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!

This!!!!

I'm sorry, It's a horrible thing to have happen OP, especially when you don't have extra funds to replace the screen/phone but I'm afraid YABU to expect your employers to pay for it to be replaced.

I have an Otterbox case on my phone. They are expensive but worth it! I have dropped my phone on concrete, tiles etc and phone is perfect.

Sorry. Sometimes shit happens. It's no one else's fault, and you have to suck it up.

Get a case with a strap and move on.

I’m sure you have now googled the cost of phone insurance which will be way cheaper than £140 a year. A colleague who smashed his phone insured it the same day, waited the month qualifying period then claimed he had broken it that day and made a successful claim.

He wasn’t concerned about judgement of fraud or morals, it was just the cheapest way to fix his phone.

Agree with asking if they'd cover it as a courtesy and/or check into insurance coverage.

That aside, longer term it sounds like you're spending way more on your phone than you have to or can afford to. I take it you had the Google Pixel as part of a subscription? Once it expires, much more sensible to hang on to your existing phone/buy an entry level phone outright and go to a basic calling plan/prepaid phone card that doesn't include a handset. There are perfectly decent phones on the market that cost between 100 to 200. I've been on a Galaxy A20 for 3 years now, won't replace until I run into memory or app update issues, and my monthly bills are negligible.

Sorry that your phone screen has broken, but I agree that's it's on you to get it fixed.

No need to be such an arsehole. Im not sure why you are arguing with people on this. You got your phone out to take a call from your doctor whilst on a dog walk and dropped it. Its your phone. I get it sucks but its life, its not someone elses job to pay for. And if you came to me with this shitty attitude asking me to pay for your phone, I'd be replacing you.

I think this probably opens up a bigger question around what your normal duties are and whether you are properly employed. Does your family have insurance for you, say if you have an accident at theirs and have to have time off work?

You can't ask them to replace it because you were using it whilst walking dogs and happened to drop it.

You might be cheaper getting a lower spec refurbed phone this one has an additional £15 off with a code https://www.handtec.co.uk/products/google-pixel-4-64gb-just-black-unlocked-refurbished-good?variant=32911517319229&currency=GBP&utmmedium=producttsync&utmsource=google&utmmcontent=sagorganic&utmmcampaign=sagorganic&cmppid=17421912371&adgid=&kwd=&device=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItted9O6rgAMVBu3tCh1TsAOREAQYBSABEgISQPDD_BwE

I would tell them what happened and that the phone is broken and see what they say. If they are a wealthy family and value you as an employee they may offer to pay as a good will gesture.

LOL @ everyone is being mean cause politics.

People are being harsh because she sounds bloody entitled. Her responses are rude.

There is no way you can ask your employers to cover the cost of your broken phone in this instance. It will make you appear completely unprofessional and on the take. For all they know you dropped it at home that morning.

It’s like breaking the heel off your shoe when getting off a train for a work meeting and asking work to buy new shoes or pay for heel repairs. It’s just life, shit happens, things break.

If you like the job, don’t do this.

Totally understand needing to take a GP call at work. I did the same yesterday.

I think you’re responsible for your own phone too. I wouldn’t be impressed if an employee asked me to replace their phone screen in these circumstances. Even if I said yes, it would impact the relationship going forward.

Of course it's your fault and your responsibility to pay for repairs. However as you're tight on funds, you can get really great deals on up to date refurbished phones on GiffGaff. I've got a high spec Oppo phone for £8 per month over 24 months. Maybe worth thinking about options before you pay to repair?

Perhaps the wider question is are you getting paid fairly for your job.

I'd expect a fair bit above minimum wage if dog walking large unruly dogs was part of my core job description. I'd also worry about the insurance implications if they hurt someone in your care.

There may be other more suitable jobs, as others have said are there additional benefits you are entitled to. Could you rent out a room or a garage/driveway or increase your income in amy other way ?

Such hyperbole!

The was no one around to attack. I was on the estate where the house is, next to one of the lawns. Dog jumped at me as I got my phone out to answer and it dropped straight down onto the brick path. They're gundogs and I'm not tall!

My slot was for between 9-12. Not taking them out unfortunately isn't an option - my employer is fine with me taking calls while out with them (and I'd say there's an expectation that I'd answer the phone while out because I can be 10-20mins away from the house while walking the dogs!) And unfortunately I've lost that appointment now and will have to go through the process again - you only get one chance to answer!

If I'm getting grumpy it's because I'm sick of people inventing stories! It's not being told I'm unreasonable, it's people making stuff up then telling me I'm wrong.

That was unfortunate, but whilst it's your employer's dog, you were in control of it at the time. Boisterous animals and expensive equipment don't mix well.

Yes, I think you should ask them to pay.

Replace badly trained dog with “their Toddler who was being especially boisterous knocked your phone out of your hand”.

Surely in that situation, you’d reasonably expect the employer to pay. Their unruly dog caused the accident and as they know their dogs are not particularly well behaved, they must expect to pay for any damage the dogs cause?

I think people are being really harsh here. I don't think OP was being U to be answering a call from her GP when she was walking the dogs. It wasn't doing any harm.

Op, I'd talk to your employer, see what they say. Maybe suggest you go half's on repairing your phone?

I spend £7 a month on my sim. The physical phone was a gift from a friend when she upgraded her contract.

No, you can't ask them to pay. The same as if you worked in an office and dropped your phone while doing a work task.

I don't think you did anything wrong by taking the call, but it's not your employer's responsibility to pay for your damaged phone.

It was an accident, unfortunately. To ask them to pay for the damage is really cheeky. It will damage your relationship. You just need to pay for it yourself.

No you can't ask them to pay, dogs pull and jump and run, you had your phone in your hand and weren't holding it tight enough so an accident happened and it fell and by bad luck the screen broke.

By your logic the GP could be given responsibility for it because they called when you weee walking dogs.

The only one who had any ability to prevent the accident was you, the dogs don't know how phones work or that they're breakable so could control their actions, the owners didn't know you'd be on the phone and the GP didn't know you were walking dogs.

You know you’re unreasonable.

You have every excuse under the sun: important call, GP, unruly dogs, allowed personal calls, poor quality screen protector and cover.

Why ask if you don’t accept the responses.

Ask your employer then, they can only say no.

The dogs are probably excited to be going on a walk, rather than unruly. Consider carrying your phone in a bag across your body and using earbuds, in future. Then you can answer your calls without dropping your phone and your hands are free to hold the dogs leads. Consider getting a gorilla case for your phone, they are military grade so will protect your phone.