Partner been told to pay for broken laptop

Charliezoo

Hi all,

My partner has been a self employed contractor working full time at a large UK business for several years. Recently a team from an outside company came from France to do some work with my partner. One of the team members was having problems with their laptop during a meeting, my partner offered to assist and as he reached over for the mouse, a plastic cup of water which the French team member had placed on the desk between the various cables was knocked over by the mouse wire. Unfortunately the water went over the laptop, my partner helped to try and dry it out but there was no way of knowing if the laptop would be ok until it had fully dried.

A few days later, once the team had returned to France, my partner was told that the laptop was fried, it was his fault and he was liable to pay for it. There was no mention of any independent inspection to determine the condition of the laptop and as far as the UK company is concerned, it's his fault and he has to pay the £1000 out of his own pocket to replace it.

Does this sound right? It seems pretty unfair considering one of the French team members had placed a cup of water in such a stupid place close to an expensive laptop and surely either company should have insurance to cover such accidents. It also seems to have been accepted that this laptop is not fixable without any proof.

Does he really have to pay?

PlutoinCapricorn

Has the partner got public liability insurance?

Charliezoo

Yes he has but it will likely be a hefty excess and an increase in premiums.

PasturesNew

Somebody has the liability and it looks like it is your OH. As much as that sucks the big one, it's a fact of life. Imagine if the visitor had fried HIS laptop, he'd expect it to be replaced.

Your options are public liability insurance claim, or pay for it.

It is a tax deductible item, so will only "cost" him £800 or £600 depending on his tax band.

He could also request their old laptop to be returned to him .... and flog it as "spares/repair" on ebay (or it might just magically work again).

tomtontom

This is exactly what the insurance is for. He can tell the insurer he doesn't accept he is at fault but for the amount involved they are likely to pay out anyway.

maninthestreet

PasturesNew wrote: »

Somebody has the liability and it looks like it is your OH. As much as that sucks the big one, it's a fact of life. Imagine if the visitor had fried HIS laptop, he'd expect it to be replaced.

Your options are public liability insurance claim, or pay for it.

It is a tax deductible item, so will only "cost" him £800 or £600 depending on his tax band.

Was the OH negligent in any way? Surely the company has insurance themselves to cover incidents like this?

Charliezoo

Ok thanks. The laptop wasn't personally owned by the team member, it was owned by the French company. Of course it sucks having to pay but is it something he should just accept without any proof that the laptop is not fixable? It's entirely their word and my partner can't inspect the laptop himself since the team returned to France.

maninthestreet

If your OH refuses to pay, what happens?

Charliezoo

maninthestreet wrote: »

Was the OH negligent in any way? Surely the company has insurance themselves to cover incidents like this?

I guess they would say that he was negligent because the water spilt when he reached for the mouse. The fact that the mouse lead was wrapped around the cup would suggest that that the person who left it like that should be at least partially to blame but they've chosen to say my partner was entirely at fault.

tomtontom

maninthestreet wrote: »

If your OH refuses to pay, what happens?

At a guess the contractor will not have their contract renewed.

PlutoinCapricorn

Are your partner and the French company visitors covered by the 'employer' while on their premises?