RE: Fuming Friend-What Would You Do

[Starcraft Dad]

 
I have a friend, whom recently bought a new to them 2000 Jayco PU.  They have only used it once.  They had to leave town for a wedding but could not bring it so they left it at home.  They were gone a week.  When they got back, to thier horror, the next door neighbors kids decided to use the top as a trampoline.  Completly smashed the roof down into the camper enough that it broke the television, one bunk end, sink and some other items.  The mother came over, apologized and that was that.  What would you do in a situation like this.  They are/were pretty good friends with the neighbor, but they haven t purchased insurance yet.  They have only had it 3 weeks.  They are besides themselves on this.

[jpreiser]

 Starcraft Dad
Funny, the people who live next to us have an old starcraft pop up that their kids jump on all the time also. My husband wonders why I like to keep ours in the garage!!  If they are that good of friends then it should be easy to ask them for the money for repairs. if not there is always judge judy!!!

[Jeffrey]

 Starcraft Dad
I would contact the insurance company of their homeowners policy.
 And the other family probably should too.
 If it was sitting on their property it should/might be covered under vandalism.
 
 They might what to get some offical proof of what happened, in case the other family suddenly deny s they did it.

[wssfetch]

 Starcraft Dad
The kids parents probably don t realize how extensive the damage is or assume that your friends have insurance on the camper.  Some states have laws that make parents responsible for vandalism and other damage incurred by their minor children.  Of course that is the last resort particularly if the families are good friends and want to remain so.  I would say that a talk with the neighbors is in order.

[MtnCamper]

 Starcraft Dad
My guess is it s time to find out how good friends they are. My guess probably not that good. I can see where this is going now. " It s not our fault, You hadn t gotten insurance on it yet" ?
 
 First thing they need to do is file a police report, just for the record. They are going to need it. Then call their insurance company, Their homeowners policy will probably help. Then if all else fails, their insurance company may go after the neighbors, for a return of it s money.
 
 Either case it s a bad deal, friends are probably going to suffer, all because of unsupervised kids, who haven t been taught to respect others property!

[JemJen24]

 Starcraft Dad
I agree.  Under our HOME insurance policy, the camper would be covered from any damage inflicted upon it when at home and NOT being towed.  
 
 I would file the claim, ask for a repair estimate, and then take it over to the neighbors house and have a good talk with them.  Any reasonable adult would have felt horrible and immidiately offered to pay for the damage.  Some people!
 
 Jennifer

[whitestar505]

 Starcraft Dad
Starcraft Dad,
 
    What I would do first is call my insurance company and tell them what has happen. I have seen insurance companies go after the people/persons involved with the damage. That will be between the two parties. If the insurance company, either homeowners/auto-insurance takes care of the damage you should ask the neighbors to pay the deducible amount.
 
   The big problem here to me would be not being able to go camping.[&:][:@][][][: (]

[angelsmom10]

 Starcraft Dad
I agree that property insurance may cover it.
 
 
 A lesson well learned...
 
        GET INSURANCE AS SOON AS THE PAPERWORK IS SIGNED![]

[Gamecock Camper]

 Starcraft Dad
I agree that they should contact their insurance company.  I know that there is a grace period for when you trade a car in.... I think it is about 30 days in which you must notify the insurance company for coverage.  I would also bring the camper to a repair shop and get an estimate for the repairs and also estimate the cost of the other items (i.e. - television, etc...) that need to be replaced.  After that I would present this information to the neighbor and let them know in a nice, but direct manner that they are responsible and should pay for the repairs.  The next step, if that doesn t go anywhere, is to file a claim in small claims court (if under $1000 in our state)....  I d take notes just in case it is needed on the dates and times of all your dealings with the neighbors.... just in case.  I d document that on such and such a date they told you that their kids were jumping on the top of your property....  I wish them the best of luck with this situation.  I guess they will find out if they really are friends or not through this ordeal.

[wiininkwe]

 Starcraft Dad
I have several question that I would be busy asking the parents of those kids. First, how old are these kids, did they have any sense at all between right and wrong?    If they are so small that they don t yet know the difference between  what s acceptable and what s not, then they are too young to be out of sight of the parents.   Where were the mom and dad while the little darlings were doing all this?   If they are old enough to know how to behave responsibly, then the parents should expect some kind of action to take place to make things right.    And, why would they be in someone else s yard, not their own, especially if no one was home?  And, didn t anyone else in the neighborhood see or hear what was going on, to say something to the kids or the parents?     I know that it s important to keep a good relationship with your neighbors, but respect for one another and their property goes a long way in building that good relationship.
 Yes, they should make sure that they get a police report, if only for the insurance company.    If they don t get any satisfaction between the ins. co.and the parents, then they will probably have to go to court in order to straighten this out.
   I just hate hearing about things like this, it s gotten so that no one has any idea of what respect means, only " what can I do that is fun for ME?"

[rajones315]

 Starcraft Dad
That is that?
 
 Wow, I think I would confront them again and record them talking about it (as proof) and then talk to the police.  Seems to me, the friendship is already in jeapordy if they aren t offering to pay for the repairs.
 
 It isn t a question of insurance or not - what those kids did was wrong, and their parents are condoning their actions by not trying to make it right.  The kids should be made to do chores for the neighbors and the " friends"  should offer to make monitary amends.
 
 I wouldn t care if was my family - you break something like that, you pay for it.
 
 Wrong is wrong and right is right.

[Starcraft Dad]

 Starcraft Dad
The kids age range from 10 to 12.  There were 3 of them.  The 12 y/o wieghs about 130lbs, she didn t know the others.  My friends were heading over there this evening to talk it out with the parents.  And they did get a police report on it today.  Apparently the dad travels for his business and isn t there half of the time.  I ll give an update with what happens when I find out.  Unfortunatly they (my friends) are computer shy and don t own one.  Otherwise they would be on here instead.  But, I m about to change that for them.[]

[campingboaters]

 Starcraft Dad
TIME to END that " friendship" !   I can t imagine ANY of my neighbor friends not offering to pay for the damages that their kids inflicted.  With friends like that, they don t need enemies!  [:@]
 
 Good news about the police report.  Now, hopefully the home owners insurance will cover at least some of it.  []
 
 Good luck to your friends and keep us posted.  Hopefully one good thing will come of this --  we all can learn to be prepared should this type of misfortune occur to us.  
 
 What a sad day to hear of a much loved pop-up so damaged.  []

[4campinfoxes]

 Starcraft Dad
The correct way that neighbor should have dealt with it is " I m sorry our kids trashed your property, please send us the bill" .  Obviously these people are in what sometimes seems to be the majority of people who don t think they need to take responsibility of anything they (or their children) do.
 
 I would be appalled if a neighbor did that to me.  
 
 Sharon

[NightOwl]

 Starcraft Dad
This is both sad and infuriating. [: (] Like others here, I want to know where the parents were when this damage was taking place.  Furthermore,  I cannot imagine any decent person not saying, as someone has suggested, " well, our kids did the damage and now we will pay for the repairs even if it means financial sacrifice."   I believe this was a crime of  vandalism or " malicious mischief"  committed during the clear " trespassing of someone else s property."   Isnt there any law which deals with this?  If there is not, this country is in a sad way[:@]
 
 Reading this makes me grateful for the dealer who insisted  he call our insurance company from his office as we signed the papers for our TM and  get immediate coverage before we drove it off his lot.