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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AWBU or Should We Not Have to Ask my In-laws to Pay Us Back?

102 replies

OhNoSusanna · 03/07/2018 12:33

Regular poster, NC due to very outing details, some minor details also changed.

Bit of background here, my MIL and my Mum decided to co-host a baby shower for me a few months back at my MIL's house. With my MIL's permission, gifts from family members who couldn't attend in person were mailed to her house.

My husband and I unfortunately came down with the flu and the shower had to be cancelled. Once we were well again we went to visit my in-laws and they gave us all the shower presents for our son, to take back with us.

Three months later we found out one of my Aunts had sent a gift card for the baby shower for a bit under £50 to my MIL's but we had never received. My MIL didn't recall receiving one so we assumed it had been delivered to the wrong address or lost in the mail so my aunt contacted the company to enquire about a replacement. They refused to replace it on the grounds that someone at the address it had been delivered to had used it.

My husband asked his Mum if she recalled any gift cards being delivered around that time from that company. It turned out that they were expecting a gift card from the same company for an item that my FIL had returned. They had mistakenly thought the gift card from my Aunt was for his return so had spent it. Then they cheekily thanked me for the meat grinder they bought with it. Hmm

I explained it to my Aunt and she said something to the effect that it was on my in-laws then to replace it, which my husband and I agreed with.

The gift card would have been addressed to my name, so it was a pretty bad mistake, but mistakes happen. So we figured they would offer to replace it in cash or gift card form. We are not well off and actually need to buy something for our son that we'd hoped to use that money for and they have the money to easily replace it.

4 days passed and they not only didn't offer to replace it but they didn't even apologise for the mistake. On the 5th day my husband asked his Mum directly by FB messenger when they would be able to replace the gift from my Aunt. His Mum read it and never responded.

My husband's theory on why she's behaving this way is because her birthday was shortly after the birth of our son, we were so busy and dealing with being new parents and my PND that we forgot to send her a card or get her a gift. We did tell her happy birthday though.

Before all this mix up happened we were planning to get her a belated gift to give her when we see her this weekend. My husband thinks she's butthurt that we didn't send her anything for her birthday and bitterly feels like we owe her so she doesn't need to replace the gift card. She has form for almost never ever admitting she's wrong or has made a mistake.

The gift card was from my Aunt though for our son! Not for us even and certainly not for my in-laws to spend on themselves from my Aunt they've never met. Angry

We don't feel like we should have even been forced to ask for the money let alone be ignored when we did. I guess to some it's a small amount and maybe they'd let it go but it's not a small amount to us nor to my Aunt who sent it and I feel my in-laws have been incredibly rude.

So my AWBU is would it be unreasonable if when we show up at the in-laws this weekend if they don't offer to make things right that we just pack up and leave again? That's how my husband has proposed we deal with them.

OP posts:
OhNoSusanna · 03/07/2018 13:34

@PragmaticWench

I had thought about that option as well but I've grown increasingly angry the last week and the only gift I feel is befitting her is a half dead potted plant...like a dying cactus.

@Returnofthesmileybar

"Don't be ridiculous, there was no gift card from the company, there was no mistake, that is complete bullshit and one of the first excuses ever. She has stolen from you!!"

I really have tried not to think that, to think that they feel no guilt about stealing from family

OP posts:
JessieMcJessie · 03/07/2018 13:38

OP they are stealing from family regardless of whether or not there ever was another gift card. The only difference is that in the “no other card” scenario they are both stealing and lying.

OhNoSusanna · 03/07/2018 13:41

@Inertia

That's a good idea because they live about 2.5 hours away so it does cost a good bit of fuel.

The item we needed to replace is very important to us, it's a baby breathing monitor. I foolishly tried to save money by buying one second-hand only to have it malfunction after 2 months and a refund request was denied. Sad So when we found out about the gift from my Aunt we thought buying a brand new breathing monitor (which comes with a 12 month guarantee), would be possible.

OP posts:
00100001 · 03/07/2018 13:41

hmmm.
You'll never see that money - if you're willing to break the relationship over £50 then go for it.

If you genuinely can't afford ~£50 for something right now, how on earth are you going to afford a baby in general? Confused

JessieMcJessie · 03/07/2018 13:42

I’d break a relationship over someone stealing from me. In a heartbeat.

00100001 · 03/07/2018 13:43

Oh the baby is here - apologies.

You really don't need a breathing monitor - but if it is that essential that you have it, get a loan?

Berthatydfil · 03/07/2018 13:44

Well that’s the next few birthdays and Christmas’s sorted.
Is she 5? It’s disappointing if your birthday is overlooked but the birth of a baby is a pretty reasonable excuse.
Who would steal from their own grandchild like that it’s awful.
I would get your dh to cancel and tell your in laws a)that you are short of cash as you have had to spend your petrol money on items for the baby you had planned to use the gift card for and b) you’re not sure you want to spend time with anyone who would steal from their own grandchild.

Returnofthesmileybar · 03/07/2018 13:45

I totally understand why you wouldn't want to think it but it is stealing, and she did it because she never for a second thought she'd be caught. This isn't cheeky, cheeky is chancing your arm, this is out and out stealing, it's robbing from your grandchild and making up a bullshit story to his parents to try get away with it.

