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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not give the money back?

47 replies

pizzaandcats · 03/12/2020 22:18

I recently replaced my (fully working and perfectly fine) washing machine with a washer dryer. A few days later my cousin asked on Facebook if anyone is selling a washing machine. Perfect timing, sent her a message and she came and collected it yesterday.
Today she has messaged me to say the washing machine is broken and won't spin or drain. I know it worked before it left the house.

I have offered to give her the money back if she brings it back - she's saying she can't bring it back as the car is now broken too
Offered to collect it and refund - she says no because someone is coming to look at it tomorrow (but she tells me she doesn't have the money to be fixing it)

AIBU to think she was pulling a fast one and hoping for her money back and to keep the machine? Any resolution I've given her that doesn't include me giving her money without getting the washing machine back has been turned down even though she says she can't afford to fix it!

OP posts:

Somethingkindaoooo · 03/12/2020 23:06

@WillSantaBeComingToTown

You charged your cousin for a second hand washing machine?

My thought too

PyongyangKipperbang · 03/12/2020 23:11

Sounds like a cousin of mine.

The amount of favours I did and "family wouldnt do that" shit that I put up with before I copped on is embarrassing.

As you said, if it really was fucked she wouldnt bother ringing an engineer when you are offering to collect it and give a full refund. I smell a HUUUUUGE pile of BS.

oh and @sofiaaaaaa you do realise that the CF's you get on FB/Ebay etc are related to other people? So is it really so out there to think that they might try to rip off their own family as well as strangers? Nothing is off limits to a truly dyed-in-the-wool cheeky fucker, as I have found to my cost.

redastherose · 03/12/2020 23:12

You've been fair in offering to collect and refund. She has chosen not to accept so you've done the decent thing and you shouldn't give her a penny back. She sounds like a CF who probably thought you'd let her have it for free because you are cousins!

Also, don't know why people are so hung up in the fact you charged her. What were you supposed to do, say 'sorry I want money for it so I won't sell it to you because we're related'. People are odd on here sometimes!

Original poster

pizzaandcats · 03/12/2020 23:12

She paid £70

To those questioning why I sold it to my cousin, I only bought a new one with the intention of recouping some of the money from the old one. Alternatively she'd have bought one from someone else and I'd have sold mine to a stranger. What difference does it make really?

OP posts:

PyongyangKipperbang · 03/12/2020 23:18

I dont get the "Why did you charge your cousin" comments either!

She didnt hold her at gunpoint and make her pay. Presumably the message was something like "I am selling mine for £70, you can have first refusal as you are family!" and the cousin chose to buy it.

Whether the cousin thinks she should have given it for nothing is another matter..... I know my Aunt (CF cousins mum) would have a go at my father if I charged my cousin for a brand new Aston Martin if I was selling one, because in her eyes you should give stuff for free to family. She is a MASSIVE CF too. The baby stuff stories my mother still rants about 50 years later are epic.

LovePoppy · 03/12/2020 23:27

I wonder if she sold it

twilightermummy · 03/12/2020 23:34

Perhaps she's worked out that it would be cheaper to get somebody to fix the washing machine in addition to what she paid you than actually buying a new one.
I think it's unfair to judge her on buying takeaways. There is clearly some family gossiping going on about said cousin. I voted YABU!

Original poster

pizzaandcats · 03/12/2020 23:37

@twilightermummy

Perhaps she's worked out that it would be cheaper to get somebody to fix the washing machine in addition to what she paid you than actually buying a new one. I think it's unfair to judge her on buying takeaways. There is clearly some family gossiping going on about said cousin. I voted YABU!

No gossiping whatsoever. She puts her life on Facebook! I had to wait for her to come for the washing machine because she didn't have the money yet, but in the meantime she had takeaway twice and posted it on Facebook (all the while the washing machine is in my way in the kitchen)

OP posts:

twilightermummy · 03/12/2020 23:39

Christ, putting a takeaway on Facebook? Surely a new low.

Mamanyt · 03/12/2020 23:47

Bottom line? This was a business transaction. I have never seen or heard of a business that would issue a refund for a non-functioning item without the return of that item. And I'm willing to bet that it is non-functioning because it was improperly transported, which was not your doing.

"Bring the washer back, and I'll refund your money." End of story.

Chloemol · 03/12/2020 23:48

She had the choice toget a full refund but has not taken it, which to me says it’s fine

Just ignore her

user1481840227 · 04/12/2020 00:04

I reckon she is trying to pull a fast one.

and if that's true then I wouldn't be surprised if she tampered with it before giving it back to you...even something tiny like replacing the fuse in the plug or something with a dodgy one. I can't imagine she will want to return a washing machine to you that is in perfect working order after telling you it was broken!

Sinful8 · 04/12/2020 00:16

@Mamanyt

"Bring the washer back, and I'll refund your money." End of story.

Logitech don't ask for things back, they just ask for a picture of the item having been made "unuseable" . Its so satisfying mashing a mouse up with a hammer

ChasingRainbows19 · 04/12/2020 06:19

The fact she won’t let you have it back with a refund speaks volumes to be honest. Yes family members can absolute cheeky fuckers. I have one in mine and they are closer than a cousin!

I don’t get why people are giving you grief for selling it to her it’s a big item, not something worth a couple of quid and she was looking for one! As op has said they need money to go towards the new one. Not everyone can afford it I give things away. Especially something in full working order.

Beautiful3 · 04/12/2020 07:10

Look be serious here, if you bought a faulty washing machine and they offered to collect it and refund you, you'd say yes! Right?! Leave it now as she obviously was scamming you. Stand by what you said, don't offer money for alleged repairs either!

Babamamananarama · 04/12/2020 07:16

Washing machines are quite easy to damage in transit unless you put the transit bolts in - did she do that?

maddening · 04/12/2020 07:17

If they transported it in a car I suspect they probably didn't move it carefully and may have broken it in thr move.

Alternista · 04/12/2020 07:22

Takeaways on Facebook made me laugh. God I’m getting old

It’s entirely possible she damaged it in transit or hasn’t set it up right at her end. I wonder if they thought it was broken but have since realised it wasn’t set up right and have sorted it and the engineer isn’t actually coming at all anymore...

3ismylot · 04/12/2020 07:25

I really do not get why people don't think she should have charged her cousin? If she was planning to sell it any way why should she give it to her cousin for free?
I personally wouldn't charge family and have indeed given them old appliances before, however, I wouldn't if I needed the money and had planned to sell it.
People are not entitled to free things just because they are family.

fairydustandpixies · 04/12/2020 07:34

I gave my DS a perfectly fine washing machine. His girlfriend's dad took it in the back of his car with it lying in its side, set it up for them in their flat and it didn't work. As PP said, they don't travel well on their sides.

WildfirePonie · 04/12/2020 08:07

Sounds like your cousin is spinning a yarn OP! Just ignore, i'm sure it works or it was damaged during transportation. Not your problem.

G3orgeOrwell · 04/12/2020 09:03

Yes, get the washing machine back and give her the money. If she doesn't give you the machine back, don't give her the money. It's no big deal and you don't need to feel guilty or anything.

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