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AIBU?

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Original poster

To break into my new neighbours house *THREAD 3: The Final Conundrum*

1000 replies

Catsos · 29/08/2023 15:44

I’m really not trying to drag this out 😩 but I seriously need some advice following on from my posts this weekend where my cat (who has a reputation for breaking cat-flaps in the neighbourhood) broke into my new neighbours vacant house while it is being renovated.

Here is the original post if anyone needs more context:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4881905-to-break-into-new-neighbours-house-serious-question-not-trolling

After not being able to get back out the cat-flap he was stuck in there for 48 hours over the bank holiday weekend and then finally released by the builder after various rescue attempts by me.

During that period however some damage occurred to my new neighbours property. I had hoped they would take it all in good spirits as fellow cat owners and we’d laugh about it and be new cat bessie mates but they we’re absolutely seething!!

They have proposed that I pay £1,600!!! for the following:

£800 to replace the rug my cat wee’d on

£400 to replace an area of laminate flooring as apparently the wee has gone into the underlay

I offered to pay £100 for professional rug cleaning, but the wife (who seems very neurotic) says her cats will still be able to smell my cats urine and they don’t want that to stress their cats out when they move them into the new home

£150 for repainting areas of muddy foot prints on the walls where my cat scratched to get out
(again I offered to just wipe them off but the wife insists it is repainted)

£50 to repaint window sils where the crabsticks & icecubes I dropped through the window has damaged the paint

£200 for a new bathroom window vent as I pushed thinly slice honey roasted ham through it

AIBU to think they are being very over the top? I could personally clean/repaint all of these things myself. Should I refuse to pay this amount? I don’t even have this amount available anyway, I would need to get an overdraft.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
11
jeffgoldblum · 29/08/2023 15:53

@Catsos , did you ask them about the cat flap?
Why was it not fully locked?
Why was it set on in only?
As much as I can understand they might be pissed off , if it hadn't been your cat it could have been someone else's or even worse a fox !
Also why did they have an expensive rug down in a house being renovated with builders still working?
We all know how some of them treat other peoples houses!

OhmygodDont · 29/08/2023 15:53

Your neighbours and the builder are all witnesses too.

Ilikewinter · 29/08/2023 15:53

No I dont think replacing the rug is required, professional clean seems reasonable. I have to admit I havent read all the threads but how did your cat get in?
Obviously their house isnt very secure, the damage could have been done by a small fox, or any neighbourhood cat - then who would your neighbour be blaming. Id turn this round on them!

LittleBrownJug · 29/08/2023 15:54

Oh dear. That seems a massively over the top reaction and sum of money!

I personally would push back on that. Absolutely no reason why mud can’t be washed off rather than repainted for example, unless it is much worse than it sounds? The rug too … they sound neurotic. Surely they could try professional cleaning first. If it doesn’t work and still stinks well, yes, replace but I would be willing to try a cheaper option first.

The bathroom vent / ham fiasco sounds utterly ridiculous. Why does it need replacing??

I have cats — if that happened in my newly renovated home I would like to think I would be more understanding. Sorry OP think you will have to keep up your quest to move.

Ducksinthebath · 29/08/2023 15:54

Not the least bit surprised to hear you’ve got no insurance. Is there anything to do with this cat you take seriously?

Valerie23 · 29/08/2023 15:54

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ToastyCrumpets · 29/08/2023 15:54

Why doesn’t your cat have pet insurance? Surely that’s fairly basic if you’re a responsible owner - if you can’t afford £1600, what happens if your cat needs treatment?

WhateverMate · 29/08/2023 15:55

Thread number 3, really?

With all the milking you've been doing over this story, at least your cat will never go thirsty.

purplecorkheart · 29/08/2023 15:55

I don't think there is anything that is too unreasonable to be honest.

Some rugs can be crazy in price and it it is one of them then I don't blames them for not settling for a clean if the cat wee has been soaking in for 48 hours.

The flooring seems fair too as I assume they will have to also pay for it to be taken up, disposed of and the new stuff laid.

The repainting maybe is a bit pricy but then given the price of paint and getting someone to do it it probably is right.

I assume that the bathroom vent was damaged by you putting the ham in. Again you are not only paying for the vent but for someone to install it.

Sorry but your cat did damage and they are quite entitled to have things put right. I don't think it is fair to call the owner Neurotic. If they had the place professionally painted then no I would not be happy just to have the scratches wiped off nor would I want to do the painting myself or a non professional do it.

OhmygodDont · 29/08/2023 15:56

Ilikewinter · 29/08/2023 15:53

No I dont think replacing the rug is required, professional clean seems reasonable. I have to admit I havent read all the threads but how did your cat get in?
Obviously their house isnt very secure, the damage could have been done by a small fox, or any neighbourhood cat - then who would your neighbour be blaming. Id turn this round on them!

Well I mean finding a wild fox in your house would be something.

Op knows her cat breaks into peoples houses by breaking their cat flaps to steal food. Ops cat broke into this house and then couldn’t get back out. The house owners are hardly at fault.

Nopenopenopenopenopenope · 29/08/2023 15:56

Your property damaged someone else's property. Your own insurance should cover it.

