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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask who should pay for replacement guitar?

174 replies

SoldierKatnissEverdeen · 14/03/2013 18:55

Just want to canvass your opinions on the following situation...have tried to write the post without letting on which side I am coming from to get an unbiased opinion.

Today at school a guitar got broken. The child who owns the guitar is very upset. The child who broke the guitar is also upset. Both children are in yr 5 so aged 9 or 10.

The guitar was broken by a child doing that thing that boys do, of running, dropping to his knees and skidding. Didnt have enough control to stop himself and ended up falling forward with his full body weight on the guitar snapping it where the neck meets the body. It was a complete accident rather than a malicious act. The child apologised without any prompting.

The guitar was in the designated place, which tbh wasn't a great place. There was a teacher in the hall at the time, who didnt see it happen. I expect she was dealing with other children at the time.

The teacher does not know what the sch policy is for this type of situation and the head was unavailable.

My query to you wise lot, is who should pay for the guitar to be replaced?

OP posts:
kinkyfuckery · 14/03/2013 19:31

If there is no insurance in place (owner or school) then I'd say the boy who broke it/his parents.

CloudsAndTrees · 14/03/2013 19:32

The circumstances surrounding the whole thing make a difference.

Was this lesson time or lunch time? Was it a private guitar lesson facilitated by the school, or is there a reason for the guitar to be in school that is directly related to school. If the former, then the school has less responsibility than if it were the latter.

RooneyMara · 14/03/2013 19:32

In fact ds's last one was from a music shop in town and cost £10 because it had a (repaired) crack in one edge - it didn't affect the sound or handling, was a really lovely soft little guitar to play, I was happy playing with it, and my own guitar was around £200.

twooter · 14/03/2013 19:33

I don't think the parents of the slider should. Yes he was messing about, but normally it wouldn't have caused any bother. It's just I unfortunate that the guitar was in the wrong place. I would say the school, or split three ways.

cocolocopoco · 14/03/2013 19:34

I think your kid broke the guitar, OP.

Just pay. It's the right thing to do. How much is it?

sneezingwakesthebaby · 14/03/2013 19:35

I think the school should pay. The designated area wasn't great if children were allowed to tit about there unsupervised.

whattodoo · 14/03/2013 19:36

The skidder.

littlepeas · 14/03/2013 19:36

If I were the parent of the child who broke the guitar I would pay up without question - of course I would, I can't imagine that anyone would do otherwise. Are there seriously people out there who would not replace an item broken by their child, regardless of what it is/what it is worth? I feel sorry for the boy who broke it, as they were obviously just messing around pretending to be rock star - possibly the boy who owns the guitar was also skidding around with it - but he broke it and that's that.

Areyoumadorisitme · 14/03/2013 19:36

Another vote for the parents of the boy who skidded into it and broke it. Accidents happen but someone has to pay and he's the most appropriate one.

I would also hazard a guess that that's you then OP?

whattodoo · 14/03/2013 19:36

I wonder what Judge Judy would say?

CurlyhairedAssassin · 14/03/2013 19:37

A 9yr old boy (unless he has SEN) will know not to mess about like that, particularly by the instruments. If the school hasn't got a separate music room then it must have thought the hall was acceptablr but presumably every child is warned not to go near them).(my 9yr old puts his guitar straight into the music room in the morning so no only small groups going in there at a time with music teacher).

My guess is that he got upset partly because he KNEW he had been soon something against the rules and would get in trouble for it, as well as feeling sorry for the breakage. Clearly the breaker's parents need to pay, and should pay what the guitar cost.

LittleMissFantabulous · 14/03/2013 19:37

If it isn't insured it shouldn't be in school. The parents of the boy who broke the instrument should pay. If the owners/school have insurance that will cover it the parents of the child that broke the instrument should offer to cover the excess.

KeyToYourHeart · 14/03/2013 19:38

Did the owner know that the other boy had the guitar? Did he give him permission to run and skid with it?

ENormaSnob · 14/03/2013 19:39

The one that broke it should pay.

fairylightsinthesnow · 14/03/2013 19:40

twooter by your logic, any speeding driver who causes an accident shouldn't be held responsible because it was just unfortunate that a person / another car got in the way! 9/10 is old enough to realise right from wrong in this situation, the fact that he apologised straight away is testament to that.

Revengeofkarma · 14/03/2013 19:43

Whether or not the owner of the guitar had insurance, the breaker should pay. Why should the owners insurance premiums go up for who knows how long because someone whose kid was screwing around and whose parents don't believe in consequences think they don't have to pay to replace it?

No wonder the kid was screwing around. His parents don't care enough about his behaviour to deal with consequences.

lougle · 14/03/2013 19:44

The school, because the parents leave the boy in loco parentis while he is at school and therefore it was for them to make sure he adhered by rules. He didn't, but he is too young to remedy it himself. Therefore, the school replaces said guitar.

badtasteflump · 14/03/2013 19:44

I'm torn between it being the schools responsibility and the parents of the skidding boy. If the school is insured for accidental damage to belongings on their property, then maybe they should pay up - also because the guitar was in the 'designated place' which clearly wasn't actually out of harms way at all.

But on the other hand the skiddy boy was messing about and broke the guitar, whether he meant to or not. So maybe his parents should pay.

The one party who shouldn't have to be out of pocket is the boy who owned the guitar and his parents.

Lueji · 14/03/2013 19:44

It depends.
Why was the guitar in the school?
And why was it not in a protective case?

If my son takes valuable items to school, I'll make sure the chance of them being damaged by an accident is remote.

However, I assume children are not supposed to run around and skid in the hall, at the risk of injuring other people and property.

I'd say 50s between owner and the one who broke the guitar. If I was the parent of the one who broke it, I'd offer to pay for it. If I was the owner, I'd accept about half.

crashdoll · 14/03/2013 19:45

The parents of the 'messer arounder' should pay.

SheepNoisesOff · 14/03/2013 19:46

The one who broke it, definitely. Whether messing about or not.

Let's say I was using a friend's mobile phone and I dropped it, completely accidentally, and broke it. I would expect to pay for the damage. The fact that it was an accident wouldn't change that at all. Nor would it matter whether or not I had permission to use the phone. If I broke it, I would expect to pay - whether or not I was legally required to.

complexnumber · 14/03/2013 19:47

Why should anyone else, other than the boy who broke it, pay?

Come on OP, what's your stance?

Lueji · 14/03/2013 19:47

Having said that, if I was the parent of the boy who broke the guitar, I'd make him pay me back what the guitar cost.

KeyToYourHeart · 14/03/2013 19:49

I agree that the breaker should pay ...

But I do think if the owner gave him permission to do that with his guitar then he is slightly at fault too.

But yes if that was my child I would still offer to pay.

Or if money was a problem for them then offer to pay half.

ZZZenAgain · 14/03/2013 19:49

the family of the boy who broke it. THe school must make different arrangements for instruments in future though. Why are they not in a locked room or large locked cupboard if there are not too many in use?

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