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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Am I in the wrong?

86 replies

Mama95 · 19/10/2019 18:10

Hi all I’m stuck in abit of a predicament...

I went away last week for a week stayed in a hired holiday cottage, it was me and my 2 year old, this place was labelled as family and baby friendly.. arriving there it wasn’t it was open plan and my son could get into everything I didn’t complain because it didn’t bother me that much I just moved everything out of the way.
My son spilt his black currant juice in the White bedding around 3 nights before we were leaving and it got everywhere all through the mattress protector and straight to the mattress... I took it all off and searched around the town for cleaning supplies as she didn’t have any (bear in mind I texted the landlord of the place kept her in the loop and said if it doesn’t come off then I will pay cleaning charges to get them done she replied will do...) found some white vinegar and prayed it would come off got it off every bit of the bedding but the mattress I scrubbed and scrubbed but it got faint pink... I left it, out all the bedding on then the night before we left it happened again by accident so there was me at 5am scrubbing it off and trying my hardest to get it off the mattress, come 6am I left the cottage as was a couple hours distance from mine and was going to text woman around 9/10 as she said on the day that she doesn’t wake up until 12pm so thought I could wait until home and settled, was going to explain that she could charge me for the cleaning fee, I washed all bedding fresh ready for the next people and tried getting it off but alas it wouldn’t.
I’m being truthful I would have done that.
Until I got a text at 9 off her saying -
“Hi thank you for the clean bedding that’s brilliant saved me a job for the next people who are coming tonight, however the mattress is stained in multiple places on the bed so it will need replacing can you contact me for payment”
I was shocked I mean I would have understood that the mattress needed a clean a carpet cleaner would’ve got it off that’s only £30 to hire or even professionals were cheaper she was wanting £250 for a new mattress, there was nothing wrong with the mattress other than needing a clean.
Here’s the kicker there were other stains on it, sweat stains and other spills and other bits that I don’t have a clue what they were, all of them were covered up by the mattress protector...
I ended up arguing saying that the mattress was already stained showing her a photo that I actually had of the mattress because I wanted to show her it was still on there later on, which showed old stains so even had a picture of the other side which had stains on too...
She said she is going to call the police because I refuse to pay her.
Which I didn’t in a way I said I would pay for cleaning but not a new mattress because I know for sure nothing was wrong with the mattress!!

So tell me am I in the wrong?

OP posts:
OhSpaceboy · 19/10/2019 18:42

She's taking the piss obviously.

However blackcurrant juice in bed at bedtime. Why?

AlexaAmbidextra · 19/10/2019 18:53

A small child, blackcurrent juice and white bedding is an accident waiting to happen. Not only was there one spillage but you let it happen again. Not the brightest move was it? You need to pay for professional cleaning but not a new mattress.

Dollymixture22 · 19/10/2019 19:01

Get a quote for cleaning and send her that.

I really can’t fathom why a child was risking black currant while sitting in white bedding.

But mattresses in holiday places get stained. I am sure everyone’s mattress is stained. It doesn’t need replaced.

crimsonlake · 19/10/2019 19:06

Sorry but another one who is thinking ' why on earth give blackcurrant juice ' to a child when their is white bed linen on the bed. The first time it was a really silly thing to do...the second time well words fail me.
Hope it gets sorted amicably.

Bibijayne · 19/10/2019 19:07

She's seeking betterment, which she cannot get. It's also a civil matter.

Get three online quotes, pick the middle one. Offer to pay that.

She really should have had an appropriate mattress protector. But even then, mattresses get stained (sweat, periods, other bodily fluids, coffee etc.) It's why she can claim a depreciation value on her taxes as a business, to cover costs of replacing goods due to wear and tear.

Totally aside though, perhaps a clearer bedtime/ naptime drink may be easier?

crispysausagerolls · 19/10/2019 19:15

What?!?! YABVU for giving a toddler black currant juice in bed. TWICE!!!!! With white sheets etc and not even your bloody bed.

What the hell 😂😂😂😂 WHY?!?

obviously you shouldn’t have to pay for a new mattress though, that’s demented.

BlueCornsihPixie · 19/10/2019 19:16

She's being ridiculous. You should pay for cleaning of the mattress but not a new one

However I join the people who say why on earth did your child have blackcurrant juice in bed, not once but twice? Really this was inevitable

swingofthings · 19/10/2019 19:20

How can you be so sure that cleaning would sort it out? You are talking about two stains, most likely of quite a large size, one of them a few days old.

My experience is that these kind of stains can't be washed and would need replacing in a rented place. If the mattress was 10 years old, fair enough, but if under a year old, it's not unreasonable to ask for something close to new.

