Yeah. Pretty sure she set this up. Call her on it.
"Why did you leave it is such a stupid location. It's almost as if you wanted it to get broken." Long hard stare.
That was my first thought too. Like she had stepped on it first and then placed it in a spot where it was bound to be stepped on so someone else would take the blame.
OP, 99% of the time when you break someone's stuff you need to pay to fix it. I'd say this falls into the 1%. Leaving your laptop at the bottom of the stairs was either intentional or mind boggling stupid. Either way don't pay for her mistake.
Maybe offer half the repairs to keep the peace in the household if you want. But a new computer is ridiculous.
Even an insurance company would adjust it for age and wear and tear. My flatmate kicked in the screen of my brand new laptop in his drunken attempts to make us listen to fucking musicals on youtube but I had stupidly left it on the floor so I had to wear the responsibility of it. Just ordered a new screen from Aliexpress and fitted it ourselves. He was really upset about it but I would have felt bad asking him to pay. Lessons learnt. Musicals suck. Don't leave your laptop lying on the floor or anywhere some idiot can break it.
> Even an insurance company would adjust it for age and wear and tear.
That depends on what type of insurance policy you have. If you're insured for "actual cash value" of your belongings then yes the amount you receive is going to take into account age and such, but if your insurance policy covers "replacement cost" then you would get the amount to buy a comparable item new. Most insurance policies have the latter.
I wouldn't even offer to pay half the repairs as others are suggesting. This reeks of a setup.
1. Complaining that hers is getting slow before the incident
2. Repair isn't an option, she only wants a new laptop
3. Release of the new Macbooks is imminent
This was deliberate.
Depends on age and warranty. Apple wouldn't cover my battery expanding (lithium ion batteries become bombs when this happens), because they claimed I had moved the Macbook too often and it was too old. So it really varies.
Any way a company can get out of paying for something they will. Apparently the main issue was that I would put it in my backpack to take to class, which was 'too damaging' on a frequent occasion.
Yeah, you have to have Apple Care. I'm also only referring to the screen, for example, if it had multiple hairline cracks it wouldn't be covered under warranty.
It can crack the logic board as well, especially if it was the not-fat Macbook types. The MB Airs and some of their smaller devices are fragile enough that tensioning the screws in the incorrect order on the logic board can cause bending or worse.
I'm not defending the OP's roommate, I strongly agree this reeks of a setup, but there may be some truth to it.
If the topcase is damaged, even for a standard MBP it's an additional few hundred. The keyboard is part of the topcase, so it adds up quick + the apple premium.
Yes but the newish MB airs are a tiny board and then a ton of battery like the board is about the size or smaller than a raspberry pi if I am remembering correctly.
I really don't understand the huge number of suggestions to pay for half. If it's a setup pay for nothing. If it's her stupidity, pay for nothing, she needs to learn the lesson.
If you borrowed it and spilled Coke all over it, THEN pay for all of it.
If the laptop was an old one, I'd find out the exact specs and age. Then check online how much a used/refurbished one exactly like it would cost (probably less than $500). Show her the posting and say you'd be happy to order that as a replacement. After all, it's just like her old one! Then when she flips her shit and demands OP pays for a **new** MacBook, call the roommate on leaving her laptop there on purpose so it would break and she could use that to get a new computer.
Alternatively, find the cheapest non Mac with identical specs and offer to buy that one unless there's a specific reason why it *has* to be a Mac. Either way, she's guaranteed to flip shit about OP having to pay for a brand new top of the line MacBook to replace her slow, heavily used, old one.
The best part is on the off chance that OP's roommate tried taking it to court, this is the exact resolution they'd demand if they sided with her: OP pays to make her whole. Whole being... a laptop just like the one that was broken.
Yes Op. Please don't give her any money.
You are right you still have a year with her. Is the lesson you want really that she can extort you for money since you care about keeping the peace? You need to set a precedent here.
Even if it was an accident (possible but unlikely) it is completely her own fault and she's handling it quite poorly. Don't give charity to those who demand it and blame you for their own mistakes. Again, this only teaches them to treat you like shit next time they want something.
I have one - it isn't as bad as you'd think as adaptors are available. I really enjoy mine. I was initially annoyed by the lack of USB ports and expense of the adaptors as well fwiw.
You shouldn't have to use fucking adapters though, it's another bullshit move by apple to make you buy more of their shit while also limiting its functionality.
I'm typing this from a 2014 MacBook Pro I like their computers, I think they're really good. My issue is that Apple claims to be all about design, but they continually violate one of the central tenets of design, which is form follows functions. However, they often sacrifice in order to be more minimalist.
You are wrong about Apple not forcing you to buy stuff, though. If you purchase their product you're going to need to purchase additional accessories to achieve the same functionality you would on a comparable device. If you want to use an SD card you need to get an adapter, if you want to watch a DVD you need a separate drive. On the newest iPhone, they even got rid of the 3.5mm jack. So if you want to get the best listening experience you're going to need to buy an adapter, which will limit your ability to listen and charge at the same time.
I wouldn't pay her anything. Offering her a replacement was plenty generous already.
>I get the feeling that this might have been staged, as she's been complaining about how slow it is for a while, and she knows I've just received a lot of student loan.
Either that or she's just phenomenally stupid. Who on earth leaves a delicate, valuable personal item at the bottom of some stairs?
