Holiday accident...can they do this?

[Br1256]

I am on holiday with two friends in Spain in a very nice two bedroom two bathroom apartment. Unfortunately it has no air con. The receptionist gave us a fan for one of the bedrooms and told us to open the windows. Apartment block is on top of a v. steep hill, about 15 mins walk up from the beach and we are on the 14th floor ...lovely views with a wrap around balcony.....so quite safe to leave the windows open. It was really hot opened all the windows and went out. When we came back we found the tv had blown off the sideboard resulting in a black line about an inch deep on the screen. We reported it and they are saying we have to pay for a new tv.... What do you think?

I think you are responsible. That said you should ask them to claim on their insurance. If they can't then unless it was a brand new TV you should negotiate money towards it and point out it may be an idea for them to screw the TV down.

There's no AC — they instructed you to open the windows — the wind through the open window broke the telly. You're not at fault and shouldn't pay! This could equally have happened when you were in and injured someone...

Nikephorus

I wasn’t saying it was hot wind where op was, I was responding to your disbelief that it can be hot and windy at the same time