Not smashing the pots and just making Beran like you causes him to say that he is giving the 1500 septims, but they are not provided and the quest doesn't continue.
The in_v_s_wall_column_01 at the top of the stairs is less than a tenth of a unit off grid, and so are a in_v_s_int_corner_01 and the in_v_s_int_wall_01 behind the bunks on the lower floor It's not a lot, but it's just enough to be noticeable
