[Lucretia Borgia]

Ok...I need the mixed and varied wisdom of EB on this one (at the risk of getting a few rolled eyes emoticons and "you're over thinking it")

We had friends stay with us for a couple of days last week, they're from the US. They left on Wednesday and the guy, P, left his mobile phone here- an iPhone. By the time we realised they would have been on the plane already. We texted her and said we would post it back...so DH goes to the post office only to be told Australia post won't post telephones to the US- I have no idea why and DH didn't ask. So we used Fed Ex ....DH arranged it though his work, but he'll pay his work back because its not work related ...it cost $120 so DH emailed P, told him his phone would be there on Monday and then told him the cost and if he could "fix him up for it whenever" ...I feel a bit embarrassed he did this! I mean I guess $120 is expensive to post something back , and he certainly wouldn't have asked to be reimbursed for the cost of a stamp ......I don't know .....WDYT?

Oh...and as far as I know P just said "yeh no worries mate"...ie he didn't give any indication that he was in any way insulted by the request for reimbursement (hence my previous caveat that I am probably over thinking this)

[RobotFerretOfDoo...]

Yeah, I think you're overthinking it. In that situation I would have done much the same - although I would have contacted him first, told him the cost and checked that he still wanted to go ahead.

I certainly would expect it as a given to be reimbursed if I spent that sort of money to return their property.

[Riotproof]

Tbh, I think it's fair enough. I don't think you have anything to be embarrassed about. I'm sure if it was quite cheap, your dh wouldn't have mentioned it at all.

[two_ones]

$120 is a lot and if it was me who left the phone behind I would not expect my friends to foot the bill.

[niggles]

I don't think there is much more to be done at this stage. It would be decent of them to reimburse you but I don't think I'd remind them. That's just me.

I think I would have sent it by the postal service anyway. Do they actually ask you to declare what is in the package? $120 seems obscene for such a small item.

[ubermum]

You can't send phones? Wow, I wouldn't have known. I would have shoved it in a box and sent it registered mail.

If it were my phone I would be happy to pay my friends that much to get it back. You are overthinking it.

[silver-rain]

I think it's perfectly reasonable for your friend to reimburse you and DH - he left his phone behind and to buy a new one would be more expensive than $120. Had your DH borrowed said friend's phone and forgotten to hand it back before they left, different story, but I would expect to pay for my own mistake if I was your friend!

[Tigerdog]

I think what your DP did is fine, as you say, it isn't like it was the cost of a stamp, $120 is a lot of money!

[emnut]

I probably would have checked first that they wanted it sent back at that cost. Given that they weren't asked first, you can ask to be reimbursed but not expect it.

[JKTMum]

It was your friend's fault that he left the phone behind, he should have been more careful checking he had all his belongings before he left (you would think things like mobile, wallet and plane ticket/passport he would have really double checked, not like it's something small in value like a tshirt or a toothbrush which can be easily replaced). I can understand Auspost not allowing mobile phones for international post (especially after the terrorist attacks) and so yes it would have been a costly thing to courier over. I think your DH was quite right to ask for reimbursement and your friend's reaction meant he was fully expecting to have to pay a fair bit to get it safely back to him.