Replacing Neighbors Trampoline Net

New nets can take several weeks to be delivered.

Their bank could be holding your check for 3 weeks. (I dropped US Bank, because they held every durn check... including ones from their own stupid bank... for 14 business days, which invariably ended up as 3-4 weeks)

So if it was less than 2 months ago... I wouldn't even blink.

If it was more than 2 months ago? You made an amends / did the right thing. What they do now, is on them. It doesn't change what you did to the wrong thing. It was still the right thing to do.

It's possible that they are in dire financial straights. Your son broke something of theirs and you offered them money to make it right. They took the money, but instead of fixing a luxury item with the cash, decided to put it towards some credit card debt or buy groceries that month. Realizing that putting the money towards a luxury item like a trampoline would be irresponsible of them. So they fixed it up as best they could, willing to just do without it completely, because they needed the cash for other things. I would not begrudge them that.

You made amends for your son's wrongdoing and should be at peace with that.

We had a similar, but slightly different, problem at my house. My husband was out of work for a full year, then underemployed for another full year. And we're still in this boat. We were doing all right for a little while, making all our ends sort of meet.

My aunt sent us a check for $70 to pay for swim time at the local pool. (It costs money to get in.) The $70 would have let us get in about five times. She sent the money because she wanted us to have a little fun, knowing how tight our situation has been. I graciously accepted it and wrote her a letter of thanks.

That month my husband's hours were slashed by nearly half. We were going to have to put many of our bills on the credit card again that month, just to get by. Again. I had the $70 in my bank, waiting to be used for swim trips, but I paid the electric bill instead.

I never told my aunt. She thought we had fun times at the pool and it made her happy to keep thinking that.

Did they cash your check? Maybe the sewing was a stopgap measure until the new one arrived.

One of my sons friends tore ours. Since the net was two years old I didn't ask for anything. After all the net shouldn't have torn that was the point of having it. Really I saw it as the safety net failed. I was lucky he wasn't hurt and I was sued.

I just wanted to add you may want to make it clear that your son will no longer be jumping on their trampoline because clearly it isn't safe. Perhaps that will drive the point home this was their problem to correct in the first place.

I think that the net was old and rotting and your neighbors are darn lucky your son wasn't hurt. The net is there to keep kids safe - THIS one didn't do its job. I don't know your neighbors' financial situation, but I'd also be annoyed. Unfortunately, you already gave them the check, asking for it back would be tacky at this point.

You should smile and be happy for them.

You paid for the DAMAGE, not for the REPAIR. The cost of repair is how we calculate the damage - just like car insurance.

It's up the the damaged individual if they want to keep the compensation for the damages, or go ahead and pay for repairs.

They chose to fix it themselves and the DAMAGES your son did are not mitigated by their skill at fixing things.

If your son crashes through a privacy fence, does he owe $1,000 (cost to repair) - or does he owe only the cost of the wood ($200) if the fence is owned by a carpenter who can fix it themselves?

what's to handle? however they used the money, it doesn't alter the fact that your son damaged their property and you indemnified them, right?
good for you for doing the right thing promptly. don't screw it up now.
khairete
S.

You are paying for damaged property. He ripped it, so you compensate. Really, how they fix it is up to them.

IMO, they shouldn't have accepted your check, but since they did, let it go.

I would not be pleased about the fact my child fell through a rotted Trampoline net!

I would have offered to split the cost since really they should have not had it in this condition in the first place. Unless your child was over there without their permission.

We had a trampoline and we made sure it was safe before we ever let the kids on there. Swept, raked, checked to make sure it was all connected.. Of course we wanted our child to be safe also.

But it really is up to them to decide whether to replace it or not, But i woul dbe put out that they did not apologize that your child fell through it in the first place.

I'm with Jo on this one, the point of the net is to keep your son from falling off the trampoline. If the net failed to keep your son safe, the neighbors should be apologizing to you and making sure your son is ok.

Did they cash the check?

Anyway, maybe they purchased a new one and just sewed it so the kids can keep on jumping.

You could go over there and say very nicely "Again, I apologize that my son damaged your trampoline net. I hope the money I gave you was enough to cover it, I did check out the prices on Amazon for you. When it arrives, do you need help setting it up?"

Then see what they say! If they didn't order a new net, perhaps that will inspire (aka guilt) them into doing it!

Nothing, should that net ever break again because its damaged, they will have the money to replace it. Count it a loss for an accident that happened to be one that your son made. Its ok, it their choice. Trust me thread will not hold forever.

You did the right thing!

I have no clue what I would do, but that would not make me happy either!

It was a good jesture to do what you did by giving what it may cost to replace the net as that is what you probably would have want your neighbor to do had it been your net that was damage. You have done your part as a responsible parent who sees that you are responsible for what your child did be it by choice or by accident. It may not register to your neighbor to return the money as I am sure they probably felt that .you gave it in good conscience.. Be at peace with what you did for if you do anything that might create tension between you and your neighbor, your children may suffer the consequence of not being able to continue playing together. It is right that you gave and it is their choice to buy a new one or use the money to mend the damage one. God bless you!

Well, next time you know that you should wait until they ask what you want to do about it. Then I'd suggest you just go buy one yourself and bring it to them.

Lesson learned. The think I would not let my child jump on it anymore.

Your son broke something, you paid for it. Done. Personal responsibility is wonderful lesson you just taught your son. What they do with the money is none of your business. You righted a wrong. Good for you.

My husband's car was run into (when we were dating) and instead of fixing it, he put the insurance money into his savings account. Done. Would I have done that? No. I would have fixed the car, but we are different.

Your son made a hole you paid for it. It's up to them to use towards the net or a day in the sun or whatever they want.

Continue to be a good neighbor :)

The net was there for safety, and your son falling into it meant that the net should have held. Since the net tore, it wasn't safe and you should NOT have given them any sort of reimbursement. They allowed not only their children to play on unsafe equipment, but they allowed YOUR child to play on unsafe equipment.

Obviously what's done is done in how you handled the reimbursement, but from here on out I wouldn't bat an eye over how they're handling the repair of the net. Frankly, the nets don't make these death traps any more safe than without the nets. Trampolines shouldn't be sold for backyard use. Too many deaths occur from these things.

From here on out I wouldn't allow your son to go anywhere near that trampoline, and make sure that if the neighbors invite him over to play on it, you let them know the truth... you don't believe it's safe. He can play anything else except the trampoline.