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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not pay for a broken window?

142 replies

Myheartbelongsto · 09/12/2017 08:59

So, my 11 boy was out playing with his friends when one friend kicked a stone and it hit his neighbours window.

The other boys mother knocks on my door and says as they were all together its only fair cost to repair window should be split three ways.

Window woman was given my number and text me last night.

What would you do?

The cost to me would be €70.

OP posts:
BulletFox · 09/12/2017 09:01

Have the others agreed to pay?

MrsExpo · 09/12/2017 09:03

Do you know which of the boys actually did the damage, and are you sure it wasn’t your son? I think I’d offer a third of the cost as it’s not a huge amount.

dementedpixie · 09/12/2017 09:03

No I wouldn't pay if my child didn't break anything

Original poster
Myheartbelongsto · 09/12/2017 09:03

The mother of the boy that actually broke it has yes as this lady is her neighbour, the other I don't know.

OP posts:
thegirlupnorth · 09/12/2017 09:04

Was it an accident? Or deliberate? I'm not sure what I'd do but I'd be having a stern word with my son and he'd be coughing up!

DianaT1969 · 09/12/2017 09:04

Depends. The boy who kicked the stone that broke the window. Is it his mother asking other parents to chip in?
If it had been your son who had kicked the stone that broke the window, would you happily pay all? Or would you want the other parents to contribute?

TenancyTroublesAgain · 09/12/2017 09:06

If you know it wasn't your son I wouldn't pay. I hate people being held accountable for actions of people they were with. Like when one person acting up gets the entire class in trouble.

Original poster
Myheartbelongsto · 09/12/2017 09:06

Yep, I'm sure it wasn't my son. If he broke something he would be honest about it. In the Sumner he hit a hanging basket playing football and I made him replace it using his own pocket money.

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 09/12/2017 09:06

I think for me it would definetly spend on exactly what the boys were doing. If they were all playing a game but it happened to be the other boy that caused the damage then I would pay. If there was no game and the boy kicked it, no I wouldn't pay just because my kid was with them.

Madonnasmum · 09/12/2017 09:07

Is 70 the whole cost or the third? What kind of window can be broken by a stone but costs 210 to replace the glass?

MrsPicklesonSmythe · 09/12/2017 09:07

She wants you to pay for something her son did because your son saw him do it? Tell her to jog on!!!

Original poster
Myheartbelongsto · 09/12/2017 09:09

Yes, the mother of the boy that actual broke it has asked other parents to chip in. I think she's being a cheeky fucker. If my child had broken it I would never have asked the other parents to chip in just because they were all together.

If you have an accident in your car you don't ask the passengers to chip in do you.

OP posts:
Original poster
Myheartbelongsto · 09/12/2017 09:11

Its €70 euro from each parent and yes if my child had broken the window I would have paid for the whole window. My child = my responsibility.

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 09/12/2017 09:13

Were they playing some kind of game with the stones?

Cleanermaidcook · 09/12/2017 09:13

Depends on the circumstance.
If they were all kicking stones near the window then yes I would pay. If it was just the other child being deliberately naughty then no I wouldn't, I'd have to be absolutely sure my child had no involvement at all before I refused to pay though.

teaortequila23 · 09/12/2017 09:14

Speak to the mother of the other child who didn’t kick the rock that broke the window and just say I’m not willing to pay for something my kid didn’t do are u? Surely she won’t want to either she may have been backed into a corner without knowing the facts then both tell her to jog on.

Also what fucking window costs £210 to fix!

Valerrie · 09/12/2017 09:16

No way. He didn't do it.

JacquesHammer · 09/12/2017 09:16

It totally depends. If they were all kicking stones or they were kicking a stone between each other then yes I would contribute.

If they were doing something else and one kid randomly kicked a stone then no, I wouldn't contribute.

Original poster
Myheartbelongsto · 09/12/2017 09:17

They were just playing outside the front of his house when the other boy kicked a stone.

The window is not very big at all!

OP posts:
Original poster
Myheartbelongsto · 09/12/2017 09:18

To pay this 70 euro today I would have to skimp on my shopping this week.

OP posts:
ShiftyMcGifty · 09/12/2017 09:20

No. Even if they were all kicking stones I wouldn’t pay if my child didn’t do the damage. And that mother is teaching her kid to be a cheeky fucker and not accept responsibility for his own actions.

flumpybear · 09/12/2017 09:22

If they were all playing stupidly and this one boy just happened to be the one who caused the break then yes, share.
If the boys were just wandering last and one kicked a stone and if happened to go through her window then no

Original poster
Myheartbelongsto · 09/12/2017 09:22

When his parents called up that was the first time I met them! Their son stood between then with his head down the whole time.

When I closed the door my son turned and said to me it was c mammy, he kicked the stone. I said why didn't you say that just now in front if his parents he said he didn't want to get him into trouble.

OP posts:
GreenTulips · 09/12/2017 09:23

Isn't the lady insured and therefore only the cost is the excess?

But no I wouldn't if my child hadn't caused the damage

Original poster
Myheartbelongsto · 09/12/2017 09:24

They were outside the front of his house when this boy just randomly kicked a stone and it hit the window.

OP posts:
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