To not replace the bottle of wine?

[foreveralmost]

I live with two other housemates, one stored a bottle of wine in side door of the fridge. As I opened the fridge it fell out and smashed.

I didn’t open the fridge roughly, I opened it normally, She saw me do it. I obviously cleaned it up and apologised - but I was just the unlucky one who happened to open the fridge.

She has now text me to say could I pick her up a new bottle on the way home ..

It may not have been your fault but it's still your responsibility to do something about it. It's not your flatmate's fault either but it's her responsibility too. 50/50 seems fair to me but it's not on to do nothing.

I don't think you should have to replace it if the door isn't suitable for large bottles. Presumably she's well aware of what the fridge door is like.

If you're friends I might do it as a gesture of goodwill, but say I wouldn't do it again if she carries on putting wine in unsuitable places.

The same thing happens with my fridge and we have to remember not to put tall bottles in the pocket.

I kind of think you're both being reasonable and both being unreasonable. Yes, it was an accident, but it was (unintentionally) caused by you. You shouldn't be out of pocket but neither should your housemate. One of you needs to be generous to the other.

It is just the societal norm to offer to replace, and the person would say no no, the shelf is annoying, my mistake Then you insist and they still refuse. Then you buy the wine anyway and they share it with you.

Its called being cordial and civilised and quite honestly it is the grease on the wheels that keeps everything moving along.

Its so petty.
Don't be that guy.

My wine lives in the fridge door. Thought that was normal. It was an accident. I'd replace for peace.

You're the one coming to the Internet about a bottle of wine, though?

Considering that there is potential blame on both parts - the housemate who owns the wine didn't put it in the fridge safely and you, OP, for physically opening said fridge door - why not meet each other half way and pay for a new bottle between you?? Sorted.

And actually, if all you have to worry about in life is a bottle of wine perhaps your third housemate might like you other two to pack your bags and find somewhere else to live OR grow up and start behaving like adults and stop bickering!!!

If it was my bottle, I wouldn’t ask for it to be replaced as I would assume I didn’t put it on the shelf properly and would have fallen regardless of who opened the fridge.

On the other hand, I would replace someone else’s if they asked me to as it’s not worth falling out over, and it’s possible the person who owned the wine would have been more likely to catch it if they opened the fridge instead of me.

And peace and harmony will be restored. Not. Of course you do not take this approach if you are living with flat mates. However, you do make the point that anyone leaving wine in the door again will be responsible for it if it breaks when someone else opens the door.

I have 2 fridges. One we can store bottles in the door no problem. The other the ledge is far too low and any bottle would definitely fall out so we never store tall bottles there. If your fridge is the latter then she should take the risk for placing it there. Do you usually store wine in the door? Does the fridge have a specific shelf for bottles?

Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the fridge <shudder>. 😉

Slightly more seriously: If OP's relationship with her housemates is transactional to this degree, I hope she is planning to move out soon, because it isn't going to end when someone replaces the bottle of wine. Shit happening that isn't particularly clearly the fault of any one person is part of life. Unless you are very poor, taking the financial hit for the sake of group harmony from time to time is part of successful adulting.

I do t think you should have to replace it. I have a drinks fridge and Ive lost numerous beer bottles from the door, if not full and wedged in they topple out.

If OP buys flatmate another bottle to keep the peace what happens if she puts it there again? What if she leaves a jumper lying around and it gets damaged, leaves a laptop under the table and it gets stood on, leaves a bit of jewellery
on the mantle and it disappears, does OP have replace them because her flatmate doesn’t put things stored properly? It will set a precedent.

Perhaps a good halfway is to buy a bottle and drink it together. And tell her that the door isn’t a good place to store a wine bottle.

Perhaps a good halfway is to buy a bottle and drink it together. And tell her that the door isn’t a good place to store a wine bottle

I think this is a good solution too.

Buy a cheap wine. Tell her it was not your fault and she shouldn't store her wine there anymore as if it happens again, you won't replace it.

Why has nobody suggested claiming on the house contents insurance?! Surely this is accidental damage and should be replaced like for like? (Yes, it's a joke!)

Is it me or do there seem to be increasing numbers of people asking "aibu? but only wanting to snipe at and contradict anyone telling them they are?

Op, you clearly don't think that you're in any way responsible, at fault or unreasonable, so why asK?

you crack on OP, don’t replace the wine
it might make the atmosphere a bit frosty but it doesn’t sound like you care much so 🤷‍♀️

Normally the 'negligent' person pays. This means the person that neglected to do something that a reasonable person would do, or did something that a reasonable person would not do...that leads to a reasonably foreseeable risk of damage / injury.

Opening your own fridge door is not negligent. Storing something incorrectly in a part of the door that's not designed for it, is negligent. What if it had landed on the OPs foot or something when it opened?

The OP should not be paying. However in their shoes I probably would for the sale of housemate harmony, but saying I've bought you a new one but don't think I did anything wrong, please can you store it more safely next time

I'm surprised at the replies here, often there are threads about teens freinds messing about and breaking their teens phone, and normally people say 'it was an accident! They shouldn't have to pay', implying people should only pay for damage if its deliberate

Because £6 bottles of wine exist, lots of them... Why haven't you given the price of the wine here?

That was unnecessarily rude, @foreveralmost. I have read your posts. You clearly didn’t read mine. My point is, a bottle stored correctly in the appropriate shelf that is designed for bottles shouldn’t topple ergo your housemate must have stored it incorrectly unless another force acted on it to knock it out… I am suggesting it is more likely that your housemate is at fault (unless you aren’t telling us something).

I note that some posters have said they have poorly designed bottle shelves where things do fall out 🤷‍♀️ Presumably, if that were the case, bottles would regularly fall out of your fridge.

It’s rude not to offer to replace the wine but it’s rude of her to accept if it were her fault, and I think most people wouldn’t accept if it were a genuine accident (assuming they can afford to let it go).

What a cheapo. Replace that wine and maintain harmony. And why ask if you are just going to get aggressive to people who disagree?

How is it op's fault when all she did was open the fridge door?

I would this time but I'd mention that it wasn't really your fault as it wasn't placed properly. It couldn't have been if as you say you opened it normally and it just came out.

Jus to add that we have recently had a very cheap curry’s fridge where the bottle compartment was so low and crap that bottles fell out of it every time we opened the door so if that’s the case then not your fault. I would replace though, for the sake of keeping good relations

It may not have been your fault but why can’t you be a nice person and just replace it?! Unless it’s really pricey and you can’t afford it, it’s just kind isn’t it? Seems hard work to get worked up about enough to post!