My brother bought a Samsung TV (over £1100) about 4 years ago to go in my late mums holiday house – all is good.
I inherit the house and all the contents except the TV as it’s my bothers. Two months ago he asks if I want to buy it for £400 and I decline as I’m not a fan of Samsung TVs (after ours literally went bang) and I’d prefer a slightly larger one (plus his price was daft).
TV stays in the house over the summer but bro asks if I can take it back for his new house to which I say ‘sure’.
Next morning the TV launches into a loop of rebooting every 3 or 4 mins which seems to be a common thing with Samsungs.
I’ve let bro know it’s bust but not heard back.
Should I be paying to fix a TV that’s going back to him anyway?

I would say: no.

If you didn’t borrow it I can’t see how you’re responsible for it..

If you’ve used it everyday as if it were yours then I’d offer a sensible contribution, but if not, then no.

A 4yr old TV won’t be worth anything like £400.

A 4yr old TV won’t be worth anything like £400.

Exactly.

If you’ve used it everyday as if it were yours then I’d offer a sensible contribution, but if not, then no.

Holiday house so spends 80% of the year not being used. He used to use the house too – it’s only this summer that he’s not.

My housemate’s TV went pop a few years ago whilst it was being used comunaly. We agreed to split it’s s/h (ebay) value between the there of us, it was about £200, so the two of us gave him £65 each and the next TV was bought together (with the agreement that we’d do the same in reverse if/when we moved out, i.e. he’d buy the new one off us for it’s 2/3rds its s/h price).

So I’d offer him half it’s s/h value if he’s had equal access to the holiday home (even if he’ not used it). If he’s not had access then I’d offer the s/h value of the TV.

A 4yr old TV won’t be worth anything like £400.

Depends how big it is, ours was only a 32″ TV, new model was only £350, ebay for out 3 yr old one was £200.

I don’t want to be arsy, and I don’t know your circumstances so this is only really how I run my life, but if I had inherited a free house i’d happily just bung my sister the £400 because I could and in the interest of family harmony.

If you’ve got a good relationship with your brother, then he shouldn’t expect you to pay for it, and you shouldn’t feel you have to.

TV’s break occasionally, it’s not like you chucked a cup of coffee on it or something. Shit happens.

Depends how big it is, ours was only a 32″ TV, new model was only £350, ebay for out 3 yr old one was £200.

I think you were done (unless it was something special, but I don’t think it was is it was only £350 new). Plenty of used 32″ Samsung’s for under a £100…and plenty not even selling at that.

if I had inherited a free house I’d happily just bung my sister the £400 because I could

I know what you’re saying but my bro and I effectively got the same inheritance – his was money and mine was a house to the same value.
The main difference is that my inheritance comes with all the usual bills and maintenance costs – plus I can never really sell it as it’s meant to be passed on down the family.
So yes, I’ve got a free house but I actually have less money than before so I can’t just chuck £400 at a broken TV that I never wanted in the first place.

I think you were done (unless it was something special, but I don’t think it was is it was only £350 new). Plenty of used 32″ Samsung’s for under a £100…and plenty not even selling at that.

This was 6 years ago, not today, TV’s have gotten cheaper. The TV was worth about half it’s new price after 3 years was my point, so the OP’s brother might not have been too far out.

Plenty of 42-50″ samsung TV’s sold on ebay for ~£400. I’m guessing if the TV was >£1000 then it isn’t going to be the the 32″ one!

I still think splitting whatever the TV’s value would be reasnoble, even if you barely used it and didn’t want it, your brother’s loseing a lot more than you on it and never used it!

Don’t forget to charge him rent for storing the TV for him for all those years. Honestly, what are some people like ?

Sounds like you haven’t even used it – hardly your fault, sometimes stuff breaks. Maybe he should have taken out Stuff That Breaks insurance.

It’s broken, it was in your care and you were using it, you should buy him a replacement “like for like” or give him the same amount of money. Whether you wanted it or not is irrelevant.

Where’s the brotherly love man! 😆

Grab your brother in a head lock and grind your knuckles into his head until he says you are the best.
Then, give him £25

My Samsung telly started behaving like that, so I replaced the batteries in the remote and it’s been fine since (about 3 months ago) – I’m not saying it will definitely fix it, but it’s worth a go!

Have you been using it for years and have saved on the TV you would otherwise have bought? If so I would offer something.

