Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 ··· 9 10 11 ··· 15 16

Original poster

How much to pay neighbour for theft

379 replies

tippietoppy2 · 29/09/2019 15:03

We live in London in a converted building where there are several flats. We had some guests over to the communal garden, and during the visit one of our guests must not have secured the side gate properly (for a max of 30/45min). Our neighbour later said their bike, which they had secured with a bike chain, got stolen (they told us thief cut through chain with bolt cutters).
We were very apologetic to our neighbour, and asked if we could contribute towards the bike. Our neighbour has sent us an invoice for the bike purchase of £525 from 2017 and their bank account. They asked us to send them £550 to buy the current model.
We feel terrible their bike got stolen. We want to be a good and considerate neighbour, and want to contribute financially towards the bike. But TBH I was shocked by the amount they are asking for. We were not expecting to buy them a brand new bike. It's not like we stole the bike ourselves. We are not familiar with the bike involved, nor seen a police report for the theft.
We have not even bought brand new bikes for ourselves or our kids ever, always purchasing our family bikes (and even our children's buggies) 2nd hand. We also don't have the budget to pay them £550.
Our neighbour is evidently extremely wealthy with multiple kids in private schools (we are an ordinary family with kids in free state schools). Possibly they might not understand £550 is a huge amount to a normal family.
How much is fair and reasonable to pay towards the neighbours stolen bike?
a) £550
b) £275 - half the price of another brand new bike
c) £250 - full cost of a 2nd hand bike (eg buy same model on ebay/gumtree)
d) £125 - half the price of another 2nd hand bike
e) see if they can claim it under their home and contents insurance, and we contribute towards the excess. The bike was chained right outside their front door. Although I suspect they probably didn't report the theft to the police
f) £100 - goodwill gesture
Any other idea's or suggestions appreciated. Would like to try to resolve it so we all feel comfortable and happy.
PS The Freehold building insurance doesn't cover personal property

OP posts:

Mummadeeze · 30/09/2019 17:46

I know you have offered to give them something (I wouldn’t have done, just a ‘really sorry, what bad luck’ would have been enough), but I would say to them that if the bike was worth that much money they should definitely get the police to investigate it as they might be able to retrieve it before forking out for another one.

Middersweekly · 30/09/2019 17:47

This scenario seems highly unlikely in all honesty. Firstly the thief would have had to be wandering by within that 45 min period, would have had to have had a pair of bolt cutters handy and would have needed to know that bike was there! None of that sounds at all realistic! In addition lots of people in the garden would surely up their risk of being seen/ and or caught!

MirandaGoshawk · 30/09/2019 17:48

It sounds dodgy to me. The first thing you do with a fancy bike is insure it - if it's not then that's their lookout. I know you want to do the decent thing - great - but some people aren't honest. I smell a rat. This thief with the bolt cutters was just hanging around waiting for the gate to be left open? I also think it's a try-on. You need more info before you start taking responsibility/coughing up.

RhinoskinhaveI · 30/09/2019 17:49

opportunists trying to pin this on you

bumblingbovine49 · 30/09/2019 17:50

There is absolutely no proof that your guest left the gate open. Also how do you know the thief doesn't live in the flats or wasnt another guest? So many imponderables that there is no way I'd be paying anything

Theluckynumberthree · 30/09/2019 17:53

We have always insured bikes. I don’t think you should pay anything to be honest. Not your fault if a guest didn’t shut the gate, could happen to anyone. What if you replace it and same thing happens next week. They need to buy a new bike and insure it!

8by8 · 30/09/2019 17:54

Respond to the email along these lines, just to be clear you’re not accepting this as a legal liability:

“Hi X,

Thanks for your email, but I’m afraid there’s been a misunderstanding,

We did offer to contribute towards your replacement cost - by this we meant that we would consider contributing towards your insurance excess as a goodwill gesture.

We are not in a financial position to buy a new bike for you, would not be able to claim on our insurance for your loss and to be honest I don’t feel this is our moral responsibility either.

I am sorry if our guest left the gate unsecured, and obviously it was very unlucky that an opportunistic thief happened to be passing by.

As it’s a communal garden, I’m sure you appreciate that security cannot be fully guaranteed, so I assume you have suitable insurance in place for such an expensive bike.

Once you’ve sorted out your insurance claim, please let us know what your excess is and we will see if we can contribute towards that.

Best wishes etc

BlahBlahBlahh · 30/09/2019 17:56

I don't think there was a bike in all honesty and if there was a bike it was stolen before that. They seem like CF's

Shell4429 · 30/09/2019 17:58

Don’t give them anything. Not your fault or responsibility. They’re CF.

ilikemethewayiam · 30/09/2019 17:59

Does the bike really exist? Nope, I wouldn’t give them a penny, not to be mean but because YOU didn’t steal it! You only have HIS word that a) the bike existed in the first place and b) it’s been stolen! Is there CCTV footage of it being stolen. His word is not good enough for you to compensate him in anyway. The cynic in me is thinking he hid it, is claiming it was stolen, gets the money from you, then it reappears, he claims it is a second hand replacement and he is £500 in pocket. I can’t believe you even admitted any guilt in this by apologising and offering to pay up. You sound a bit of a soft touch OP. You need to ask for proof it’s been stolen and even then you have no liability. It’s up to him to store it safely. As he’s wealthy he could pay for a secure lockup!

