should a customer be charged for dropping and subsequently losing a weight belt?

[underthedeepblue]

Scenario:

10 dives are pre booked with all dive gear and equipment thrown in

on last dive the guest does a a roll-back entry and the belt ad 20lbs of weights comes off and is lost in sixty feet of water with currents so no hope of retrieval (Cozumel) - dive leader could not retrieve belt and new belt was hastily put together and dive continued.

When it comes to tallying up and paying for the ten dives (equipment included as stated) the dive shop owner says the cost of the belt and weights is down to the guest and a discussion ensues as to whether guest should pony up (guest is AOW)

What is your take on it?

Thanks in advance

 

[fisheater]

Just like music, dive gear should be free!

 

[underthedeepblue]

PS weight belt came off and sank on entry - the heacdline of this thread is misleading (ie it wasn't dropped as such)

 

[ScubaSteve]

It was in the customers care and they lost it. Unless they are able to retreive it on their own dime, I believe they should have to pay a fair replacement price for it.

 

[Jax]

Yes - why is this different from any other situation in which you rent something? You are responsible for it.

Edit - should not be charged the price of "new", though, but the shop price for replacing it.



(Thanks, Steve!)

 

[warmwaterturner]

If the gear was rented then the diver is responsible for returning the gear. I could equate this to renting a car. I don't think the rental car agency would accept that the car had been "lost" and excuse the driver without compensation. Maybe $100.00 gear deposits are the thing to do?

 

[redacted]

One hand on mask/regulator and the other hand on the weight belt. Sounds like diver error to me.

But I don't understand why it could not be recovered other than it would interrupt the dive.

 

[Ste Wart]

You break it you buy it.

Customers should pay. This isn't wear & tear this is the customer losing shop property.

A former dive shop employer insisted that we told customers about our 'lost weight belt policy' during the dive brief and how much it would cost them.

We're supposed to have insurance to look after customers lives. Is it so hard for a customer to stump up a few bucks to replace a weight belt. I think not.

Similarly if a customers breaks any of my equipment they better have a Visa card handy to pay for the replacement

 

[Searcaigh]

Why did it come off?

Was it not put on correctly?

Customer should pay for it in my opinion unless the dive operator charges a lot for the dives and works in to them rental abuse etc.

I have only lost a weight belt once on an entry, it was my own so I had to buy a new one and new weights, that is diving. You are responsible for your own gear / rental gear when using it, you lose it or break it then you pay for it.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Edit - should not be charged the price of "new", though.

I hardly doubt they carry a depreciated value on every weight and belt. The customer should be charged to replace the belt and weight IMO and if that is new, then that is new. I do not believe that the dive shop should make a profit off the "sale" but I do believe they should come out of the transaction at a zero cost.