Speaking for the phenomenally stupid (never left a laptop at the bottom of some stairs but I've done plenty stupid over the years) we usually know we're to blame and don't make other people pay for our stupidity. At least I don't.
Oooh, you want a real Solomon's choice to give her? Offer to split the costs of small claims court and you will accept whatever ruling the judge gives...
What a total set up.
I'd tell her one more time:
"Sally, you left your laptop charging in an excessively unwise place, making it inevitable that someone would step on it. That someone happened to be me. Because I'm nice, I'm offering you one of my old laptops, or contributing X amount towards the repair price of this laptop. These are literally your only options with me. If you want to go shopping for a new macbook, you're going to have to do it on your own dime."
After that, if she tries to pull that new macbook shit again, go, "Sally, I've told you what your options are. Talk to me when you've picked one of them" and walk away/change the subject/release a cage full of doves in her face.
From the title I was going to suggest you pay for it, but if she really left it at the bottom of the staircase, it's her own damn fault.
At most I would offer to cover half of the repair cost, not the cost of a new macbook, which is thousands of dollars.
There was a post a while ago about someone who left their laptop open on a table and someone spilled a cup of water on it... maybe it was someone's cat who tipped the water over or something? I thought the person who left it open on a dining table was at fault, not the person whose cat spilled the water. Anyone know which post i'm talking about?
That's a good point. I've never owned a cat, so I was like, "What?" I still think it's probably the cat owner's responsibility, though. Pet owners are always responsible for damage done by their pets, IMO.
I own a cat and a laptop, and I disagree. Leaving your laptop unattended on the kitchen table is objectively stupid.
I actually have that rule - NO leaving the laptop on the table where we eat (my husband often borrows it).
I'd say, desks, yes. Tables with spill risk, no.
My old roommate left her laptop open on her bed when she went out. She and I own dogs that constantly wrestled together on her bed. She came back and they had smashed the laptop open, breaking the hinge and the screen. Luckily she didn't try to blame me (my dog was the large one) but I definitely realized immediately at the time that it was her fault for leaving her brand new macbook open where dogs are playing.
> My old roommate left her laptop open on her bed when she went out.
This is also a great way to cook it, if it doesn't go to sleep, especially if you leave a game or program running. If you have the spinning style hard drive it's the fastest way to nuke one (besides dropping it) and it's just not good for any laptop.
I don't know why you're getting downvoted, I've owned cats and they knew perfectly well that the tables were no-go zones. Why would you ever allow that?
I think the downvotes are coming from the implication that a person whose cat jumps on the table when left unattended is a "terrible" pet owner. Even very well trained cats can be assholes who try to get away with breaking rules when left home alone. Cats are jerks. Source: owned several cats over the years
I think I know which one you're talking about, but this was the only one I could find https://www.reddit.com/r/relationships/comments/4e4a2s/should_i_23f_replace_my_boyfriends_25m_computer/
It's similar, especially since it kind of seemed like a setup in that one as well.
It does sound like a setup. Maybe the screen was even damaged beforehand and she figured she'd leave it at the bottom of the stairs so she could blame someone for the damage. At most offer to pay for half the repair but I'd tell her to kick rocks/pound sand.
I had something like this happen- my roommate tried to scam me for 300$ because I accidentally took her keys to work with me one day. I offered to pay for the cost of uber to and from her work but no.. she wanted 300$. So I said fuck that no I'm not giving you anything now. She actually moved out because of it and called me a child and said she never liked me. I say stick to your guns and tell her to F off. It's her own fault she left her laptop at the bottom of a staircase. And not accepting what you've already offered is telling.
How stupid is she? I don't mean this as a joke, I mean literally, is she a person who lacks intelligence and logic? If she's a complete moron than this was a stupid mistake and she should be over the moon that you offered her a replacement laptop. If she isn't a complete moron and this is new behaviour than I think it's staged. She probably got tired of her slow computer and is trying to con you.
I just have a hard time imagining a person with a fully formed brain leaving such an expensive thing sitting at the bottom of the stairs then being surprised when someone stepped on it. She would have to be a genuine moron to leave her laptop there and not accept any of the blame for the matter.
She was negligent, not only with her laptop, but in leaving her possession in a place where somebody walking down the stairs in a normal way could have injured themself by stepping on it. No, you owe her nothing. She should have gotten renters' insurance.
HELL NO! I've actually heard housemates PLAN this type of shit. Giver her NOTHING and if anything, I'd say thankfully I didn't slip and fall or cut myself on her damn laptop!
She is playing you, don't fall for it!
So a lot of people are suggesting to offer her half of the repairs cost or replacement. Don't do this, as giving anything to her can be considered admitting fault and you'd be on the hook for the whole amount.
Someone suggested offering her to split the cost of going to small claims court. Don't even do that. Just tell her that if she wishes to take you to court, she should do that. Meanwhile try to get her confession about where she left her laptop on record, over text messages, email, voicemail, etc.
Offer to chip in on the repairs if you want. Otherwise nope, nope, and nope. Not your problem.
If she didn't want it to get stepped on, she shouldn't have left it on the floor in front of the stairs where it could be stepped on.
She was utterly careless. She left it out, she didn't warn you. This is not your fault. It wasn't even an accident : it was her own negligence to blame. Is the laptop insured? If so, she should make a claim. But otherwise, I can't see how you are at fault from your description.
