sports centre. Due to this my car has had to be towed and a full set of new locks fitted to the car. the bill is likely to be around £600. Is the sports centre liable for this cost? my car insurance will only pay £100.
I have just had my set of keys stolen from a locked locker inside my local sports centre. Due to this my car has had to be towed and a full set of new locks fitted to the car. the bill is likely to be around £600. Is the sports centre liable for this cost? my car insurance will only pay £100.
Nope. It’s totally your fault. You probably even signed an agreement to that effect.
AFAIK you’d have to prove that the centre was negligent – that it deliberately didn’t do something that would have protected you. Can’t see how that would apply here, sorry.
I’m not sure of the civil liability laws in the UK, but I highly doubt it. Unless you can show that the club was negligent (the locker was in disrepair, allowing the theft) or a club employee did it, you are out of luck and £500.
If they have a sign up stating they won’t be responsible for theft etc. Sadly it is down to you to claim from your insurance, Household and car policy. You can try a lawyers letter and threaten them with press exposure.
This falls within the law of contract and the sports centre probably had a disclaimer notice on display as far as the lockers were concerned and also, when you joined up, some kind of disclaimer in the boring small print. Check up whether this is the case. It is worth trying to raise a stink about this: their insurers might offer you at least something just to go away, particularly if you tell them about all the adverse publicity there might be in the local press. Good luck!
Hi Signum,
There is specific case law that covers this type of scenario.
It is Olley v Marlborough Court Ltd [1949] 1 KB 532.
The claimant, Mrs Olley, left a valuable coat in her hotel room. On the back of the room door it stated that valuables left in the room was entirely at the owners risk.
The coat was stolen but the hotel denied liability. The court of appeal said the hotel was liable because the disclaimer should have been clearly visible before the claimant signed the register when she checked in.
Applying this to your case, if this disclaimer was clearly visible at reception or on your membership agreement prior to you going to the changing rooms then you do not have a case. If it was not then you may have a case.
good luck.
whoops,good luck with that. xx