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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to think that she should pay for a new switch and get her bloody kid one too?

227 replies

nikiforov · 06/08/2017 03:06

Quick backstory: I live with some friends who are parents, nowhere to fit a TV in my room (I got the downstairs smaller one because I'm not a parent and we rent the house together, I'm not a tagalong or anything). I knew living with a kid would be odd and I'm childfree but we agreed at the start that I wasn't a free babysitter, I'm a student and I need my own space, et cetera - usually I leave my door unlocked because we all trust each other and the router is in my bedroom due to it being the only place with router access, so it's awkward if I'm at uni and the internet goes down.

I also have a nintendo switch in my bedroom, which is mine and mine only. Her kid is 6 now, so he's old enough to play it and she's been bringing up the subject more and more hinting that I'm being selfish by not letting him play it and she can't afford one, I can afford more because I'm a student and she cooks meals for us (she doesn't cook meals for me, I buy my own food and make meals myself because I'm a vegan and they're meat eaters so that's a lie) and anyway, push came to shove and she let the kid use the switch without my permission today. The screen is scratched to hell.

WIBU to demand she buys me a new one after damaging my property? Or am I being a stingy childfree bitch? I don't want to take it to some shady place to get a new screen fitted, which would void my warranty completely, but this would also be classed under not damaged enough for a replacement/fix or sort of 'it's your own fault' damage. Moving out isn't really an option until the lease runs out and I honestly didn't have much choice. It was this or halls, and halls is infinitely more expensive and I wouldn't have had my own private bathroom.

OP posts:
vikingprincess81 · 06/08/2017 03:09

No, not U at all - she shouldn't have let him use it.
Plus, start locking your door - is the router needs restarted etc then you'll do it when you get back. That's the price they pay for allowing their kid to use your expensive equipment.

MyKingdomForBrie · 06/08/2017 03:10

YANBU.

endofthelinefinally · 06/08/2017 03:11

You should keep your door locked.
I doubt there is much you can do tbh. If she was a decent person she would pay for the damage caused by her child, but it doesn't sound as if she is.

Hapaxlegomenon · 06/08/2017 03:12

That would really annoy me, but I wouldn't cause a fuss about it to keep the peace since you can still use your Nintendo switch (I assume, I don't actually know what one is!l). I would always lock your door going forward since you've now learned that you can't trust them to respect your privacy or belongings anymore.

Cocklodger · 06/08/2017 03:12

Yab a bit U.
If the screen needs replacing surely you're best off taking it in for repair (even if you use a repairer that's approved by your insurer) you'd be U to ask for a new one.
Not u to ask her to pay to have it repaired though

endofthelinefinally · 06/08/2017 03:13

Meant to say key should be available in a place out of reach if child so responsibility for your property is clear.

AlmostAJillSandwich · 06/08/2017 03:14

Absolutely she should pay, but you know she wont. If she cant afford to buy him one how can she magically afford to buy you a new one? Police wont do anything about it as its civil not criminal matter. Youre basically stuck with it damaged, unless you go tbrough small claims court but even they cant force her to pay you, or it will be in silly small installments. She may just take the ccj and not pay.

fuzzywuzzy · 06/08/2017 03:15

Ask her to pay for replacing the damaged screen, as op suggested from an approved party that doesn't invalid your warranty.

Keep your door locked going forward and I would not leave my key for anyone to access either. They can get access when you get home.

It's what happens when they ransack your stuff.

Original poster
nikiforov · 06/08/2017 03:19

It's only insured under the whole warranty thing Nintendo do, not through any external sources. I've never needed insurance on any of my kit before because usually warranty covers any major damage, and I'm good enough with my electronics to just not need it.

I'm honestly pretty sure she can afford it because she's pulled out the stops for some big christmas presents (as my parents always managed to do) and I would be happy to let him have the scratched one if she got a new one or something. I'm just really pissed it happened, but I know the police won't bother.

Looking at nintendo's website it seems that they might do the repairs because it's under warranty? I assumed it was always the whole "if you caused the damage through negligence/it's not a fault with the console you're on your own bud" but I'll look into sending it off. Grump grump.

Door will def be locked from now on. She works with one of those facebook business things but she has data on her phone so I'm not depriving her of it.

OP posts:
luctob1 · 06/08/2017 03:43

erm NO?! you're not being stingy.
It's your property that has been damaged and used without your permission.

emmyrose2000 · 06/08/2017 04:30

YANBU!

She let her kid play with something that's not theirs/his, they damaged it, so of course she should pay for a replacement or repair!

Or am I being a stingy childfree bitch?
It's irrelevant whether you have kids or not. I do have kids and I would still expect someone who destroyed my property to replace it.

araiwa · 06/08/2017 04:40

A scratched screen is not destroyed!!

