to think this would NEVER happen?!

[mollysmum82]

We used to live in a flat before moving into our house. We tried to sell the flat but couldn't so now we rent it and just about scrape even on the mortgage every month.

Our current tenant (who has already forgotten to pay the rent once and made us go overdrawn, grrrr) has now come out with a whopper of a tale about breaking the washing machine. He says, and I quote..

"the washing machine was spinning so vigorously that it caused a cup to leap from the work surface, ricochet off the table and bounce into the washing machine door, causing it to smash"

Now I don't claim to be an engineer...but does this sound a little far fetched to you? I mean even if I were to throw a STEEL cup at our washing machine door I'd probably struggle to break the reinforced glass, designed to withstand high pressure spins.

So the tenant thinks it is our job to pay for/replace the washing machine door, since its not his fault the spin cycle is so strong.

I would tell him to feck off...in fact I WILL tell him to feck off. Bt did I forget to mention...the tenant is my brother. Stupid stupid me.

[HecTheHallsWithBoughsOfHolly]

No, I wouldn't believe that either.

[ItalianLady]

YANBU, that would not happen as even if a cup bounced off the door it wouldn't smash it. Tell him to stop bullshitting you and tell you what really happened.

[nickeldonkeyonadustyroad]

I could understand the cup smashing, but you need a direct hit with something like a hammer to smash a washing machine door.

[ChickensHaveNoMercyForTurkeys]

Surely the cup would smash? I mean, the door on my washing machine must be plastic an inch thick.

[HecTheHallsWithBoughsOfHolly]

Yup.

I bet he kicked the door in a temper or something.

[Summerbird73]

our bread machine flew off the bench once as it was rattling so much....

though the story with the cup does sound strategically like one of John Virgo's 'Trick Shots'

[scurryfunge]

Does his contents insurance or yours cover the breakage?

His story is clearly lies.

[KurriKurri]

Total bullshit, sounds more like he tried to wash a brick.

[JingleTits]

ha! as if, even if the cup were made of metal (hehe) it wouldnt fall off the side and into the washing machine, complete wrong angle lol Tell him to pay for it himself! lol

[LoudRowdyDuck]

Hmm. Could you get the washing-machine maker to speculate on the likelihood of this happening?

'Dear Tenant,

Unfortunately, it is quite clear the washing machine has been misused by you at some point. If the door was so fragile that it could be broken by a bouncing cup, previous damage must have been caused. [And cite manufacturer's opinion].'

Worth a try maybe? - clearly the tenant is taking the piss.

[capricorn76]

It is physically impossible for this to have happened in more ways than one. Firstly the angle is all wrong and the glass would more than withstand the impact of a cup even being thrown at it with some force. Make him tell you the truth.

[classydiva]

Assume your brother has household insurance for his contents and as such will have accidental damage, as he kicked it accidently can't he claim from them?

tell him to buy a new washer.

[hairyfairylights]

I don't believe it either.

make a note and take it off the bond when they leve.

[Bue]

Well, our washing machine shakes so violently that dishes have often fallen off the work surface and broken. But I'm not sure one of them could smash the door.

[LaurieFairyonthetreeEatsCake]

Only in the X Files or Ripleys Wonderful world of strange and amazing would this happen.

giant pile of bullshit.

[hogshead]

well my washing machine sounds like concorde taking off (seriously you can not have a conversation without shouting when it is spinning - and this is a machine that is supposed to be so quiet you dont notice it at all!) and i have never had anything like this happen.

Also my DS is very fond of bashing the door with his plastic hammer and so far has been unsuccessful in smashing the glass

[mollysmum82]

Letter to Indesit is a very good idea Loudroudyduck... obviously more with the view of taking the piss out of him than getting us out of paying it - he WILL be paying for it!

No, stupid stupid brother has not bothered to take out any insurance. I COULD possibly claim on our own insurance...but don't want to increase our premiums just cause he's been a (probably) drunken eejit.

I'd love to know the true story.

Giant pile of bullshit.

Love you all for having a laugh with me about this - I think its either laugh, cry or become extremely violent with my baby sibling...

[Serendippy]

JingleTits Did you not see that the cup hit the table causing it to ricochet so it could be true...

[Marjee]

I smell bullshit.

Intrigued as to how a washing machine door could smash accidentally , the glass is really strong I don't think I could smash it if I tried!

[ChippingIn]

What a lot of BS, yes I believe the machine could vibrate enough to make the cup fall, yes I believe it could bounce off of something and smash - but there is no way it could break the washing machine door... just no way. Sounds like the door was open and he dropped something very heavy on it.

[ChippingIn]

Just say 'How fucking stupid do you really think I am?' and tell him to get it sorted.

Boots electrical are great to deal with if buying a new machine.

[Actuallawyer]

Our washing machine was slightly pulled away from the wall a few years ago and managed to shake itself free from the water pipe causing flooding. If he explaining a broken cup, it might be credible. The broken door is clearly a massive lie.

Tell him to buy you a new one or to fix it. I'd be tempted to have a chat with the repair people and while asking for a quote for the repair, run the story by them.

[mollysmum82]

I have just written to the manufacturer! Ahem:


Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to express my concern about the safety and durability of your washing machine doors.

We bought a xxx washing machine just over two years ago for our property that is rented. Our tenant called us recently to say that the door of the washing machine had smashed. He said that the machine had shaken so vigorously it had caused a cup to leap from the work surface, ricochet off a table and bounce into the door, causing it to smash. Now an average cup weighs 30 grammes. A washing machine door has supposedly been designed to withstand the pressure of 65 litres of water and 4 kilograms of laundry. So I'm sure you can appreciate my concern that such an object, the impact of which has been lessened by the collision with the table, could cause your washing machine door to smash.

I hope you will be able to address these concerns and I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

Yours faithfully

xxxx

I can't wait to hear their reply

God I have too much time on my hands...

[Bunnyjo]

Brother or not, I would tell him that you expect his contents insurance to cover it or, as you already know he doesn't have contents insurance, you will expect him to cover the cost of repair/ replacement.

Before you do that, I would call a couple of repair engineers and ask them about his cock and bull story version of events and whether, in a million years, that could possibly happen - then your brother has no comeback.