Feline destroys carpet

[KathrynOfArrogance]

On behalf of a friend.
They work as a self employed cleaning service in people's homes.
On one of their calls, the partner was present, as were two animals.
Whilst my friend and the partner were talking, an animal knocked a plant over onto a woolen carpet. There was soil on it. The partner was annoyed with the animal. The partner disappears and returns with carpet cleaning products, and asks my friend if they would mind using to try and save the carpet. My friend was happy to try.
Fast forward a week and a half. My friend recieves an invoice for over £500 to replace the whole carpet. Surely this shouldn't be happening, this has really upset my friend. My main points are a) the cat caused the damage b) the partner witnessed the animal cause the damage and c) the partner gave my friend the cleaning products
AIBU to assume this person is trying their luck and take advantage of my friends good nature?

This is quite confusing, who is the partner. Of course they shouldnt be invoiced, thats what house accidental insurance is for, are there instructions that the cats are not allowed in that room. Did the stain come out, or did the cleaning products make it worse.

Soil does not destroy a carpet, all it needed was a vaccuum or possibly a scrub with fairy liquid. I have plants fall over and have had to deal with this many times. Would have expected a cleaner to know how to deal with soil on a carpet.

But, I assume that the cleaning products have now stained the carpet by either the partner supplying the wrong product or the cleaner using it in the wrong way.

So the question is, whose fault is it if the carpet is damaged? The cleaner or the partner?

It’s unclear from your post who is the partner. The homeowner? A random mate of your friend tagging along? If they were the homeowner (or homeowner’s partner) and told your friend to use products, then your friend has zero liability. If they were a random mate of your friend tagging along then she might have to pay for the carpet.

Either way she should reply in writing saying

• She does not accept any liability and all rights are reserved,
• She cleaned the property as instructed to do so by the partner,
• Any damage to the carpet is the partner’s responsibility as the person who directed that the chemicals should be used on the carpet,
• You suggest the homeowner speaks to their insurer re any accidental damage

Long term it would be a good idea for your friend to take out her own insurance. Sooner or later its likely she’ll accidentally damage something expensive.

The partner is the partner of the homeowner, sorry for confusion

Did the cleaning product damage the carpet. It sounds like the homeowner is tring it on. The soil could just have been hoovered up.

Yes the products seem to be the issue. She was only doing what was instructed by homeowners partner

I am guessing the product was the wrong thing to use, was it bleach or neat carpet cleaning solution , and neither of them read the instructions so the cleaner used it and damaged the carpet. I would expect a cleaner to know how to use products correctly and safely, how to clean up soil from a plantpot but thats what house insurance and liability insurance are for. Personally I would just have swept or hoovered the soil up, cleaned it with a bit of washing up liquid or used a carpet cleaner. You cannot blame it on the cat, it was an accident.

Why the F didn't you just hoover it up? You probably have damaged it by scrubbing wet soil into a wool carpet!

Your friend isn’t to blame. I’d refuse to pay. The cat knocked the soil over and the partner requested her to clean it and gave her the product!