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

[spudmasher]

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?

CadmiumRed

I didn't know if the OP was just referring to the cost of an iPhone in general, rather than how much they paid out for it.

I don't actually know anyone who has actually paid out in full for an iPhone - everyone I know who has them, have them for far less via a contract.

But regardless of how much the outlay is, the phone is still "worth" £500 or whatever.

I paid nothing for my iPhone - was on contract and my old phone was traded in for it. But it is still a £500 phone - I just didn't pay that out in order to have it.

She needs to pay for the removal of the radiator - what a pita for the party family.

I have done that 3 times and I am in my 30s!

So I have decided. Thank you all for your input.
She will pay for retrieval herself from her money she has earned.
She will write a letter of apology to the homeowner for the inconvenience as he is likely to have to take an hour or so off work- self employed. And gift by way of an apology.
And then it will be part of family history and I will look for evidence of lessons learned.

I agree with Penguin. It shouldn't be an expensive job, and since she CAN afford to pay, then she should. And that can be consequence enough.

presumably friend doesn't pay the bills.

Really?! You would quibble over a few pennies to charge someone's phone?!

Ah - cross posted! Good plan.

I really wouldn't ask the family to claim on their insurance -why should they lose their no claims just to save the DD £50 call out fee.

Op, this really is no biggie, it's just an accident, get a plumber and get DD to pay

Yes, a consequence.

a) let her come up with some ideas for its retrieval, with your support.
b) let her arrange and supervise whatever solution is chosen, with your support.
b) let her pay for the plumber if one is needed.

No blame, no ranting, plenty of sympathy and support...but in the end it's good practice in problem solving.

:D

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

Exactly! Who wouldn't?!

I've got something out from the back of a cupboard using a tape measure!

Bear with me.. instead of poking at the phone from above you need to go via the end/side - unroll enough tape measure to just go past the phone - the idea being you then slide the tape measure in between the wall/phone and the little hook thing snags it so that when you pull the tape measure back out slowly (too quick and you risk jamming the phone) it drags the phone out with it.

You might need an assistant (DD? ) to hold a torch for you to see what you're doing.

Good luck!

I will remove the radiator for free... It really is not a big job!

Sorry Kits - you've misunderstood me. The OP's house insurance. Many house insurance policies have some form of cover for valuables out of the home. E.g. your engagement ring may be covered even if you lose it at work. Ours has separate phone cover with a standing £50 excess for anyone permanently resident at our address.

Sory alpaca -realise that wasn't your quote - think it was LIZS. Was agreeing with you though; I have never known anyone have any issue with charging of phones, etc.

I agree, she should pay for the rad to be removed to get her phone back.

I let friends and DSs mates charge their phones and give them my Wi Fi password.

Ah, sorry penguin

well, it's not going to cost £500 to remove the radiator, so obviously do that!

Dd makes a contribution towards costs if any (it's really not a complicated job, as pp says - between you & party host family, surely somebody has a mate who's vaguely DIY-y?), but more importantly, letter of apology for inconvenience accompanied by wine/chocs to host parents.

No biggy! Could happen to anyone me.

No worries Kits. I wasn't clear in my phrasing

A radiator is just hooked on to the wall and therefore you do not even need to disconnect from the water supply. Put a person either side and lift and surely the phone will come loose? It is an easy rectifiable problem that shouldn't cost money. Accidents happen.

Oh sorry if my response was confusing, I knew you were Hulababy

Not to be a pessimist but i do hope that radiator isn't switched on while the phone is stuck behind it. It might become heat damaged.

I've done the exact same thing and the phone was in a chunky otterbox case. It was a pain in the arse but we eventually managed to poke it out. Took about 4 hours though.

It happens. She probably won't put it in a similar place again. I used to leave mine on the window sill. Don't do that now.

A radiator is just hooked on to the wall and therefore you do not even need to disconnect from the water supply. I wouldn't. dh once tried to remove one to decorate behind and we ended up with dark water leaking form a small fracture in the pipe, staining the carpet. That could cost much more than a basic charge. Funny, I would still never presume to just charge a phone without expressly asking , guess kids are different.

I am so glad I don't buy expensive things like this, none of mine could be trusted with such an expensive gadget at this age neither.
I don't know what I'd do really. I suppose I'd have to buy a cheap brick from Tesco so she had something to make calls if she needed to.
Is it insured?