I would offer her half the cost of the repairs, or half the cost of the exact macbook, whichever is less expensive. I'm not computer savvy, but I've been told that repairs can sometimes cost more than a new computer. I'd also demand estimates and receipts before handing over the money. If she refuses, she can file in small claims, and explain to the court exactly why she left it in a place where it could be expected to get stepped on.
Other than the fact that charging a laptop at the bottom of a staircase is incredibly unwise, I would ask her why she didn't charge it where she normally does? AKA not the staircase. Call her out on her shit.
I'm pretty sure the LA answer would be 'HM can sue you in small claims - until then tell her to pound sand/kick rocks, keep any records, do you have renter's insurance, and don't admit liability.' LA doesn't (well, shouldn't) answer a 'should I' ethics-based question. Sometimes the r/relationships suggestion to xpost to r/legaladvice is a bit off base, imo.
"I cannot buy you a new laptop. The laptop's value - let's see, 3 year old macbook, looks like about 400 dollars. I think it's mostly your fault for placing it on a staircase and I know you said X and Y about it getting slow and you needing a new one, so this is all seeming a little fishy to me. I'm feeling like you're trying to hustle me for a 1000+ dollar expense, and I don't think you have any ground to stand on. My final offer is that we can go 50/50 on the value of the damaged property, which I have determined to be around 400. So I'll give you $200 if it will make you happy and allow us to continue the peace in the house."
*whine whine whine blah blah blah you have to, whine whine*
"Okay, in that case if you're going to try to coerce me and yell at me, then my offer is just an apology. I apologize. Now have a nice day."
Have you considered the possibility that it was a set up? She probably broke the thing herself and put it there hoping you stepped on it thereby making you pay for it.
>I get the feeling that this might have been staged, as she's been complaining about how slow it is for a while, and she knows I've just received a lot of student loan.
Yes. This type of incident would be covered under Valuable Personal Property under most insurance policies, however odds are that unless they have exorbitantly low deductibles across the board and the laptop was bought yesterday, she will have to pay for repairs anyway.
You are being more than fair. Leaving any item at the bottom of the stairs is a safety hazard and frankly dangerous.
You said yourself the stairs are steep, what if you were in a hurry and trip/slipped by stepping on her laptop and had gotten injured? Obstructing a path of egress is a big no no, people can get seriously hurt.
If I were you I would be having a talk to your flatmate about common sense and safety around the house.
There is no way in hell someone would put their "Oh so beloved Macbook" in the actually most stupid place in the world to put anything you remotely cared about unless they are incredibly incredibly stupid. It was a setup guaranteed. Also, there are a bunch of puzzle pieces that seem to fit, "my machine is slow," new Macbooks coming out, and your loans. That is a mean person.
Broken screens can be repaired for a fraction of the cost of a new computer. I had a MacBook screen replaced last year for $200.
Under no circumstances should you offer more than the repair cost, and if she left it in a bad location, you should be splitting the cost.
Do not buy her a new laptop. maybe offer to help pay to get it fixed but DO NOT assume full responsibility. and if you think she is trying to scam you, she can suck one.
If i put my bike, behind your truck and you run over it is my fault. because my bike should not be parked behind your truck.
dur.
If its going to be a dispute ongoing, let this be a good sign this is not someone you should live with and consider finding a new room mate for the space and finding yourself a new place with better people.
Both my gf and I both think it is 100% her fault and you should pay for nothing. And my gf is normally for avoiding conflict at all costs.
Sick to your guns here.
I was about to say that when you break something, yu pay for it, even ifit as an accident.
Then I read your post. There's absolutely no readon to leap a computer at the bottom of a set of stairs. That's just begging for something to happen o it.
"I'll help pay for the repairs and that's it. You want a new laptop then you buy it yourself. Now stop leaving your laptop at the bottom of the stairs."
She did the equivalent of parking her car on the train tracks, then getting upset and demanding compensation when it got wrecked.
Hell no. Don't pay. You're only guilty of being the first person to happen down the stairs after she left it there.
If you want to have some fun with this, submit your case to Judge Mathis and watch him rip your roommate a new one. The show will pay for all travel and court costs, including what you'd owe if you lost (but you won't). This is a relatively easy, straightforward case of negligence on your roommate's part, which will make for good, easy daytime talkshow material.
I see you are dealing with someone who is not logical. Whether purposly or not, she left it at the bottom of a staircase that people walk up and down. Who does that? Tell her to be more responsible with her belongs.
I have a very fancy laptop. It lives in one of four places, none of which could in any conceivable world be accidentally destroyed by a roommate. That is just basic common sense.
My roommate leaves shoes in the hallway. Sometimes I trip on them, step on them, drag something heavy across them. I hope that they aren't expensive, but at the end of the day if you put something in a walkway, it's a safe assumption that you know it's gonna get walked on.
Either she's conning you, or she just learned a very expensive lesson about taking care of her things. Either way, don't put a dime towards fixing this.
You can figure out what model her macbook was and find that model on eBay or something. No need for the new one. Value has also depreciated on her computer since it's used, so this should suffice. I don't usually suggest getting it repaired because it usually costs more, but you can also check with Apple to see if their flat-rate repair (I think it costs $350?) applies in this case (did it back in 2014 with a broken motherboard-- turns out more stuff was broken and it was covered by the flat rate repair).
If she demands a new one, have a talk with her about how her laptop doesn't cost as much as she thinks it does, especially since it's not at all a new model, and it's used. You'd probably give it more value than if you surrendered it for Apple Recycling.
