Case #75913 Flatmates

Who should pay for the broken TV?

The jury has spoken.

16,030 jurors · 467 asked for more information

The complainant 77%
The flatmate 6%
Both 15%
Neither 2%

Top jury comment

Your guest, your responsibility. That's how it works with everything from spilled wine to golf clubs apparently.

1,480 agree

Read all 8 comments

Verdicts are the opinions of people who voted here, based on one side's account. The majority is not always right.

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The complainant says

I bought a 55 inch TV when I moved in and put it in the shared living room so everyone could use it. My flatmate had friends round while I was away for a weekend. One of the friends was demonstrating a golf swing with a real club (I still don't understand why a golf club was in the living room) and smashed the screen.

It cost me just over £500 two years ago. My flatmate says the friend should pay, but the friend has gone quiet and my flatmate won't chase them. I think my flatmate is responsible because they invited the person into our home and it happened on their watch.

The other side says the flatmate, as the complainant tells it

They say it was an accident, they didn't break it, and they have already asked their friend to pay. They also say the TV was two years old and wouldn't be worth £500 now, and that I chose to put my own TV in a shared room, so there was always a risk.

Update from the complainant 32 days ago

The friend eventually paid £250 and my flatmate covered another £150. I've bought a smaller TV and it stays in my room when I'm away.

Deliver your own verdict

Jury discussion (8 comments)

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  1. Juror 6139 Voted: The complainant

    Why was there a golf club in the living room and why was anyone swinging it.

    990 Agree 1,250 Funny 8 Hmm
  2. Juror 3615 Voted: The complainant

    Your guest, your responsibility. That's how it works with everything from spilled wine to golf clubs apparently.

    1,480 Agree 300 Funny 4 Hmm
  3. Juror 7758 Complainant

    Thanks all. The golf swing has been retired.

    540 Agree 410 Funny Hmm
  4. Juror 4520 Voted: The complainant

    'You chose to put your TV in a shared room' is such a bad argument. So everyone should keep their stuff locked in their bedrooms?

    720 Agree 30 Funny 6 Hmm
  5. Juror 1996 Voted: Both have a point

    The depreciation point is actually fair though. You'd get maybe £200 for it second hand.

    610 Agree 5 Funny 140 Hmm
    1. Juror 6853 Voted: The complainant

      You'd get £200 for it if it wasn't smashed. Replacing it with an equivalent still costs real money.

      420 Agree 3 Funny 18 Hmm
    2. Juror 5234 Voted: Both have a point

      Replacement value vs used value is literally what every insurer argues about. Meet in the middle.

      250 Agree 2 Funny 30 Hmm
  6. Juror 9377 Voted: The complainant

    Glad you got £400 back. That's a decent outcome honestly.

    260 Agree 4 Funny 2 Hmm

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Part of Flatmates. Submitted 36 days ago. Verdicts show what the people who voted here think, based on one side's account. The majority is not necessarily right, and nobody in this case should be identifiable. If you recognise yourself or someone else, please tell us.

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