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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not pay for friend to get her phone fixed after I smashed it?

507 replies

katie3347 · 16/09/2018 11:17

Friday night me and my friend went out for drinks.
We were stood at the bar and I turned around quick and knocked my friends phone out of her hand,it hit the floor and smashed the screen.
It's still working but the screen is totally cracked.

She was a bit upset saying she didn't have insurance and couldn't afford to get it fixed.
I can't afford it either and shouldn't she have had insurance on such a expensive phone?
Anyway I haven't mentioned it since ..aibu to just not mention it again?
I know she probably expected me to pay to get it fixed but it was a accident and she was the one who let go once I hit her arm.

OP posts:

feedmecoffee · 16/09/2018 13:09

All these people saying she could use the £40 for something better too! Yeah a tempered glass protector, decent case and a months insurance! Not your fault OP it was an accident and she should have insured her expensive phone or at least put a screen protector on. I change my tempered glass screen protector like every other month (I'm clumsy) they're £3 on Amazon and my 2 and a half year old iPhone 6s is spotless. If anything happened to it I would either use my home contents or pay £30 on the market to get it fixed, definitely not the arsehole that blames her friend for her not looking after her things properly. Please don't pay anything it's her responsibility to protect her smartphone.

AimlesslyPurposeful · 16/09/2018 13:09

How far away should one stand from their friend on a night out?

Really really far away. They can talk to each other on the phone.

Calledyoulastnightfromglasgow · 16/09/2018 13:11

I don’t have insurance for my phone but have a 40 quid case that protects it from this

I think you should offer half

CantankerousCamel · 16/09/2018 13:13

I just cannot imagine a situation where the first thing you said when hitting your friend so her phone broke, isn’t ‘don’t worry mate we will sort that out for you’

Chanelprincess · 16/09/2018 13:15

You broke it by being clumsy and you should pay for it to be repaired.

Grilledaubergines · 16/09/2018 13:15

The decent thing would be to go halves. Accident or not, you’re causing her additional expense. If you can’t afford it, you’ll need to forego a night out to cover it.

I actually can’t believe that the idea of contributing is even being questioned.

PoesyCherish · 16/09/2018 13:18

You should definitely pay. Yes it was an accident but you caused it. As others have pointed out, even with insurance she'd have had to pay the excess. If you can afford to go out for drinks you can afford to pay for her phone.

diamondcity1 · 16/09/2018 13:19

In law, it is your responsibility. If you accidently backed your car over a neighbours toddler, who would be responsible? Your neighbour?

YeTalkShiteHen · 16/09/2018 13:20

I’d offer to pay half at least tbh. Just because she’s my friend and I was a twat.

Screens are cheap on eBay and there’s YouTube tutorials on how to change them? An iPhone 6S screen is about £16 for context. It comes with tools.

worridmum · 16/09/2018 13:21

so car accidents happen the other person who caused the accident should not need to pay right? that's totally how the system works right? you take responsibility for your own stuff so what is some idiot knocks into your car you need to pay for it yourself not expect the person whom caused the accident to pay no ......

diamondcity1 · 16/09/2018 13:22

What is the consensus on this thread?

Wallflowerfire · 16/09/2018 13:22

No, not your problem, because that's why people have protective phone cases. If you don't have a protective case you are taking a risk. Especially if you are using it in a busy bar where drunk people are often bumping into each other.
Would YOU get your unprotected phone out in a bar on a Friday night? I wouldn't.

If it had been more of your fault like if you had been holding her phone and being careless, then yes, pay. But busy bar with hard floor? If it hadn't been you it would have been someone else.

MaisyPops · 16/09/2018 13:23

I'd probably offer something towards it because it's a good friend, but it would really irritate me that the damage to the phone occurred because someone chose to have an expensive phone, chose not to spend money on a tempered glass screen protector, chose not to put a cover on and chose not to get insurance.