LionelRitchieStoleMyNotebook · 19/10/2019 23:39

YABU you caused damage, twice, once is an accident, twice is stupidity. YABU to give a two year old Ribena, let alone for bed! Water wouldn't have stained. It's unlikely it will clean out and even if it does is likely to leave that bed out of action for a few days while it dries. Not good if you've got a rental business.

Oliversmumsarmy · 19/10/2019 23:48

You are definitely not being unreasonable. Good job you took photo.

Also tip for getting stains out of fabric, soak cotton wool pad or dab with baby bottle sterilising solution. Wet the stain and leave it to dry overnight.

Celebelly · 19/10/2019 23:52

I'm sure the police will be falling over themselves to deal with this heinous crime.

AthollPlace · 19/10/2019 23:57

Even IF you were liable, you’d only owe her the value of an already-stained old mattress. Certainly not the value of a brand new one. In any case, stains on a mattress are fair wear and tear imo. I wouldn’t pay. There’s nothing she can do about it.

Branster · 19/10/2019 23:57

She sounds like she is taking advantage of you.
You went out of your way to clean what you could.
I hope you come to a suitable understanding.
This has got nothing to do with the police.

However, Would you let your DS drink black currant juice in your or his bed in your own house though?

Mephisto · 20/10/2019 00:03

I wouldn't pay a penny.

1Morewineplease · 20/10/2019 00:06

Don’t know what to say. Owner is being a bit precious but, like other posters have asked,why on Earth did you give black currant juice to your child in bed? Particularly as it was in a holiday let?

Wheat2Harvest · 20/10/2019 00:12

This is a tricky one. I would have given my DC apple juice rather than blackcurrant.

I suppose she could take you to the Small Claims Court if you refuse to pay for a new mattress but hopefully she will think it's not worth the hassle.

PyongyangKipperbang · 20/10/2019 00:55

The only reason she is doing this is because she smells a soft touch. You were upfront and honest instead of doing what the other people who stained it did which is washing the bedding and the protector, put it back and say nothing.

Ignore. Ignore. Ignore.

Krisskrosskiss · 20/10/2019 01:17

Shes a nutcase shes absolutely taking the piss. Theres no way you need to buy a new mattress because of a blackcurrant stain... shes just trying to get a mattress out of you!
Tell her you wish to recieve no further communication from her and if you do you will consider it harassment. Then completely ignore her. Let her try and contact the police, there is absolutely nothing they will do. Shes just hoping you'll be frightened into handing over money.

Honeyroar · 20/10/2019 01:35

I'm seemingly in the opposite camp from everyone else, I think it's wrong that she's left with two lots of black current stains on her mattress. I think a carpet cleaner wouldn't be able to get deep enough to properly clean it. Obviously she can't claim for the cost of a brand new mattress, but she ought to be able to claim something if you're only expecting to pay for the cost of a carpet cleanest. Sounds like a small claims court issue if she didn't take a damages deposit.

Tvstar · 20/10/2019 02:04

Depends on what the contract states

Ohthatsfabulousdarling · 20/10/2019 02:20

I'd say replace if it weren't for the fact the mattress was already stained on both sides from previous use. Seemingly because the mattress protector isn't upto its job.

LagunaBubbles · 20/10/2019 02:24

I'm another that's amazed you gave a 2 year old blackcurrant juice in bed, twice, I don't get it?

WhatTiggersDoBest · 20/10/2019 02:40

YANBU about the mattress. She advertised as child friendly. Because a lot of kids wet the bed, she should have had a waterproof mattress protector on the kid's bed, not one of those stupid fabric ones that protects literally nothing. She's clearly out for what she can get and she's clearly very stupid if she thinks she can call the police about some Ribena on a mattress.

Could you imagine if every holiday cottage, hotel etc bought a new mattress every time someone spilled something on them?

Drogosnextwife · 20/10/2019 02:51

Why would you give a child blackcurrant juice in bed again after they spilt it the first time?
Also we need to see the picture of mattress that you took.

melj1213 · 20/10/2019 04:29

OP YABU - one stain is accidental, two is negligent.

Can you post a picture of the stains so we can see just how bad they are?

You let your young child have blackcurrant in white bedding in a rental property in what was clearly not a spill proof cup. That was an accident waiting to happen. You then did the same thing a second time despite having seen the consequence of the previous occasion. I have zero sympathy for you being held accountable for the damage caused.

It may only be juice but you have left two stains on her mattress. Clearly they are not small stains as your child must have spilled a large volume for it to soak right through to the mattress and leave a significantly obvious stain that hasn't gone with scrubbing.

Your son created the stain, you scrubbed the mattress then slept on it, stained it again and scrubbed it again before leaving. That mattress is not going to be in a useable condition - it will need stain cleaning but will also need time to be aired and allowed to dry properly before it is used again as there is no way you could have let it dry out properly after the two times you scrubbed it.