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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I shouldn't have to pay for this right??

154 replies

picolata · 15/04/2022 09:25

Arranged to collect a second hand rabbit hutch on 4 legs. Had previously asked for dimensions but they hasn't given any.
When I arrived the lady said "I can't help you lift it as I'm pregnant." Fair enough (but would have been useful to know in advance as I would have asked someone to come with me but hey ho I didn't check either).
I said I'd give it a go and would see how heavy it was. Turns out very.. I tried to lift it but as it is big only 3 legs lifted off the floor. I pulled it towards me a couple of inches to see if it could be pulled towards the car. Turns out not and by pulling it and the leg not dragging with the hutch a nail popped out a bit. It is basically it is a very heavy hutch on 4 thin legs.
It was also going to be a tight squeeze in the car. I suggested a few things eg, if she has a screwdriver I could take the legs off and take them separately. She said she didn't.
I said unfortunately I'll have to leave it.
She said she wasn't happy about the damage I'd caused to the hutch. Given it is not brand new I'm not convinced that it wasn't already like that. Plus surely a hutch should withstand that kind of movement, it's not as though I moved it in a forceful way, just checked if it was movable. Am I being unreasonable to walk away in that instance?

OP posts:
MaudieandMe · 15/04/2022 11:10

Sounds like she was desperate for the sale and as you changed your mind about buying it, she still wants the cash off you.

Nothing she can do to make you pay her though.

Organictangerine · 15/04/2022 11:10

YABU. It was on you to make sure you had the dimensions before going to collect it - if she didn’t respond to the question, you should’ve asked again. Upon breaking it I would’ve offered to buy it and asked to go back with a van or an extra pair of hands the next day. And of course she shouldn’t be lifting if she’s pregnant

WildBlueAndDitzy · 15/04/2022 11:11

I wouldn't pay. I would have gone back with a hammer to bash the nail in since she has no tools, but as she's got attitude I wouldn't even bother doing that, it won't make her happy if she's that sort of person. She can borrow a hammer from a neighbur. She's just being difficult because she's having troubles selling it because 1) it's poorly made and 2) nobody can easily move it or fit it in an average car. Typical shite seller, thinks their tatt is worth megabucks. You shouldn't have tried to drag it though, that was wrong. Next time you ask for dimensions and seller doesn't provide, walk away, it's a bad sign.

BluKorner · 15/04/2022 11:14

So you were unprepared for collecting it, expected her to help you, you broke it, and she’s the unreasonable one?

In what fantasy world do you live in? Yes she cocked up by not telling you the measurements but the rest is on you. YABU.

BluKorner · 15/04/2022 11:15

And she’s probably “got attitude” because you were wasting her time and then broke her item!

BlueOverYellow · 15/04/2022 11:19

I'd have told her to find a hammer and offer to hammer it back in.
Otherwise, she's on her own.

Ninjaexpress · 15/04/2022 11:19

FFS Op hasn't broken it. A nail needs bashing back in. The seller was pretty stupid not to warn her that it was heavy enough to need two people to collect it. That's one hell of a rabbit hutch.

DogsNotMen · 15/04/2022 11:21

YABU. She will now need to fix it before selling it again. Plus, when collecting something heavy you ALWAYS take someone with you. It’s poor form to assume that whoever is selling will help you load it in your vehicle

AchillesPoirot · 15/04/2022 11:24

I think you were wrong not to have someone with you to help move it.

Theworldisquiethere · 15/04/2022 11:25

can't you arrange to go back and pick it up and bring someone to help you and the tools you need to take the legs off?
she can't sell it to anyone else for the same price now because you've damaged it, so yes you need to pay.

Georgeskitchen · 15/04/2022 11:25

No I wouldn't pay. Might offer a fiver to buy herself a screwdriver but otherwise she can shove it

Aprilx · 15/04/2022 11:29

I think you are unbelievably cheeky. It is up to you to work out if you can move something you are going to collect. I cannot believe you walked up to somebody’s house, damaged their item then walked away shrugging your shoulders.

If I were going to collect a large item, I would work out how I was going to get it from house to my vehicle and if my vehicle was big enough.

