Someone broke my GF's laptop UPDATE, any help/ideas?

[Looney]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: Moralpanic

Originally posted by: AlienCraft
Divide repair bill by 7... Give each housemate their bill. Anyone who doesn't feel they should pay is an asshat.
Since no one is accepting responsibility for what was a careless mistake, EVERYONE should share the responsibility to make it whole again.
Time to make some House rules and have everyone sign their agreement.

That's just MORONIC. How would you like it if you were in class, and somebody broke the $5000 projector, and didn't own up to it. Nobody in the class knows who broke it, but the teacher decided that since nobody is claiming responsibility, everybody in the class, 20 of yous, would need to pay $250 each for replacement?

I wouldn't like it and if I knew who did it, I would give them up. BUT, it's the fairest solution especially in the example given. 7 people, a spill, an attempt to clean it up, yet no one owns up to the responsibility... THAT is a lot more than moronic. It's irresponsible, juvenile and generally fvcked up. Destroying or damaging someone's property without having to make repair or restitution is lame.
Let's reverse the question, how would you like it if that lappy and situation was yours?

I would be pissed, but i certainly won't punish people who weren't involved. What is really enforcing these other 7 people to pay? The only thing you'll do is pissed off all your other housemates. If you bring this to small claims court, no way would you succeed to getting those 7 to pay.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: Moralpanic

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: Moralpanic

Originally posted by: AlienCraft
Divide repair bill by 7... Give each housemate their bill. Anyone who doesn't feel they should pay is an asshat.
Since no one is accepting responsibility for what was a careless mistake, EVERYONE should share the responsibility to make it whole again.
Time to make some House rules and have everyone sign their agreement.

That's just MORONIC. How would you like it if you were in class, and somebody broke the $5000 projector, and didn't own up to it. Nobody in the class knows who broke it, but the teacher decided that since nobody is claiming responsibility, everybody in the class, 20 of yous, would need to pay $250 each for replacement?

I wouldn't like it and if I knew who did it, I would give them up. BUT, it's the fairest solution especially in the example given. 7 people, a spill, an attempt to clean it up, yet no one owns up to the responsibility... THAT is a lot more than moronic. It's irresponsible, juvenile and generally fvcked up. Destroying or damaging someone's property without having to make repair or restitution is lame.
Let's reverse the question, how would you like it if that lappy and situation was yours?

I would be pissed, but i certainly won't punish people who weren't involved. What is really enforcing these other 7 people to pay? The only thing you'll do is pissed off all your other housemates. If you bring this to small claims court, no way would you succeed to getting those 7 to pay.

If no one is going to stand up and do the right thing, then responsibility must be shared by those that were present.
Actually, a judge may find that all those present share the responsibility since no one seems to be forthcoming. If everyone is sharing rent, utilities and other household responsibilities, it stands to reason that they would share in repairs as well, ESPECIALLY if it was in the house, in her room, and showed signs of someone trying to "fix it"ie paper towel bits left in the keyboard.
As for pissing off the other roomamtes, screw 'em. How about pissing off ME?? It certainly wasn't me and one of those jerks is playing me for a fool, WRONG!!!. They can be pissed, but they will pay or they will leave.

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: Moralpanic

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: Moralpanic

Originally posted by: AlienCraft
Divide repair bill by 7... Give each housemate their bill. Anyone who doesn't feel they should pay is an asshat.
Since no one is accepting responsibility for what was a careless mistake, EVERYONE should share the responsibility to make it whole again.
Time to make some House rules and have everyone sign their agreement.

That's just MORONIC. How would you like it if you were in class, and somebody broke the $5000 projector, and didn't own up to it. Nobody in the class knows who broke it, but the teacher decided that since nobody is claiming responsibility, everybody in the class, 20 of yous, would need to pay $250 each for replacement?

I wouldn't like it and if I knew who did it, I would give them up. BUT, it's the fairest solution especially in the example given. 7 people, a spill, an attempt to clean it up, yet no one owns up to the responsibility... THAT is a lot more than moronic. It's irresponsible, juvenile and generally fvcked up. Destroying or damaging someone's property without having to make repair or restitution is lame.
Let's reverse the question, how would you like it if that lappy and situation was yours?

