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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

17 year old spilled water on Host family Laptop

500 replies

Mrsg26 · 01/04/2025 23:46

Wonder if someone can offer advice on what to do in this situation. My daughter is 17 and is auditioning for drama schools at present. As she is under 18 and visiting schools in London ( we live in Scotland) She has had to stay with a host family on her visits. Last night the Host offered my daughter some water but placed the glass on the kitchen table next to her laptop. My daughter picked up the glass but it slipped and some water went on the host’s laptop. The lady told my daughter last night not to worry and she dried it, she said she had a new laptop which was there in the kitchen however today The lady called me whilst my daughter was in her audition and told me it will cost £200 to repair the laptop and the expectation is for me to pay for it to be repaired.

Whilst i totally am sympathetic and sorry for what happened, as is my daughter, she didn't do it intentionally or with any malice and it was a complete accident. Part of me thinks why would she place a glass of water next to expensive equipment, as spillages often happen in kitchens. As an experienced host with lots of children in her home regularly she should be aware of these hazards. This is her business and therefore she should insure against these things.

Whilst I am not against contributing towards the repairs, I just feel that I shouldn’t have to pay for it all as they were both negligent. Any advice from other parents of teens? Thanks

OP posts:
godmum56 · 02/04/2025 10:02

1SillySossij · 02/04/2025 00:47

Come on virtually everyone has a coffee, glass of water or beverage of their choice whilst on their computer.

two things. I never ever have liquids on the same table or worktop as my laptop. In this case the girl had no choice. It was the laptop owner who put the glass down by the laptop so I'd say the laptop owner was at fault. Even if the girl was borrowing the owners laptop, if it was me getting the glass of water I'd have put it down well away from the laptop and mentioned that I had done it and why. Having said that. if I was the OP I would offer half.

Sunbeam01 · 02/04/2025 10:02

If you break something then you are responsible for it. The host seems to be very reasonable.

Frequency · 02/04/2025 10:02

BadSkiingMum · 02/04/2025 09:57

So how would she have that information so rapidly? I recently took a tech device to a repair shop and they took it in for assessment, they didn’t work on a while-you-wait basis.

Educated guess on the tech's part?

I repaired laptops in my last job. Water + turning the laptop on too soon = damaged capacitors and an MB replacement.

OTOH, that is a very low price for a MB replacement unless it's a cheap laptop or the tech happens to have a spare MB hanging around, so maybe they have plucked the number from thin air.

TheaBrandt1 · 02/04/2025 10:05

Seems there are two types of people - those that are decent and pay their dues and those that wriggle out of it with pathetic excuses. Know which group I would rather be in. Op isnt going to pay but a niggly voice inside her will tell her she’s wrong and she will always feel slightly bad about it. As she should.

remaininghopeful23 · 02/04/2025 10:08

Yes I'd think twice about leaving a glass of water next to a laptop in the vicinity of a 7 year old, not 17!! Come on OP. Your almost adult daughter accidentally damaged someone's property, either you or DD need to pay for it.
You seem to think because it was by accident it doesn't need to be paid for? Isn't that the done thing? You accidentally ding someone's car do you pay for it? Yes. Same applies here. I'd think if someone did it on purpose they'd be less willing to pay than by accident.
Pay the full amount. Request a copy of the repairs receipt if you're skeptical, but pay up.

Foxylass · 02/04/2025 10:13

Half and half.

Comefromaway · 02/04/2025 10:14

Brefugee · 02/04/2025 09:45

nope, your child broke it, you pay for the repair.

In Germany we all get 3rd party damage insurance to cover stuff like this. Do you have that kind of thing covered in any of your insurances?

That's not really a thing for domestic insurance in the UK. Even accidental damage cover only covers your property and that is optional. Only businesses have to have public liability.

Perplexed20 · 02/04/2025 10:17

You should pay.

snowmichael · 02/04/2025 10:21

beetr00 · 02/04/2025 00:08

fyi,

As far as what happens next, whilst a party can make demands
for payment, instruct debt collectors or threaten legal action, it is important
to note that they can only really force someone to pay if they actually go to
court, submit a claim and are successful with it.

... which they will be

snowmichael · 02/04/2025 10:22

Your daughter spilled it, you or her pay for the damage
It's normal behaviour

Pluvia · 02/04/2025 10:26

321user123 · 02/04/2025 01:18

I might be completely off my rocker and reading too much into things.

But I feel that the laptop had already issues and the £200 repair is not for the actual water damage if any.

You mentioned that she said there was a brand new laptop (separate to this one) in the kitchen anyways… which makes me think this may have had issues.
Also for her to say not to worry immediately and just wiping it off with little reaction sound like the spill was very minor?

