Money Moral Dilemma: Who should pay the bill?

Sooler

MIL was trespassing and caused damage - report her to the police.

cmacca

tenuissent wrote: »

Not too happy with the knee jerk M-i-L insults on here. I am a M-i-L with key and code to their house and I do 100s of jobs for them, cutting the grass, cooking meals for when they get home, caring for the small children, driving them to the shops, stay in for repair men, anything I can do to help a busy young family with two working parents and no car. And yes, I have set off their alarm in my time, but resent the "doddering old woman" remark, among many others. I am not too doddering to look after very small children and get a proper meal cooked at the same time, even if I don't know how to turn their TV on......... They would never ask me to pay for a repair if I was clumsy with something. Incidentally, only a crisis of some sort would make me go into their house when not expected.

I want you as my MIL please x

kevanf1

On the one had it would be nice if your mother in law offered to pay it or at least some of it. However, that very same button could well have stuck the next time you pressed it in. I'd say it was clearly ready to 'play up' and it was just fate that it happened to be your mum in law.

Buttons do stick so perhaps a good idea to purchase some cotton buds and methylated spirit (much cheaper than a £50 call out) and clean the buttons once in a while

Take care.

Kevan

Cwmscwti

It would be the generous thing to offer to pay for the bill on behalf of the mother-in-law. The mother-in-law had an accident. I would never make someone else feel bad about breaking something like that. Everytime someone breaks something of mine I sweep it under the carpet (not literally) and make out it is of no consequence which, let's face it, in the great scheme of things it isn't. If I were the mother-in-law of course, I would offer to pay so if there becomes an hiatus then 50:50 is a good way forward unless one person really cannot afford to pay then both parties should kindly agree to allow the richer of the two to foot the bill without either party feeling bad about it. Just be nice everyone for goodness sake.

a_lexluther

If she is of sound mind, then absolutely she should pay. Why do people find it so easy to spend other people's money? She should have called to figure out what to do next. If she feels comfortable calling out expensive services, she should feel comfortable to pay and not have the cheek to present you with the bill.

kisskatt

I agree - go 50/50.
No one's fault really, just unfortunate.
Remember next time though!

Sooler

OP should have regularly checked their buttons, they use the code all the time so would be aware the button was iffy, they could have changed to a code that didn't need that button, but they chose to leave it - their fault, they pay.

billinge

I'd be contacting the manufacturer, as this should not be possible, it's defective if you ask me. These units are designed to be used, if they fail because some is a little heavy handed, then it's not fit for purpose, and should be replaced.
It's not you mother in law's fault, the unit is not fit for purpose.
The owner should pay and reclaim from the manufacturer.
If the system is old, perhaps it is time to replace the key pad and the cost be chalked down to maintenance.

JoannaS_3

Sooler wrote: »

OP should have regularly checked their buttons, they use the code all the time so would be aware the button was iffy, they could have changed to a code that didn't need that button, but they chose to leave it - their fault, they pay.

Yeh because people working have time to 'check alarm buttons' just in case they get stuck!! Seriously?????

Obviously they weren't aware as if they were they would know it was ultimately their fault and so pay the bill!

You make it sound like they deliberately trapped the MIL into the alarm breaking!

It was an accident so they should pay 50/50 and then tell the MIL that she is to tell them she is going into their house before doing so! Nothing to do with the alarm, just polite before going into someone else's personal space, related or not!

JoannaS_3

tenuissent wrote: »

Not too happy with the knee jerk M-i-L insults on here. I am a M-i-L with key and code to their house and I do 100s of jobs for them, cutting the grass, cooking meals for when they get home, caring for the small children, driving them to the shops, stay in for repair men, anything I can do to help a busy young family with two working parents and no car. And yes, I have set off their alarm in my time, but resent the "doddering old woman" remark, among many others. I am not too doddering to look after very small children and get a proper meal cooked at the same time, even if I don't know how to turn their TV on......... They would never ask me to pay for a repair if I was clumsy with something. Incidentally, only a crisis of some sort would make me go into their house when not expected.

You sound like a great MIL! Sadlyy I think you're one in a million! Too many MIL's invade their children's space, even when they are 'grown up' and adults themselves! Especially mothers with sons, there seems to be a strange boundary issue which sometimes borders on obsession/stalking and is sometimes just plain wrong!! Like when a mother kisses her adult son on the lips?! Not good!

Anyway, I digress, maybe you could give conferences about being a good MIL, mine could do with a few tips

The main poitn is though, the MIL should have called one of the couple to tell them what had happened before calling out the alarm man as there was probably a quicker and cheaper way of solving the problem!!

Keep up the great work!