To ask them to pay to replace my phone screen?

[Housekeeperbatcocoa]

Today at work while walking the dogs, one of them knocked it out of my hand. The screen is totally smashed and my phone is unusable. (I don't normally have it out but was trying to answer a call from my GP). I'm a private Housekeeper and walking the dogs is part of my job.

It's not insured - I've never had a phone damaged and tbh since my partner passed, money has been so tight it was an expense I couldn't afford. It's going to be at least £140 to replace the screen. (Google Pixel 6) It had a good case and screen protector but landed on a brick path.

Wibu to ask the family to either pay or claim off their house insurance? I'm using an old one at the moment but it's 3g so can't make calls!

YABU, you should have a cover on it or insurance.

Is it a work phone?

Sorry just realised you had a cover - regardless it is not the family's responsibility to pay for it.

Did you even read what I wrote? It has a case and a screen protector on!

My personal phone.

No then, sorry. Your responsibility to look after it.

I disagree with everyone else - sounds like they should be paying because their dogs should be better behaved - you did what you could to "look after 🙄" your phone!

It’s annoying and sucks but you weren’t being paid to be on the phone, it wasn’t a work phone that was provided to you. You can ask them to pay but I don’t expect that to go well for you.

I get that it is upsetting especially as you are short of money but there is no way your employers are liable for you dropping your personal phone making a personal call. If you push the “one of the dogs knocked it out of my hand” argument the reasonable come back would be “we are paying you to walk the dogs, not make phone calls”. Harsh but true.

If my dog walker asked me this I’d tell them to do one

I am not a dog walker. The family are happy for me to use my phone for personal calls at work as long as it's reasonable use (never used my phone before this)

Unfortunately I also can't control when my GP rings me and really needed to speak to her! We get a window of between x-y for our appointments!

sorry wasn’t saying that to talk down what you do, our house help also walks our dogs. But I’d still think she was taking the piss if she wanted me to pay for that

Totally cf to ask employers to replace your phone. You chose to take the call while walking the dog and not have phone insurance

I wouldn’t expect my employer to replace my phone if I dropped it in the office

That's where it will be a pickle as your not meant to be using your personal phone during works time, at least that's the training we got told.

So you were on a personal phone call and your personal phone slipped out of your hand and fell to the ground because the dogs you were supervising bumped against you. Yeah sorry this one's on you.

I don't think this is their problem. If you had the phone on the side and dog jumped up and broke the screen fine but you had in it your hand which was your choice

I'm so sorry, i didn't realise you worked in the same house as me!

The family are fine with me taking calls and unfortunately I don't get to decide when my GP rings!

That's not what happened at all. The dog hit my hand with his head and sent my phone flying out of my hand as I was trying to answer for a medical appointment (that I missed!). They're big dogs (and poorly trained!)

Look, everyone has given you the same answer because it’s the right one, infortunately. You really don’t have a leg to stand on here. I am really sorry to hear about the loss of your partner though.

It's really rubbish OP and I sympathise but I really don't think you can ask your employers to pay for your phone, especially as most people insure their phones because accidents can happen!

You're approaching this wrong. They shouldn't pay for the phone. However, if you can't afford it, they aren't paying a living wage. Have you had a wage review, cost of living review, conversation about performance increases?

Accidents happen, you can’t ask them to replace your phone.

Get off your phone while your supposed to be working. Your GP can leave a vm.

Not when I needed to discuss my issue with her!