Spryte Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 So many neighbor issues these days. Here's mine: A year ago DH and I were cleaning out our garage. We decided to get rid of our freezer, which wasn't really being used. It worked fine, was clean, we just didn't keep it full and utilize it. Frankly, going to the garage was inconvenient. Whatever. Didn't work for us. We wanted the square footage back. Neighbor heard about it, mentioned he was in the market for a freezer. So we gave it to him. :) Today DH got a call from the neighbor. The freezer's not working. Neighbor wants to know who to call to have it fixed. DH didn't know, but we suggested 2 places that might do appliance repair. DH hung up after a long conversation. I only heard DH's end, but there were a lot of "I'm sorry to hear that"s from DH. DH said simply (to me, after hanging up): "It was a free freezer. I'm not going to feel guilty about this." The implication from the neighbor is that we should help fix the freezer. I think that's really reaching. We were getting rid of a freezer. The neighbor wanted a freezer. So we gave it to him. We could probably have sold the freezer, but we aren't the type to sell stuff, so we were going to list it on freecycle anyway. Giving it to the neighbor was, we thought, a nice thing to do. A year later the freezer's not working. I think our obligation re: freezer is zero. Nada. Zip. Am I wrong? If I had room in our current freezer (the one attached to our fridge), I'd offer some freezer space - but we are full. We don't have extra space anymore... [sigh] Neighbors... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 You are under no obligation to repair a freezer a year after you gave it away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 I bet you gave your neighbor the freezer with the intent of having it die soon and ruining all his food. You weren't trying to be nice all at, it was just a sinister plot. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Don't give it another thought. Your neighbor is being ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MFG Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 This just proves the point: No good deed goes unpunished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 No, you're not wrong. Is it possible the neighbor really was just wondering if you knew a trustworthy appliance repair company? Maybe he thought you might have had it repaired before, and so could recommend someone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrincessMommy Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 You are under no obligation to repair a freezer a year after you gave it away. I agree. In fact, I don't think you're under any obligation even if you had SOLD it to him because it's been a year. It's his now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 No, you're not wrong. Is it possible the neighbor really was just wondering if you knew a trustworthy appliance repair company? Maybe he thought you might have had it repaired before, and so could recommend someone? This is what I'd assume until I had strong evidence to the contrary. I could totally picture myself in your neighbor's shoes asking about something like that and being my typical awkward self on the phone, leaving the other party wondering what the heck just happened, when really all I wanted was a recommendation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GinaPagnato Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 This is so asinine I (almost) can't even believe it. For real??? What kind of a bonehead suggests that the giver of a FREE item over a year ago is in ANY way responsible for its lack of functioning and subsequent repair? INSANE! Matter of fact, if the freezer had died 2 hours after your neighbor had taken possession, it STILL wouldn't be your responsibility. People are freakin' amazing. Seriously! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 That's...that's just cuckoopants. Although... A few weeks ago, I used this free forum to get some free advice about dealing with a woodpecker. It worked and the woodpecker seems to have gone away. But if he comes back? I expect you all to pay for the damage to my roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 LOL neighbor is misguided. Free freezer is a free freezer. That is it. No more. No less. No obligation. No restitution. No guilt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 I, too, wonder if he just thought you might know a reputable repair person; nothing more. Unless there is other drama with this neighbor that I'm unaware of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Really? That's odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 I am hoping, like others posted, he just really needed suggestions on where to take the freezer for repairs. And maybe he was hoping your DH or you was appliance savvy and had a great suggestion for what might be wrong and a quick easy way to fix it. I would try to give him the benefit of the doubt unless he comes back with more or there were other issues with this neighbor to begin with.... Either way, you were extremely generous to give him the freezer and very neighborly to answer his questions and are under NO obligation to help any further with his freezer problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Yell Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 You are under no obligation to repair a freezer a year after you gave it away. You are under no obligation to repair a freezer the instant you give it away or sell it. Long ago, I sold our extra, working but no-longer-used refrigerator through a Pennysaver ad. $25. Guy came to buy it, paid the $25, and the two guys hauling it away for him DROPPED IT as they were putting it on the truck. Some kind of fluid leaked out. He called me the next day saying it didn't work, asking for his money back. I reminded him they THEY dropped it, causing a fluid leak, and so sorry but I was not giving his money back. Now, had they not DROPPED IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, maybe I would have given him the money back- I DID have it unplugged and not running for about 2 months before we sold it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilma Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Sometimes I've asked a neighbor if they have "a guy" they use for home repairs or some such -- maybe it was more of that type of thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 I bet you gave your neighbor the freezer with the intent of having it die soon and ruining all his food. You weren't trying to be nice all at, it was just a sinister plot. ;) I wouldn't doubt it. Spryte is evil that way. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Free or not - caveat emptor, baby! Once he's chosen to accept the freezer and has taken it home, its functionality or lack thereof has nothing more to do with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 The implication from the neighbor is that we should help fix the freezer. I think that's really reaching. What else did he say to DH? I don't think asking for suggestions for where to have it fixed alone would imply that he wants you to be responsible for any repairs. But if that is what he expects, I'd say sorry, Charlie. At the most I would offer to take the freezer back and then dump it for him, but I don't think you have any obligation to do that either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto10blessings Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Crazy neighbor, definitely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 I bet you gave your neighbor the freezer with the intent of having it die soon and ruining all his food. You weren't trying to be nice all at, it was just a sinister plot. ;) :lol: How did you know?? Seriously, I want to just go with the idea that neighbor was just looking for help finding a repair guy. I tend to go with the pollyanna approach to life, so that's what I want to think. I don't know exactly what was said by neighbor, since he spoke to DH. Maybe that's for the best. I was surprised when DH made the comment about not feeling guilty, because he's pretty easy going and lets things slide off his back easily. There usually has to be something blatant for him to respond that way. I can ask him when he's home, but... maybe ignorance is bliss?! Honestly, I do feel bad if the guy had the freezer full and it just died. It's a big, big freezer. We used to keep a half a cow in there. That's a lot of food! I hope it did't spoil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 I wouldn't doubt it. Spryte is evil that way. :D Yes. Yes, I am. Mwhahahahahaha! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Yes. Yes, I am. Mwhahahahahaha! Let's keep it our little secret. :leaving: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirth Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Your neighbor was upset b/c he probably ruined a lot of food and has a big maggoty mess to clean up. He wanted someone to witness his throes of pain. He has no intention of repairing the freezer. He will make a big deal out of how long it took to get the smell out of his garage and/or he will ask your help to dispose of it. Sorry. Pesky people like this do exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 Your neighbor was upset b/c he probably ruined a lot of food and has a big maggoty mess to clean up. He wanted someone to witness his throes of pain. He has no intention of repairing the freezer. He will make a big deal out of how long it took to get the smell out of his garage and/or he will ask your help to dispose of it. Sorry. Pesky people like this do exist. Ugh. But that's a good take on it. So I should put it on our calendar now that we'll be cleaning neighbor's garage on Sat? Fun, fun! We wouldn't say no, if he asked. I'm truly sorry that the freezer died on him. Surprised, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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