If you went to a friends house and broke a piece of furniture would you offer to replace it?

[brokenfurniture]

Say a garden chair, or would you think well these things happen etc etc

Depends on the circumstances I guess and how old and rickety the furniture was but yes, I think I would always offer to replace it and hope to God they said not to worry

What did you break?

yes i think i probably would. a friend of mine's son chewed the top of one of my leather dining room chairs and basically ruined it- i am stil a bit cross she said nothing despite noticing it.....

I would offer, but would be appalled if my offer was accepted.
Oh, the bizarre nature of British manners.

A oak garden chair, not old and rickety about a year old

and you are a rather large lady (although lovely and nice)

yes indeed it is all about the offering. i wouldnt have accepted ad would be appalled if someone did accept my offer. but the offering is what is the decent thing to do in my view...

yes of course i w9ould offer to replace anything i broke, and would fully expect to be taken up on the offer.
and in fact, if it was something especially nice i would replace it even if my offer was declined

yes its the offering isn't it

If i was roaring drunk and dancing and fell on said chair and it broke, yes I would offer to pay. If I just sat on it ad it broke I would think it badly made and dangerous and egt my lawyer to send them a letter to inform them of my impendng legal action regarding my injuries.

it was my garden chair and my lovely friend that broke it

she sat down and it just splintered underneath her (embarrasing all round)

she didn't offer and I did feel slightly and then DH came home and went nuts that she didn't offer to pay for it as it is a part of a set of 6 and now we are one down it looks odd

it hasn't broken at any joints or anything, the wood has actually snapped in half

If it was only a year old I would be tempted to take it back to the shop and complain.
Oak chairs should not break because someone has sat on it - even if they are large.

She was probably too busy being mortified. And as she was just siting on it and unless she is completely humongous (ie weighing more than a rugby player), I think you should blame the chair!

Try writing to the manufacturer to complain or you could try claiming on your household insurance.

Oh God I would be mortified, being a rather large lady although lovely and nice and possibly the same weight as a rugby player, not sure so I might be humongous...

She should have offered to sort it though. Poor woman.

There is more to life than a matching set of garden chairs and your husband needs reminding of this. We have mis matching chairs of various woods and styles and lots of friends

As others have said, an oak chair shodl not splinter just when someone sits on it. Was your friend hurt? I would tell your husband he ought to be grateful she is not suing and write to the manufacturer complaining about the shddy workmanship of their chairs.

I agree with everyone who said the chair shouldn't have broken. If that happened to my chair with one of my friends I would have blamed the chair and gone back to the shop and complained. I would also have told her not to worry about it.

If she had jumped on it, or fallen on it p**d up or kicked it then yes I would expect her to pay.

How awful for your poor friend.

It was really embarrasing, there was a horrible moment of just silence from everyone, argh just thinking about it is making me cringe

No you are right I am glad I didn't mention her paying for it, I will try and take it back to the garden centre tomorrow

I imagine I would have absolutely insisted on buying you a new one straightaway, out of embarrassment apart from anything else.

However everyone is right, that's not the point, it shouldn't have broken in the first place and the garden centre should be your first port of call.