Money Moral Dilemma: Should my neighbour pay half the cost of replacing the saw they often borrow?

MSE_Kelvin

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks...

I've a small circular saw which I use to cut up pallets into kindling, saving myself a small fortune on buying ready-cut bags. My neighbour often asks to borrow my saw to do the same and uses it as much as I do, if not more. Now the saw needs replacing. With my neighbour using it so much, it doesn't take Martin to work out I only got 50% of the use out of it. Should I explain this to my neighbour and ask them to pay half the cost of a new one?

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Flugelhorn

I would just tell him that the old one has broken and not let on that you are getting a new one - see what he says about splitting the cost or paying the whole amount this time

tacpot12

Does it actually need replacing, or have the brushes worn out and need changing? 

If it does need replacing, I would suggest you ask your neighbour for a contribution towards the replacement, but I would ask for less than half on the basis that you have the benefit of ownership, e.g. you can take it with you if you move. 

Another option is to suggest that he buys the new saw and you borrow his saw when you need it. (You can point out you use don't use it as much as he does). 

ButterCheese

What type of saw please - brand?  How much was it?  If it was anything expensive then I doubt it should have broken so quickly, unless you've been sharing it for 10 years!

I would say to him "hey, fancy going halfs on a new saw because mine's broken,  We've both worn it out".  See what he (or she) says.  If they don't fancy going halves on a new one then I would politely not lend it to them anymore.  You can offer to tell them where you got yours of they keep asking.

saajan_12

Zero claim for your loss of use of the first saw - you let him borrow it, and chose not to charge or agree anything ahead of time. 

You might want to disucss going in on a new saw together somehow - but that's all forward looking, not to recover the past. Eg
- share new saw and split 50/50
- he buy new saw and you borrow
- you buy and charge him something if he wants to borrow (to account for future wear and tear)

quartzz

saajan_12 said:

Zero claim for your loss of use of the first saw - you let him borrow it, and chose not to charge or agree anything ahead of time. 

Politely disagree. Neighbour was fully aware he was using a mechanical item which degrades over time. He should offer to pay for some of the cost of repair.

Rewind 6 months. Them: "You can't borrow my equipment without first agreeing to upkeep, given that I am not aware how much it will wear out" Neighbour: "That guy with that saw is a right c***, all I want to do is use it occasionally". Keep on zero'ing, though.

As others have said - I'd go forward with the idea of future costs, rather than reimbursing past costs. I guess you could always "slightly inflate" the cost of a current repair, or the new one...

Emerion

I wouldn’t ask him for the money, because it almost always causes bad feeling, and it’s just not worth it with neighbours. I would drag my feet over replacing it, then if he asks to borrow it, say that it’s broken and see what he says. Unless he’s a selfish so and so, he will offer to buy this time or go halves. If he doesn’t offer, then say no in future when he asks to borrow, with the explanation that you want this one the last a bit longer than the last one. 

TELLIT01

If it's not working after the neighbour borrowed it, it's highly likely they knew it had broken and chose not to say anything.  On that basis I wouldn't want to lend anything to them in future.  If you have a new one and he asks to borrow it just say it's not yours and that you borrow it as the last one broke.

A friend of mine did similar with a hedge trimmer.  He had borrowed it several times, but after it was returned it didn't work when I needed it.  As I never mentioned it, and he never asked to borrow it again it's clear that he knew he'd been using it when it broke.  If he'd told me I wouldn't have wanted any payment.  It's the dishonesty that annoyed me.

19lottie82

How much is a new saw? About £40? 

Does the neighbour do you any favours? 

Personally I wouldn’t bother. It’s hardly the end of the world. I’d rather lose out on £20 than my neighbour thinking of me as a tight !!!!!!. 

Thant’s just my opinion, however. 

Missy15

If you are prepared to drag your feet in replacing it, in the hope he buys one and lets you borrow it ( he might not!) or offers to go halves, by all means do so.
Otherwise you have 2 options just buy one and carry on as before, or buy one and say no you can't borrow it in the future. 
Sorted😂

Ed264

This seems very straightforward to me - if your neighbour uses it 50%, by all means ask him to contribute 50% of the replacement cost. After all, you're both saving on buying kindling.