17 year old spilled water on Host family Laptop

[Mrsg26]

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

We have agreed to pay half. Its fair given I don't have an invoice for the bill stating water damage and it is purely hearsay on what actually occurred. Also, The laptop worked perfectly fine until my daughter left the Host’s house and then 3 hours later it was broken, taken to a mobile phone repair shop fixed with a brand new screen for a very old laptop and I was sent a receipt to pay. I wasn’t even given the opportunity to discuss it beforehand.

Anyway, I would like to forget about it now. Thanks to everything who took the time to reply

Why would the screen have needed replacing?

£200?

she is conning you

Tricky situation but I do think you should pay OP. Sounds like the host was kind to your daughter so that’s good but it was your daughter’s “fault.” I think on this one, you have to follow what the host wants and in this case, is to repair!

This. If you are careless, you have to potentially deal with consequences which include compensation for resultant damage to third parties. Much of the UK's legal system is based on this fundamental principle.

Not necesarily, it depends on what components have been irreparably damaged. One of my work colleagues once knocked over a cup of coffee which seeped into his laptop and it was ruined, he had to get a replacement.

Of course your dd should pay. It's fairly normal in life for drinks to be near laptops and other electrical items. What you don't expect is for a nearly adult to fumble a drink onto your laptop.

Also why do you expect the host to have insurance? I WFH but don't have insurance. If you mean her hosting activities that's clearly a bit of additional cash and not going to get insurance.

Your dd should pay, not you. Teach her to be more careful of other's property.

Obviously it was an accident but you/yr daughter should foot the bill.

Because the host is running a business - her business is hosting and that should include insurance. The host is also in breach of contract with her agency.

The host put her 15 yr old mac book (value about £50) open on the kitchen table. She then supplied a wet, full and unrequested glass of water and put it down right next to the laptop. The "spill" was a few drops as the wet glass was full. The 15 yr old mac was working when the girl left. A day later it was "water damaged" and repaired for 200 quid but no invoice provided, no prior discussion before the work was done.

I'd love to know where this host gets a 15 yr old MB screen replaced in a couple of hours because the repairers I've used have to procure the parts from resellers as the parts are no longer made by Apple.

So the whole thing smells frankly. Hosting young students/school pupils for short periods is a business and she should be insured. She will be seeing a lot of guests over the year, scam a percentage of them for a figure which most parents won't feel able to argue about, cut out the agency fees - thats a nice bit of extra cash in hand.

If you crash your car, it's an accident not on an on purpose, you still pay for the damage.

Noones saying you're daughter did it maliciously, but she did do and she is responsible for it. And as she's underage, you are.

This

I agree she is conning you - because £200 is FAR too cheap for a repair to a Macbook Pro screen. You'd looking at £600+, so beyond it being worthwhile. And there is also practically zero chance of arranging at such short notice.

I'm gonna come on here and say what somebody will say: If you had contracted through the agency I'm sure there was some type of liability insurance that the host family could access. You may find out that your discounted rates cost more than doing business with that agency.

Since you no longer need her services and she is running a business and as such should have accidental insurance she should claim on that.

If it was staying with a friend, you pay.

Worse case she threatens to sue but without a contract to say who is responsible for damages I think her case is weak (but not a legal expert).

Worse case she has to take partial responsibility for liquid proximity to electronics.

Oh my goodness! Of course you should pay!

I was thinking exactly that, I would have thought that they would have to have insurance to be a hosting family in the first place. Kind of like a childminder does.

Think a fair outcome although suspect she was at it. She will lose out in the end as you won't use her again.

Every time my daughter stayed there was young foreign exchange students staying, aged around 12/13 so I think it highly unlikely she wouldn't have insurance as all of these stays would have been arranged through the homestay agency.

She did tell my daughter the other night that the owner of the host agency is a b*tch which she should not have been telling my daughter this as it is not very professional However none of this matters to what has occurred.

Just to clarify I have never spoken to this lady about cutting out the agency, this was a discussion she had with my daughter last summer and she told her to only contact her directly. I Wish we had continued to use the agency however my DD just did what the host requested. To everyone thinking we saved money this way we absolutely DID NOT. It cost more per night than what the host agency charged, plus the host didnt need to pay away commission to the agency. We didnt benefit.

Lastly, My brother is a senior computer software engineer and when the host explained why the screen needed replacing it doesn't tie in with the proposed damage hence his scepticism.

As I said above I am paying half of the repair costs, but no more. For the reasons already stated. I have no proof a screen replacement was a result of water damage especially as it was functioning properly before my child left her home. And an old mac book screen LCD would have to be ordered in. It just feels a tad convenient that she got it all repaired within 3 hours of my child leaving her house, my daughter couldn't check it wasn't working and then asking for payment afterwards. All i got was a ripped receipt for a new screen.

She had already bought a brand new laptop this week too which she had showed my daughter, and lets he honest you only purchase a new computer if your old one is slow/not working/ or already broken. It was also a 2012 macbook. it is almost defunct. Not sure why anyone would pay £200 for a new screen for it when same model can be bought cheaper refurbished.

I would possibly offer to meet in the middle with the repair. Pointing out that she is clearly not declaring some of her hosting income which she should be doing.

I have offered £100. I asked a few questions and have not had a reply since early afternoon.

TBH she damaged it, you should pay for the repair- but be sure you see 3 estimates and the final invoice before you stump up any money.
Yes accidents happen, but if a host family insured against accidents like these it would make hosting not economically viable, insurance against this sort of accident is always very expensive, especially if it involved people who are not part of the family. I would check and see if your own insurance would cover this- I suspect not.

Good for you OP. I think this was the right call.

Wow, the whole thing just sounds dodgy as hell. I'm sorry you were ripped off, and that your poor dd had to deal with someone like that, so early on in her life. 🫂🌹

Not always. My work one was wiped out entirely by a small amount a child knocked over in it.
even despite immediate action we couldn’t save it - it fizzled a bit, flashed on and off a few times and then went black. Tech took it to ounces, dried it all out, etc but no saving it sadly.

Ask for a copy of the quote she has been given 200 sounds high unless it's gotten inside and burnt out the board ??