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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:
BunnyLake · 02/04/2025 13:35

I would be wary in the future of using this host as, like child minding, professional businesses should ensure they are fully insured against possible incidents happening in their home. Going through an agency seems a more sensible idea.

Thunderingfanjo · 02/04/2025 13:36

nomas · 02/04/2025 13:23

It’s outrageous for this host family to cut out the agency and the protection the agency presumably provides in this scenario.

They tried to make more money and it’s backfired.

They shouldn’t be putting water next to their laptop on a dining table near teens they don’t know well.

Show quote history

Agreed. The host is most likely going against the agencies T&C's and probably isn't allowed to come to a private arrangement with clients directly.

This host wasn't doing you favour ,she was running a business and unfortunately running a business involves the risk of 'loss'.it was accidental damage and she needs to suck it up and put it down to experience.

Digdongdoo · 02/04/2025 13:37

Wouldn't have thought it was worth repairing a 15yo laptop. I wouldn't stump up a penny until I saw an itemised receipt.

Whatsitreallylike · 02/04/2025 13:38

I can’t imagine ever telling a 17 year old that I wasn’t going to put a glass next to them in case they spilt it! She didn’t knock it over either, your daughter had it in her hand to drink and dropped it on the laptop. How is that the hosts fault?
also… insurance? Excess alone would probably mean it’s pointless claiming, not to mention increase in premium.

It’s your daughters fault and she should pay!

meganorks · 02/04/2025 13:43

Yeah I'm on team 'she's pulling a fast one'. Google Macbook 2010 and you can buy refurbished ones for less than £100! She was either thinking she could get you to cover some other damage and then she can sell it. Or she can't be arsed to sell it and is going to get more from you anyway! Also, if you spilt water, surely it would go on the keyboard and the most likely damage would be if it got inside. Something doesn't seem to add up.

As an aside, why on earth would you pay more to not go through the agency?! Surely the only benefit for you would be if you save money, for her if she makes more

anotherside · 02/04/2025 13:43

I’d pay but I’d want to see the repair bill/receipt (and might give the repair shop a quick ring to enquire about the nature of the damage).

Mischance · 02/04/2025 13:44

Presumably this host family scenario is under some sort of scheme - does it carry insurance I wonder?

Original poster
Mrsg26 · 02/04/2025 13:44

Whatsitreallylike · 02/04/2025 13:38

I can’t imagine ever telling a 17 year old that I wasn’t going to put a glass next to them in case they spilt it! She didn’t knock it over either, your daughter had it in her hand to drink and dropped it on the laptop. How is that the hosts fault?
also… insurance? Excess alone would probably mean it’s pointless claiming, not to mention increase in premium.

It’s your daughters fault and she should pay!

The host didnt hand the glass to my daughter as she was sitting down next to the laptop. My daughter was standing up. The host put the glass on the table beside the laptop. She had to reach over and pick up the glass The glass was full and wet on the outside. It slipped a little and water spilled. My kid still had the glass in her hand. She certainly didn't drop the glass all over the laptop. Accidents of course happen all the time, but it feels like it was set up to happen this way in the first place.

OP posts:
BlackDollsEyes · 02/04/2025 13:47

Personally I think it right to pay for damage because a 17 year old is not a child and extra care around where to place a glass of water should not be needed.

However, I'd want to see a quote for the £200 because I am also struggling to see what has been broken by a glass of water on a laptop (having been in IT for 20+ years now and never seen spilled water damage a laptop in a way that 'drying it out' doesn't resolve it; tea, coffee, coke (the worst!!) maybe, but never plain water).

Frequency · 02/04/2025 13:48

The more I think about it, the more I am also team "she's pulling a fast one". Either that or the repair shop is ripping her off.

  1. Water is highly unlikely to damage a screen. It is not impossible, but it is unlikely. It would generally take a while for that kind of damage to become apparent, also.
  2. £200 to replace a 15-year-old LCD screen? Seriously?
  3. It would be cheaper to replace the laptop on a like-for-like basis.