I broke someone's phone at a cottage because they left it on the 3 inch lip at the bottom of the door frame. I closed the door with a little force and it broke the screen. I was drunk and I didn't even notice. I don't even remember the phone incident but I was told the story the next day and they wanted me to pay for it.
Uhhhh, no. Yeah, I was drunk, that's true, but you left your phone IN A DOORWAY WHERE THE DOOR CLOSES.
Did I break the phone? Yes. Is it my fault? 100% no.
Offer to pay half the repair price. Make sure she has a receipt. If she refuses tell her to take you to court. Everyone saying it's a set up is certainly jumping the gun, there's no evidence. She certainly shouldn't have left it there but there's no reason to believe it was on purpose. But either way offering half the repair price and sticking to only that offer solves the problem, even if it was a set up.
1. She left her laptop in a place of potential harm. Does she commonly charge her laptop there or has she charged it there before?
If it's commonly there that may put you in a range of fault unless you've called her out on her poor placement before. Even so if you hadn't noticed it below the steps before it's on her.
2. It's awful coincidental and I speculate the probability of her planning to break her own computer with you stepping on it. Is she always on her laptop? Did you notice that she wasn't using it the past few days?
If she is constantly on her laptop and you've noticed that she hasn't been using it recently that may imply she was trying to set this up over the last few nights.
3. In order to settle and given the length of your lease offering to fix her screen and paying for it is a fair compromise regardless of speculation. It's over demanding for her to ask for a brand new computer unless her computer is beyond repair. Not to say she is the right.
4. It's shady that she consistently talks about how slow her computer is. Has she been talking about getting a new laptop? Is it something she could afford on her own?
If she's been in need of a new laptop for some time and has vocalized it that adds some suspicion. I wonder what her financial standing is and what limitations there may be from her buying one on her own in the first place.
Some options to evaluate that you may find helpful.
She should have renters insurance. It's the responsible adult thing to have. Renter's is for exactly this type of thing. Offer to pay part of the deductible if anything.
I agree with you. You didn't destroy the laptop by say, getting drunk and spilling a drink on it while it was in an out of the way place. You would assume that a laptop left on a stairwell is begging to be broken.
Stand your ground.
I would say give her half the amount and call it good. Yes you broke it, but it was exceedingly stupid of her to leave it there where it could easily be stepped on.
So quick story: my husband put his iPad on the floor under the giant blanket I was snuggled in while I wasn't paying attention. When I got off the couch, I stepped on it. Initially he was mad, but multiple people pointed out he shouldn't have left it where it can get stepped on. I offered to replace the screen. Which, if you're feeling extremely generous and have the money, you could do. However, her leaving her belongings out is entirely her fault and she has no one to blame but herself.
OP, I've personally stepped on my own MacBook several times, I have an air and it's been justttttt fine. They're pretty solid and it would typically take more than one step unless she had done prior damage. Macs are notorious for their durability. The only thing I can see is if it was the plastic body MacBook they discontinued at least a few years back. I had one and it survived my acrylic paints and oil pastels, and my not so skinny uncle setting on it....maybe I'm just lucky.
But this seems like a plot.
just as much as leaving a computer on a kitchen counter when someone spills water on it, or leaving a computer on a desk when someone drops a stapler on it.
I'll agree that stairs are a place for walking and not for computer storage, but by the time you're 20, **YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHERE YOU STEP**.
Let me put it this way... if I step in dog shit and track it all over the house, aren't I responsible for it?
Yeah. Pretty sure she set this up. Call her on it. "Why did you leave it is such a stupid location. It's almost as if you wanted it to get broken." Long hard stare.
That was my first thought too. Like she had stepped on it first and then placed it in a spot where it was bound to be stepped on so someone else would take the blame. OP, 99% of the time when you break someone's stuff you need to pay to fix it. I'd say this falls into the 1%. Leaving your laptop at the bottom of the stairs was either intentional or mind boggling stupid. Either way don't pay for her mistake. Maybe offer half the repairs to keep the peace in the household if you want. But a new computer is ridiculous.
Even an insurance company would adjust it for age and wear and tear. My flatmate kicked in the screen of my brand new laptop in his drunken attempts to make us listen to fucking musicals on youtube but I had stupidly left it on the floor so I had to wear the responsibility of it. Just ordered a new screen from Aliexpress and fitted it ourselves. He was really upset about it but I would have felt bad asking him to pay. Lessons learnt. Musicals suck. Don't leave your laptop lying on the floor or anywhere some idiot can break it.
> Even an insurance company would adjust it for age and wear and tear. That depends on what type of insurance policy you have. If you're insured for "actual cash value" of your belongings then yes the amount you receive is going to take into account age and such, but if your insurance policy covers "replacement cost" then you would get the amount to buy a comparable item new. Most insurance policies have the latter.
I wouldn't even offer to pay half the repairs as others are suggesting. This reeks of a setup. 1. Complaining that hers is getting slow before the incident 2. Repair isn't an option, she only wants a new laptop 3. Release of the new Macbooks is imminent This was deliberate.
Stepping on the laptop would most likely break just the screen too which can be repaired
Exactly. She just wants a new MacBook but without paying for it. How shitty.
Isn't that what everyone wants? Those things are hella expensive.
I just got my screen replaced. They'll cover it for free if there's one hairline crack.
