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Original poster

Neighbours handbrake failed

135 replies

SkySmiler · 06/04/2025 16:49

So her car rolled into mine and made quite a significant dent, she doesn't want to go through insurance as 'both' our premiums would go up.

So she's proposed arranging fixing and paying for it herself, so we took car to garage with her and they have said to drop it off tomorrow at 9am and it can be collected at 6pm on Tuesday.

It's the school holidays and she expects me to be without a car for 2 days whilst she experiences no inconvenience - apparently her car manufacturer will reimburse her the money she has to spend on getting mine fixed, so no inconvenience for her and she won't be out of pocket either and she can go on about her day(s) with no problems.

OP posts:
tastethestrongbow · 06/04/2025 20:03

I’d go through the insurance. As a PP said, there could be unseen damage. Unless she’s also covering a full inspection and a courtesy car, you need to claim.

faerietales · 06/04/2025 20:03

LlynTegid · 06/04/2025 19:43

I wonder if an insurer would question the alleged handbrake failure. Either an overdue MOT, or carelessness.

I'd be sorely tempted to report it to the police as if there is no MOT, it might be deemed as driving without insurance. As you note, someone who can be difficult.

Be glad no one was injured.

That's a good point - I wonder what happens if you have an accident and your insurer finds it's because you've not been maintaining your car properly - eg. bald tyres or things failing which should have been fixed?

ShelleyCarpenter · 06/04/2025 20:01

OneSparklyExpert · 06/04/2025 18:50

Yes it does

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How?

LlynTegid · 06/04/2025 19:43

I wonder if an insurer would question the alleged handbrake failure. Either an overdue MOT, or carelessness.

I'd be sorely tempted to report it to the police as if there is no MOT, it might be deemed as driving without insurance. As you note, someone who can be difficult.

Be glad no one was injured.

ThisFluentBiscuit · 06/04/2025 19:21

If she doesn't want to go through insurance then she needs to provide you with a hire car for those two days.

Or you could just get yourself a hire car to avoid the hassle and unpleasantness, and then go about your life knowing that your neighbour is an arse and that you won't be doing her any neighbourly favours in future.

I wonder if she doesn't want to go through insurance because her MOT is overdue, which is why her handbrake failed.

Anonym00se · 06/04/2025 19:17

TeeBee · 06/04/2025 16:52

Have you asked her to arrange a replacement car for you? Costs around £20-30/day to rent a car.

It’s £60-£80 a day here.

TheLette · 06/04/2025 19:14

In case no one has mentioned, did you have kids car seats in the car at the time of the incident? They may need to be replaced for safety reasons if so, in which case make sure she pays for the replacement ones (or claim via insurance if she says no!).

SaladSandwichesForTea · 06/04/2025 19:13

faerietales · 06/04/2025 18:44

Sorry @SaladSandwichesForTea no idea why I quoted you! Think the thread was moving too fast, lol.

Rather like the neighbours car 😆

SalfordQuays · 06/04/2025 19:04

ThisOldThang · 06/04/2025 18:53

Mine did when I was rear ended.

I didn't make a claim but I had inflated premiums for three years.

Their justification was that if you're involved in one crash you're statistically more likely to be involved in more crashes.

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Yes I think that’s the logic. A bit like houses being burgled. If your house is burgled, it means you’re more likely to live in a place where houses get burgled, despite it not being your fault.

ThisOldThang · 06/04/2025 18:53

ShelleyCarpenter · 06/04/2025 18:48

Your premium will not go up. Just tell her you want to go through insurance as you need a hire car. Your insurance company will sort it out with her insurance company and it won’t cost you a penny.

Mine did when I was rear ended.

I didn't make a claim but I had inflated premiums for three years.

Their justification was that if you're involved in one crash you're statistically more likely to be involved in more crashes.

Sheeparelooseagain · 06/04/2025 18:53

Do it through your insurance. You will have to declare the accident to them anyway.

Pedallleur · 06/04/2025 18:50

We are treading into the land of CF ery here. Someone wants a favour but on their terms. As usual our poster is poss inconvenienced/out of pocket. Go through the insurance because that's what the driver of that car would do. You won't be any better thought of if you dont

OneSparklyExpert · 06/04/2025 18:50

ShelleyCarpenter · 06/04/2025 18:48

Your premium will not go up. Just tell her you want to go through insurance as you need a hire car. Your insurance company will sort it out with her insurance company and it won’t cost you a penny.