CheekyWombat101 · 30/09/2019 18:00

The fair thing to do is to pay like for like - so the same model that they had, and used because theirs was also used. So option C.

Unfortunately you are liable for the theft because even if it was only 30 minutes and you would never pay for £500 for a new bike, it doesn’t matter - your guests actions resulted in a theft so morally you are responsible (unless you can catch the bike thief!).

We had the same thing where a neighbour left a gate open and our secured bike got stolen. In our case nobody seemed to be to blame (owned up to leaving the gate open) and we just lost our money. Luckily wasn’t an expensive bike. We would have been happy with like for like. Wouldn’t have wanted an upgrade or overpayment.

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 30/09/2019 18:01

Sorry I didn't have time to rtft.. but popping on to ask if they have registered their bike with the bike registry. Its free and for extra fee you can get non tamper stickers which tells thieves the bike is registered. Does he have the bike registed in that way so that the police can easily ID it.. I ask because my relative's bike was stolen and was found advertised on Gumtree several months later in another city. We got the bike back
Also. A bike thief that happened to be walking by and carrying bolt cutters seized the opportunity? When my relatives bike was stolen, the police said they had probably been watching the house.. so if not that time, it would have been another time. If they were that determined, they would probably not be detered by a gate they could clamper over quite high ones. How good was their lock? How good is the gate. Can you pay instead to get a self closer or better lock fitted?
I think its a blooming cheek to ask you to pay for a brand new bike, they are trying it on and taking advantage of your kind offer.( which you shouldn't have made until you had more details and a police report. ) Insurers don't pay without one.

MrsRufusdog789 · 30/09/2019 18:01

I’d be very careful of putting anything at all in writing .
You are perfectly within your rights legally to in effect withdraw your original offer of some sort of contribution - especially as they are being unreasonable. I’d just stay quiet on the matter - if they persist advise them to report the theft to the police .

blaaake · 30/09/2019 18:02

Honestly? I wouldn't give them a penny. And I could afford to, but it's the principle of them asking you (who played no part in their 'bike' being stolen) for £550 that you don't have! If they'd have been less cheeky I'd have been inclined to pay £100/the cost of the insurance excess (whichever is lower).

LeahSMS · 30/09/2019 18:03

Ask to see police report Op. to prove it has gone missing

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 30/09/2019 18:03

Here's the website, apologies if its already been posted. Posting on the move. www.bikeregister.com/

campion · 30/09/2019 18:04

There wasn't a bike in all likelihood. Even if there was,it was never your responsibility.
If they haven't got any insurance,that's their lookout.
You don't need to do anything except point them towards the police who will investigate the 'theft' (in your dreams).

And...in the nicest possible way... don't be so gullible next time.

ToftyAC · 30/09/2019 18:06

I agree with everyone else who has said they’re being CFs. They should have the bike insured, end of story. Even if your guest had left the garden unsecured I’m sure they’re not the first - or will be the last - to have done it.

wibbler123 · 30/09/2019 18:08

Your friends likely never left the gate open, that's just your assumption. If the bike had a chain cut, the thief probably unlocked the gate as well, it's probably even simpler for them. Once behind a locked gate, they can take their time.

So, you aren't responsible, tell them they should have got a stronger lock that you can't cut easily. Offer excess as a peace offering.

Moominfan · 30/09/2019 18:08

I think your very kind to offer and they're taking advantage of this. Nobody knows how it was stolen. Might not have been one do your guests leaving gate open.

Mummet · 30/09/2019 18:15

I think they are pulling a fast one, sorry. In that short time the gate was open did anyone see anybody carrying bolt cutters and then leave with a bike? If the gate is usually always locked then within that short time frame how would a thief know, and happen to have bolt cutters with them and head straight for the bike? Was anything else in the same area that was worth anything? I would want to see the log number and check it to verify date, time etc. Also anything that said there was even a bike there! I wouldnt part with any money as you didnt steal it, they can claim for it, unless of course its been made up to make you feel bad for it!

Symposium123 · 30/09/2019 18:15

If you’ve agreed with them that you’re liable for the replacement, then you should pay the full £550. That’s fairly cheap for a bike and I wouldn’t want a second hand one of unknown provenance to replace one that I’ve looked after carefully from new. A badly maintained bike can kill.

Celestine70 · 30/09/2019 18:17

I wouldn't pay anything it's not your fault. It should be insured? Do they have proof the bike cost that much? Do they have a police number?

Sb74 · 30/09/2019 18:19

Not read all the thread sorry so probably repeating many others but why are you even contemplating paying anything? No one knows how, why, when, even if the bike got stolen. Blame can not be apportioned to you or your guests. Surely the neighbour has insurance. If indeed any bike has been stolen at all he should report it to the police, claim on his insurance and not point the finger at a neighbour. You might be being a good neighbour but he is not.

Sb74 · 30/09/2019 18:24

As op has not come back, could the op be the bike person? Is this a reverse question thing??

Flip

1 2 ··· 9 10 11 ··· 15 16

Swipe left for the next trending thread