Real life MMD:Should I pay for the £700 watch my friend forgot?

MuddyMulberry

When I taught in an FE college, all students and staff were strongly advised against bringing in/wearing valuable items, because the college would not take responsibility for their loss or damage if left lying around. If for any reason watches, phones etc. had to be removed from the student for a learning activity - exams, sports, art, drama to name a few examples - the lecturer would collect them in and place each item in an envelope with the student's name on. These envelopes would then be sealed and locked away until the end of the session, when they would be returned unopened to their owners.

I believe this practice is common to most colleges, as it prevents claims against them for loss or damage. However, it sounds as if this one is the exception. If so, maybe the silly person who left an allegedly valuable watch lying around should make noises to the college about a claim. They'd pretty soon invest in some nice strong envelopes, or even push the boat out for a few lockers.

savingqueen

No you should not offer to pay for the watch.

The owner wore it to college knowing full well that it would have to be removed for class.

She knew it was valuable/sentimental.

She knew there was a risk of it getting lost, damaged or stolen.

The poster did a good deed in picking up the watch - preventing it from being potentially lost/damamged/stolen. It was unfortunate (and maybe careless) that it got lost again. She was honest, apologised and offered to pay a reasonable amount of money.

The owner should not wear an expensive/sentimental item to college if she doesn't want to take the risk if loosing it.

If I was the watch owner - I would not have worn it to college. I would not owned such an expensive watch in the first place even as a working person (but that's another issue I know). If I had worn such a watch to college, I would assume full responsibility for it.

If I leave something somewhere and return to find it gone, I am upset and annoyed with myself. if a friend had picked it up and lost it again, I would be upset about the situation but not with the friend. I would never expect anyone, not least a friend to pay for my initial mistake. If they were rich and I wasn't and they really wanted to pay for it, I might just accept an offer of reimbursement but this isn't the case in this dilema.

Put it down to experience. If it happens again I would hand it in to the college office with full details, ask for a receipt and alert the 'friend'. I can't believe how many people ask their 'friends' for money in this way.

babushkava

I am wondering how much your friend told you about the value of the watch, before it went missing. Could it be a £30 watch and your friend is conning you?

Whatever it was worth, I recommend that you don't pay a single penny. Your (former) friend left it, you tried to help her, but the net result is the same - she left her watch there and was unable to get it back.

You tried to do a good turn. None of us would do good turns if we thought there was a risk of a huge bill, if we made a mistake.

Tough it out, as other posters have said. Either ask her to produce proof of the value of the watch (sentimental value is irrelevant here) and watch her make excuses. Or just say that you were trying to help and cannot understand why she wants to make you partly responsible for her leaving the watch behind, but that you do not accept any responsibility. Over to her.

lainie3961

I would like to have a reply from 'MSE penelope' on all the questions posted on this thread before I make up my mind!!!

I find it hard to believe that the poster hasnt returned to this site since Monday!!!! Lets hear back from you!!

Very often the answers dictate the solution!

stephimoon

I lost a watch that was worth quite a bit less than your friend's watch after a movement class at uni once. I was ill at the time and not really thinking straight and left it in the class after picking up my stuff to go home. I wrote it off as lost forever, decided not to claim on insurance (it was probably only worth about £35-£50 new) and got myself a cheap watch that I wouldn't mind losing.

9 months later I decided to ask the security if I could have a look in the lost property box to see if my watch had been handed in. They had an entire cupboard dedicated to lost and uncollected property. Lo and behold, my watch was there, flat battery and everything. The watch now lives in my jewellery box as the cheap watch is still going strong a year and a half later, and I don't want to buy a new battery for a watch when I have one that works fine.

Moral of the story...
ask to see the lost property at uni. Check through your things again and retrace your steps. How might you have lost it? Put up posters, possibly offer a reward of £10 or something. The watch may have turned up, keep searching. If it's gone forever for certain, then think about paying towards her excess on insurance.

She should have been more careful. You can't be expected to pay £700.

Ferguslea1

If I were you I would be blunt with her, "listen, I didn't even have to mention I found it so whilst I am genuinely sorry for loosing it (again, just as you did) there's no way I'm going to pay you for your carelessness.
Claim it on your insurance and be more careful in future."

If what you say is true, why on earth did you tell her you had found it in the first place? I understand wanting to get it back to her, but when you screwed that up why put yourself in the firing line?

Unless of course you had no intention of giving it back to her and made up the story of loosing it in case someone had seen you STEAL it?

Scared45

Some friend!

I'd give her a couple of slaps but no money.

Ebenezer_Screwj

You took possession of the watch without the owner's consent - then you lost it. You need to provide full compensation for this grossly negligent act.

whosforachat

Ebenezer_Screwj wrote: »

You took possession of the watch without the owner's consent - then you lost it. You need to provide full compensation for this grossly negligent act.

Can't see anyone agreeing with that.

davnig

Ebenezer_Screwj wrote: »

You took possession of the watch without the owner's consent - then you lost it. You need to provide full compensation for this grossly negligent act.

Bored are we, you're just being a WUM!!