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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU My manager's daughter broke my car keys, is it unreasonable to expect a refund?

49 replies

Monipop84 · 07/03/2019 10:24

Keys were a bit scuffed but she removed the internal circuit completely. It's just a bit awkward as I had initially said: "Don't worry, they've always been scuffed" without realising the extent of the damage. This morning I couldn't start the car and bring it to the MOT, and I was quoted £200 for a new key. I am 9 months pregnant and money is tight, what do I do? 😿

OP posts:

echt · 07/03/2019 10:52

If you can't explain it in one post on MN, you'll have a hard time making a case to your manager or insurance.

LemonTT · 07/03/2019 10:56

I would be cautious about this. I personally haven’t seen fobs with dents in them that a child could pick at. Not saying this isn’t true but that I can’t conceive it. They should damaged already. Maybe your manager wont either.

Plus I assume they worked to get the car to the mechanic and back. Or at least from the office and back. So if you came to me with this version of events I would have a bit of a brow wrinkle at least and if I paid I would put a CF question mark against you in my head.

downcasteyes · 07/03/2019 11:12

First of all, I'd double check that price because it may be that you can get them cheaper elsewhere. So many things for cars are more expensive in some places than others (dealerships sometimes being terrible for this).

As a PP said, it depends a bit on the state of the keys. If they were pristine and have been totally broken that's very different from a key that is already really old that has finally given up the ghost.

I'm sorry this is happening to you at a time when cash it tight. Good luck on the forthcoming birth!

HomeMadeMadness · 07/03/2019 11:31

If my DC had done that I would definitely want to be told and would definitely insist on paying for the replacement (and giving you a huge box of chocolates to apologise).

Original poster

Monipop84 · 07/03/2019 11:31

Thanks everyone for the advice! I guess the best thing to do is avoid the dealership for the moment - I will try and look online and see if I can find a cheaper replacement.

@echt: wow, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. I realise I wasn't exactly eloquent earlier, but I have had a hell of a morning - 9 months pregnant, with a cold, late for work and other logistical complications/stress thrown in for good measure.

OP posts:

ScatteredMama82 · 07/03/2019 11:40

Car keys are pretty tough, I'm surprised a 4-year old was able to open the casing and remove the circuit. Did she then put the key back together??

AlanThePig · 07/03/2019 11:40

If it helps, a lot of independent key places can reprogram for half the cost. I had a similar issue with a Clio fob, dealer wanted £500 to reprogram a new key, lock locksmith charged me £100 and did it while I waited,

DontCallMeCharlotte · 07/03/2019 11:55

I had a courtesy car once and was queuing to drive onto Eurotunnel. I was jangling the fob and I didn't realise it had come open and the innards had come out. Went to start car to drive onto the train. Nothing (obviously). Hazards on, everyone drove round me, I'm dying of embarassment, managed to find the bit that had fallen out. Put it back in fob. Wouldn't click together. Held fob together and managed to start car and get on train. I was terrified I would not be able to start it again at the other end. Probably the most stressful trip ever!

Anyway, you need to ask your Manager for a contribution at least (and not very professional to have her child in the office anyway).

Mmmmbrekkie · 07/03/2019 11:56

I’m with @echt!

Mmmmbrekkie · 07/03/2019 11:57

(and not very professional to have her child in the office anyway).

Hillarious · 07/03/2019 11:58

If a 4 year old was able to damage them to this extent, they must have been pretty close to falling apart anyway. I'd imagine they were lying around and she just picked them up and started playing with them. I'd put it down to experience and being at fault for not looking after them in the first place, and then be concerned about the fragility of fancy car keys.

Hillarious · 07/03/2019 12:07

@echt does have a point, and puts it very well.

livefornaps · 07/03/2019 12:13

Why did she even let the kid get her mitts on your keys??

I would say, your kid has been playing with my keys, now they're fucked, cough up boss.

I hope you control your own kid better than this one.

DontCallMeCharlotte · 07/03/2019 12:21

Well for a start surely her manager will have known how old her own child was and what the story is already so she doesn't need to explain so much and how many first posts are perfect and complete and answer all and any potential questions anyway?

Mmmmbrekkie Sorry, not getting your point.

MadameButterface · 07/03/2019 12:23

"If a 4 year old was able to damage them to this extent, they must have been pretty close to falling apart anyway."

haha are you serious? 4 year olds can be brutal.

can just imagine the replies to this thread if it was flipped around:

"I took my 4 year old into work with me, and somehow she managed to pick up and damage a set of car keys belonging to someone I line manage, who now wants me to pay for a replacement, aibu not to?",

she'd get her arse absolutely handed to her. of course yanbu expecting her to help you out op.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 07/03/2019 12:33

haha are you serious? 4 year olds can be brutal.

Not disputing that 4 year olds are brutal but I would find it difficult to believe a 4 year old could remove the internal circuit of a car key unless it was already visible from damage to the key. It would be a challenge for an adult to do this to a car key without just their hands to break the key shell to get to the inside.

Meandmetoo · 07/03/2019 12:38

How on earth does a 4 year old manage to remove a circuit from a car fob?

livefornaps · 07/03/2019 12:43

WHY DOES A FOUR YEAR OLD EVEN HAVE KEYS????

AChickenCalledKorma · 07/03/2019 12:44

My daughter unscrewed the light switch in the living room and fused the whole ground floor when she was 3. (Thanks very much Montessori, with your "using real tools" approach!)

But I would have definitely have offered to pay if she'd damaged someone else's property.

Sweetpea55 · 07/03/2019 12:46

Bloody hell.. Half a story

Tomtontom · 07/03/2019 12:54

@DontCallMeCharlotte Did you pay for the replacement fob, or did you tell the hire company you wouldn't be paying because the fob was obviously already damaged and just waiting to break?

DontCallMeCharlotte · 07/03/2019 12:59

Tomtontom

No because I managed to clip it back together and it was fine.

Twerking9til5 · 07/03/2019 13:18

Damaged / replacement keys are covered free on my car insurance - try yours!

(I discovered this after I had paid £130 for replacement keys)

TixieLix · 07/03/2019 13:26

I'm assuming the steep cost is because you have keyless car entry/start? Mine were very expensive to replace when they went through the washing machine as the new remote had to be mapped.

Did you not have a spare key? Cars usually come with two sets.

I'd speak to your manager and at least ask her to go halves on the cost. Even if you accidentally left them in her office, your manager should have been supervising her daughter at work and should not have allowed her to play with someone's car keys.

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