Money Moral Dilemma: Should I insist on paying my colleague for the chair she gave me?

MalMonroe

No. This is a kind person who will really be fed up if you keep going on about paying her. It's just the British way to feel embarrassed when kind people do nice things for us, as if we are somehow not worthy. Accept that you are worth this lovely gesture and leave it at that. 

What I'd do is arrange for her to receive a lovely bouquet by interflora/post/etc. with a note of thanks. 

I think you are really lucky to have someone so kind in your life. Enjoy.

poppyclark66

Thank you card with some lovely flowers would be a lovely gesture. 

ElaineDarby1984

Get her a little thank you card saying how much you appreciated her giving you the chair & maybe a little gift too. Something she can enjoy. 

alecwakley

The act of giving for no reward can make one feel more at peace with ones self, your colleague has obviously felt this way having seen your need and she having this extra chair, accept it in the spirit it was given.
Going forward you may see someone you can help, be it large or small, try a little spontaneous giving it may surprise you how good it makes you feel 😊

clivemse

I would donate £25 to her favourite charity...

TELLIT01

LB003g0676 said:

The people who are saying "If I gave something to someone for free and they tried to pay me for it, I'd be annoyed", possibly need to realise that your gesture not being received exactly as you intended is ironically not very thoughtful of you.

I have no problem with somebody offering to pay for something, but that person needs to accept it if I am firm that I don't want payment for the item.  Otherwise it descends to a Mrs Doyle scenario as in Father Ted!

newsgroupmonkey_

This is why we can't have nice things.
Someone has offered a good friend something for free, because they are not out of pocket.

We are having a new kitchen fitted shortly. We will be replacing a 6 month old cooker with an integrated solution. My folks need a cooker. I wouldn't dream of asking them (or a friend in need) for anything for it, in fact, I would be quite annoyed if they pressed it (although agreed, a token gift like a box of chocs or some flowers wouldn't be refused)

I've always felt that if we get given something for free, it should not be sold. Perhaps that's my morals.

DAB_53

As others have said a nice, small gift as a thank you would probably be appreciated - flowers, chocolates or maybe a plant for her garden - just say it is a small token of your appreciation.

graememartin

Firstly, why didn't you go into your office and get your chair? I did that on the second day of home working, I have a special chair for my bad back that cost the company £500, I wasn't going to get one like that by myself. It's been a massive help. I've seen people struggling on the sofa, at the kitchen table etc; I did on day 1 of lockdown but my missus said to me 'you need to be upstairs in the spare room, I can't have you under my feet all day!' - for that I needed another chair, so I sorted it quickly.
Secondly, most people don't seem to realize that working from home is still working for your company. They are legally obliged to provide you a suitable environment to work in at the office (ie with appropriate furniture), with home-working I'd suggest they are still responsible, and therefore they need to buy you a suitable chair if you don't have one and can't get to the office to get the one you normally use. Suggest you (and everyone else out there struggling) contact them and see what they will do for you.

As for your friend, just buy her some chocolates or something to say 'ta' and call it a day at that, she did say it was free.

Marvel1

She doesn't want anything, so I would leave it.