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AIBU?

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Neighbour not happy with us and wants us to pay for car damage

105 replies

abitmorepls · 17/02/2026 14:30

Not me, but my partner. We moved into our new house 3 months ago, and our driveway is right next to our neighbour’s, separated by a small picket fence. Yesterday, my partner decided to wash his car for the first time since we moved here. We didn’t think much of it until our neighbour knocked on our door this morning, saying there were dirt and stone chips on the side of her car, and she thinks it’s from my partner using the pressure washer. We obviously apologised and offered to pay for her to get her car professionally cleaned or suggested that my partner could do it, but she said there’s paint damage from the stone chips and that a clean wouldn’t really help. My partner thinks it’ll be fine after a wash, but she was upset, not aggressive, but very upset, and asked why we didn’t let her know so she could have moved her car. Honestly, we didn’t realise it would be a problem, he used to wash his car all the time at our old house, and nothing like this ever happened. So, what should we do now? I feel caught in the middle.

OP posts:
SilenceInside · 17/02/2026 14:53

When he washed the car before, was it right next to someone else's car or did he previously have more room?

How do you think the dirt and damage happened if you believe she's lying or mistaken?

Soooooo · 17/02/2026 14:50

ChavsAreReal · 17/02/2026 14:45

A pressure washer to wash a car?

Why? Is this a common thing?

Hmm
ChavsAreReal · 17/02/2026 14:45

A pressure washer to wash a car?

Why? Is this a common thing?

foreversunshine · 17/02/2026 14:40

Frankly, unless she had evidence that he caused the damage, I'd be ignoring her. You could be heading down a slippery slope if you acquiesce to her demands so easily, just because she said so.

If she's so convinced, she can contact her own car insurance and let them handle it, but she'd be responsible for the excess.

Clearinguptheclutter · 17/02/2026 14:34

Depends. Does your DH think that he could have been responsible for stone chips hitting her car? Certainly, if stone chips have hit it (regardless of who/what was responsible), a clean wont help.
In the past have you pressure washed a car in close proximity of another one? My dh always makes sure ours is out of the way of others when doing it .I think in this case I'd probably do the right neighbourly thing and pay to get it sorted out. Unless she is a proven CF.

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