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Mum sends boy's dad a bill for not showing up at her boy's birthday party!

Hello

We've just read, open-mouthed, the news story about 5-year-old Alex Nash, from Cornwall, whose dad has been sent a bill for £15.95 – because Alex didn't show up at his friend's party!

Alex's friend's mother Julie Lawrence said Alex's non-attendance at her son's birthday party left her out of pocket and, since his parents had her details, there was no reason why they couldn't tell her Alex was not coming to the party after all.

Alex's dad had accepted an invitation to the party at a dry ski slope but then realised their son was double-booked and due to spend time with his grandparents.

Alex's dad said he was shocked to get the bill. "It was a proper invoice with full official details and even her bank details on it," he said. "I can understand that she's upset about losing money. The money isn't the issue; it's the way she went about trying to get [it] from me."

What do you think, though?

Is Alex's dad right that Julie has gone a bit over-the-top and treated him rudely? Or do you secretly admire Julie for   charging him for his son's no-show?

Please do let us know what you think by posting on this thread!

Replies

  • Wow! 

    It was very rude of the other boy's parents not to take him to the party when they'd said he was coming. 

    But it's probably just as rude to send them an invoice!

    Wonder what the two boys think about all this, as their parents squabble?

  • I think it's funny. £16 quid come on....... You kinda have to expect at least one kid not to turn up. It happened to me at my daughters party and I didn't charge her mum! 

  • Why  is it that parents think they have a right to not honour the consequences of their actions.  The father confirmed the invitation, he made no effort to contact the mother to explain the mix up, leaving her with a cost she could not off lay, so why should he not pay. He says money is not the object; but it is; he knew there was a cost involved with the party in all decency he should have at least offered to pay his sons portion for not going. If the invoice was put in the bag, in an envelope addressed to the parent that should be acceptable; personally I would have either hand delivered or posted it.

    It unfortunately has become the norm to have no shows at children's parties. Mostly apart from a child being mildly disappointed that their friend is not there it does not cause a problem, but not all parties fall into that category. 

    This party was one of those, it was planned it would have been costly numbers would have been limited, The child would have chosen who he wanted to come, invitations were sent, then the mother followed it up with a personal call to confirm if the child was coming before incurring any cost, so yes I do think she has a right to charge the parents. 

    I just think it's also very sad that some people do not regard a child's invitation as important; either ignoring it or accept then don't show.  I do accept that some invites get lost in the bag, but most invites are followed up so they know how many to cater for, a definite no is preferable to a yes if I can be bothered  at all.

    Unfortunately there will be no easy answer to this problem; the mother is justified in asking for a reimbursement and the father will not pay as he thinks she was rude to charge him. Nowhere does it say that he has apologised or is sorry for his actions, just how miffed he is about being charged for his thoughtlessness.

  • they're both rude, an invoice -- really?

  • Maybe the invoice in the bag was the wrong way to go about it, well done to invoice mum. I've had this happen two years on the trot. Once with one child and once with two children. Two of them just didn't bother turning up and another texted me on the day to say she was ill (fair enough, but if they intended on coming where was the card and present the next school day that they would have bought if they intended on really turning up!!). It left me a total of around £45 out of pocket, my children upset, other class friends upset who would have liked to come instead, and 3 children perminantly crossed off the invite list for future parties! Even if the parents in this feud had lost the contact details of the parent they could have contacted the venue who would have passed on the message. Could the child not have gone to both the party and his grandparents? It's just inconsiderate!!

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