5-year-old boy from Cornwall given £15.95 invoice for missing birthday party

[Soul2Soul]

A five-year-old boy from Cornwall was given an invoice and his parents threatened with court action after he missed a friend's birthday party.

Alex Nash from Torpoint, inadvertently brought home the £15.95 "no show fee" after it was slipped into his school bag .......


Apparently the boy's parents were given enough information and time to contact the parents of the boy who was throwing the party; They didn't and the others did this!

Any thoughts anyone

 

[marshlewis]

I have met people like this. The most recent was a friend who begged me for work so I shared what jobs i had with him (were both plumbers). He then hectored me for the next two days because He felt I was not paying him enough even though it was half of the profit.
He was totally sincere as well. He really felt hard done by.

 

[Inkfingers]

What is the background on this?

If the parents who organised the party had told everyone the cost and everyone had agreed and a booking had been made.....the no-show parents need to cough up and shut up.

If however it's something else, then perhaps not.

Who knows?

 

[Billnew]

Little boy charged for missing friend's birthday party | www.whio.com
Missing a link to the story.

BBC News reports that 5-year-old Alex Nash of Cornwall was invited to a classmate's birthday party at a ski center just before Christmas. Alex's father, Derek, had agreed for his son to attend the party, but forgot they already had plans to visit the grandparents.

He agreed to attend, the person included the reservation with the other guests, which increased the cost. After a certain point you can't get your money back. Why should the host pay for a guest that didn't show?

Definately in poor taste on both sides, but the missing boy was wasting the hosts money. A simple call or msg could have saved the host the cost for the child that didn't show.

If you throw a party, you pay for the guests, even if they are rude and not show up.
If you are a guest and can't make it, simply call and let them know you won't be showing so they can either find someone to use the spot or possibly get a refund on the ticket.

Its England, so no telling how this will go.

 

[Soul2Soul]

I have met people like this. The most recent was a friend who begged me for work so I shared what jobs i had with him (were both plumbers). He then hectored me for the next two days because He felt I was not paying him enough even though it was half of the profit.
He was totally sincere as well. He really felt hard done by.

Wow. I guess there is always another side to the coin ... I just think the 5 year old kid would probably have some (unjustified) feelings of guilt even though the parents made the decision. It's another story when it's between adults only.

 

[Soul2Soul]

What is the background on this?

If the parents who organised the party had told everyone the cost and everyone had agreed and a booking had been made.....the no-show parents need to cough up and shut up.

If however it's something else, then perhaps not.

Who knows?

Sorry I didn't post the whole story. But, yes I understand what you are saying. I agree that the parents should sort it out amongst themselves but apparently the invoice was slipped into the boy's bag instead of being given directly to his parents.:o

 

[Soul2Soul]

Little boy charged for missing friend's birthday party | www.whio.com
Missing a link to the story.




He agreed to attend, the person included the reservation with the other guests, which increased the cost. After a certain point you can't get your money back. Why should the host pay for a guest that didn't show?

Definately in poor taste on both sides, but the missing boy was wasting the hosts money. A simple call or msg could have saved the host the cost for the child that didn't show.

If you throw a party, you pay for the guests, even if they are rude and not show up.
If you are a guest and can't make it, simply call and let them know you won't be showing so they can either find someone to use the spot or possibly get a refund on the ticket.

Its England, so no telling how this will go.

I agree that the boy's parents should compensate but I am reluctant to blame the kid who's only 5 years old ....

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Why is this even news. The parents said they would come, didn't come and didn't inform the parent in charge of the party. Most parents would have all ready paid for their mistake. I'm just not getting why the parents of the boy, that didn't show up. Would let it get this far.

 

[pgp_protector]

Never knew an RSVP was a Legally binding document, including Cancellation fees.

Oh wait.

It isn't.
and Unless the Legal Documents the parents signed when saying they would come, included the notice of cancellation fees, I doubt they'll get anything.

 

[ChristsSoldier115]

I'm pretty sure I would tear that up and laugh my way to the trash bin if someone sent that to me. Nobody told you to spend all that money on a birthday party.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

Some people put, send $ amount on invitations. So if someone agreed to have him there. Then they could take it to court. I'm wouldn't be surprised if other parents paid to have their kids go.