I'd try play nice first but if I had to leave her house with her piggy bank i'd be getting that money back out of principal. Your aunt must really be going mad

00100001 · 03/07/2018 13:46

"I’d break a relationship over someone stealing from me. In a heartbeat."
The world isn't black and white. and close/family relationships aren't that easy to break. It's easy to say on screen and in theory... but, let's say your son at 14 steals £10 from your purse because he's being bullied and feels like this is his only choice.... and you'd just completely him off... in a heartbeat? Hmm

No you wouldn't.

KinkyAfro · 03/07/2018 13:48

don't be a dick 00100001 it's not OP breaking a relationship over £50 and your other comment was shitty too.

JessieMcJessie · 03/07/2018 13:48

001 so what are the mitigating circumstances in this scenario then? Hmm right back atcha.

Meralia · 03/07/2018 13:49

I don’t understand their issue?

They’ve spent a gift card that wasn’t for them. I’d reimburse as soon as I discovered the mistake. Wouldn’t everyone?

Very odd. I’d keep asking though, if it was me.

OhNoSusanna · 03/07/2018 13:51

@00100001

We can afford him, it's just tight now that I'm on maternity leave past the first 6 weeks. We carefully bought things mostly second hand while I was pregnant and my family was very generous in gift giving.

We had been told we probably couldn't have kids so were blindsided by my pregnancy. After many years of unprotected sex we agreed with the doctors that a baby wasn't going to happen.

OP posts:
HerondaleDucks · 03/07/2018 13:51

I'd definitely be asking for it back.

KanyeWesticle · 03/07/2018 13:52

They are definitely BU. But, it's £50 and she's your son's grandma. It's not worth the trauma.

She has seen your DH's message and know how he feels.

Don't stoop to their level. Buy a cheap pot plant as a gift for your MIL, that's a separate issue.

JessieMcJessie · 03/07/2018 13:55

You see Kanye that is where I’d say the exact opposite- this dishonest woman is her son’s grandma and therefore will have the chance to instill her abhorrent morals in the grandchild if contact continues. Look how nasty she was to her own son. No loss.

illhavethesalad · 03/07/2018 13:56

How awful, I can't believe people actually behave like this!

Op do you think she saw it as compensation for the cancelled baby shower?

OhNoSusanna · 03/07/2018 13:59

Returnofthesmileybar

"I totally understand why you wouldn't want to think it but it is stealing, and she did it because she never for a second thought she'd be caught."

Her denying ever seeing a gift card then changing the story later has made me question if she had lied from the start.

Also unless the company it was purchased from made a mistake, the gift card should have arrived inside a greeting card with a message from my Aunt and Uncle. It is possible the greeting card wasn't sent though just the gift card.

OP posts:
WhatchaMaCalllit · 03/07/2018 14:00

00100001 - why should they get a loan for the amount to cover the purchase of the breathing monitor? They were expecting a gift card which would have gone some ways to paying for it. They now don't have a gift card as MiL spent the money on a meat grinder.

I'd go with the suggestion made by either Returnof or Inertia

Polishitbehindthedoor · 03/07/2018 14:02

Just ignore 00100001, this poster is frequently a goady fucker

Personally, if I was your DH I'd be calling DM and explaining that she has essentially stolen her GC's gift and you won't be visiting again until it's replaced and a genuine apology given. Mistakes happen, but if she ignores your DH and refuses to replace it, then she is a thief in my book.

I would find it difficult to forgive this, purely on principle. Stealing is shit, but stealing from a baby AND your own family is LOW.

sociopathsunited · 03/07/2018 14:03

Could your Aunt (the one who gifted the money/card) contact them and tell them to return the money to HER? They've stolen from her, essentially. It never reached you, so it's HER money at the moment, no? They might be able to browbeat their own child into letting them away with it, but she's not likely to be affected by any guilt tripping or blackmail - she'll never see them again. If she chooses to mention the police, then that's up to her. I bet she can't afford to lose £50 either...

Once she gets it back from them, she can re-give it to you herself. Directly into your hand, I hope.

greendale17 · 03/07/2018 14:04

I don’t believe there ever was a £50 refund gift card due.

They have stolen from your child.

Aprilshouldhavebeenmyname · 03/07/2018 14:05

Well now you know how little respect for you and your dh /dc they have. Cancel the For Sale sign op. And stay home this week end.

Daffodil2018 · 03/07/2018 14:08

They sound awful, and you are well within your rights to be fuming, but I'd probably just try and let it go at this point. Nothing good will come of pursuing it further. Either you get the £50 back but really damage the relationship (and maybe by this point that's not the end of the world!), or you grit your teeth and make sure they are never entrusted with gifts for you again.

If you really want to pursue it I'd hand over to your Aunt, who is in a better position to badger them. And they've stolen from her just as much as you!

OhNoSusanna · 03/07/2018 14:09

@illhavethesalad

"Op do you think she saw it as compensation for the cancelled baby shower?"

That thought crossed my mind too but my Mum footed the bills for the shower.

The shower was planned for on Mother's Day. I did get this feeling of bitterness from my MIL the next time we saw her that she was pissed off she didn't get anything for Mother's Day on Mother's Day.

We did get her gifts and a card but we had planned to take it in person since we had thought we'd see her then. We gave her the card and presents when we saw her 2 weeks later, the presents couldn't be mailed so had to wait.

I guess she would have preferred we show up and exposed everyone to the flu including FIL who has a compromised immune system. Hmm

OP posts:
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