What would you do?

[jampots]

My friend's just called. Yesterday she had a friend and her kids over for lunch/play. One of her friend's children (8) threw a stone and it broke next door's greenhouse window. Who should pay for hte repair? Her or her friend?

then i got wondering, if her friend wasnt there but the child was who would be liable?

[moozoboozo]

Ooh, that's a bugger of a situation. Why don't they go halves?

[alexsmum]

the person who owns the house in the 2nd instance.

if my child did this i would insist on paying.

[mumtosomeone]

Did the child go over and appologise? What was the owner like?

[Fimbo]

If it was my child, then I would pay, regardless of whether or not I was there.

[mumtosomeone]

I think I would offer to pay too!

[LilacLotus]

i think the parents of the child who did it should pay.

[babyonboard]

If the neighbours have good insurance they may be able to claim for 'accidental damage'
My mums gardener was once mowing the lawn and a stone got caught in blades, flew up and smashed their patio door and insurance covered it.
They only had to pay £50 excess which the gardener offered to cover, but they realised it was an accident and so paid themselves.

[FairyMum]

I think her friend should pay because she was there and responsible for the child. If child's parents not there, I think it should be the responsibility of the supervisor. However, I think if it was my child who had done it, I would personally offer to pay regardless.

[macwoozy]

If I was your friend, I would pay to keep peace with the neighbour, but would hope that her friend would offer to pay back some of the costs.

[Tortington]

the kids parent should pay.

if your friends was incharge of a kid in paretns stead - then she should pay.

good job he's only 8 - my son got a caution for throwing a ball "wrecklessly" in a built up area and breaking a window

[Tortington]

any update?

[Gobbledigook]

Er, no contest. Friend (i.e. mother of child who threw stone) should pay.

[WideWebWitch]

If my child did it, I'd pay because my child = my liability imo.

[tigermoth]

If the host parent was definitely meant to be in charge of the guest child when this happened, then I think the host friend should pay.
But only if this was a very clear cut.

If the guest parent had gone off to the loo, for instance, or just wasn't looking, and so was still in charge of her child, them she should pay.

Hopefully the neighbour can claim it off their insurance - that would be my first thought. In your friend's shoes, I'd talk to the neighbour about claiming it on their housebold insurance and offer to pay the excess.

Csutardo, your son getting a police caution for thowing a ball and breaking a single window sounds a bet steep

[WideWebWitch]

Oh and if parent of perpetrator wasn't there, they should still pay although the person looking after the perp has some responsibility. I'd pay anyway if it was my son.

[basketcase]

If it was my next door neighbour?s greenhouse I would pay straight away and then speak to the window breaking child?s mum, tactfully saying that I had paid xx amount to Mr xx and leave it at that - hoping that the mum would contribute. As child was in my care, I would be a bit irritated if the parents didn?t cough up but would be circumspect about it as they were under my supervision. Maybe that is the wimps way out? Just wouldn?t want to leave any time before someone paying up - can?t be too expensive can it?