I would be pissed, but i certainly won't punish people who weren't involved. What is really enforcing these other 7 people to pay? The only thing you'll do is pissed off all your other housemates. If you bring this to small claims court, no way would you succeed to getting those 7 to pay.

If no one is going to stand up and do the right thing, then responsibility must be shared by those that were present.
Actually, a judge may find that all those present share the responsibility since no one seems to be forthcoming. If everyone is sharing rent, utilities and other household responsibilities, it stands to reason that they would share in repairs as well, ESPECIALLY if it was in the house, in her room, and showed signs of someone trying to "fix it"ie paper towel bits left in the keyboard.
As for pissing off the other roomamtes, screw 'em. How about pissing off ME?? It certainly wasn't me and one of those jerks is playing me for a fool, WRONG!!!. They can be pissed, but they will pay or they will leave.

First off, you're naive. Just because they shared the same house, doesn't mean all were present when the accident occured. And i can guarantee you, no judge would ever rule that everybody is culpable and responsible, because nobody stepped forward to claim responsibility. Heck, even if she only had ONE other roommate, the judge still wouldn't rule that that roommate is responsible for it unless the roommate claimed responsibility for it, or there were evidence that she directly did the damage.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: MoralpanicFirst off, you're naive. Just because they shared the same house, doesn't mean all were present when the accident occured. And i can guarantee you, no judge would ever rule that everybody is culpable and responsible, because nobody stepped forward to claim responsibility. Heck, even if she only had ONE other roommate, the judge still wouldn't rule that that roommate is responsible for it unless the roommate claimed responsibility for it, or there were evidence that she directly did the damage.

LOL. ok, so you think I'm naive and I think you're mistaken. How can you guarantee that claim of yours? You a Small Claims Court Judge/ Magistrate??
Given a situation as described by the original poster, they may very well have a small claims case against those that were there. Having been through a dozen or so roommates in my 4 plus decades on this hunk of rock, I probably have my own experience to draw from.
As far as no evidence.... There is evidence, the liquid and paper towel bits. Since no one is accepting responsibility, they all would share liability. The burden of proof in small claims (civil) matters is way less than a criminal charge. Only someone who was away from the house might be excused.
I say a judge might well amortize the repair bill amongst the roommates in question.
Only a judge could settle this,imo, as we obviously disagree.
And , again, I say with that many rommmates, they need some written and signed House Rules to avoid this sort of BS.

 

[geno]

No offense, but there's no way she's making the other 7 people pay just because she left her laptop out, that will never fly.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Also, she can get renter's insurance for around $100 to cover stuff like this. She might check with her parents to see if their homeowner's insurance might cover it. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Renter's insurance is closer to $500 here for the minimum policy ($15k with $500 deductable)....the hard part is for renter's insurance the premimum has to be paid in full in advance.

Å

 

[StageLeft]

Damn I hope you don't have t sell the volvo to get her a new one 🙁

 

[maziwanka]

Originally posted by: Orsorum
$20 says a guest of a suitemate.

thats a sucka bet.

 

[Zorba]

Should be covered under her parents homeowner's insurance. My school also has it's own insurance for things like this, it would be worthwhile to talk to Res-Life about that. Also I would file a police report on the matter, just so it'll be on the books and make it easier to get someone to fess up and make a insurance company more willing to pay. The campus police here are really good with this kind of thing. She needs to have a talk with her roommate and make a rule that when they are not in the suite the door needs to be locked. Also needs to put a password on her computer so no one else can even use it, that would keep someone from spilling something on it while they were using it. Finallly, take it to a shop to be fixed, probably be 300 bucks or so, not too bad. Or if you really don't want to pay that open it up and clean it all out. Anyways, I don't know why I am wasting my time typing this, it seems as if you are happy being a victium and not willing to do anything to help yourselves, other than trying to screw CC.

 

[geno]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Damn I hope you don't have t sell the volvo to get her a new one 🙁

That's right Skoorb, Cherish your Mazda, you too might need to sell it to bail out the Mrs. 🙁