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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:
daisypond · 29/09/2019 15:20

I wouldn’t pay anything really. Bikes in London get stolen all the time, as I know to my cost. It’s a normal everyday risk.

mummmy2017 · 29/09/2019 15:21

Dear neighbour,
My knee jerk reaction was to think we had left the gate open, however on asking friends they were sure they locked the gate.
Have you checked if anyone else used the garden?
Also have you filed a Police report, as I am Willing to make a statement to aid your insurance claim.
Also the bike may be recovered by the Police.
However at this moment in time I am not of the opinion that I actually owe you anything.

Ponoka7 · 29/09/2019 15:22

I would have paid the excess on the insurance, or £100.

You've been a bit silly for not insisting on the Police being informed etc.

mummmy2017 · 29/09/2019 15:22

Have you ever seen the bike in the garden?
Ask your friends if they saw it.

smemorata · 29/09/2019 15:24

Nothing. Not sure why you offered when you really don't know if a) it was stolen b) your guest was at fault c) if they secured it properly.

ZenNudist · 29/09/2019 15:24

Youd be a mug to pay anything. Communal garden a risky place to keep an expensive bike.

Laughing at them wanting new for old. CF. Tell them to jog on.

overnightangel · 29/09/2019 15:24

CF-ery alert!
Wouldn’t t get a penny from me

Agree re proof ie bike serial number , proof of ownership, police report, crime number, insurance etc etc.
I’d tell them to take a running jump quite frankly

BlueLadybird · 29/09/2019 15:26

I would tell them given the high cost you’re exploring claiming against your home insurance* and so need the crime reference number before you can proceed.

If the bike wasn’t stolen, or if they don’t really believe your guest caused it, I expect this will shut them up.

  • I think it unlikely your own home insurance would cover this. If they do produce a crime number and you are confident it was stolen and your guest caused it I would offer the cost of a second hand replacement, ie not ‘new for old’ but ‘like for like’.

I would also ask your freeholder about making the gate easier to secure and putting up reminder signs.

Cakeisbest · 29/09/2019 15:26

Agree how do you know it happened in that short time that gate was unlocked. Such an expensive bike should have been insured separately to home contents as bicycles are usually excluded. Maybe they are so wealthy that it doesn’t mean much to them to replace the bike and so they didn’t bother with the extra £80 or so to insure for a year, and probably don’t realise what a chunk of money this is to you. You’ve already offered to contribute so go with £100. Explain you’re not in a position to do the amount they’ve requested.

cookiemonster5 · 29/09/2019 15:27

Pay the insurance excess for their house insurance after they file a complaint with the police.

Hirsutefirs · 29/09/2019 15:27

Tell them you’ve changed your mind.

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 29/09/2019 15:29

I wouldn’t pay no. They can claim on insurance after reporting the left to the police.

embarrassedabout · 29/09/2019 15:30

Exactly what @mummmy2017 would be perfect

AutumnRose1 · 29/09/2019 15:30

"during the visit one of our guests must not have secured the side gate properly (for a max of 30/45min)."

Are you even sure of that? Don't pay a penny.

GoldLeafTree · 29/09/2019 15:30

I'd ask to see proof it had been reported to the police then I'd offer to pay the excess for the insurance

pigsDOfly · 29/09/2019 15:33

Absolutely do not give them a penny.

Do they have proof that it was one of your guests that left the gate undone? No, of course they don't. They could have left the gate unsecured themselves for all you know.

Anyone could have climbed over the gate and left it unsecured when they took the bike.

They should have made sure the bike was properly secured.

Who the hell has a bike worth over £500 in London without insurance, bikes are stolen in London all the time, and everywhere else, come to that.

They think you're a mug OP and are look to get the price of a new bike out of you.

Tell them to bugger off with their CF ways.

katewhinesalot · 29/09/2019 15:33

I'd pay the excess on their insurance claim or a £100 good will gesture. Ask what they prefer as "we weren't expecting to pay the full cost".

katewhinesalot · 29/09/2019 15:34

If they aren't happywith that I'd negotiate up to a 2nd hand replacement.

seaweedandmarchingbands · 29/09/2019 15:34

Tricky. What are the chances someone could have entered the property if the gate was shut? Securing a valuable bike in a communal garden seems pretty silly to me, and they brought bike chain cutters so were certainly ready to take it. Doesn’t sound to me like an opportunistic theft.

What sort of lock was on the side gate?

MutedUser · 29/09/2019 15:34

You need to see a police report and they should have insurance for this type of thing.

HarveySchlumpfenburger · 29/09/2019 15:35

Asking to buy you a brand new more recent model is taking the piss.

I’d be tempted to just buy them a decent D-lock.

drumandthebass · 29/09/2019 15:35

Also agree that what Mummy2017 says is a perfect response

MutedUser · 29/09/2019 15:36

Should add that if it was a delivery driver who left the gate open then would she expect them to pay ? Not at all. If a thief wanted in they would have done it regardless .

Pinkyyy · 29/09/2019 15:36

I wouldn't give them a penny. They need to claim on their insurance.

Why didn't they file a police report?

SchadenfreudePersonified · 29/09/2019 15:37

I'd want police reports. I'd also wonder how they knew it was in that short period.

If you are sure it is the fault of your guests then it would be nice to pay the excess on that insurance claim

As above.

There is no proof that any bike was stolen, or (as others have pointed out) that if it was stolen, it was during your party. or if it was during your party, that one of your guests left the gate unlocked.

There's an inherent risk to leaving expensive, portable items outside, even if they are chained up. They chose to accept that risk. Anything you give them is for goodwill only - you are NOT responsible, but will probably want to stay unreasonable terms.