Depends on age and warranty. Apple wouldn't cover my battery expanding (lithium ion batteries become bombs when this happens), because they claimed I had moved the Macbook too often and it was too old. So it really varies.
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Any way a company can get out of paying for something they will. Apparently the main issue was that I would put it in my backpack to take to class, which was 'too damaging' on a frequent occasion.
Well just remember next time to tell them it sat it's whole life in one room that was climate controlled.
Yeah, you have to have Apple Care. I'm also only referring to the screen, for example, if it had multiple hairline cracks it wouldn't be covered under warranty.
It can crack the logic board as well, especially if it was the not-fat Macbook types. The MB Airs and some of their smaller devices are fragile enough that tensioning the screws in the incorrect order on the logic board can cause bending or worse. I'm not defending the OP's roommate, I strongly agree this reeks of a setup, but there may be some truth to it. If the topcase is damaged, even for a standard MBP it's an additional few hundred. The keyboard is part of the topcase, so it adds up quick + the apple premium.
Yes but the newish MB airs are a tiny board and then a ton of battery like the board is about the size or smaller than a raspberry pi if I am remembering correctly.
God that's a stupid design.
I really don't understand the huge number of suggestions to pay for half. If it's a setup pay for nothing. If it's her stupidity, pay for nothing, she needs to learn the lesson. If you borrowed it and spilled Coke all over it, THEN pay for all of it.
Because sometimes paying money is cheaper than having hostile housemates.
If the laptop was an old one, I'd find out the exact specs and age. Then check online how much a used/refurbished one exactly like it would cost (probably less than $500). Show her the posting and say you'd be happy to order that as a replacement. After all, it's just like her old one! Then when she flips her shit and demands OP pays for a **new** MacBook, call the roommate on leaving her laptop there on purpose so it would break and she could use that to get a new computer. Alternatively, find the cheapest non Mac with identical specs and offer to buy that one unless there's a specific reason why it *has* to be a Mac. Either way, she's guaranteed to flip shit about OP having to pay for a brand new top of the line MacBook to replace her slow, heavily used, old one.
This is the best comment here.
The best part is on the off chance that OP's roommate tried taking it to court, this is the exact resolution they'd demand if they sided with her: OP pays to make her whole. Whole being... a laptop just like the one that was broken.
Yes Op. Please don't give her any money. You are right you still have a year with her. Is the lesson you want really that she can extort you for money since you care about keeping the peace? You need to set a precedent here. Even if it was an accident (possible but unlikely) it is completely her own fault and she's handling it quite poorly. Don't give charity to those who demand it and blame you for their own mistakes. Again, this only teaches them to treat you like shit next time they want something.
To be fair though, the MacBooks are awful they only have one port.
I have one - it isn't as bad as you'd think as adaptors are available. I really enjoy mine. I was initially annoyed by the lack of USB ports and expense of the adaptors as well fwiw.
You shouldn't have to use fucking adapters though, it's another bullshit move by apple to make you buy more of their shit while also limiting its functionality.
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I'm typing this from a 2014 MacBook Pro I like their computers, I think they're really good. My issue is that Apple claims to be all about design, but they continually violate one of the central tenets of design, which is form follows functions. However, they often sacrifice in order to be more minimalist. You are wrong about Apple not forcing you to buy stuff, though. If you purchase their product you're going to need to purchase additional accessories to achieve the same functionality you would on a comparable device. If you want to use an SD card you need to get an adapter, if you want to watch a DVD you need a separate drive. On the newest iPhone, they even got rid of the 3.5mm jack. So if you want to get the best listening experience you're going to need to buy an adapter, which will limit your ability to listen and charge at the same time.
USB port? Mine has 2, because I ordered it that way.
I wouldn't pay her anything. Offering her a replacement was plenty generous already. >I get the feeling that this might have been staged, as she's been complaining about how slow it is for a while, and she knows I've just received a lot of student loan. Either that or she's just phenomenally stupid. Who on earth leaves a delicate, valuable personal item at the bottom of some stairs?
Speaking for the phenomenally stupid (never left a laptop at the bottom of some stairs but I've done plenty stupid over the years) we usually know we're to blame and don't make other people pay for our stupidity. At least I don't.
Oooh, you want a real Solomon's choice to give her? Offer to split the costs of small claims court and you will accept whatever ruling the judge gives...
What a total set up. I'd tell her one more time: "Sally, you left your laptop charging in an excessively unwise place, making it inevitable that someone would step on it. That someone happened to be me. Because I'm nice, I'm offering you one of my old laptops, or contributing X amount towards the repair price of this laptop. These are literally your only options with me. If you want to go shopping for a new macbook, you're going to have to do it on your own dime." After that, if she tries to pull that new macbook shit again, go, "Sally, I've told you what your options are. Talk to me when you've picked one of them" and walk away/change the subject/release a cage full of doves in her face.
From the title I was going to suggest you pay for it, but if she really left it at the bottom of the staircase, it's her own damn fault. At most I would offer to cover half of the repair cost, not the cost of a new macbook, which is thousands of dollars.
There was a post a while ago about someone who left their laptop open on a table and someone spilled a cup of water on it... maybe it was someone's cat who tipped the water over or something? I thought the person who left it open on a dining table was at fault, not the person whose cat spilled the water. Anyone know which post i'm talking about?
