friend/money dilemma

fireyfirenze

sorry if this is a bit longwinded and boring!

one of my closest friends moved into their first house around 4 months ago. they were having problems with the washing machine (it was left there by the previous owner) and it kept flooding the floor. when they phoned the washing machine company they were told it wasn't in warranty and it would cost £100 for them to come out and look at it so they decided to just buy a new one. me and my OH had a spare new one in the garage we were thinking of selling so offered to sell it them for £70 (they offered the price).

it was difficult to transport there as none of us had a car/van big enough so a lady from my friends work who she didn't even know very well offered her husbands help to pick it up in his big car which he did. when they got it home the husband even plumbed it in for them. fast forward 2 days and I text and asked her if it was working she said no! they got a plumber and she text saying 'it was something wrong with the plumbing! could have kept my old washing machine! I have 2 now haha.'

I felt really bad about this, they didn't actually need it anymore, I would have offered to have it back but there's no way of transporting it. it's too big! so I text back saying something like 'oh no, what a pain! I'll have it back if we can get it here?' she didn't reply.

fast forward a month and a half and she hasn't give me any money for it and the machines still there. I don't know what to do. we have spoken loads since but I feel really cheeky asking for the money if they don't even need the machine. it's really possible she just forgot but what should I do? should I leave it and write it off as a housewarming present? or leave it another month or so and ask for the money? I'm expecting a baby and the £70 could come in really useful for baby things!

sassyblue

Send a text 'hi, our washing machine, do you still want it for £70 or could l get it collected l really need it selling for baby stuff, thanks x'

Hope she gives you the money or you can arrange to get it back.

moromir

Sassyblue is right, don't beat about the bush though.

Ask them if they want it for £70 as agree or you will be arranging to have it collected so you can sell for money towards baby stuff.

ska_lover

Hi OP, sounds like a bit of a difficult one. If I were you, I wouldn't fuss with getting it collected. I would tell her that I was going to advertise it for sale on X date - just so she has time to swap washers, presuming she is using yours.

Then I would pop round there and take a photo and whack it on one of the facebook selling sites, and get buyer to collect from hers - seems easiest way forwards to me, and not putting too much pressure on you or your friend re the transportation issue

gunsandbanjos

It's not your fault her water was messed up. I'd be asking for the money ASAP before anymore time passes.

getmore4less

no friend.....

have you seen which washer they are using?

fireyfirenze

ska_lover wrote: »

Hi OP, sounds like a bit of a difficult one. If I were you, I wouldn't fuss with getting it collected. I would tell her that I was going to advertise it for sale on X date - just so she has time to swap washers, presuming she is using yours.

Then I would pop round there and take a photo and whack it on one of the facebook selling sites, and get buyer to collect from hers - seems easiest way forwards to me, and not putting too much pressure on you or your friend re the transportation issue

thank you, that's a good idea I need to check what washing machine she's using, ours or her old one...I don't know.

I can't really text her and say I'm going to arrange have it collected because id have to hire a van which presumably would cost, so it wouldn't be worth getting it back!

ska_lover

Yeah definitely, you don't want any more cost or hassle really.

Just a casual text along the lines of ' Hi there, was thinking of putting that washer up for sale on Friday next week, would it be OK with you if I asked a buyer to collect it direct from yours, save messing about transporting it back? '

That way it gives her a week to swap over and I cant see why she would complain, if shes got two of them around the house, she will probably be glad to see the back of one if she's short of space

sharnad

Send her a text asking her when you can get the money or if you can collect . She may have been using your one all this time.

marisco_2

I'd love to know how people manage to forget that they owe money to someone who has helped them out. Why do you feel cheeky asking for the money your friend agreed to pay you for the washing machine? If she is that good a friend she wont mind you raising this with her or see you out of pocket.

sparklyshoe

Cheeky mare, ask for it back (she gets it back to you ) or cash in a week!