Also, just to stick my oar in. If you can’t sell the place and are obliged to pass it down, then it’s not really an inheritance is it? More like an albatross.

If I lent a mate a bike and they, through no fault of their own, taco’ed the wheel I’d expect them to replace it.

If you can’t sell the place and are obliged to pass it down, then it’s not really an inheritance is it? More like an albatross.

My thoughts too!

I’d offer him £100, tell him he’s lucky then show him this thread. Should save a few christmas presents too 🙂

I think , given you were using it, that you have to accept some liability for it breaking.

Things do break but they broke because you were using it and not because he was. Given this you need to pay something for the loss token ish about £100 or replace with a shitter tv.

to counter JYs approach, deny you ever tried to turn the thing on and wait to see ‘if’ its broken after you return it to your brother.

maybe its like a fridge in that it doesnt like being moved?

I Like your thinking but i wont ever lend you anything 😉

my inheritance comes with all the usual bills and maintenance costs – plus I can never really sell it as it’s meant to be passed on down the family.

Worst. Inheritance. Ever.

sharkbait – Member
if I had inherited a free house I’d happily just bung my sister the £400 because I could

I know what you’re saying but my bro and I effectively got the same inheritance – his was money and mine was a house to the same value.
The main difference is that my inheritance comes with all the usual bills and maintenance costs – plus I can never really sell it as it’s meant to be passed on down the family.
So yes, I’ve got a free house but I actually have less money than before so I can’t just chuck £400 at a broken TV that I never wanted in the first place.

Sounds to me you know how your going to play this.
Just looking for reassurance ..

Families being what they are. Reasonable and fair is something they very rarely are.
I would suggest getting it fixed or getting a replacement off ebay just to avoid the nagging stress of the whole affair.

Either you inherited it or you didn’t. If the house is going to cost more to keep than it will rise in value over the years, or you should suggest that the equity should be invested more wisely.

Chucking a couple of hundred quid at your brother, or getting the telly fixed might be a very valuable investment in terms of keeping him onside for you flogging the place in future!

The telly has developed a fault. Nobody has ‘broken’ it, that would require the set being dropped, knocked over, had something thrown at it, etc.
It’s the brother’s set, his responsibility to get it fixed/replaced, if he really cares about it.
End of.
I certainly wouldn’t fork out any money for something that isn’t mine.

Before you go binning the TV or whatever try the following.
With the TV in standby mode press the following buttons on the remote in quick succession.
Info, menu, mute, power..
If you do it correctly the TV will turn on in an engineers screen..you then need to highlight the reset option and press the ok or right key button ( can’t remember which without seeing it) the TV will then turn off and when you turn it on again you can do a retune procedure.
Had many occasions where this has rectified faults on Samsung TVs. HTH.

I think that family harmony is much more important than a TV or even £400, although that would sting.

First and foremost, what’s the brother said he wants you to do?

I think to my mind he’s not that bothered about it, if he can afford to spend £1100 quid on a TV and then leave it at what is ostensibly someone else’s house for four years.

Plus I’m not seeing how it’s your fault particularly, you’ve not damaged it or broken it, his TV has happened to develop a fault whilst at your house. If I rode to your house and my chain snapped on your driveway, would you be liable?

Whether or not you’d want to give him some money would ultimately depend on what he wants, what you want and the nature of the relationship with your brother. If roles were reversed, would you expect him to pay up? But I’d feel that anything you offered would be out of goodwill, not obligation.

You’re going to have to see how your brother takes it to get a happy outcome but we can all see and understand your PoV.

My take on it – your brother’s TV was left in your house. It wasn’t being borrowed and wasn’t your responsibility.

Unlucky. He could have insured it.

Cheers guys. Just to clear up the inheritance bit… the house is mine outright – the ‘passing it on down the family’ bit means to my kids and not to him or his kids. If I really wanted to sell it I could but it would end 50 years of us holidaying in this place which doesn’t seem right or fair to my girls.
Back on track – yeah, we didn’t break it as it was going to go wrong anyway wherever it was so I’m not sure I’m responsible to be honest. We have been using it but so has he when he was there.
rj2dj: done that already but cheers.
cogglepin: thanks for the info – I’ll pass it on.

You have been charging him rent for using your holiday home haven’t you? If he wants a telly contribution, this should be offset against any outstanding rental fees…