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Thread: Moral Dilemma

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    Registered User FoxyFunkster's Avatar
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    Moral Dilemma

    Please help! I`ve a bit of a moral dilemma.........

    Yesterday i put an ad on gumtree advertising a 42" Panasonic Plasma TV of mine. Today a young couple drove all the way up from Brighton and paid the asking price in cash without hesitation. They said they were a newly wed couple, they also had a gorgeous 2 year old with them and they had recently moved into a new house and they were furnishing it on a budget etc etc, anyway the the transaction took place then as the guy was taking the TV down to the underground carpark via the lift in my block he dropped the TV by accident trying to hold the lift door open and promptly broke the screen within 5 minutes of purchasing it!!!!

    He simply said that these things happen, not at any stage did he ask for his money back and he didn`t complain at all, the wife was very upset though......I wouldn`t mind so much but they were so friendly and genuine and unassuming, i really liked them from the outset, he didn`t haggle over the price and they seemed so pleased with what they had bought......i know it`s only a TV but since they have left i`ve felt bloody awful for them and have considered returning the money to them but i`m not entirely sure why.......what should i do????

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    Registered User Isis's Avatar
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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    That's a real shame but at the end of the day, it wasn't your fault the TV broke and so there's no reason you should give a refund and be left out of pocket.

    Perhaps they can claim the money on their home insurance?

    If not, can the TV be fixed and if so how much would that cost? Could you offer to pay some of the repair costs as a goodwill gesture to make you feel better about the situation?

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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by FoxyFunkster View Post
    Please help! I`ve a bit of a moral dilemma.........

    ......what should i do????
    Claim the cost of the TV on your insurance, saying YOU dropped the set whist lifting it prior to hand over and receipt of any money, was an accident after all.

    I'll probably get an infraction for this but hey ho

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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Isis View Post
    Could you offer to pay some of the repair costs as a goodwill gesture to make you feel better about the situation?
    It is a bad thing to happen to anyone, but would you offer to help pay if you weren't the seller, but just happened to be passing? You wouldn't be any less responsible!

    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Doolan View Post
    Claim the cost of the TV on your insurance, saying YOU dropped the set whist lifting it prior to hand over and receipt of any money, was an accident after all.
    and take the sting of increased premiums, or lost no-claims? F.fs, it was his TV and his responsibility, have a drink, have a dance and get over it.

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    Registered User Isis's Avatar
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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Gav View Post
    It is a bad thing to happen to anyone, but would you offer to help pay if you weren't the seller, but just happened to be passing? You wouldn't be any less responsible!
    I didn't say he was responsible, I said he could make a goodwill gesture if he felt so bad about it. And yes, I might make goodwill gestures to passing strangers in trouble if I was able.

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    Registered User FoxyFunkster's Avatar
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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Isis View Post
    I didn't say he was responsible, I said he could make a goodwill gesture if he felt so bad about it. And yes, I might make goodwill gestures to passing strangers in trouble if I was able.

    The cost of replacing the plasma tube is the real value of the TV so replacing it isn`t an option....He asked about buying a Playstation2 that i also had but i said i wasn`t really looking to sell it, however i`m about to buy a PS3 as it has Blue-ray capabilties so i may phone them up and offer to give them the PS2 as a good will gesture.........

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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Gav View Post

    and take the sting of increased premiums, or lost no-claims? F.fs, it was his TV and his responsibility, have a drink, have a dance and get over it.
    Good advice, probably better than mine.

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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Isis View Post
    And yes, I might make goodwill gestures to passing strangers in trouble if I was able.

    You know Isis, I think you probably would

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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Doolan View Post
    You know Isis, I think you probably would
    Awww, thanks Brian.

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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by FoxyFunkster View Post
    The cost of replacing the plasma tube is the real value of the TV so replacing it isn`t an option....He asked about buying a Playstation2 that i also had but i said i wasn`t really looking to sell it, however i`m about to buy a PS3 as it has Blue-ray capabilties so i may phone them up and offer to give them the PS2 as a good will gesture.........
    I think that's a really generous goodwill offer, which I think would help both parties feel better about the whole situation.

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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Not sure I see the moral dilemma. If it was you who bought a TV and dropped it on the way out you wouldn't expect any money back. You would also feel incredibly guilty if you even considered any sort of "good will" offer from the TVs seller...I know I would, and would curse myself for being careless. You have misplaced guilt for something outwith your control - but it still makes you feel bad, so feel free to make your good will gesture - I'll bet its refused though

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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    It's a credit to you that you feel so badly for these people that you want to do something for them.

    However, in law once the contract was complete (you took possession of the money and they took possession of the TV) it became their chattel, it belonged to them. If there'd been a trivial road incident on the way home, or they dropped the TV outside their own house, you would not have felt any responsibility; it was simply the proximity in space and time that gave you pause.

    So yup: have a beer and/or a dance and bear in mind that they may well be able to claim it on their own insurance.

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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Shnikov View Post
    ... So yup: have a beer and/or a dance and bear in mind that they may well be able to claim it on their own insurance.
    I assume you will tell them that.

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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by bigdjiver View Post
    I assume you will tell them that.
    How on earth am I going to tell them anything?

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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Shnikov View Post
    How on earth am I going to tell them anything?
    Apologies - posting with 2% of my brain

    Actually your response is entirely relevant to the family matter taking up the 98%

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    Registered User martingold's Avatar
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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Gav View Post
    and take the sting of increased premiums, or lost no-claims? F.fs, it was his TV and his responsibility, have a drink, have a dance and get over it.
    as it happens i broke our telly last yr we didnt get any rise in premium this year and we didnt lose any no claims as its the first time in 7 yrs with the same insurance that we have claimed i guess they didnt worry too much about the £375 that it cost the company

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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Ok may get shot down for this but.......I'd feel awful too and would offer half the money back because a) it would make me feel better and b) any money made, even if only half what I expected, is money I didn't have and still a bonus......

    But then I'm with Isis on helping a stranger....I paid a very old ladies grocery bill yesterday in our local co-op as she was confused and had forgotten her purse...it made me feel good so was worth every single penny....

  18. #18
    Registered User martingold's Avatar
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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Kazibaby View Post
    Ok may get shot down for this but.......I'd feel awful too and would offer half the money back because a) it would make me feel better and b) any money made, even if only half what I expected, is money I didn't have and still a bonus......

    But then I'm with Isis on helping a stranger....I paid a very old ladies grocery bill yesterday in our local co-op as she was confused and had forgotten her purse...it made me feel good so was worth every single penny....
    you wouldnt get shot down by me kazibaby i think thats a really nice way to live your life

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    Dickie Davies' love-child Cruella's Avatar
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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Hey FoxyFunkster, did you hear about my kids missing their skiing holiday a few weeks ago? They arrived at the airport only to be told their passports were out of date! Imagine their faces full of woe and sadness (and mine when I was told we had lost the price of the holiday!) Do you feel so bad for them that you'd like to pay for them to go to Florida, to make up for the disappointment.

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    Re: Moral Dilemma

    Quote Originally Posted by Cruella View Post
    Do you feel so bad for them that you'd like to pay for them to go to Florida, to make up for the disappointment.
    More to the point Di, do you?????

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