@Mrsg26 Can you ask her for the number of the repair shop on the basis that your computer engineer brother is concerned she's being ripped off?

godmum56 · 02/04/2025 13:48

Mrsg26 · 02/04/2025 12:26

wow thanks for all the messages, I hadn't expected such a large response.

the laptop was a 2010 macbook. She has sent a receipt for a screen replacement but its not a detailed invoice so I will request that from the repair shop. My brother is a computer engineer and he said macbook screens are quite sealed up so its difficult to get water damage in it, it would be more in line with the motherboard needing replaced, which isn't the case here.

I am not saying we wont pay but I want to be absolutely sure the damage was a result of my daughter spilling some water & not some other reason.

yup. I am a mac user, screen damage is usually caused by a blow or being dropped and not by water....and 200 for a mac repair sounds cheap!

godmum56 · 02/04/2025 13:49

Mrsg26 · 02/04/2025 13:44

The host didnt hand the glass to my daughter as she was sitting down next to the laptop. My daughter was standing up. The host put the glass on the table beside the laptop. She had to reach over and pick up the glass The glass was full and wet on the outside. It slipped a little and water spilled. My kid still had the glass in her hand. She certainly didn't drop the glass all over the laptop. Accidents of course happen all the time, but it feels like it was set up to happen this way in the first place.

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yup that stinks!!

anotherside · 02/04/2025 13:49

So the host woman had a new laptop already? Hmm. I’d be more happy paying the replacement value probably of the old laptop as opposed to the repair cost of a 15 year old laptop.

Frequency · 02/04/2025 13:59

BlackDollsEyes · 02/04/2025 13:47

Personally I think it right to pay for damage because a 17 year old is not a child and extra care around where to place a glass of water should not be needed.

However, I'd want to see a quote for the £200 because I am also struggling to see what has been broken by a glass of water on a laptop (having been in IT for 20+ years now and never seen spilled water damage a laptop in a way that 'drying it out' doesn't resolve it; tea, coffee, coke (the worst!!) maybe, but never plain water).

I've been in the hardware repair side of IT for a while, and it does happen. Often, due to the laptops not being dried properly out but occasionally the water can hit something important or get sucked into the PSU.

The worst bit is when users deny it. We had a succession of Dell laptops sent for repair under warranty, only to have them returned due to customer-induced water damage. One of them was moldy when it was opened up. God knows what was "not spilled" on it, but it grew a nice coat of green fuzz.

I've also had hold of a desktop PC that was literally dripping coffee down my leg while the user told me she had no clue what happened to it. It just stopped working. She hadn't knocked it, or spilled anything, and had no clue why it stunk of burned coffee or why there was a puddle of coffee by my feet Grin. The PSU was fried.

rachelvbwho · 02/04/2025 13:59

Mrsg26 · 02/04/2025 13:44

The host didnt hand the glass to my daughter as she was sitting down next to the laptop. My daughter was standing up. The host put the glass on the table beside the laptop. She had to reach over and pick up the glass The glass was full and wet on the outside. It slipped a little and water spilled. My kid still had the glass in her hand. She certainly didn't drop the glass all over the laptop. Accidents of course happen all the time, but it feels like it was set up to happen this way in the first place.

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In this scenario I would be hesitant to believe that some splashes of water from a cup that hadn't been fully dropped / spilled would require a full screen repair on a MacBook.

JudgingJudy · 02/04/2025 14:06

I've never asked parents to pay for the damage done by their children in my home. Neither have my friends who have hosted 18th and 21st birthday parties in their homes.

I wouldn't pay - and it wouldn't occur to me to ask for payment if I were the host in these circumstances.

