Article posted Wednesday, September 4, 2013 1:06pm

Dear Mary Pat,

I have a dilemma. I share a kitchen with quite a few roommates, and one of them broke my blender while using it without asking. She was the last one to use it, and it had a broken blade when I tried to fire it up this morning.

I imagine it was negligence that caused the accident. She hasn’t realized the blender is broken – I discovered it – and I’m not sure what to do.

Should I tell my roommate she broke my blender? It was an expensive appliance and I’d like it replaced. Do I need to ask her to pay for it? Should I demand she pay for it? Should I let it go?

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Sincerely,

Broken Blender Blues

Dear Broken Blender Blues,

This is unfortunate. You said you have quite a few roommates. How are you so sure that it was one in particular? Did you actually see her use it? If so, you definitely need to bring the problem to her attention.

You shouldn’t demand anything since that will likely make her defensive. If you stick to the facts and say that the blender was a lot of money and it is now broken, chances are good that she will do the right thing and offer to pay for a replacement.

Once you get a new one, it would be appropriate for you to have her ask to use it first the next time. You might even want to show her how to use it properly to avoid a problem down the road. If she acts responsibly, then sharing shouldn’t be an issue. If she doesn’t, then you can say that you prefer that she not use the blender.

Good luck,

Mary Pat