@Jenny, suggest consider closing thread.
There seems ample shared views and clear subjectiveness on topic.
Hopefully this is a rare situation - we don’t recall similar Forum posts.
I would call the garage that replaced the tire and see what caused the flat, if they know. But, this is your car that you allowed a sitter to use. You get to keep the tire, and breakdowns happen. If they were negligent, then I would ask them to pay or at least contribute. But honestly, my feeling is that this is your responsibility. It comes with the territory. If the oven broke down while a sitter is using it, are they expected to pay for that? Or any other item within the house. Again, if it was some type of negligent behavior on their part, then perhaps.
It seems that most of the comments saying the sitter shouldn’t have to pay come from sitters and those who suggest the sitter should pay are hosts.
The washing machine analogy is flawed as a flat tire is not a mechanical breakdown. It may be the result of careless driving and unlike the washing machine failure may not have happened if the car was not loaned.
The washing machine analogy would be a better match to say, a burned out headlight.
Hi @Prissie, welcome to the forum.
Not really. Opinions are split on both sides. I am a sitter and I agree with @MaggieUU, the best solution would be to split the cost, perhaps, as @Katie suggests, consider the price of used tires.
It’s also very important to know if the car was required to take dogs to walks, in which case, the owner should pay unless negligence can be proved.
All that said, I have been offered the use of a car three times and I have never accepted. I wouldn’t want to disturb the host’s holidays if there was some kind of damage or, even worse, let them without a car until it can be repaired.
Whatever you decide, a friendly conversation is paramount.
A flat tire that cannot be repaired usually means sidewall damage. Sidewall damage happens due to driver error or avoidable/unavoidable road hazard.
I think it’s simple. If you broke the tire, you pay. If the tire broke during diligent driving, you don’t. Only you know whether you broke the tire.
I am a HO and I do lend out my car. I would pay as it’s my tire, plus I would want at least two tires replaced or maybe all 4 if it’s close to time anyway.
Flat tires are not always driver error. If they were driving ‘carelessly’ enough to blow out a tire I assume there would be other damage. Perhaps the tires were not inflated properly but that would be up to owners to check prior to lending. Perhaps there was a road hazard but it couldn’t be seen or avoided. I’ve seen many tires blowout on the freeway where drivers are just going straight. I don’t think its a given they were driving carelessly and this caused the flat.
I agree. Because of this topic, I reviewed my Costco tires warranty. They’ll replace a tire except in clear cases of negligence. How can a sitter who’s borrowing a car know what the car’s maintenance history is?