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Letter to friends' parents regarding MY stolen iphone

the deal is, my friend doesn't have a job, so that is why i am sending the letter to her parents, not her. to tell you truth, yeah i made a HUGE mistake of lending the phone out, but ive learned my lesson about so i don't need to be hearing over and over again "you shouldn't have don't that in the first place", ok, its the past, now all im trying to do is get through it. my main priority is to get another iphone. im liable to get my 100 store credit, now all i need now is 300 more or a new iphone from them. the deal is, they can't just up and give me the cash right away, money is tight for them.

and no it hasnt been sent yet but will soon when i finalize it with my father.

oh and Mindflux, if you want to look for me go ahead, im sure you will get something more rather than a slap from me.
 
Your letter is WAY too complicated...

Just say you want to replace the phone and its xxxx and your willing to pay half so you would like xxxx from them.

Obviously in a sentence and as a letter.

I got confused reading your letter and I have a law degree so I am used to reading complicated documents.

Seriously you should be a statute writer - every law I have ever read is about 100 times more convoluted than it needs to be!

Having said that whether its morally correct or not if money is tight for them they won't be giving you any money any time soon - they will tell her she is responsible for it and she has to pay and sort it out which probably means (bar going to court - and as she is your friend thats not a good way to go and if she doesn't have any money it doesn't help anyway) that you will end up paying for it all yourself and hoping she pays you back.

My advice to you - sell some stuff on eBay and then you can buy one much quicker!
 
I just joined to ask something. My stupid friend stole a mp4 player from me that cost $150 and a bunch of other stuff totaling $800. It was about 1 and a hallf years ago and i found out a few months ago it was him. His mum replaced everything.

I sold the crappy 1 gig ipod for $50 to another friend and he broke it by deleting the thing that runs it or something. Being a good friend i gave him his money back. Now the friend who stole mine in the first place asks if he can take it home to fix it so i let him.

Afer a few days I asked for it and he said it had been stolen and if it didnt show up when he cleaned he would give me $50 for it. He said that the last place he saw it was in the pocket of somebodys pants who lives with him. I have no idea why. Anyway a week later he keeps saying to me and my friends that he will give me the money on friday when he gets paid.

On friday someone told me he bought alcohol so i went to his house and said politely why you buying alcohol for when you owe me money. And he started swearing at me saying that hes not paying me cause his mum said he didnt have to and threatening to break my nose. Im not friends with him now. He has problems.

It was in his responsibility and he didnt take care of it so I think he should pay me. I keep calling him and asking but he wont. The only time in his life he listens to his mum is when she says he can weasel his way out of paying money. I found some more stuff missing recently and i know it was him from when we were still friends which makes me even more mad.

Im wondering what i should do i have witnesses to him saying hed pay me. Im thinking about telling the police about how he stole his mums car and crashed it while she got insurance. Just for revenge.

Im not making this up they really did. I might make my own thread. Or somebody could help here
 
As for your letter thats what i did when i found out he stole my stuff and his mum replaced it but now i guess shes changed her mind. The letters okay to me if i got it i would give you the money.
 
IMO the only right thing to do is for everyone to be responsible for their own actions. If she is a minor then her parents are ultimately responsible for their daughter.

There should not be any debate about this. No situational ethics. No double standards. No hypocrisy. No wishy washy anything. Period. To do otherwise is to travel a slippery slope.

She owes you a debt.
Her parents need to be responsible and cover their daughter's debt, if necessary.
You loaned it to her and she took responsibility for it which means her parents ultimately took responsibility for it.
That IS part of being a parent.
They should pay for the entire loss, not a portion of it.

Unless she is incapable of functioning at a normal level, do not assume you are partially at fault because you loaned it to her. That is like saying you would be a murder accomplice for dropping a friend off at a mall and he/she gets shot during a robbery. That is ridiculous.

Perhaps you can work out a payment plan to ease their strain?

If her parents baulk at this you may want to consider conciliation court to recover your loss. Ultimately It will cost her parents more, because if you win you can also recover court fees, but maybe they will learn a lesson and teach their daughter a valuable life lesson at the same time.

Personally I would settle the matter in conciliation court. With a decently strong case it is almost a certain win. I have done it and have friends who have done it. Look at it as a way of forcing people to do the right thing and pay their debts.

Make your own decision and I wish you success.
 
saxonfish said:
I just joined to ask something. My stupid friend stole a mp4 player from me that cost $150 and a bunch of other stuff totaling $800. It was about 1 and a hallf years ago and i found out a few months ago it was him. His mum replaced everything.

I sold the crappy 1 gig ipod for $50 to another friend and he broke it by deleting the thing that runs it or something. Being a good friend i gave him his money back. Now the friend who stole mine in the first place asks if he can take it home to fix it so i let him.