My 14yo is just back from a student exchange - could I expect a bill for damages, for not unreasonable behaviour on their part for a breakage in the hosts home?
If my 17yo guest spilt a hot drink, breaking the glass and burning themselves - are they resposible for replacing the glass or am I responsible to make sure they get proper medical care, at whatever expense is involved. I think responsability is fully with the adults who are in loco parentis here.

purplecorkheart · 02/04/2025 14:07

Normally, I would say pay up but this situations seems a bit odd to me. It almost sounds like your daughter was being set up.

The fact that this happened in the kitchen is irrelevant imo. I think it is a bit odd that you think that expensive equipment such as ipads and laptops cannot be in the kitchen.

Why did she pour your daughter a glass of water in the first place when your daughter was standing and could most likely easily get it herself? Why put the glass on the table rather than handing it to your standing daughter? She had a new laptop already so is the £200 for the repair of the old one or is it to transfer data over to the new one?

I certainly would be demanding to see a receipt for the repair and would check that it was a legit business and not a mate. Make sure the receipt has a detailed breakdown of the work carried out.

There is a lesson to be learned in this and that is sometimes it is better to go through the Agency. They probably offer some kind of insurance to cover incidents like this.

12345mummy · 02/04/2025 14:07

I don’t think I would pay. Maybe offer to go halves. It’s a business and that’s what her insurance is for.

GROMIT50 · 02/04/2025 14:17

If the host dropped something on your daughters laptop, and did the same damage, would you expect host to pay.

Frequency · 02/04/2025 14:23

Mrsg26 · 02/04/2025 13:44

The host didnt hand the glass to my daughter as she was sitting down next to the laptop. My daughter was standing up. The host put the glass on the table beside the laptop. She had to reach over and pick up the glass The glass was full and wet on the outside. It slipped a little and water spilled. My kid still had the glass in her hand. She certainly didn't drop the glass all over the laptop. Accidents of course happen all the time, but it feels like it was set up to happen this way in the first place.

Show quote history

This makes me more suspicious.

If the laptop was open and powered on, the keyboard or baseboard could have feasibly been damaged by water dropping on it from a height. If it was closed it would most likely have fine unless the fan was running and sucked the water in which case it would be the fan which was damaged and possibly the CPU socket.

For water to damage a screen, it would have had to be thrown at the screen and left to drip down/settle on the bezel at the bottom. If DD was standing when she dropped the water, I can't see how the water got to the screen?

elfies · 02/04/2025 14:26

I think you should pay , sorry !

Original poster
Mrsg26 · 02/04/2025 14:28

I have insurance in place for damage to my daughter’s items outwith the home. If damaged occurred we would claim. I wouldn't try and enforce the host to pay for it. Similarly when clients come into my home office, If they damage something I wouldn't expect them to pay. They are clients and that is what my business insurance is for.

OP posts:
BunnyLake · 02/04/2025 14:28

elfies · 02/04/2025 14:26

I think you should pay , sorry !

Without checking it’s legit and not someone being a cf?

MeliusMoriQuamServire · 02/04/2025 14:32

Wouldn't pay her a red cent. Or you could go on ebay, buy a FIFTEEN YEAR OLD Macbook for 50 quid and send it to her. Who repairs 15 year old laptops and pays more for repairs than they're actually worth? What's next? Repairing Nokia 3310 for 500?

She's having you on. Offer her to replace it with another 2010 Macbook.

TY78910 · 02/04/2025 14:35

MeliusMoriQuamServire · 02/04/2025 14:32

Wouldn't pay her a red cent. Or you could go on ebay, buy a FIFTEEN YEAR OLD Macbook for 50 quid and send it to her. Who repairs 15 year old laptops and pays more for repairs than they're actually worth? What's next? Repairing Nokia 3310 for 500?

She's having you on. Offer her to replace it with another 2010 Macbook.

This is a good point. Offer to buy her a like for like replacement.

MacBook repairs are expensive, beyond £200. I know she sent you a quote but it’s certainly not from an approved repairer. I don’t see how a small spill of water could damage a screen either - if the screen had liquid damage you’d see the liquid in the screen. Did you ask for a picture of the damage?