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

Maybe your kid needs to go back to sippy cups 😆 of course you need to repair the hosts laptop

Send the host $100 now and say you'll be able to send the rest along very soon. Then do it. Also, apologize.

It's a small world sometimes. You may need this person again. And your daughter was at fault. She is watching and learning from what you do.

I think you should pay. You say that your daughter didn’t damage the laptop intentionally or with malice. But that doesn’t matter at all. Of course it was an accident. That doesn’t absolve her of responsibility.

It sounds as though you are accusing the host of dishonesty. Do you think that is fair? Presumably you trust this person or you wouldn’t have allowed your child to stay with her several times.

Thats not strange... its absolutely none of your business whether the host has an old laptop and a new one or three bloody new ones!

It's likely that the £200 is some or all of the excess on her insurance. Pay up. Your kid was clumsy and damaged someone elses stuff.

I wouldn't pay anything at all.

The woman should be insured, especially since she's a business and this was a loss caused as a result of her running her business (if she had no host business your DD wouldn't have been in the house).

TBH I suspect a scam. She already had a new laptop. You've no evidence this one was working before the water was spilled on it.

Your DD wasn't negligent, it was an accident.

The host was negligent in failing to take reasonable care of her own equipment, in choosing to place a glass of water next to a portable electronic device. Either the glass could have been placed elsewhere or the device could have been moved first. Both sensible precautions and she failed to do either.

I'd tell them to whistle for it and be more careful handing guests wet glasses around computer equipment in future.

Agree 💯%

Wow, they saw you coming.

Most house insurances will have an excess to pay, making a claim like this not worth it, even if it was insured under the policy.
OP needs to pay, imo

Now I see this I say even more so she's a chancer. I'll bet she's not even registered as a business. Never mind has insurance, pays taxes on her informal earnings etc! She's working for an agency as an employee and she's gone behind their back, no doubt breaking her contract with them to cut them out and charged you informally. It's cash-in-hand work (regardless of how you paid), no contract, most importantly for DD safety no rights and no responsibility from the host. Tell her to go fuck herself. She tried to make a fast buck and it backfired on her (if the laptop was working the first place). She needs to foot the consequences of her own actions.

If my kids were visiting someone’s home I would take responsibility for damage they caused. It’s very convenient to look for excuses not to be responsible for your kid’s actions. Plenty of parents did just that when I was teaching school.

i think you should pay

Id pay but only on rrcepit

That’s a good idea. Reimburse them after they send you a repair receipt.

She'll be recommended by the college, their lists are only going to include the above board registered etc etc hosts.

What a nasty bunch folk are, this woman has had her property damaged and people are accusing her of all sorts of things simply because she wants that making right!

I'd ask for the ( detailed) invoice first before I paid anything. Why was your daughter sitting at the laptop if she wasn't using it? And yes everyone has a beverage of some description next to their laptop. I've spilt quite a few drinks on mine over the years. They seem to be getting stronger. My DS's copped a whole glass of red wine and is still going strong. Mine just has a weird sign pop up when I start it after a glass of water went all over it. Act quickly.. Dry it inside and out and tilt it by putting something under the corner . Cross your fingers . My neighbour fixed one of mine ( that was white wine). Surely everyone has done this or am I and my children just incrediby clumsy.

Her actions were to have an unfortunate accident, likely caused by the host, who is quite equally possibly just grubbing up money for a brand new laptop she already has.

If the daughter had done something recklessly or deliberately that would be a different matter. There's taking responsibility for your children's actions and there is allowing someone to behave unconscionably towards them then take the piss out of you.

Being a doormat is not an example I would want to set for my daughter, nor is blaming them for someone else's reckless behaviour.

Indeed. DD1 threw up over my open laptop when she was little and it survived. I've spilt hot and cold drinks on several over the years and they have never died.

You are getting a mix of replies as there is no one answer and you are getting peoples moral views too.

She is running a business and accidents will happen- what say if you daughter had spilt nail varnish on the carpet instead and it needed cleaned ( a likely accident).

Can you contact the original company and ask them what accidental damage liability you would have with them? This is what I would apply to your off contact stay.

You only have her word that the damage was due to water and was £200. If you do decide to pay ask for the repair invoice.

I understand you want to avoid paying for repairs infantilising your child to avoid paying is just ridiculous. Surely, if she can be trusted to stay away alone for auditions she can be trusted to have a drink by the laptop? Most do by the time they finish primary school.

Of course you need to pay op, I can’t believe you even had to ask! You need to be a good role model to your dc. If you break something you fix and repair it. You are very lucky it’s only £200!

I would want to speak to the repair shop and see a quote before I paid just to add.

I would take the laptop and find someone to repair it myself.

It might be £200. It might not. Sounds like a lot of money.

Of course you pay! She’s 17, not 2. I don’t understand why people try to find ways round situations like this.

pay with a detailed receipt outlining the works