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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

PIL has sent be a bill for a broken wine glass

999 replies

pugreverywhere · 03/05/2018 14:55

Yes, had to namechange.

Went to PIL' home last weekend, had a glass of wine and I accidentally dropped it. No big deal, they shrugged it off. I get on well with both FIL and MIL, have been with DH for 4 years now and we are having our first child in 4 months.

They're well off.. as in, VERY well off.. DP and I on the other hand live in a rented 3 bed semi-dettached property so definitely not as well off.

I didn't know at the time, but said wine glass apparently happens to be pretty high end. FIL has this morning sent me an e-mail saying that I can just transfer the £156 to him or buy the glass online. He even attached a link and included their address, should I not know it by now(!).

At first I thought it was a joke only to realise that these people have no sense of humor, so they obviously must be expect me to pay them ASAP. Haven't told DH yet. Really shocked at this as they are not known for being stingy.

AIBU not to pay this? I am tempted to buy a £20 glass off Amazon!

OP posts:
NotAnotherNoughtiesTune · 03/05/2018 16:25

We got £60 champagne glasses as a wedding gift and I'm scared to use them (set of 2). All my glasses are £4-£10!

Honestly I'd leave it to DH. I'm sure they know you can't afford it which makes it quite nasty in my mind.

AuntLydia · 03/05/2018 16:26

I think I would respond to his text with 'no I haven't had your email, mine is playing up. Can you resend to husband's email please'? And see how bolshy he feels sending that to his son...

rainbowstardrops · 03/05/2018 16:26

I was starting to wonder if you had the same outlaws in laws as me but mine aren't well off and certainly wouldn't have let people like me near their expensive glasses!
Talk to DH but DO NOT pay the money!
Bloody ridiculous Angry

greathat · 03/05/2018 16:27

I like taking the plastic for future suggestion but insist on them storing it. Find the cheapest brightest most offensive plastic stuff you can, do every time they open a cupboard they see it. Also supply for your OH and future grandchild as, as a family you couldn't possibly afford the same mistake twice....

MarthasGinYard · 03/05/2018 16:28

I think to be able to drink and relax with glasses like this, you surely have the be so incredibly wealthy that it would be inconsequential if one got broken.

Infact I think it'd rather crass of your fil to ask for replacement.

TheSpottedZebra · 03/05/2018 16:28

Could it be a joke?

NoCanoe · 03/05/2018 16:28

Id be temlted to fw email to dh and mil. Assuming mil has her own email account. That leaves it between the 3 of them to sort out in a sense.

If they have joint email, then she knows of request.

TotHappy · 03/05/2018 16:29

Bloody hell, unbelievable! It's ruder of them not to have mentioned it at the time! It's like he's mulled it over and thought 'no, I want that £156!'

Pigflewpast · 03/05/2018 16:29

This thread is making me want wine, I'll be asleep by 7pm if I give in.
BarabaraofSeville the problem with just popping to IKEA to get some more is that I would probably spend £156 on all the stuff I never knew I needed til I saw it there, so it would be equally expensive!

ikeepaforkinmypurse · 03/05/2018 16:29

I think your FIL is nuts, and unbelievably unpleasant, however I can't agree with posters who believe that if something is expensive you cannot be responsible for it. What else than jealousy to want to punish someone for having something a bit expensive?

TomRavenscroft · 03/05/2018 16:29

Ha! AuntLydia, that's inspired.

snewname · 03/05/2018 16:29

Let DP respond definitely. You should stay out of it.

Crispbutty · 03/05/2018 16:30

When my mum died, I inherited her collection of waterford crystal glasses. I sold them straight away as they wouldnt have lasted two minutes in this house, and I dont have the room for a display cabinet full of stuff that will never be used (unlike my mother!).

Accidents happen and I may be inwardly fuming and kicking myself for getting the posh glasses out, I would never consider billing the person who had the accident.

If you had allowed your child to kick a football in the house and that was how damage had happened it would be a different story but this was just a mishap.

sonjadog · 03/05/2018 16:30

I bet MiL knows nothing about this.

NoCanoe · 03/05/2018 16:30

Ive been so annoyed my tempted has merged into melted...AngryGrin

HouseworkIsASin10 · 03/05/2018 16:31

I would pay up then never darken their doorstep again.

Just tell them it's not worth the risk to visit their house, they'll have to come to you in future.

Imagine when DC is toddling around and smashing all sorts, you'll be bankrupt Shock

FASH84 · 03/05/2018 16:32

Oh no, this has absolutely made me panic, when DH and I bought our house his DGM bought us a beautiful set of Waterford crystal champagne glasses, they are mainly just on display in the dresser but we do use them at Christmas or if we're having a nice dinner with guests, probably at least 10/12 times a year. I knew they would've been pricy but I had no idea glassware could be this expensive! I am no terrified to look up the price and ever use them again!!! What's worse is DGM passed away just after gifting them so I wouldn't be able to not replace one of it broke...

XJerseyGirlX · 03/05/2018 16:32

Aunty Lydia, Perfect response

Oh God, your chld will make you bankrupt if you send he/ she / gender whatever (incase i offend) round there

Trinity66 · 03/05/2018 16:33

I think you should pay for the replacement if you broke it. I'd be annoyed if somebody broke such an expensive wine glass in my house.

Well then you shouldn't give them out to guests, glasses get broken regularly accidentally, it's totally unreasonable to give them to guests who would never spend such an amount on a glass and then expect them to pay you back

ellaV · 03/05/2018 16:33

I'm literally desperate to know what your husband will say! This has actually made my day!

PregnantStudentNurse · 03/05/2018 16:34

WineWine

Smellylittleorange · 03/05/2018 16:34

NO ! you ask them to claim on insurance - stupid people and Ihope they read this and see what PITA they are

DGRossetti · 03/05/2018 16:35

.

LineyErgoSum · 03/05/2018 16:35

Really?

hellsbellsmelons · 03/05/2018 16:35

OMG - Can't wait to hear what your DH thinks of this.
That is pure madness.
I know for a fact that I'd be taking my own glass round there in future.
I agree with others.
Your DH father, he can deal with it.
And you can tell them you won't be going there with their DGC as there is no way you would be able to afford the damage that could be done.