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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not pay £480 to fix dd's friend's phone

580 replies

FarangGirl · 19/02/2022 14:17

Dd (14 yo) was with her friends and accidentally hit a friend in the arm. He had his phone in his hand and dropped it. Apparently it will cost £480 to repair!!! His parents want us to pay this. I think this is ridiculous. First, friend dropped the phoen, it wasn't like dd was using it. Second. If you're going to give your kid a stupidly expensive phoen, you should insure it and have a bullet proof cover.
Aibu?

OP posts:
Eileen101 · 19/02/2022 14:19

Shock a £480 repair?? What on earth was the phone? Shock
Absolutely it should have been insured.

Itsalmostanaccessory · 19/02/2022 14:19

Was you daughter flailing around/messing around/being silly? Or was she just walking and bumped his arm?

It really is on the phone owner. If you take your phone out of your pocket, then it is up to you to hold onto it. But if someone is behaving like an idiot and jumping around then I would blame that person really.

If this had been my child, I would offer to pay half.

Bunnyfuller · 19/02/2022 14:20

Half.

SamphiretheStickerist · 19/02/2022 14:20

Tell them to claim on their home insurance.

An accident is an accident. Even with a stupidly expensive phone and a young teen. They should have it covered, physically and via insurance.

Itsalmostanaccessory · 19/02/2022 14:21

If the phone had been in a heavy duty case as well, then it wouldnt have broken from being dropped from chest height.

Did they not have it in a sturdy protective case? When you give your kid an expensive phone, you get a good case to go with it with a screen protector.

Again though, if my kid had been messing around and bumped someone, then I would pay half.

SamphiretheStickerist · 19/02/2022 14:22

@Bunnyfuller

Half.
Why? Neither OP not her DD chose to give a teen boy a stupidly expensive phone with no protection.

They should have it fully covered, both ways.

RishiRich · 19/02/2022 14:22

I'd offer to cover the excess on their insurance but only if I was feeling extremely generous.

Original poster
FarangGirl · 19/02/2022 14:23

I probably would have offered half for a reasonable repair cost.
Dd says she wasnt being silly. She was talking animatedly and knocked his arm.

OP posts:
fairylightsandwaxmelts · 19/02/2022 14:24

YANBU.

Like you say - expensive phones should be insured.

GreekGod · 19/02/2022 14:25

I would suggest you pay half also.

Raindancer411 · 19/02/2022 14:25

They can use their house insurance

Teeturtle · 19/02/2022 14:26

I don’t see why anyone “should” insure their phone if they don’t want to, it is a personal choice. Generally if you damage somebody else’s property, be it on purpose or by accident, you pay for it. What I would wonder is to what extent your daughter was responsible and if the phone owner bears some responsibility here too.

Itsalmostanaccessory · 19/02/2022 14:26

Well, she shouldn't be waving her arms around. That is silly.

Pay half.

itsgettingweird · 19/02/2022 14:27

What would they have done if someone in the street knocked him arm and he dropped it?

These things are a general risk of real life if you carry expensive items (or even cheap ones!)

ENoeuf · 19/02/2022 14:27

‘She was talking animatedly’ does sound a bit like she was being careless.

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 19/02/2022 14:27

Not a chance. It was an accident. Could have been a complete stranger that did it, what would they have done then.

Ridiculous.

Teeturtle · 19/02/2022 14:27

@Raindancer411

They can use their house insurance
Have you seen their policy and know it covers mobile phones? It would not be a standard inclusion.
Easterbunnyiswindowshopping · 19/02/2022 14:27

How do you know the phone was fully functional to start with?
Fuck that.
Pay zero.
Bigfat
Zero.

AllThingsServeTheBeam · 19/02/2022 14:28

@ENoeuf

‘She was talking animatedly’ does sound a bit like she was being careless.
How? Are you not allowed to move your arms when you talk?
Sparklesocks · 19/02/2022 14:28

I think if DD had shoved him and made him drop it, or try to yank it out his hand etc - then you should cover. But accidents happen, it wasn’t on purpose or from reckless behaviour. So I wouldn’t expect payment.

Momijin · 19/02/2022 14:29

The onus is on the phone owner. Different if your child had borrowed the phone and then damaged it.

notacooldad · 19/02/2022 14:30

I would ask if they have insurance through their bank. Many bank accounts do.
Failing that I would ask an independent phone shop for an estimate on how much it is going to cost because that seems excessive.

NoSquirrels · 19/02/2022 14:30

I think offering to pay the insurance excess would be appropriate.

I’d go half on a cheaper repair but even £240 I think is way too much for what was a genuine accident. Talking animatedly? She didn’t deliberately barge him or attack him.

Psuedoshoes · 19/02/2022 14:30

Not a chance. If your dd had borrowed the phone and had dropped/lost it then maybe - but she wasn't even holding it! The parents are CFs

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 19/02/2022 14:31

I think it depends on whether there was negligence or recklessness on your daughters part. If she was just talking and bumped his arm slightly then he wasnt holding it properly! If she was jumping or messing around and it fell then fair enough.

I mean it must just be a cracked screen or back surely, how could it cost that much!? Have they taken it to a local back street repair shop for a quote?

I dont think you owe them anything, I'd say you cant afford it but offer something say 100 quid as a gesture.

Also your daughters friend isnt a very good friend putting the blame entirely on your daughter!

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