Yes it does

willstarttomorrow · 06/04/2025 18:49

@GlitteryUnicornSparkles I think that really depends on your insurance company and the level of insurance you take out. I live on a big hill, full of bends that boy racers love. One of our cars was brand new and a write off after a 17 year who had literally just passed his test with his mates decided to race down and crash head long into us. Total write off of a brand new car. Many of my neighbours have also had cars written off.

On the other occasion, someone went into the back of me when stationary at a roundabout, pretty sure he was on his phone, he was wearing flip flops and admitted liability. On neither occasion did my premium go up. My insurance is not cheap though, I live in a city with v high premiums due to theft and uninsured drivers and I obviously live on a road with a high accident rate.

Insurance us a grudge buy, car insurance especially as you legally have to have it and it costs a lot of money. Going for the cheapest is fine until you need to use it.

ShelleyCarpenter · 06/04/2025 18:48

Your premium will not go up. Just tell her you want to go through insurance as you need a hire car. Your insurance company will sort it out with her insurance company and it won’t cost you a penny.

taxguru · 06/04/2025 18:48

CarrieOnComplaining · 06/04/2025 18:46

"Handbrake failed" - yes it tends to fail if you fail to engage it. 😉

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Yup, far more likely - driver failure!

taxguru · 06/04/2025 18:48

OneSparklyExpert · 06/04/2025 18:39

Your insurance states you need to register the claim

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Yes, you need to inform your own insurers, but you don't need to claim through them.

ThisOldThang · 06/04/2025 18:47

If you need to use the car on those two days, how about she pays for taxis? It saves the hassle of a hire car.

CarrieOnComplaining · 06/04/2025 18:46

mysecretshame · 06/04/2025 18:41

How has she had no inconvenience if her handbrake failed? Did she not need to get that fixed?

I'd go insurance route, safer all round.

"Handbrake failed" - yes it tends to fail if you fail to engage it. 😉

OneSparklyExpert · 06/04/2025 18:45

faerietales · 06/04/2025 18:45

She probably just forgot to put it on (and knows it), which is why she doesn't want to go through her insurance company.

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100%

faerietales · 06/04/2025 18:45

mysecretshame · 06/04/2025 18:41

How has she had no inconvenience if her handbrake failed? Did she not need to get that fixed?

I'd go insurance route, safer all round.

She probably just forgot to put it on (and knows it), which is why she doesn't want to go through her insurance company.

LadyMacbethssweetArabianhand · 06/04/2025 18:44

SkySmiler · 06/04/2025 16:49

So her car rolled into mine and made quite a significant dent, she doesn't want to go through insurance as 'both' our premiums would go up.

So she's proposed arranging fixing and paying for it herself, so we took car to garage with her and they have said to drop it off tomorrow at 9am and it can be collected at 6pm on Tuesday.

It's the school holidays and she expects me to be without a car for 2 days whilst she experiences no inconvenience - apparently her car manufacturer will reimburse her the money she has to spend on getting mine fixed, so no inconvenience for her and she won't be out of pocket either and she can go on about her day(s) with no problems.

I would not contemplate that at all. Always go through your insurance company, that's why you pay for insurance. There may be more damage than you realise and your insurance can sort out a courtesy car. You would be daft not to

faerietales · 06/04/2025 18:44

Sorry @SaladSandwichesForTea no idea why I quoted you! Think the thread was moving too fast, lol.

godmum56 · 06/04/2025 18:43

Check your insurance. Mine says I have to report all accidents whether or not they are in any way my fault. I don't have to claim from them but they need to know. I am not sure why you wouldn't want to let your insurers deal with it though. A few years ago a white van man took off my wing mirror on a narrow country road. Cost of repair was less than my excess so I told my insurers but paid for the repair myself as I had no way of tracing the person who did it. They said fine but if you do find out any more information, tell us and we will chase it for you. Insurance didn't go up.

mysecretshame · 06/04/2025 18:41

How has she had no inconvenience if her handbrake failed? Did she not need to get that fixed?

I'd go insurance route, safer all round.

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