What would you do?

[esoteric]

These people don't sound like friends.. and they seem to have been raised with a sense of entitlement.

Give compensation to the value of the item, nothing more or less.

 

[Beans on toast Dave]

if they have that attitude, i would forget the friendship too, so easily sorted in a fair manor, they are just greedy!!

 

[dirtybeatfreak]

Yea, with that attitude, offer repairs costs and tell them to do one..

 

[Royal Fleet]

To put a slightly different slant on the house insurance issue. If your sister could be held to be legally liable for the damage caused (and on the facts stated here she may well be), then she could claim under the liability section of her own home insurance (i.e. not the home in which the incident occured)

Almost all home insurance policies cover you for accidents when you were at fault for someone else's loss. A bit like the third party liability under a motor insurance policy although motor is specifically excluded under a household policy. That is why cyclists don't need liability insurance. It is covered under the house.

However, that would only cover the legal liability in this case and as the claimant has a common law duty to mitigate any loss would only cover the replacement of a similarly aged and spec laptop.

 

[Efour]

picture of sister?

 

[Brenn47]

I'd offer to pay for it to be repaired and that's the best they're going to get. Be grateful that they get the contents of the hard drive back.

 

[sigma]

picture of sister?

 

[House]

My brother in law dumped a glass of water over my ASUS ROG laptop worth £2k, he couldn't even dream of paying for it and it was an accident so i accepted his apology and moved on.

Accidents are accidents

 

[Thekwango]

They're refusing to accept the offer my sister has made towards a contribution towards a second hand laptop or repair which I believe she said £200. The friend would then cough up the other half as she was prepared to go halves on a new one.

Thankfully (or awkwardly) she's not a close friend, she was an old friend back at nursery or primary school or something, and they'd not been in touch for 15 years. So no real loss in terms of friendship.

What made me laugh was that her friend used the analogy of 'if you drove into my car you'd pay for the damage, it's the same thing'. Sigh. I fear that if this is the sort of level of intelligence being shown then it won't ever be resolved.

Not wanting to sound like a keyboard warrior but I'd be litrerally telling the to get to ****. So a repair is going to be just 200 quid, not the 800 originally thought? That's your sisters limit of obligation.

Tell you what actually, I've had a crappy day - get me some contact details and I'll merrily act on your sisters behalf. 1 minute phone call and all will be good

 

[Dave M]

I often see in commercial contracts, that if there is some form of insurance or other cover, then that must be fully explored to reduce the loss before liability falls on them.

Is this purely a contractual term or has it got any basis in general loss claims (e.g. if they took it to small claims, would it matter?).

Ahh never mind I see royal fleet's posted just that, assuming it's right I'd tell the friend to go bite me. The family seems self-entitled and money obsessed.

 

[godinman]

Tell them to claim on house contents insurance and offer to pay the excess. Insurance exists for accidents.

This.

 

[pcoltrane]

Surely much of the responsibility lies with the sister of the laptop owner. She used her brother's laptop without his permission and as a result of an accident it was broken.

No reasonable friend would expect you to pay in this situation. The attitude they have taken proves they are not people worth associating with. Demanding a new replacement for a 5 year old laptop is an attempt to take advantage of your sisters generous nature.

 

[chaparral]

A 5 year old laptop worth £500

 

[postbox]

By using her friends analogy, if you drove into her car; 1st point, you'd go through insurance, 2nd point, you wouldn't buy them a brand new car...

 

[Roar87]

Accidents happen, they should just claim through insurance, it's the entire reason it exists. I'd definitely cut off people that acted like they are though. I think your sister is being more than generous.

 

[Buffman]

Accidents happen, they should just claim through insurance, it's the entire reason it exists. I'd definitely cut off people that acted like they are though. I think your sister is being more than generous.

Yup this.

 

[bscott]

I also think your sister has been more than generous and that she should not bear the cost of the loss alone. In fact I don't think she should bear any of the cost which should be covered by insurance and if it isn't that's not the fault of your sister.

 

[BusError]

I'd offer 600 or 800 for the repair, if he's not happy, I'd buy a 1600 laptop, give him, and wow never to see him again.

Family aren't 'special'; if they are crooks, they are crooks that's it.

 

[Buffman]

I'd offer 600 or 800 for the repair, if he's not happy, I'd buy a 1600 laptop, give him, and wow never to see him again.

Family aren't 'special'; if they are crooks, they are crooks that's it.

Hah I'd offer to cover the insurance (premium) and that's it. They're taking the P now

 

[tom_e]

I'd offer 600 or 800 for the repair, if he's not happy, I'd buy a 1600 laptop, give him, and wow never to see him again.

Family aren't 'special'; if they are crooks, they are crooks that's it.

Lol wut?

What if he's not happy with the £1600 laptop, get him the full spec £2500 one?