If someone mistakenly break something in your house, should they pay?

Question

My cousin recently invited friends over for a little drinking. Maybe about 6 to 7 people. One person who was a little drunk, bumped into a glass end table and broke the glass in two. My cousin demands that she pays. The girl won't pay and said, it was an accident. Now my cousin is going after her brother, which is who the girl came with. Should he pay? Is my cousin wrong for demanding payment? The end table was right by a walk way.

Answer 1

"Should" implies a moral question.  Yes, she should pay.

Is it her obligation to pay, as in legally?  This will depend on a lot of factors:  who provided the alcohol?  was this person invited, or came with another person?

Answer 2

No, your cousin was the one who invited them over.  her fault for letting them drink.  What a douche bag person to invite people over and make them pay.  your cousin must not have any friends.

Answer 3

The person who broke the glass should pay.  It doesn't matter that it was an accident.  While that means that the woman who broke it isn't mean or anything, she's still responsible for what happened.  I don't know why people think if they accidentally break something it isn't their fault.  It is.  If this was something much more expensive and you went to small claims court about it and her only defense was "I didn't mean to break it" the judge would laugh in her face and then order her to pay the owner of the table.

Answer 4

Should pay?  That would be nice to offer but it certainly isn't required.

Your cousin is accountable for the contents of her home.  She hosted a party, invited guests, served alcohol.  Accidents happen, and that is why we have insurance.  The guest has no legal responsibility for the contents of your cousins home.

Answer 5

If someone accidentally breaks something while at your home, an offer to pay would be nice but by no means are they expected to pay.  Having things broke is the risk you take when hosting a party, especially with alcohol.  It's not right for your cousin to go after her.  

Answer 6

It's part and parcel of having people in your house.  

Answer 7

I don't think the person should pay because it was an accident. Its like if you don't want your money stolen you put it away. If there was anything that could be breakable she should have put it away.

Answer 8

i feel ur cousin is wrong. he shouldnot pay.

Answer 9

The homeowner should pay. That's what happens when you invite guests over and start drinking-- accidents.

Your cousin is wrong to "go after" people who had an accident in the home. In fact, your cousin should be glad no one got hurt on the broken glass-- otherwise your cousin could be sued.

Answer 10

No, your cousin isn't wrong for demanding payment.

And I can understand where she is coming from.  Due to my children's friends, I have lost a steam cleaner, vacum cleaner, several chairs, an end table, a lawn mower, and various dishware.  The only reason why I never made the parents of the friends pony up, is because I know that they can't afford to pay up.

Answer 11

Well, all I can say is, your cousin knew what he/she was getting into. Before you get drunk, expect the unexpected.

Answer 12

Unfortunately, not much you can do aside from never inviting that person over again. either they offer or you're stuck.

Answer 13

It is only proper that they offer to pay for damage even if it was an accident, unless the owner of the damaged item tells them not to worry about it.

However, it would be unreasonable to demand payment if the table had "structural flaws" or was placed in a precarious location.