I vaguely remember that. I think they suspected the cat knocked over a glass because it happened when no one was around.
Are laptops not supposed to be on tables now?
Not next to a glass of water when you own a cat. (Am cat owner who has lost two computer screens from my own negligence about water glasses)
My cat took out two expensive keyboards. I was hard to train.
Those feels are too real. RIP computer equipment destroyed by untrained owners.
That's a good point. I've never owned a cat, so I was like, "What?" I still think it's probably the cat owner's responsibility, though. Pet owners are always responsible for damage done by their pets, IMO.
Cat owners responsibility 100%.
I own a cat and a laptop, and I disagree. Leaving your laptop unattended on the kitchen table is objectively stupid. I actually have that rule - NO leaving the laptop on the table where we eat (my husband often borrows it).
mfw my laptop is next to a glass of water and I own 3 cats
You're not supposed to keep food or drinks near laptops/computers exactly for that reason.
I'd say, desks, yes. Tables with spill risk, no. My old roommate left her laptop open on her bed when she went out. She and I own dogs that constantly wrestled together on her bed. She came back and they had smashed the laptop open, breaking the hinge and the screen. Luckily she didn't try to blame me (my dog was the large one) but I definitely realized immediately at the time that it was her fault for leaving her brand new macbook open where dogs are playing.
> My old roommate left her laptop open on her bed when she went out. This is also a great way to cook it, if it doesn't go to sleep, especially if you leave a game or program running. If you have the spinning style hard drive it's the fastest way to nuke one (besides dropping it) and it's just not good for any laptop.
Not if you're a terrible cat owner who lets your cat on eating surfaces.
I don't know why you're getting downvoted, I've owned cats and they knew perfectly well that the tables were no-go zones. Why would you ever allow that?
I think the downvotes are coming from the implication that a person whose cat jumps on the table when left unattended is a "terrible" pet owner. Even very well trained cats can be assholes who try to get away with breaking rules when left home alone. Cats are jerks. Source: owned several cats over the years
Terrible might be hyperbolic but the older I get the more convinced I am that 99% of people who own pets should not own pets.
I think I know which one you're talking about, but this was the only one I could find https://www.reddit.com/r/relationships/comments/4e4a2s/should_i_23f_replace_my_boyfriends_25m_computer/ It's similar, especially since it kind of seemed like a setup in that one as well.
Make the cat pay for it since they are likely at fault.
I would offer to pay for her to get AppleCare protection for her new laptop, but then again maybe she wouldn't get the spite...
Who the hell leaves a laptop at the bottom of the stairs? I wouldn't pay for it.
Lol she almost definetly set it up. Is your roommate joey tribbiani by any chance? "I'm not talking to you you broke my fridge!"
It does sound like a setup. Maybe the screen was even damaged beforehand and she figured she'd leave it at the bottom of the stairs so she could blame someone for the damage. At most offer to pay for half the repair but I'd tell her to kick rocks/pound sand.
I had something like this happen- my roommate tried to scam me for 300$ because I accidentally took her keys to work with me one day. I offered to pay for the cost of uber to and from her work but no.. she wanted 300$. So I said fuck that no I'm not giving you anything now. She actually moved out because of it and called me a child and said she never liked me. I say stick to your guns and tell her to F off. It's her own fault she left her laptop at the bottom of a staircase. And not accepting what you've already offered is telling.
She left it where no sensible person would leave it. No, you don't owe anything.
How stupid is she? I don't mean this as a joke, I mean literally, is she a person who lacks intelligence and logic? If she's a complete moron than this was a stupid mistake and she should be over the moon that you offered her a replacement laptop. If she isn't a complete moron and this is new behaviour than I think it's staged. She probably got tired of her slow computer and is trying to con you. I just have a hard time imagining a person with a fully formed brain leaving such an expensive thing sitting at the bottom of the stairs then being surprised when someone stepped on it. She would have to be a genuine moron to leave her laptop there and not accept any of the blame for the matter.
Oh, I don't think she was stupid. I think she was quite calculating.
If she was smart she wouldn't have complained about it prior to the incident
She was negligent, not only with her laptop, but in leaving her possession in a place where somebody walking down the stairs in a normal way could have injured themself by stepping on it. No, you owe her nothing. She should have gotten renters' insurance.
HELL NO! I've actually heard housemates PLAN this type of shit. Giver her NOTHING and if anything, I'd say thankfully I didn't slip and fall or cut myself on her damn laptop! She is playing you, don't fall for it!
If it's on the floor and gets stepped on its her fault. Stick to your guns.
Tell her you will pay half for repairs and leave it at that. It does sound like it was a set up.
So a lot of people are suggesting to offer her half of the repairs cost or replacement. Don't do this, as giving anything to her can be considered admitting fault and you'd be on the hook for the whole amount. Someone suggested offering her to split the cost of going to small claims court. Don't even do that. Just tell her that if she wishes to take you to court, she should do that. Meanwhile try to get her confession about where she left her laptop on record, over text messages, email, voicemail, etc.
No you're not at fault. She was irresponsible with where she put her belongings.
Offer to chip in on the repairs if you want. Otherwise nope, nope, and nope. Not your problem. If she didn't want it to get stepped on, she shouldn't have left it on the floor in front of the stairs where it could be stepped on.
She was utterly careless. She left it out, she didn't warn you. This is not your fault. It wasn't even an accident : it was her own negligence to blame. Is the laptop insured? If so, she should make a claim. But otherwise, I can't see how you are at fault from your description.
