AITA for asking my landlady to pay me for the ice cream her grandchildren ate and the notebook her grandchildren tore?
A university student renting a room found her landlady’s visiting grandchildren had entered her room without permission. They tore a special notebook given to her as a gift and ate her luxury ice cream, leaving her frustrated and upset. The landlady offered to replace the notebook, but it was a discontinued item.
The student, living on a tight budget, plans to ask for reimbursement for both the notebook and the ice cream. She feels conflicted about whether requesting compensation is too harsh. read the original story below…
‘ AITA for asking my landlady to pay me for the ice cream her grandchildren ate and the notebook her grandchildren tore?’
For a little context, I am a student in my last year and I live off my savings so I don’t have much money, I rent a room near the university, in that place I live, the lady who rents it to me and 2 other university students, like this that only adults What happened:
this lady’s grandchildren are visiting (They are 3 children between 7 and 2 years old) we normally leave the rooms with the door open because there are few of us and there is trust in the others in the house, now with the children everywhere, I left the door closed (no key),
I came back tired in the afternoon and felt that there was something out of place in my room, like that feeling that someone moved something and that person tried to make it look like it didn’t. I got a little nervous and asked my best friend (who rents another of the rooms) if he had come in,
which he denied and I believed him, then I saw a bookmark on the floor, I decided to see in the kitchen if there was anything of mine and I found under a table a notebook of mine (very special for me since it was a birthday gift years ago from my best friend) with a cute cat design, now it was all dirty, torn and unusable.
The lady who rents from me saw me almost crying because of it (I did feel stupid for crying but stationery is special to me and gifts even more so) and she offered to pay for a new one but that one is discontinued…
I decided to rest and after a while eating ice cream (which I bought as a luxury because my mother had sent me some money) and I NOTICED THAT THEY HAD EATEN ALL OF IT (1 liter of ice cream), now, the lady doesn’ I don’t know that I noticed about the ice cream, but today I want to charge her for it, and go buy some notebook.
I feel like it’s rude of me to charge for that but I don’t have enough money and the fact that they eat my things and break my things makes me feel very frustrated… (and yes, today I left the door locked)
UPDATE: Everything went well, I spoke to her and it was all misunderstandings and good intentions, in fact as soon as I arrived she asked me if I had found a replacement for the notebook… she even gave me a plate of homemade food (as a student that’s worth gold) Thank you all for your responses I felt a bit rude about it since I have a soft heart when it comes to children.
Regarding privacy, which I understand is an issue (for me too), it is something discussed and I know that the children were scolded and before that even warned not to enter. Luckily I didn’t have any really dangerous things at children’s height (like medicines or scalpels… which I use to practice nursing techniques)
Here’s how people reacted to the post:
MrBrainsFabbots − NTA, not at all. They might be kids, but they should know not to steal and ruin other peoples things. She has already offered to buy you a new notebook, don’t think it’s too much to ask for the ice cream too
Background-Fix-417 − NTA. If you go to someone’s house, go through their room, ruin a notebook, and eat all their ice cream, they will expect you to pay. What makes them any different? Bcuz they’re kids?
No. I get kids will be kids, but they were under the supervision of an adult who lacked some kind of respect for you. If the landlord was willing to pay for the book have them pay for the ice cream too.
SarcasticBench − Info – How old are these kids? Actually it doesn’t matter, my boys are 10 and 11 now and they never acted like that growing up. These don’t sound like kids at all, more like feral wolverines
Gennevieve1 − NTA. But your landlady doesn’t seem malicious. She offered to replace the torn notebook so you should just talk to her and ask her to replace the ice cream. She’ll most likely won’t make a fuss about it. Just communicate.
TemptingPenguin369 − NTA. I’m sorry you had your things ruined or stolen and your privacy violated. Your landlady should absolutely pay you back for the notebook (even if you can’t get the exact same one) and the ice cream.
HellerrrItsMe − It’s ok to ask her, it doesn’t have to be a big deal. Say “Hey I noticed your grandkids ate my ice cream which you may have been unaware of, would you mind picking up (brand, flavor, size) when you go to the store today?” And yes allow her to pay for the notebook.
Leading-Knowledge712 − NTA Yes, she should buy you new ice cream. Re the notebook that’s been discontinued, check eBay. Often you can find discontinued items there. If not, find something similar and let the landlady pay for it as she offered. Sorry that happened to you!
Zealousideal_Fail946 − Both items were stolen from you. Period. Don’t feel guilty for asking for both to be paid for. If she turns it against you – find a new place to live. THings will never change and you will always be to blame.
Decent-Historian-207 − NTA but you need to speak to your landlady. She already offered to replace the notebook so just use your words.
Is it fair to ask for reimbursement in this situation, or should she let it slide? Share your thoughts below!