How badly is it damaged? At best, you can ask for a relacement screen but no way can you expect a brand new replacement. A replacement screen is about £20

HeteronormativeHaybales · 06/08/2017 05:05

YANBU about the screen; she should compensate you for a repair (not a wholly new device). However, if you're honest with yourself you'll admit that this living arrangement was never going to end well. Your attitude ('her bloody kid') doesn't sound terribly mature (neither do you, tbh, see the gaming). Most students suck up not having a private bathroom, at least they did in my day. It's honestly very normal and won't kill you Hmm Millennial, I'm guessing.

GavelRavel · 06/08/2017 05:16

too late now but I'd have put a screen protector on the minute I got it.

mokaerisifhija · 06/08/2017 05:20

Yanbu to lock your door in future and your housemate ought to pay for the screen repair if it was in completely mint condition before and is now significantly less functional. However if this is just a little more natural wear and tear but part of a spectrum it was already on then you should just swallow it.

Mummyoflittledragon · 06/08/2017 05:26

Hetero
In my day we didn't have central heating in rented properties because the heated ones were too expensive! Ensuite bathrooms lol.

You could also run a cable outside the room and add a new router socket outside your door. It would have to go through your ll first.

Too darn right I'd be locking my door. And telling her I wanted my screen fixed. Doubt if you'll get it though.

Original poster
nikiforov · 06/08/2017 05:30

too late now but I'd have put a screen protector on the minute I got it.

I kinda got freaked out because I got them at launch and there was talk of screen protectors warping/ruining consoles because of the heat in the dock.

Millennial, I'm guessing.

I have severe IBS and emetophobia. I need a private bathroom, but they aren't issues the government considers worthy of getting an en suite despite the fact that if I need the bathroom, it's either go or literally bloody diarrhoea in whatever clothes I'm wearing at the time. I've been tested for everything under the sun (including multiple camera tests down my throat and up into my bowels) and it's "just" very severe IBS that flares up daily, but go ahead and assume I'm an immature milennial because I like gaming on my downtime rather than drinking at a pub?

OP posts:
Original poster
nikiforov · 06/08/2017 05:31

I'm not sure what he actually did to it but it's very scratched/bashed up. It's still functional, but suspiciously sticky. I think maybe he assuemd it was like a 3DS and got frustrated when a stylus wouldn't work with the screen.

It does have a carry case and such for when I take it out, but when I left it in the morning it was docked and you can't have anything other than a screen protector on the main unit when it's docked.

OP posts:
andbabymakesthree · 06/08/2017 05:39

As a parent I'd replace it.

You had said no. She ignored that.

If you are feeling generous you could offer the stratched one back to her for the child to have once the dust settles or for Xmas. As a parent I wouldn't give him it yet though. He'll just think. I break item. Mum replaces it. I still get a switch!

Mummyoflittledragon · 06/08/2017 05:39

Sounds like you have a very leaky gut. Something or things you're eating aren't agreeing with you, perhaps. Have you tried low carb high fat? Or gaps diet? I've just bought a book called the Wahls diet. It's very good. I don't know if any of this is adaptable to vegan though. Are you sure it's not something in the vegan diet? I cannot eat soy as in it makes me really ill. Known allergen obvs. I have ME/CFS, which means bad gut issues.

Broken11Girl · 06/08/2017 05:41

Ignore the nasty twat posts OP. Utter cheek of your housemate. Little repair places are great ime though, never had a bad experience personally. I'd get a replacement screen - and ask her to pay for it.

Broken11Girl · 06/08/2017 05:45

I'd also be deeply pissed off with the disrespect for your possession, and ask for assurance he wouldn't be touching your stuff again. At 9 he should absolutely know not to just help himself to and damage other people's stuff. I'd have a very serious conversation with your housemate as she allowed him to do this.

Broken11Girl · 06/08/2017 05:46

Sorry, 6. Still old enough to understand though.

Original poster
nikiforov · 06/08/2017 05:47

Surprisingly the vegan diet helped a bit. Not much, and I can't have soy or beans (which is a pain) but the low FODMAP diet + no meat/dairy really helps. I don't worry too much about eggs because I have a friend who keeps very happy chickens and occasionally bake with them!

Asking the parents here, WIBU then to sit and talk with him about respect for other people's property and that things in my room are mine? It's on a high shelf so I very much suspect mum gave it to him, but I've no idea if he went in my room and asked or not. I obviously need to resolve it because there's no way I can get out of the tenancy and find somewhere else suitable now!

OP posts:
HicDraconis · 06/08/2017 05:58

If it had been my children damaging your things, I would expect to have to replace them. The child is also old enough to understand the concept of ownership and your things vs his parents' vs anyone else's. I wouldn't mind you talking to them about not touching what isn't theirs but I would be having the same chat with them.

And lock your door.

As for not being mature because of gaming - bollocks. I'm as mature as they come and I've spent the afternoon dozing on the couch watching DH play tales of zestiria. I'd like a switch but apparently we have enough consoles and don't need another one!