Holiday Problem - not sure what to do

pboae

We got back from a week in France tonight. There were a few problems with the gite we stayed in (i.e. half the gate was missing so the supposedly enclosed garden wasn't, most of the glasses were cracked or chipped and we ended up buying a set just to have something to drink from, and a other bits and pieces). It was just irritating things, and nothing that was going to be fixed while we were there, or that merited a phone call back to UK to sort it out (e.g. the glasses were £3 from a hypermarket, so it wasn't worth a mobile phone call at 70p a minute to get them replaced). Plus I generally can't be bothered with the hassle and would prefer just to get on with things and enjoy my holiday rather than complain unless it's something really serious.

But the night before last my nephew slept in the other bed in his room, and after a few hours it collapsed. He wasn't badly hurt when it collapsed, but he could have been. It must have been damaged before hand, and looking at it I think it had been cracked by an adult kneeling or standing on it to reach the curtains. He definitley hadn't been mucking about, bouncing on the bed or anything stupid, and he isn't heavy enough to have cracked it himself, even if he had stood or knelt on it.

The owner has already emailed to say she will be charging us for the bed, and I have replied to explain the circumstances. I've not had a reply yet. I really don't think we should have to pay for the bed, as I am 100% sure we did not cause the original damage. Add to that the general disrepair of the property I don't even feel like I should have to offer part payment. The owner has a £100 deposit cheque, and I could get that stopped still, but I am not sure whether that would be a good idea.

I've looked through the faqs of the site I booked throughhttp://www.cottages4you.co.uk and it sounds like they will mediate but not much else.

I don't know what to do, I can either lose the deposit for damage we didn't cause, stop the cheque, (but then what, presumably they can still persue me for the money), or try and negotiate some part payment, but again, why should I? It may be that the owner will get back to me tomorrow and accept it wasn't our fault, but I won't get my hopes up. I already feel like we are being reasonable because I could be demanding damages and compensation for all the other problems, and also for the minor injury caused by the bed. But I don't know what to do next. If I want to stop the cheque I need to decide quickly.