Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this property owner had a cheek?

129 replies

EngineeringExcellence · 30/10/2013 12:20

We're just back from a lovely weekend break with extended family.

We rented a house costing £1300 for the 3 nights (10 of us) It was lovely and we had all mod cons etc.

At night i have a bedroom window open, the curtain blew in the breeze (not the great storm!) and knocked a trinket box off the windowsil. It was a heart shaped mirrored box marked made China.

Anyway owner has just called asking for cash to replace it.

AIBU to think there was/should be enough profit there to cover minor damages, which are to be expected, things left in windowsills are always at risk, it was a bit of cheap tatt and it's highly unlikely that she would bother replacing it?

OP posts:
MelanieCheeks · 30/10/2013 12:23

My first question when facing any situation like this is - what would it be like if everyone did that?

Icelollycraving · 30/10/2013 12:24

Perhaps she is pissed off if you didn't tell her?

YouTheCat · 30/10/2013 12:25

Tbh if I had broken something I would have mentioned it before leaving and offered money, even if it was cheap tat.

toastandmarmiterocks · 30/10/2013 12:25

To be fair you broke something so should at least offer to pay for damages.

WhoNickedMyName · 30/10/2013 12:26

YABU.

Agree with Melanie.

You were responsible for the breakage. Pay up.

Mckayz · 30/10/2013 12:26

You broke something. Of course you need to pay to replace it. You have the cheek in this story.

AngelsLieToKeepControl · 30/10/2013 12:26

I don't think it's cheeky at all, you damaged it you should replace it. Buy one similar and post it to her if you don't want to give her cash.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 30/10/2013 12:26

We have had the occasional breakage when staying in a holiday cottage (and the time when ds1 ate a cork table mat) - we have always owned up, and always been told not to worry about it.

Did you tell her about the breakage? If you did, then I agree, she is being rather petty.

Leopoldina · 30/10/2013 12:27

yes you are being unreasonable. Suggest you read the terms of your hire which will almost certainly say that you are responsible for breakages. Doesn't make a difference whether it's the dishwasher or the trinket box.

YouStayClassySanDiego · 30/10/2013 12:27

I would have mentioned it.

Cheap tat or not, it's broken.

Dobbiesmum · 30/10/2013 12:27

YABU, you should have owned up and offered something at the time. Btw, you sound incredibly snobby talking about somebody else's belongings like that.

absentmindeddooooodles · 30/10/2013 12:28

Theres usually paperwork or notices about breakages...I.e they must be paid for or covered by deposit etc etc.

Think it was pretty rude of you not to tell them and offer to pay for it tbh.

trixymalixy · 30/10/2013 12:29

YABU, you broke it, you should pay for it.

Original poster
EngineeringExcellence · 30/10/2013 12:29

Did what Melanine? Caused max £5 damage when paying rent of £1300? Don't think it would make the world a dreadful place

I did tell her/left a note explaining what happened

OP posts:
AllOutOfIdeas · 30/10/2013 12:29

If you thought it was an accident waiting to happen, why didn't you move it when opening the window?

Did you mention the breakage when handing back the keys?

MirandaGoshawk · 30/10/2013 12:35

Since you owned up, I think she was BU.

If it was precious to her she shouldn't have had it in a holiday let. Breaking it comes under the heading of "these things happen" & she should've absorbed the cost/ignored it.

BlueStones · 30/10/2013 13:38

£1300?! Were you renting Kensington Palace?

I dunno, I suppose technically she has the right to ask for a replacement, but for that extortionate amount of cash I would think any decent property owner would chalk it up as one of those inevitable accidents. It's not like you damaged the furnishings.

Dobbiesmum · 30/10/2013 13:43

You should have left a fiver if that's all you thought it was worth, ornaments in rental holiday accommodation are there to make a place seem more homely, not to be broken and sneered at. Sorry but your tone is really annoying. Who are you to call another persons belonging tat?

cardibach · 30/10/2013 13:49

I broke one of those moulded glass trinket trays in a very similar way in a rented cottage once. I owned up, offered to replace it and fully expected to do so. The owners kindly let me off. I felt they were being lovely. I wouldn't expect them to absorb breakages even in an expensive place (although that does sound pricey for 10 - the one opposite me is about that and sleeps 20...).

FreckledLeopard · 30/10/2013 13:51

YANBU. I let out a holiday cottage. If someone breaks something (a glass, a plate the entire plumbing system) then I accept it as part and parcel of letting the place. Unless it's malicious damage, I can't imagine asking someone to pay for repairs.

VivaLeBeaver · 30/10/2013 13:51

Mmm, the OP didn't break it though did she? It was broken as the cottage owner had placed it in a position where the curtains could knock it off. The OP is saying she didn't knock it off, the curtains did it.

To me that makes a difference and think YANBU.

CoffeeTea103 · 30/10/2013 14:00

Yabu, off course you need to replace it

50shadesofmeh · 30/10/2013 14:01

You broke the item so you should pay for it.

Guiltismymaster · 30/10/2013 14:01

I personally would not have taken your money if you'd offered.
Maybe she was annoyed that you didn't offer to replace it as a common courtesy.

As it is,

  • It's not for you to say whether their belongings are 'tatt' or not.
  • Regardless of how much you think it cost, you should offer to pay
YesterdayI · 30/10/2013 14:07

You should have offered to pay and she should have declined Smile

It is a bit penny pinching to ask for the money to replace the broken box but, I suppose, it's within her rights.

I suspect she is going to ask for more than a fiver.

Swipe left for the next trending thread