StarbucksSmarterSister · 29/08/2023 15:56

£800 to replace the rug my cat wee’d on

Personally I'd try to get it cleaned first but get proof of original and replacement costs. I think you have to swallow this cost.

£400 to replace an area of laminate flooring as apparently the wee has gone into the underlay.*

See my comment above.

However:

£150 for repainting areas of muddy foot prints on the walls where my cat scratched to get out
(again I offered to just wipe them off but the wife insists it is repainted)

£150 is taking the piss, surely? How big is the wall?

£50 to repaint window sils where the crabsticks & icecubes I dropped through the window has damaged the paint

Damaged the paint? Ask for proof.

£200 for a new bathroom window vent as I pushed thinly slice honey roasted ham through it

Are they saying the ham can't be removed? If it can't the vent be removed, cleaned and put back? Why do they need a new one? The ham won't have damaged the actual vent.

Original poster
Catsos · 29/08/2023 15:56

Sorry the total is actually £1800 as I forgot they also want £200 to replace their cat-flap as it’s hinges are broken and scratched

OP posts:
Crabcakeswin · 29/08/2023 15:57

Seems like they are pulling numbers out the air. Can you ask them for quotes to prove the costs? Surely painting a small area would be like £20 at most. The only thing that seems reasonable to me is paying to replace the bathroom vent.

Eachpeachpears · 29/08/2023 15:57

I've been with you all the way op but I'm afraid I'm with the new owners on this instance. Imagine if you bought a house and while it was being decorated your new neighbors cat caused bodily fluids related damage to your new home and items then said "I'll pay you a bit but not enough to cover it". I guess this is a lesson learned to get cat insurance too by the way, especially knowing your cat is a roamer without boundaries! I'm afraid you're going to have to cough up. £1600 is a lot cheaper than having to move house.

WednesdayLounge · 29/08/2023 15:57

I would probably be firm and say I was sorry but I can't afford that and they would need to claim on their house insurance. After all clearly their cat flap wasn't secure from the outside.

That said I would also offer to clean everything and repaint personally.

If you do end up paying tell them you want the rug they're about to get rid of. At least you get a rug out of all of this.

OhmygodDont · 29/08/2023 15:57

Crabcakeswin · 29/08/2023 15:57

Seems like they are pulling numbers out the air. Can you ask them for quotes to prove the costs? Surely painting a small area would be like £20 at most. The only thing that seems reasonable to me is paying to replace the bathroom vent.

Ever tried getting a painter and decorator in £20 😂 mine wouldn’t even turn up for a patch for £150 he would want a full job money wise as otherwise it isn’t worth it.

BadNomad · 29/08/2023 15:58

Just move house.

Summerbay23 · 29/08/2023 15:58

jeffgoldblum · 29/08/2023 15:53

@Catsos , did you ask them about the cat flap?
Why was it not fully locked?
Why was it set on in only?
As much as I can understand they might be pissed off , if it hadn't been your cat it could have been someone else's or even worse a fox !
Also why did they have an expensive rug down in a house being renovated with builders still working?
We all know how some of them treat other peoples houses!

I kind of agree with this, their house wasn’t actually secure and it could easily have been a fox or stray cat. They might not want to claim on home insurance but for this amount they might have to. If it was less than £500 I’d probably have paid but as it’s a lot more I’m afraid that’s what insurance is for as it wasn’t intentional damage and your cat is legally allowed to rome.

jeffgoldblum · 29/08/2023 15:58

A fox came into my house threw my cat flap , came upstairs and tried to get my cats! , if we hadn't had our late German shepherd, who literally had to fight it down the stairs, I have no idea what would have happened!
It is not that unlikely!

TheHappyCarrot · 29/08/2023 15:58

£200 for a catflap??

hartof · 29/08/2023 15:59

I would say sorry I don't have the kind of money so it's not possible. Your cat flap allowed my cat entry and of course if he got stuck some damage would happen.

They need to use their house insurance, our house was broken into and had a big claim on the insurance it didn't go up at all.

MarshyMcMarshFace · 29/08/2023 15:59

I would have been seething too.

There is no reason at all why they should absorb any cost or compromised new decorations and furnishings because of another person's pet.

Start a GoFundMe whip round from all the cat-gaga MNers who were egging you on to trash and damage their house. You might get enough to cat-proof your garden to stop your cat getting into other people's property.

OIiviaa · 29/08/2023 15:59

Shame their expensive cat flap let them down.

Shame you know your cat breaks into cat flaps and you've still let it out.

Not really sure what I think here, but if it wasn't your cat it would probably be the next one.

I'd want to see a rug receipt for that price, they are being ridiculous it just needs professionally cleaning.

Did you break the vent?

Original poster
Catsos · 29/08/2023 15:59

WhateverMate · 29/08/2023 15:55

Thread number 3, really?

With all the milking you've been doing over this story, at least your cat will never go thirsty.

Urm I couldn’t continue on with the other threads as they reached their reply maximum? You don’t have to click onto my thread if you’re not interested in helping give advice…. there are plenty of other mumsnets threads to choose from…

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