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Original poster

Friend’s phone screen cracked a bit by accident

135 replies

Nousese · 23/02/2026 09:40

Hello,

My son asked his friend for a number that was stored in his friend’s phone. So, My friend’s son gave my son his phone while they were waking the stairs at the station. The floor it was wet as it was raining. My son tripped over quite bad at the stairs when he was going to give back his friend the phone. The screen cracked a bit at the bottom.

I feel i should pay for the repair. I don’t have to much money to be honest. If i had I would not hesitate to pay for it.
So i wanted to ask people for advice here.

thanks,

OP posts:
TheMorgenmuffel · 23/02/2026 18:04

Yes, you need to pay.
Perhaps your friend will accept a payment plan if you cant afford it in one go.

Negroany · 23/02/2026 18:03

StarlingTheConqueror · 23/02/2026 17:51

Where did you go?
ive just had the screen of my iPad replaced. Played £15 for it….. not £300!

Show quote history

I haven't "gone" anywhere. You can't get mine done on the high street, they won't have the right screen.

The advice on all the forums I've read is to buy the screen yourself from Ali Express, where it is over £200, and take it with you to the fitter. The cheap fitters where I live charged dp £45 to clean his charging port, so fitting a screen is going to be significantly more.

If I send it back to the manufacturer, it's a lot more. And probably takes longer.

Coconutter24 · 23/02/2026 18:02

Nousese · 23/02/2026 11:17

And my son asked for a number that was stored on his friend’s home and his friend passed the phone to him. It was just in a minute all this happened. He didn’t really ask to borrow the phone.

Are you trying to make excuses so you don’t feel you have to offer any money?

Coconutter24 · 23/02/2026 18:00

MatildaTheCat · 23/02/2026 09:43

Tricky. Did the phone have a screen protector on it? I’d be very irritated if it did not as they work and we all drop our phones.

What does it matter if the phone had a screen protector on or not? The phone screen was damaged and should be repaired. It’s not like OPs son should say to his friend ‘well you didn’t have a screen protector on so it’s your fault’.

Reallyneedsaholiday · 23/02/2026 17:59

I'd probably offer to cover the cost of a replacement screen, but as the mother of the child who owned the phone, there's no chance that I would accept.
Accidents happen. Thats why phone insurance exists.

StarlingTheConqueror · 23/02/2026 17:56

I’d offer to pay the cost of a basic replacement (as I said in a previous post, about £15)
Not the replacement of a branded screen at the branded shop iyswim.

Theyre 9yo. Expecting ny of them to nit break screens is unrealistic

Tulipsriver · 23/02/2026 17:52

It's unfortunate but I think you need to offer to pay. Hopefully the mum will tell you not to worry about it.

I'd tell your son he's not to use other people's phones in the future. I wouldn't trust a 9 year old with a phone for many reasons, but dropping them seems inevitable at that age.

StarlingTheConqueror · 23/02/2026 17:51

Negroany · 23/02/2026 17:16

They don't always work, mine is cracked despite a cover and screen protector. It only fell off the bloody bed too!

Also, for those who say it's quite cheap - I've not done mine because the screen alone is north of £200 and the fitting will be another £60 or so. So over £300.

Show quote history

Where did you go?
ive just had the screen of my iPad replaced. Played £15 for it….. not £300!

Jazzy5 · 23/02/2026 17:45

Delete

diddl · 23/02/2026 17:38

PigletJohn · 23/02/2026 17:24

Being nine years old

And maybe running around on the stairs.

Show quote history

Well yes, which is why they shouldn't really have them imo.

HawkinsLabsColdwarEra · 23/02/2026 17:38

@Nousese id offer to cover the cost but say i can do it in installments

PigletJohn · 23/02/2026 17:24

diddl · 23/02/2026 17:19

You should pay of course.

I rarely walk whilst looking at my phone.

What was so important that it couldn't wait?

Being nine years old

And maybe running around on the stairs.

diddl · 23/02/2026 17:19

You should pay of course.

I rarely walk whilst looking at my phone.

What was so important that it couldn't wait?

Negroany · 23/02/2026 17:16

MatildaTheCat · 23/02/2026 09:43

Tricky. Did the phone have a screen protector on it? I’d be very irritated if it did not as they work and we all drop our phones.

They don't always work, mine is cracked despite a cover and screen protector. It only fell off the bloody bed too!

Also, for those who say it's quite cheap - I've not done mine because the screen alone is north of £200 and the fitting will be another £60 or so. So over £300.

ForLoveNotMoney · 23/02/2026 17:14

This thread makes no sense. Whose number did your son need at 9 years old?
Who were these children with when this happened? Why have 9 year olds got mobile phones at all?

so many questions.

LadyCrustybread · 23/02/2026 17:13

I don’t think you should pay. If apologise but their insurance would cover it tbh. It was an accident… their son should’ve had a screen protector on his phone. Tbh at 9 they’re not even old enough to look after a phone properly or have one imo.

JoshLymanSwagger · 23/02/2026 17:09

Pay to get if fixed.

SmudgeButt · 23/02/2026 17:08

I've been told that a spritz of WD40 hides the crack quite effectively.

ItsNeverDuck · 23/02/2026 17:00

Nousese · 23/02/2026 11:17

And my son asked for a number that was stored on his friend’s home and his friend passed the phone to him. It was just in a minute all this happened. He didn’t really ask to borrow the phone.

They’re both 9, you seem to think the other kid should have had the common sense not to get his phone out while walking some wet steps, if you expects the other child to have that type of reasoning at 9, then your son should have the same expections applied and it could be debated that he should have known that requesting someone give them a number while walking around busy places would require his friend to have their phone out, not really the best time to ask someone to be going on their phone to find you a contact.

Kids that age don’t reason the same way adults do though. I’d pay.

Enrichetta · 23/02/2026 16:51

IMHO 9 years is too young for a phone, especially a smartphone.
(a) because I’d be worried about all the potentially unsuitable stuff they might see/watch online.
(b) because it’s an accident waiting to happen.

But since it’s happened, OP needs to pay.

bananaboats · 23/02/2026 16:50

Yes you should offer to pay, comments about screen protectors etc are irrelevant. Your son damaged the phone even if accidentally

andthat · 23/02/2026 16:45

Absolute insanity for nine year olds to have phones. I really hope they’re not smart phones with internet/SM access @Nousese. You’ll have bigger problems than a cracked screen if they are.

GuiltFreedom · 23/02/2026 16:43

No. It was a minute. It transit. Stuff happens, especially to nine year olds. Hopefully, lesson learned.

I would down innocence. You didn't know. Assumed it had a screen protector. If challenged, say why didn't you say something earlier and brazen it out or offer £20.

Ultimately it's the owners responsibility.he could have said wait till we sit down.

HugoThatway · 23/02/2026 16:42

My friend’s son gave my son his phone while they were waking the stairs at the station.
If he'd not been using the phone and walking on the stairs he wouldn't have dropped it.

Jeschara · 23/02/2026 16:42

You must offer to pay. Why are you asking if you should? It's the right thing to do. I think you know that.

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