Afer a few days I asked for it and he said it had been stolen and if it didnt show up when he cleaned he would give me $50 for it. He said that the last place he saw it was in the pocket of somebodys pants who lives with him. I have no idea why. Anyway a week later he keeps saying to me and my friends that he will give me the money on friday when he gets paid.

On friday someone told me he bought alcohol so i went to his house and said politely why you buying alcohol for when you owe me money. And he started swearing at me saying that hes not paying me cause his mum said he didnt have to and threatening to break my nose. Im not friends with him now. He has problems.

It was in his responsibility and he didnt take care of it so I think he should pay me. I keep calling him and asking but he wont. The only time in his life he listens to his mum is when she says he can weasel his way out of paying money. I found some more stuff missing recently and i know it was him from when we were still friends which makes me even more mad.

Im wondering what i should do i have witnesses to him saying hed pay me. Im thinking about telling the police about how he stole his mums car and crashed it while she got insurance. Just for revenge.

Im not making this up they really did. I might make my own thread. Or somebody could help here
Click to expand...

Your (ex) friend clearly has problems around behaving in an honest and responsible manner and is probably heading for a life behind bars unless he wises up. I would be tempted to call the police in and hope they can persuade him to mend his ways or at least make sure he gets the punishment he deserves
 
Phil A. said:
Your (ex) friend clearly has problems around behaving in an honest and responsible manner and is probably heading for a life behind bars unless he wises up. I would be tempted to call the police in and hope they can persuade him to mend his ways or at least make sure he gets the punishment he deserves
Click to expand...

Yer hes pretty bad he stole wheelchairs and fire extinguishers from an old people home in the area.
 
I think the inclusion of the $774.00 is confusing and the grandiosity will hurt your situation. Try to express the investment in other words and clearly do the math for her parents.
 
mrwizardno2 said:
I have to agree with lordgaino. I wouldn't even let my boyfriend take mine... and he's 27 years old ;-)

As to whether or not she should pay half or all... I can see both sides, but it would be hard to argue her being responsible for 100% of the loss. I'd probably ask that they simply replace the iPhone. Especially since they did come down in price. Did you ever claim your 100 dollars back? Just figured that should be included in your calculation.
Click to expand...

The $100 rebate shouldn't be taken into account, because Apple is no longer acknowledging gift cards as acceptable currency for the iPhone.

I tend, however, to agree with the first response to this post. If you were to loan her your car, and she were to have an accident, she is the sole proprietor as it pertains to responsibility. She should have to cover full costs.

On the other hand, it's almost like suing someone who has no money... What can you really get? (I'm assuming she's a minor) That's why I think it would be best to settle for half. The fact that she is your friend, and she didn't mean for it to happen has to count for something.

I hope that your situation s settled quickly. It sucks paying for service on something you don't even possess! Good luck, and let us know how it all works out!
 
i talked to my friend the day after it happened and she basically told me, i want to repay you as soon i as i can, but its hard for her to get money. as of right now i just want to get another iphone (that no one besides me will use) and the money can come later.

so basically i should just tone down the letter and make it in a simpler way?
 
The letter is very well written. Although I think it is absurd that you would ask her parents to pay for your phone. Granted that it was her fault for leaving it unattended, but unless she had purposely left it unattended with the intent of having someone take it, your really out of luck. Her parents might be nice and help out, but really they do not owe you anything.
 
brandoncarr said:
On the other hand, it's almost like suing someone who has no money... What can you really get? (I'm assuming she's a minor)
Click to expand...

If she is a Minor which I think she is then the parents are ultimatly responsible for anything she does. So they would need to replace it if it was taken to court, however if they can't/won't pay after your letter, you will have to decide which is worth more, the friend or the iphone, and if you would rather have the iPhone take them to court and you will probably win.
 
Ask for the full amount you paid or a new one ( which is $399 as mentioned earlier )

I don't think you should have to write a letter, just talk to the parents in person.
 
Mindflux said:
A lecture from daddy?
Click to expand...

^^that is really funny!

am i the only one who thinks its his own stupid fault for lending out his iPhone?

if it was me who had lost it i would personally think it's the right thing to do to give money to the owner of the lost iPhone but not everyone is like that!

my opinion is it's his own fault and he learns from his mistake and cuts some more grass and saves up for another.....by then iPhone 2 could be out.....
 
saxonfish said:
I just joined to ask something. My stupid friend stole a mp4 player from me that cost $150 and a bunch of other stuff totaling $800. It was about 1 and a hallf years ago and i found out a few months ago it was him. His mum replaced everything.

