DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband and I live in Wisconsin and are fortunate to own a second lakeside property. Over the years, we’ve extended invitations to various loved ones, offering them the chance to stay and enjoy the lake. Recently, my husband’s close friends asked if they could spend a weekend at the cabin with their family, and we said yes. They seemed to have a wonderful time, and everything seemed fine when they left. However, when we went up to the cabin a week later, we discovered that the dock was badly damaged: Boards were broken, some sections were loose and the entire structure was in disrepair. We were shocked, as the dock had been perfectly fine before their stay. When we called them to ask what had happened, they casually mentioned that their teenager had had a mishap with the dock, but the damage was minor so they didn’t think it was necessary to tell us. They didn’t provide much explanation, and we were left feeling both disappointed and uncertain about how to proceed. How do we approach this situation without causing tension or awkwardness while still addressing the damage to the dock? -- Violated
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DEAR VIOLATED: First, get an estimate of the cost for the damages to the dock. Next, contact your friends and tell them that you are disappointed that they did not immediately tell you about the damage, but it was measurable. Let them know the cost to make the repairs, and ask them to send you the money. Be direct.