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

[Catsos]

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.

No, I think they are absolutely right. They have new so why should they accept your clean up?
You could have saved yourself £50 if you hadn’t posted in crabsticks and then, even though plenty of people advised here, you continued with the ham which has cost you £200. Why post if you don’t listen?

£1600?! They’re having a laugh 😂 I would offer £200 and leave it at that. Glad your cat is safe now.

Wtf

Need to come to some sort of arrangement. Costs seem high really but it's reasonable to pay something. You knew the cat got into other people houses if you don't keep it inside this is what has happens. There is a cost to that.

I think the damage from the ham and crab sticks you absolutely need to pay for. Why on earth you thought that was a good idea I don't know.

Personally we have never got rid of the smell of cat wee and ended up replacing two carpets so I also sympathise with that cost.

The rest you could maybe argue but why would you.

Personally I would have left my cat to be released in due course and pleaded ignorance. You've kind of made this all worse by involving yourself and making things worse.

Tbh it's so ridiculous and your post on this thread sounds so sarcastic I assume the whole thing is completely fabricated.

Don't pay. Offer a small sum for goodwill if necessary. It isn't your fault that the their house isn't secure. What would happen if a fox or small rodent had managed to get in? Nobody to sue or claim of then.

Sounds about right.
We bought our house from a cat owner (who had clearly let the cat wee indoors). My husband is allergic to cats, so we thought “OK - we can deep clean the carpets, scrub & repaint the wooden floors, it’ll be fine”.

Nope. 3 professional cleans of the carpet later & we had to give in & recarpet. Then we had to sand the wooden floors & banisters, treat, re varnish etc. All so my husband could live in his house and be able to breathe. It really lingers.

A couple of years ago, we had a new kitchen. Said husband is a clumsy oaf & damaged some paintwork. We used the same paint, but you can absolutely see where the patched up bit is. And yup, water will have damaged the windowsill.

Well, this is why you should have insurance - so you don't have to worry about paying out for damage your cat does to other people's property.

I don't really have much sympathy, tbh.

I think everything seems reasonable except replacing the rug. If it does need replacing I would also want to see a quote for replacing like for like. I wonder if your own home insurance may cover it?

It was all a jolly jape.

You were going to 'make a contribution.'

You have an outdoor cat, a cat with form for going into other people's houses, but you've never bothered to get insurance.

Now the reality sets in that you will have to pay the costs of having a free-roaming cat, and it's all sadface emojis from you.

I would direct them to their house insurance. Or if you have pet insurance, is there legal cover you could ask advice from?

You could be equally difficult and claim for vet bills for your cat by them having such a ridiculous cat flap that your cat got trapped (sort of light hearted...).

Can you imagine what they'd want to claim if you went via the birdbath route?! So glad you didn't do that!

They are being a bit precious, £50 to paint a window sill for example? Is it 20ft wide?!

That's rather how I feel.
Their house wasn't secure. They weren't contactable.
They claim on their insurance.

How did the cat get in there? Either through the cat flat, in which case the neighbour was to blame through leaving the flap on "in only" so the cat was trapped inside, or the cat came in while they were there, in which case they're to blame for leaving it trapped inside.

I would suggest that you tell them your final offer, and suggest they claim for the damage through their house insurance.

Don't take out an overdraft.

You have a nuisance of a cat that you know breaks into people's homes, but you haven't insured the cat?

I did feel sorry for you, however not having pet insurance, particularly for an animal that roams and by your own admission gets into other people's home frequently, is frankly the height of stupidity.
Very selfish and irresponsible on your part.

I have a 12 year old dog who is a huge financial burden on me due to their age and health conditions, I pay over £100 a month on insurance alone, plus food/treats/grooming etc. But it is the risk and sacrifice you take when you're a responsible owner.

Did you break the vent?

No, but the ham kind of got stuck in there. I could clean it but granted there would still be ham in the crevices.

I’d be happy to pay a contribution but £1800 seems very over the top, surely we both made mistakes, theirs being leaving unattended cat-flap in empty houses…

A cat is a wild animal isn’t it in law? So damage is due to them not securing the home?

They're totally taking the p* about the cat flap. If it hadn't already been defective in some way your cat wouldn't have been able to get in without being able to get out again. Tell them no to that.

And thinking on it why was an expensive rug left on the floor when the builders were patently still working in the house?

I think they're chancing it. Get proof of all costs before you consider paying anything.

Cats have a different position in law to dogs. Cat owners aren't liable for damage caused by their cats, because cats are ungovernable.

Damage caused by you is a different matter.

Given their response I bet you are now pretty glad you decided not to hurl their birdbath through a downstairs window.

Can't imagine that would have made them any happier.

@Catsos Ignore most of these posts as they are so unhelpful.

Cats roam. Your neighbours had a cat flap that allowed the cat to get in. I'd say that was negligence as he couldn't get out.

You cannot be responsible for any damage caused as they should have made their house secure. It could have been more cats or a fox that got in.

Your only sin is being responsible and owning up. Some pet owners wouldn't have done that. After all, if they had come into the house today, seen the damage and let the cat out, they wouldn't have any idea who to go after for money.

It's clearly an insurance claim by them. If they tried to take you to court for the money, they would get nowhere as you can't be responsible for a cat getting into their unsecured cat flap.

I'd wouldn't bend over backwards to placate them. It's doubtful that their insurance will go up. I had a big claim for my downstairs floor being flooded and didn't have to pay any more.

Did one of the workmen leave a door open, and the cat got in?

I'd ask for a breakdown of the costs and where they have got the figures from. Some I can see being the amounts quoted, the paint for £150 and the cat flap are totally overinflated.
I'll be honest and say that I would also be fuming though I wouldn't be unkind. I wouldn't laugh about it for sure. Cat piss reeks and it does permeate flooring if left. I would expect you to cover costs for damage and organise a professional clean.

😂