I sold the crappy 1 gig ipod for $50 to another friend and he broke it by deleting the thing that runs it or something. Being a good friend i gave him his money back. Now the friend who stole mine in the first place asks if he can take it home to fix it so i let him.

Afer a few days I asked for it and he said it had been stolen and if it didnt show up when he cleaned he would give me $50 for it. He said that the last place he saw it was in the pocket of somebodys pants who lives with him. I have no idea why. Anyway a week later he keeps saying to me and my friends that he will give me the money on friday when he gets paid.

On friday someone told me he bought alcohol so i went to his house and said politely why you buying alcohol for when you owe me money. And he started swearing at me saying that hes not paying me cause his mum said he didnt have to and threatening to break my nose. Im not friends with him now. He has problems.

It was in his responsibility and he didnt take care of it so I think he should pay me. I keep calling him and asking but he wont. The only time in his life he listens to his mum is when she says he can weasel his way out of paying money. I found some more stuff missing recently and i know it was him from when we were still friends which makes me even more mad.

Im wondering what i should do i have witnesses to him saying hed pay me. Im thinking about telling the police about how he stole his mums car and crashed it while she got insurance. Just for revenge.

Im not making this up they really did. I might make my own thread. Or somebody could help here
Click to expand...

Why would you loan something to someone who has a history of stealing from you? Makes no sense at all. Hopefully this will be a lesson learned for you.
 
Hi, You need to ask for the full amount;
this is not what i call 'could have happened to anyone - theft' - it is theft as a result of serious lack of responsibility, the question you have to ask is 'could this have happened to me?' - clearly the answer is NO... i assume you would have kept it in your pocket! this was not a mugging attack, where you and her would both have given up the iPhone!

if you just explain 'fortunatly the price of iPhones has now dropped... i am asking for $385 (-15$)

or, perhaps, they can claim on insurance?
 
saxonfish said:
I just joined to ask something. My stupid friend stole a mp4 player from me that cost $150 and a bunch of other stuff totaling $800. It was about 1 and a hallf years ago and i found out a few months ago it was him. His mum replaced everything.

I sold the crappy 1 gig ipod for $50 to another friend and he broke it by deleting the thing that runs it or something. Being a good friend i gave him his money back. Now the friend who stole mine in the first place asks if he can take it home to fix it so i let him.

Afer a few days I asked for it and he said it had been stolen and if it didnt show up when he cleaned he would give me $50 for it. He said that the last place he saw it was in the pocket of somebodys pants who lives with him. I have no idea why. Anyway a week later he keeps saying to me and my friends that he will give me the money on friday when he gets paid.

On friday someone told me he bought alcohol so i went to his house and said politely why you buying alcohol for when you owe me money. And he started swearing at me saying that hes not paying me cause his mum said he didnt have to and threatening to break my nose. Im not friends with him now. He has problems.

It was in his responsibility and he didnt take care of it so I think he should pay me. I keep calling him and asking but he wont. The only time in his life he listens to his mum is when she says he can weasel his way out of paying money. I found some more stuff missing recently and i know it was him from when we were still friends which makes me even more mad.

Im wondering what i should do i have witnesses to him saying hed pay me. Im thinking about telling the police about how he stole his mums car and crashed it while she got insurance. Just for revenge.

Im not making this up they really did. I might make my own thread. Or somebody could help here
Click to expand...
I'm amazed that you have anything to do with this guy.

Forget him, forget your financial loss, and move on.

Otherwise, you risk making a bad situation worse. Just stay away from him.
 
You know, if it were me and the girl was a hottie then I would suggest she pay me back with, ehm, services.
 
I might like to point out to the people saying the friend should pay back the full amount that the question is if it is worth the friendship to fight over that amount. I am going to assume they are high school which means chances are pretty good that his/her friend does not have that kind of money I know I sure as hell did not have more than a few 100 at any point in time in high school at my high.

While yes the friend should more than likely pay 100% it really comes down to if is worth arguing over. I have lent things to friends before and they got damage while in there possessions. Depending on how it happen and if it really was a true accident I have most of the time just told them not to worry about it and that was the end of it. In something like this depending on the friend I might only ask for 50% of the cost back.

Remember it is a 2 way street. A the OP is a true friend they are also willing to forgive there friend and not demand full cost.

Now if I had some of my friends stuff in my possessions take damage and yes I have or as soon as possible attempted to replace said item. Some of them have told me not to worry about it if I could not do it before I returned it to them. Others just said ok and knew I would do it as soon as I got the chance which some times was limited by when I got the money in for it which they did understand.
 
I was thinking of letting my friend use mine for a day (we would switch SIM cards and I would use his Blackberry).

Then, I thought - nahhhh... :D

(from PSP commercial) - "Dude, get your own..."
 
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