They then got an unprotected, uninsured gadget out in a busy area and didn't have hold of it.

The entire attitude seems to be 'I don't care enough about my phone to part with some of my own money to keep it safe and limit damage, but seeing as my friend bumped into me they can foot the bill for my own negligence'.

Bluelady · 16/09/2018 13:24

I don't know why you're even asking. You broke her phone. You pay.

YeTalkShiteHen · 16/09/2018 13:26

Even if it was insured. There’s an excess to pay to claim, so should OP pay that? Or half of that?

madeoficecream · 16/09/2018 13:27

i would not expect a friend to pay in this instance. If you take your expensive property out and about and leave it lying around then that is your responsibility. Either get insurance or be more careful where you put things... It is not the responsibility of the person who accidently breaks the thing to replace it. Unless they were in some way responsible for the object being in a dangerous place to begin with.

I mean fgs not everyone factors in other peoples expensive possessions into their budgeting for the month. Theres no way id be able to pay to replace some one elses Iphone because I knocked it off a bar!
I dont have an Iphone because I cant afford one.... would I honestly be expected to pay to replace some one elses that they couldnt be bothered to get insurance on?!

livingontheedgeee · 16/09/2018 13:28

If you want to continue being her friend yes, you should pay half the cost. £80 is steep. My DD smashed the screen on her iPhone 7 (twice) and it cost her £65 each time. Think the company is called iMend or Mendit.

YeTalkShiteHen · 16/09/2018 13:28

I dont have an Iphone because I cant afford one.... would I honestly be expected to pay to replace some one elses that they couldnt be bothered to get insurance on?!

Would you offer to pay half the excess to make an insurance claim?

madeoficecream · 16/09/2018 13:30

worridmum that is exactly what happens if you cannot be bothered to insure your car... you would have to pay for it yourself!! And it would also be what happened if you had a car which hadnt passed its mot etc
You have to take reasonable precautions to protect your own property as if you dont it increases the risk of it getting damaged... and if that damage is accidental then you will have to foot the bill for it yourself

halcyondays · 16/09/2018 13:31

She should have had a screen protector on it.

madeoficecream · 16/09/2018 13:32

yetalkshitehen yes I would if it were a good friend... but probably not if it were just some randomer whod put their un insured, expensive phone in no case, on the bar in a busy pub....
Id not pay because I would struggle to cover my own bills if I were randomly giving out £40 to someone... Especially someone who seemed so unfussed about their expensive possession that they didnt take any steps to protect it.. clearly they have spare cash and I dont

WilburIsSomePig · 16/09/2018 13:36

Have people gone insane ? If you break something, accident or not, you should pay for it. Offer to pay her back in instalments. Like a decent person would.

I agree. I can't believe people seem to think this is OK.

KeeVee · 16/09/2018 13:38

If I accidently bump into a display in a shop and break something, would I not have to pay because it was an accident or the shop has insurance or...?

I guess it's because it's your friend that you are expecting to not take any responsibility, but at the same time it is also because you are a friend that you should perhaps consider shouldering some.

If you were my friend, I wouldn't ask you to pay anything, but I'd be pissed off in private about it if you didn't offer anything at all. I wouldn't even expect you to pay half of it, but some token would be very appreciated.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't really be able to afford a new phone screen for my friend either, but I'd offer installments at the very least, of whatever I could afford. You never know, she might not take you up on the offer (oh no, it's fine, don't worry etc), but the fact that you offered would likely mean a lot in terms of your friendship.

LittleMissedTheSunshine · 16/09/2018 13:38

I think you need to decide whats worth more to you, the friendship or £40 (if you pay half).

A decent friend in your position would offer half, a decent friend in your friend's position would accept half and pay the rest herself.

YeTalkShiteHen · 16/09/2018 13:38

yes I would if it were a good friend... but probably not if it were just some randomer whod put their un insured, expensive phone in no case, on the bar in a busy pub....

I agree I’d do the same.

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