Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

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:
LIZS · 19/10/2014 20:29

presumably friend doesn't pay the bills.

CadmiumRed · 19/10/2014 20:29

Well, it's an accident rather than stupidity, isn't it?

It's a phone. Things happen to phones. They get dropped, they fall down the loo etc etc, and that risk doesn't go up or down depending on the value of the phone. Accidents happen to cheap phones, accidents happen to expensive phones. You chose to get her an expensive phone, took that risk.

I think you need to calm down and count your blessings that she is usually so reliable until she does something really teenage!

Ultracrepidarian · 19/10/2014 20:29

We retrieve things with a Hoover hose on max, mind our radiators have floors in them so we usually end up with piles of things that need sucking out. As long as the phones insured and in a naff case I think teenagers who are normally responsible with iPhones are fine. Mind my dd will not be aloud anything more than a festival phone no need for anything more but I'm strict and not one for indulging.

Methe · 19/10/2014 20:29

I bet someone could hook it out with a bit of duct take and a stick.

booble plate

Original poster
spudmasher · 19/10/2014 20:29

It so down the back of the radiator totally stuck. Every suggestion tried today and more involving duct tape, nails in thin bits of wood etc.
My question is what would you do?
Here are my possible options
A. Pay for removal myself and forget about it
B. Leave phone where it is and give brick
C. Have DD pay for removal
D. Issue some sort of consequence

Thank you for all helpful responses so far as to a way forward.

OP posts:
Hulababy · 19/10/2014 20:31

Nothing wrong with a teen having an iPhone imo. It isn't even uncommon for teens to have iPhones and other expensive phones - most come via contracts and there is no actual big outlay for them. DD's iPhone cost about £60 on contract, possibly even less.

It is only on MN where teens are not allowed these kind of phones and tablets.

Your DD made a mistake. You say yourself that this is her first mishap and in the past has always proved herself sensible.

Accidents happen. I put mine in the washer, quite by accident. It was on the bed and I scooped it up with the bedding. Realised 10 minutes later - by that time it was obviously too late.

First, is it insured? If so, can you claim for a lost iPhone?

If not, then check that it definitely can't be retrieved any other way.

Else, get the quote for the radiator to be lifted off and replaced. You say that your DD earns money and has savings - can she not pay for it?

But I can't see the point in being furious over it. It was an accident, I doubt very much she even realised it was possible to get stuck - I would assume it would just fall down to the floor. It is DD who will currently be phone-less and no doubt upset about having it "lost" to her. And it will be her money that is needed to retrieve it.

OutragedFromLeeds · 19/10/2014 20:31

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

When we entered the period where not having a charged-up mobile phone was the same as not having oxygen. I'm not sure when that was....mid-2000's maybe? When everyone got smartphones.

wooooosualsuspect · 19/10/2014 20:31

I'd just pay them however much it costs. Then I would tell my DD to be a bit more careful.

It was an accident. Annoying, yes, Worth getting up in arms about , not really.

lisucbgiberiocnha · 19/10/2014 20:31

DD pays the cost of removing the radiator from the wall to get phone. She then buys/gives house owner a bottle of wine for all the hassle shes put him through. She then buys you a box of chocolates for giving you a heart attack

Methe · 19/10/2014 20:31

A :)

CMOTDibbler · 19/10/2014 20:33

C. If she did something equally silly with it again, d

CadmiumRed · 19/10/2014 20:33

Oh, well in that case; I would go round to the family's house, show them the advice in Lilara's post about how to remove a rad and encourage them to follow it. Then I would give them a bottle of whisky or gin.

Or if I had a friend who was experienced at removing rads I would take them round there and give friend and family a bottle of gin.

Hulababy · 19/10/2014 20:33

AlpacaYourThings - I allow our own friends and DD's friends to recharge their devices and phones when they are visiting and they are running low. It wouldn't cross my mind not too.

Likewise, our friends are all happy with us charging our phones or whatever when we visit them - although this is generally only if staying overnight.

OutragedFromLeeds · 19/10/2014 20:33

OP, it's an accident that anyone could have. It's not even a particularly stupid/negligent accident. I would make her pay for the removal though if she has the money, just because she's old enough to learn that even a genuine, could happen to anyone accident is costly.

wannabestressfree · 19/10/2014 20:33

If she has been earning stacks of cash I would tell her she needs to pay to get it back. If she is anything like my 3 teenagers she will give her life savings to be reunited with it. Don't make it too easy!!

BellaVita · 19/10/2014 20:34

A and a bit of D (get her to do some extra chores around the house as payment).

TSSDNCOP · 19/10/2014 20:34

A. Because if I could afford £500 on a phone, I could pay for a rad to be taken off a wall.

Hulababy · 19/10/2014 20:34

Re options - I would do A or C, depending on DD's past behaviours and on her current attitude regarding it.

D - can't see the point. Surely the consequence is the missing phone and no phone access, and potentially losing money through C.
B - I just wouldn't do that personally.

CadmiumRed · 19/10/2014 20:34

But Hulababy, the OP says it is a £500 phone, not a £60 phone.

(My iPhone was £29 on a very cheap contract!)

Original poster
spudmasher · 19/10/2014 20:35

Thank you. I am feeling a little calmer......just so disappointed she could be such a doughnut. We work hard for what we have and she was remiss. I need her to know the value of her stuff.

OP posts:
BellaVita · 19/10/2014 20:35

I have teens and yes they both have expensive phones.

DaisyFlowerChain · 19/10/2014 20:36

It was an accident, so if it was DS I'd pay for the removal of the radiator if the owner was confident enough to remove it themselves.

If I did this, I wouldn't expect to be punished by DH so why would I punish a child for an accident.

Ultracrepidarian · 19/10/2014 20:36

I would split the cost of removal with dd, if it's insured and damaged I would get her to pay the premium for repair or replacement. Hopefully it's in a case I had a great one simillar to otterbox but £4 off amazon and it was a great case, it lasted 2 years and saved my phone loads. Your dd is probably gutted loosing her phone and letting you down and herself can't be easy. I would say you've calmed down, understand odd accidents happen and sort it from there. :)

PenguinsIsSleepDeprived · 19/10/2014 20:37

If she has substantial savings, I'd make her pay for retrieving it. But before that I'd check it isn't covered on house insurance as it may be.

Annunziata · 19/10/2014 20:37

Sometimes you need a little accident to know how much something costs, especially when you are 15!

Don't be too hard on her.