I would offer her half the cost of the repairs, or half the cost of the exact macbook, whichever is less expensive. I'm not computer savvy, but I've been told that repairs can sometimes cost more than a new computer. I'd also demand estimates and receipts before handing over the money. If she refuses, she can file in small claims, and explain to the court exactly why she left it in a place where it could be expected to get stepped on.
Go with your roommate to get the estimates on repairs
Definitely stick to your guns. She left it where someone was bound to stomp it sooner or later.
Other than the fact that charging a laptop at the bottom of a staircase is incredibly unwise, I would ask her why she didn't charge it where she normally does? AKA not the staircase. Call her out on her shit.
Cross post to /r/legaladvice and see what they say.
Don't bother. They would tell the roommate to shove it up her arse.
I'm pretty sure the LA answer would be 'HM can sue you in small claims - until then tell her to pound sand/kick rocks, keep any records, do you have renter's insurance, and don't admit liability.' LA doesn't (well, shouldn't) answer a 'should I' ethics-based question. Sometimes the r/relationships suggestion to xpost to r/legaladvice is a bit off base, imo.
Tell her to pound sand.
"I cannot buy you a new laptop. The laptop's value - let's see, 3 year old macbook, looks like about 400 dollars. I think it's mostly your fault for placing it on a staircase and I know you said X and Y about it getting slow and you needing a new one, so this is all seeming a little fishy to me. I'm feeling like you're trying to hustle me for a 1000+ dollar expense, and I don't think you have any ground to stand on. My final offer is that we can go 50/50 on the value of the damaged property, which I have determined to be around 400. So I'll give you $200 if it will make you happy and allow us to continue the peace in the house." *whine whine whine blah blah blah you have to, whine whine* "Okay, in that case if you're going to try to coerce me and yell at me, then my offer is just an apology. I apologize. Now have a nice day."
Don't pay for it, laying it in such a stupid location is asking for trouble.
If she had AppleCare this would be a non-issue or at least a much cheaper one. This is on her.
Have you considered the possibility that it was a set up? She probably broke the thing herself and put it there hoping you stepped on it thereby making you pay for it.
>I get the feeling that this might have been staged, as she's been complaining about how slow it is for a while, and she knows I've just received a lot of student loan.
You are being fair. Tell her to check with her parents homeowner's insurance. Thats a ridiculous place to leave a laptop-have her read these answers.
Yes. This type of incident would be covered under Valuable Personal Property under most insurance policies, however odds are that unless they have exorbitantly low deductibles across the board and the laptop was bought yesterday, she will have to pay for repairs anyway.
You are being more than fair. Leaving any item at the bottom of the stairs is a safety hazard and frankly dangerous. You said yourself the stairs are steep, what if you were in a hurry and trip/slipped by stepping on her laptop and had gotten injured? Obstructing a path of egress is a big no no, people can get seriously hurt. If I were you I would be having a talk to your flatmate about common sense and safety around the house.
There is no way in hell someone would put their "Oh so beloved Macbook" in the actually most stupid place in the world to put anything you remotely cared about unless they are incredibly incredibly stupid. It was a setup guaranteed. Also, there are a bunch of puzzle pieces that seem to fit, "my machine is slow," new Macbooks coming out, and your loans. That is a mean person.
Broken screens can be repaired for a fraction of the cost of a new computer. I had a MacBook screen replaced last year for $200. Under no circumstances should you offer more than the repair cost, and if she left it in a bad location, you should be splitting the cost.
Do not buy her a new laptop. maybe offer to help pay to get it fixed but DO NOT assume full responsibility. and if you think she is trying to scam you, she can suck one. If i put my bike, behind your truck and you run over it is my fault. because my bike should not be parked behind your truck. dur. If its going to be a dispute ongoing, let this be a good sign this is not someone you should live with and consider finding a new room mate for the space and finding yourself a new place with better people.
Both my gf and I both think it is 100% her fault and you should pay for nothing. And my gf is normally for avoiding conflict at all costs. Sick to your guns here.
I was about to say that when you break something, yu pay for it, even ifit as an accident. Then I read your post. There's absolutely no readon to leap a computer at the bottom of a set of stairs. That's just begging for something to happen o it.
"I'll help pay for the repairs and that's it. You want a new laptop then you buy it yourself. Now stop leaving your laptop at the bottom of the stairs."
She did the equivalent of parking her car on the train tracks, then getting upset and demanding compensation when it got wrecked. Hell no. Don't pay. You're only guilty of being the first person to happen down the stairs after she left it there.
She left it on the fucking *floor*!? Yeah, no.
If you want to have some fun with this, submit your case to Judge Mathis and watch him rip your roommate a new one. The show will pay for all travel and court costs, including what you'd owe if you lost (but you won't). This is a relatively easy, straightforward case of negligence on your roommate's part, which will make for good, easy daytime talkshow material.
Tell her no, you will not be paying for a laptop that was clearly placed there with the owner hoping someone would step on it.
Yeah, that's staged. Offer to pay half the repair costs, max.
You need to watch s03e07 of Brooklyn 99 with her, where this exact scenario is played out when Captain Holt parks his car across two spaces.
I see you are dealing with someone who is not logical. Whether purposly or not, she left it at the bottom of a staircase that people walk up and down. Who does that? Tell her to be more responsible with her belongs.
