Should I pay this?

[CarrieErbag]

Dd left school two and a half years ago ( now being home edded) we took text books back to school a few weeks after she left.
I've just had a letter from school saying there is a book outstanding could I return it immediately or write a cheque for £25 to replace.
We don't have the book but have no proof we returned it.
My gut after this length of time is to tell them to stuff it, but I have found a copy on Amazon for about £3 .
Should I get that as a gesture of good faith or stick to my guns?

2.5 years ago? They are having a laugh!

(But I might buy the book anyway, because underfunded schools etc. But that would definitely be you being nice, so if I thought they would get shitty about it not being the original book, I wouldn't.)

I would ask for evidence that the book wasn't returned, as, as far as you are aware, everything was returned.

And include a link to the £3 book and suggest that if they need another, they could buy that one.

Underfunded hmm 😒 I was tempted to tell them to take it out of the £700 in voluntary donations we paid while she was there.
I'm only considering being nice for my sake, they let my dd down badly hence withdrawing her to HE.

I'd be tempted to just buy the copy. With school budgets as they are, buying additional books every year for lost ones etc is increasingly difficult. But that would be being nice - you would be perfectly entitled to say no, prove it!

They said the book was numbered and their records show it was unreturned, but seriously over 2 years later, they've got a cheek.

I was with you ignoring it until the underfunded comment. I'm sure your child was amazing and all the lazy teachers let them down hey?

OK, maybe send them £3 and the link in that case.

What a ridiculous conclusion to draw on the basis I am home edding , you have no idea of the background
My comment re funding was not aimed at schools in general just off the cuff annoyance as well you know.
If you want to be arsey knock yourself out you silly woman.

Do a thorough search and if you don't find it buy the £3 book and drop it off at school, making sure you get a receipt.

I did similar when ds lost a library book and bought home a bill. They wanted £12.99 which was publishers price. It was £2.99 new on Amazon!

Only problem with replacing is that it may already have been restocked. I worked in finance at a school and there was always a specified book return day for leavers. It was quite common for books to turn up early in the Autumn term, ( normally when invoices had been issued for said unreturned books). However, by then the stocks had been replenished to provide for the new year’s intake.