You got it in the first sentence.

tipsyraven · 02/04/2025 10:29

beetr00 · 01/04/2025 23:57

@Mrsg26 does the host not have house insurance?

When I got my laptop replaced via insurance I had to pay £200 excess.

Avatartar · 02/04/2025 10:33

I think you have to pay BUT my first response would be show me the written estimate and diagnosis of which parts are damaged from the repairer she’d taken it to, including their full name address and contact details, otherwise 1. How do you know what is damaged 2. What it’s damaged by to 3. Repairer needs 1&2 to then know what needs doing and what that cost is
without that I’d say it’s a try on

Whooowhooohoo · 02/04/2025 10:33

Shall we assume the audition went badly and you know she is not going to that school …

because your not-paying for damage to host’s home is going to get fed back to the school and impact the schools opinion if you both.

You are only hearing your DD’s version of events that a glass slipped. The hist may have different story

StressedLP1 · 02/04/2025 10:34

You need to pay.

if your family is so wedded to the principle that drinks should never be in the vicinity of electronics then your daughter should have walked away from the laptop when the host put the drink down.

In future insist in writing that all drinks must be provided in a sippy cup to your 17 year old /s

C8H10N4O2 · 02/04/2025 10:45

Mrsg26 · 02/04/2025 01:13

My daughter wasn't using the hosts laptop. The host had left her laptop opened on the kitchen table and put a glass of water down beside it, When my daughter reached for the water it slipped. The host could easily have put the glass of water at the opposite end of the table away from her device and this would not have happened.

What is strange is the host already purchased a new laptop prior to my daughter’s arrival and it was the old one sitting on the kitchen table which the water was spilled over which she now wants the costs to repair

Show quote history

My normal reaction in this situation would be "pay up" but this comment:

"the host said we can cut out the agency so the last 2 times she has stayed she has just arranged directly with the lady and transferred her the money for the stay"

Coupled with putting an unrequested glass of water right next to her own old laptop on the table would make me question the host a bit more. A host who is cutting out the agency who are bringing her the business is not averse to a bit of sharp practice.

I'd expect a host to have business insurance for this, at the least i'd want to see the invoice and the value of the old laptop (because old laptops are worth sod all unless very recent models).

samarrange · 02/04/2025 10:48

@Mrsg26 Check your own household insurance. It may well come with third-party liability cover for accidents that you, or your DC living with you, might cause when out and about, including in other people's homes.

Gemmy96 · 02/04/2025 10:52

Obviously you should pay

Friendofdennis · 02/04/2025 10:52

I would pay £100 as a good will gesture It was an accident enabled by the positioning of the glass

BunnyLake · 02/04/2025 10:56

I wouldn’t just pay an amount she might have pulled from thin air. Ask to see detailed quotes of price and damage.

cestlaviecherie · 02/04/2025 10:59

Mrsg26 · 02/04/2025 01:03

The host is not someone employed by the universities and is not affiliated with the colleges in any way. We used her once last year and 2 short stays this year. I have never met her.

I will do what someone further up said & will pay half, but not all. I simply don't have that amount of spare cash anyway, & my daughter cannot afford to pay her either

Show quote history

You should ask for proof of the cost first, and proof that the laptop is no longer under warranty. That sounds overly expensive.

Smeegall · 02/04/2025 10:59

I think this is suspicious - you've already paid for your daughter to stay with them. The risk is included in that price really. Why was the laptop on the table?

HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 02/04/2025 11:00

I wouldn't be against paying however that’s what insurance if for.

DollyDreamy · 02/04/2025 11:06

C8H10N4O2 · 02/04/2025 10:45

My normal reaction in this situation would be "pay up" but this comment:

"the host said we can cut out the agency so the last 2 times she has stayed she has just arranged directly with the lady and transferred her the money for the stay"

Coupled with putting an unrequested glass of water right next to her own old laptop on the table would make me question the host a bit more. A host who is cutting out the agency who are bringing her the business is not averse to a bit of sharp practice.

I'd expect a host to have business insurance for this, at the least i'd want to see the invoice and the value of the old laptop (because old laptops are worth sod all unless very recent models).

Show quote history

I agree with this. Don’t pay it. If she wants she can take you to the small claims court for the supposed £200 and she is very unlikely to do so.

Perhaps she can think about going back through the agency and running his business in an above board way, then she can have them sort out issues.

I’d also suggest that you shouldn’t have agreed to cut out the agency either though: for your daughter’s own safety.

Poppyfun1 · 02/04/2025 11:07

House insurance may cover this? If not then yes you should pay.