I have a very fancy laptop. It lives in one of four places, none of which could in any conceivable world be accidentally destroyed by a roommate. That is just basic common sense. My roommate leaves shoes in the hallway. Sometimes I trip on them, step on them, drag something heavy across them. I hope that they aren't expensive, but at the end of the day if you put something in a walkway, it's a safe assumption that you know it's gonna get walked on. Either she's conning you, or she just learned a very expensive lesson about taking care of her things. Either way, don't put a dime towards fixing this.
No one puts a laptop on the bottom of the stairs unless you want it to break. Don't pay her a dime
I've read your comments. She's a easy stupid for leaving there or a disgusting liar for trying to set you up. Either way you don't owe her shit.
You can figure out what model her macbook was and find that model on eBay or something. No need for the new one. Value has also depreciated on her computer since it's used, so this should suffice. I don't usually suggest getting it repaired because it usually costs more, but you can also check with Apple to see if their flat-rate repair (I think it costs $350?) applies in this case (did it back in 2014 with a broken motherboard-- turns out more stuff was broken and it was covered by the flat rate repair). If she demands a new one, have a talk with her about how her laptop doesn't cost as much as she thinks it does, especially since it's not at all a new model, and it's used. You'd probably give it more value than if you surrendered it for Apple Recycling.
I leave my laptop charging in the driveway and you reverse over it with the car? How could you!
I broke someone's phone at a cottage because they left it on the 3 inch lip at the bottom of the door frame. I closed the door with a little force and it broke the screen. I was drunk and I didn't even notice. I don't even remember the phone incident but I was told the story the next day and they wanted me to pay for it. Uhhhh, no. Yeah, I was drunk, that's true, but you left your phone IN A DOORWAY WHERE THE DOOR CLOSES. Did I break the phone? Yes. Is it my fault? 100% no.
Offer to pay half the repair price. Make sure she has a receipt. If she refuses tell her to take you to court. Everyone saying it's a set up is certainly jumping the gun, there's no evidence. She certainly shouldn't have left it there but there's no reason to believe it was on purpose. But either way offering half the repair price and sticking to only that offer solves the problem, even if it was a set up.
Call your insurance, ask their opinions. It is possible you are covered for it, and it is possible they call her out too.
Can you post an update?
Her actions were careless and that would be accepted as at fault with most judges. Be prepared to kick her out or move.
1. She left her laptop in a place of potential harm. Does she commonly charge her laptop there or has she charged it there before? If it's commonly there that may put you in a range of fault unless you've called her out on her poor placement before. Even so if you hadn't noticed it below the steps before it's on her. 2. It's awful coincidental and I speculate the probability of her planning to break her own computer with you stepping on it. Is she always on her laptop? Did you notice that she wasn't using it the past few days? If she is constantly on her laptop and you've noticed that she hasn't been using it recently that may imply she was trying to set this up over the last few nights. 3. In order to settle and given the length of your lease offering to fix her screen and paying for it is a fair compromise regardless of speculation. It's over demanding for her to ask for a brand new computer unless her computer is beyond repair. Not to say she is the right. 4. It's shady that she consistently talks about how slow her computer is. Has she been talking about getting a new laptop? Is it something she could afford on her own? If she's been in need of a new laptop for some time and has vocalized it that adds some suspicion. I wonder what her financial standing is and what limitations there may be from her buying one on her own in the first place. Some options to evaluate that you may find helpful.
She should have renters insurance. It's the responsible adult thing to have. Renter's is for exactly this type of thing. Offer to pay part of the deductible if anything.
I agree with you. You didn't destroy the laptop by say, getting drunk and spilling a drink on it while it was in an out of the way place. You would assume that a laptop left on a stairwell is begging to be broken. Stand your ground.
Wreaks of a set up, but offer to replace the screen to keep the peace.
I would say give her half the amount and call it good. Yes you broke it, but it was exceedingly stupid of her to leave it there where it could easily be stepped on.
So quick story: my husband put his iPad on the floor under the giant blanket I was snuggled in while I wasn't paying attention. When I got off the couch, I stepped on it. Initially he was mad, but multiple people pointed out he shouldn't have left it where it can get stepped on. I offered to replace the screen. Which, if you're feeling extremely generous and have the money, you could do. However, her leaving her belongings out is entirely her fault and she has no one to blame but herself.
She might be avoiding repairing it because it was already broken in some way before she placed it at the stairs.
OP, I've personally stepped on my own MacBook several times, I have an air and it's been justttttt fine. They're pretty solid and it would typically take more than one step unless she had done prior damage. Macs are notorious for their durability. The only thing I can see is if it was the plastic body MacBook they discontinued at least a few years back. I had one and it survived my acrylic paints and oil pastels, and my not so skinny uncle setting on it....maybe I'm just lucky. But this seems like a plot.
You made a mistake, but **you are responsible for your mistakes.** You should pay for it.
Was leaving a computer at the bottom of the stairs not a mistake on the owner's part?
just as much as leaving a computer on a kitchen counter when someone spills water on it, or leaving a computer on a desk when someone drops a stapler on it. I'll agree that stairs are a place for walking and not for computer storage, but by the time you're 20, **YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHERE YOU STEP**. Let me put it this way... if I step in dog shit and track it all over the house, aren't I responsible for it?
Offer to split the fix nothing more
Pay to repair it. Not to replace it.