I cannot believe you are honestly asking if you are in the wrong here, absolutely 100%.

liveforsummer · 15/04/2022 11:30

Go back and fix the hutch. Doesn't sound like a big job. I'd not want it after that performance either.

Barkingmadhouse · 15/04/2022 11:30

Who doesn't assume that a hutch would take 2 to move it? If I were selling mine I wouldn't even think to advise it needs 2 people to carry it as surely everyone knows a hutch will take 2 people to move.

Secondly, who tries to drag a hutch? All these PP talking about it not being of sufficient quality because it should be in a moveable condition are talking rubbish. There is no indication it wasn't in a moveable condition IF moved correctly (I.e. carried and not dragged).
I would be livid if I was the seller

5128gap · 15/04/2022 11:32

If you agree to collect an item I think its your responsibility to ensure you can do so under your own steam without relying on help from the seller.
Once you've agreed to the purchase, which you indicated by your attempt to drag it away, you should honour it.
It was very bad to break it and then refuse to pay.
You should really return with someone to help you take it and buy it as agreed.

WeBuiltCisCityOnSexistRoles · 15/04/2022 11:33

YABU for all the reasons already stated. Also in any case, you should not be buying a rabbit hutch that doesn't require two people to lift it as clearly it would be too small and unsuitable for a rabbit.

If you weren't aware of that, YABU for buying a hutch that would clearly be too small. If you did realise that, you should have taken someone with you and also YABU.

A lot of people don't look after rabbits well enough, IMO and this is an example of that.

Beautiful3 · 15/04/2022 11:35

Of course you shouldn't have dragged it. You did break it. I think you should have said you'd get someone to help and that you'd be back.

AnnUumellmahaye · 15/04/2022 11:37

I think it is up to you to check the weight and dimensions before turning up to collect something that is obviously large.
You then started dragging it across the floor and broke it.
You should pay for it and take someone along with you that can help you load it into your car and then repair the damage you did.

Anotherpassengerwantstogetoff · 15/04/2022 11:38

I shouldn't have to pay for this right??

Wrong.

5128gap · 15/04/2022 11:38

@WeBuiltCisCityOnSexistRoles

YABU for all the reasons already stated. Also in any case, you should not be buying a rabbit hutch that doesn't require two people to lift it as clearly it would be too small and unsuitable for a rabbit.

If you weren't aware of that, YABU for buying a hutch that would clearly be too small. If you did realise that, you should have taken someone with you and also YABU.

A lot of people don't look after rabbits well enough, IMO and this is an example of that.

Agreed. Any hutch fit for purpose is obviously going to be large and heavy.
MissMaple82 · 15/04/2022 11:40

You would have known before dragging it about on one leg that it wouldn't have fit in the car. I think you were a bit stupid here not to ask for measurements or take your own tape measure. If I was buying a large item, which a hutch obviously is, I'd of also taken someone with me or at least asked if there was help available to assist in lifting. I think you should absolutely pay for it and fix what you bloody well broke. I'd be fuming if I was this seller!

Ninjaexpress · 15/04/2022 11:42

No Op - you shouldn't have to pay for it. She wants payment in full. All you need to do to be helpful is to go back with a hammer.

AnImaginaryCat · 15/04/2022 11:43

@MaudieandMe

Sounds like she was desperate for the sale and as you changed your mind about buying it, she still wants the cash off you.

Nothing she can do to make you pay her though.

Exactly- though seeing she put up so many barriers I'm not sure she was helping.

Anyway, the sale wasn't legally binding so she's not got a leg to stand on...

MissMaple82 · 15/04/2022 11:47

@Applesonthelawn

I don't think you should. You made reasonable efforts by asking her how big in advance (she didn't answer) and then she wouldn't help you lift it (being pregnant is pretty irrelevant, life doesn't stop), so she did not facilitate the sale and contributed to the circumstances in which you damaged the hutch. So I think her lack of cooperation is partly to blame, and I think you just walk away and forget it.
I wouldn't be picking up a very large hutch if I were pregnant either! Are you mad!
sickofthisnonsense · 15/04/2022 11:47

Yabu buying a hutch in the first place.

Hutches just are not big enough for rabbits