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Original poster

...if your 15 yr old Dd went to a party last night and let her £500 iPhone drop down the back of a radiator...

96 replies

spudmasher · 19/10/2014 20:07

I've phoned the dad of the party girl and asked him to get a quote from a plumber for removal. She left it unattended and down it went. She says it was charging, but how would it have dropped if it were plugged in??? V suspicious. At the moment, I'm feeling that if she can't look after it, she is not ready to have if. Fuming. What would you do?

OP posts:

CadmiumRed · 19/10/2014 20:10

Surely there's a way of hooking it out without removing the rad?

I would do my best to get it retrieved, and make sure it is insured. What else can you do?

Mine wouldn't have a £500 phone: they are too easily lost / dropped/ robbed etc.

LostLunchMoney · 19/10/2014 20:10

I'd dig out my old nokia brick for her - way too big to fall down the back of a radiator. and way too embarassing to leave lying around

Original poster

spudmasher · 19/10/2014 20:15

Utterly stuck. Very much feeling like she should never have it back.
This is her first mishap. She's a straight A student, deputy head girl and has been earning substantial amounts of her own money since she was 11 ( all squirrelled away) She really is an amazing girl, but I'm furious she could be so stupid.

OP posts:

EatShitDerek · 19/10/2014 20:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BellaVita · 19/10/2014 20:19

Surely it would just drop straight down the back on to the floor?

FishWithABicycle · 19/10/2014 20:20

... I would blame myself alone, for letting a 15yo have a £500 phone. 15yo are not responsible enough to deal with items that expensive, especially not at parties.

Doilooklikeatourist · 19/10/2014 20:20

Can't they hoik it out with a ruler or spatula or something similar ?

Mintyy · 19/10/2014 20:21

I would have a serious word with myself for allowing any child of mine to own anything worth £500.

WeAreEternal · 19/10/2014 20:21

I have done this twice.
If you use a wire coat hanger it is possible to push the phone towards the side of the radiator and get it out.

I think you need to invest in one of the super tough cases, DP bought me one, I think it's called the rino something.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 19/10/2014 20:21

I would be disappointed with myself for giving my child something so valuable to carry around with her.

Original poster

spudmasher · 19/10/2014 20:22

Nah. It's totally stuck. Going to need removal of rad or skirting board party dad says.
Eatshit,would you just pay the charge to remove it then for her and not worry about it? Would you issue any consequence?

OP posts:

doziedoozie · 19/10/2014 20:23

15 year olds with 500 pound phones are definitely worth mugging. I wouldn't let mine have one.

Expedititition · 19/10/2014 20:23

I don't think I would be overly fussed to be honest. An easy mistake for an adult to make too. Perhaps she plugged it in to charge and sat it on top of the radiator and it got knocked. Annoying yes but more an accident than anything else.

sunbathe · 19/10/2014 20:24

Did someone else do it on purpose?

If it was her fault, first mishap for a straight A student blah blah? Cut her some slack.

LIZS · 19/10/2014 20:24

When did it become socially acceptable to charge your phone at random people's houses Are you sure she hasn't just lost or broken it ? Most things dropped behind radiators fall through to the skirting and can be fished out or pushed up/to the side. If radiator has been on I don't fancy your chances of finding it unscathed .

Original poster

spudmasher · 19/10/2014 20:25

I think some people have misunderstood. I meant what would you do with the current situation of phone down the back of the rad, not in retrospect of buying the phone for her.

OP posts:

Liara · 19/10/2014 20:26

Removing a rad is not a big job.

Close the tap, put something underneath to catch water coming out, unscrew both ends and lift off.

Work of 10 minutes.

Expedititition · 19/10/2014 20:27

And have a look at Otterbox cases. They are very hardy and make the phone much chunkier.

For the record my phone has been dropped down the stairs, dropped in the toilet, squashed under the sofa and I am a grown up.

Annunziata · 19/10/2014 20:27

Well if it's stuck it's stuck.

Go halves on a new one for Christmas.

LIZS · 19/10/2014 20:27

Probably no more than call out charge but make dd pay for it or earn it back . Would the charger not have enabled it to be tugged out ?

Methe · 19/10/2014 20:28

Everyone makes mistakes, don't they?

Expedititition · 19/10/2014 20:28

It's not a big job removing a radiator. Have you actually seen the phone stuck there and tried to get it out yourself?

BellaVita · 19/10/2014 20:28

It was an accident.

Accidents happen.

I would pay for it to be removed.

Deduct the cost over a few weeks from any allowance she may receive from you. If she doesn't get an allowance, then I would get her to clean/Hoover/wash my car once a week for a good few weeks, or do extr household chores.

VeryStressedMum · 19/10/2014 20:28

What sort of radiator is it a phone would get stuck like that?

AlpacaYourThings · 19/10/2014 20:28

When did it become socially acceptable to charge your phone at random people's houses

Why do you assume she is a 'random person' and not the DD's friend?

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