Damaged DVD player, following loan to friend/colleague, broach subject or not?

[Belgianchox]

Well the title sums it up really. A few weeks ago we leant my colleague a portable DVD player kit, which was returned a couple of lweeks later. Today we reused the DVD player for the first time since it was returned to us, and found that the volume switch was missing on one machine thus rendering the film silent. When my colleague gave us back the machine no mention was made, and we didn't check it over either. So, since we haven't used it since we got it back, I suppose this happened whilst it was on loan, so do I ask my colleague about it, and if so how? Or shall i just leave it and try and get it fixed? DVD player new this summer, and I'm positive it worked when we gave it to her. In fact she was very greatful and said it had been fab. What to do?

I would just ask in a casual way if they had any problems with the player, only when you got it out to use recently the volume switch was missing. You will be able to gauge from her reply whether it is worth pursuing. You're in a tricky position. It's horrible, isn't it, when something like this happens? Now you're thinking you should have checked it over at the time you got it back, but you had no reason to.

Yes, difficult situation. Anyway, I mentioned it like you suggested above, and as you say she gave me no reason to suspect the damage had anything to do with her. We'll just have to see if we can get it fixed under the conditions of the garantee, hope so as we've only had it a couple of months. thanks anyway, lesson learnt, next time I will check returned goods, just to avoid this kind of situation again.