 

[notalone32]

I don't like the way this was done- putting an invoice in the boy`s bag. A phone call or polite letter asking for the money would have been better. It isn't unreasonable to ask the missing child`s mother to pay the fee but it needed to be done politely and kindly.
This making a fuss and going to press is like using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut and could cause lasting damage in the friendship of the two boys. For the sake of those boys these mums need to get over themselves

 

[FreeinChrist]

Alex Nash, 5, Gets $24 Bill From Friend's Parents For Missing Birthday Party

The Daily Telegraph has published what it says is a Facebook conversation between Tanya Walsh (Alex's mother) and Julie Lawrence (the mother of the birthday boy).
"If I had known that I would have to pay if Alex did not go, then I would have paid you the money, no problem," Walsh wrote. "I do not like fighting with people, and would prefer to settle this amicably."

The mother of the boy who threw the party apparently send the invoice with the name of place where it was held, without the permission of the company:

The Plymouth Ski and Snowboard Centre, where the party was held, is listed in the delivery address of the invoice. But the company wrote on its Facebook page that it wants nothing to do with the dispute.

They can try to take it to court, but it will not go anywhere.

Perhaps the lesson learned is to not have a party for a little boy where you have to pay so much even if the quest is unable to attend.

 

[DaisyDay]

Wow. I guess there is always another side to the coin ... I just think the 5 year old kid would probably have some (unjustified) feelings of guilt even though the parents made the decision. It's another story when it's between adults only.

The parents let the kid decide whether to go to the party or to his grandparents' house, according to the story I read.

Both sets of parents are in the wrong here.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

I have three little boys who have routinely missed parties for whatever reason. If we were able to get ahold of someone, we did. If we couldn't, so be it. I've never received an invoice nor would I ever send one to a parent if their child did not attend.

Of course, we're reasonable people who plan parties that don't cost a thousand dollars. This Saturday, our youngest will have his birthday at a bowling alley. For $50 we get two lanes for two hours for up to 12 kids. We invited the maximum number of kids, but we understand that some of them may not show up. We will NOT send them an invoice for their portion of the $50 bill.

 

[Supreme]

£15 no-show fee is extortionate. Here's a tip- try not to have such expensive birthday parties for a 5 year old in future, if you can't face the loss of money no-shows will incur.

 

[Liberasit]

We aren't particularly litigious in the UK - it won't go to court.

Even if it were to go to court, the court would just assess on how much the hosts were out of pocket. There is no difference in the boy attending or not attending. The only "loss" for the host family is in the gift he didn't receive, but these, IMO, are usually a major disappointment.

Both sides are in the wrong, but there are undoubtably lessons to be learned. The real sadness is that there is now a very broken relationship between the two families, who will be together in the same school for the next 6 years.

 

[Sistrin]

If you throw a party, you pay for the guests, even if they are rude and not show up.

So true. I attended a wedding reception once where the father of the bride paid thirty-five dollars a plate per guest. He reserved, as in paid for, more than one-hundred and fifty guest, and only about fifty showed up. Guy still had to pay.

Wasn't a very fun reception. Plenty to eat, though.

 

[NightHawkeye]

A five-year-old boy from Cornwall was given an invoice and his parents threatened with court action after he missed a friend's birthday party.

Alex Nash from Torpoint, inadvertently brought home the £15.95 "no show fee" after it was slipped into his school bag .......


Apparently the boy's parents were given enough information and time to contact the parents of the boy who was throwing the party; They didn't and the others did this!

Any thoughts anyone

Personally, if I were giving the party, I would just assume all obligations regardless of whether all kids showed up or not. I might be hacked at no-shows, but I'd still just pay without complaining or attempting to collect from them.

Similarly, if I got the bill for my kid not showing up without cancelling, I'd just pay it. It's not an unreasonable request really.

 

[USCGrad90]

Parents of the kid should have called to cancel, but the other parents were wrong to slip a bill in his bag and threaten court. Ridiculous world we live in...