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Original poster

Car deliberately damaged by neighbours daughter

25 replies

Shopaholic100 · 21/04/2021 13:03

Can anyone tell me what my options are?

My neighbours daughter has what looks like deliberately (low speed), driven their bin (which they kept on the road) into the back of my husbands car, damaging the emblem. She didn’t notify us. We have cctv footage to prove it. We have previously given them notice after the other daughter had a low level bump when parking her car. We did tell them at the time we would contact the police if they did it again. What are my options? Has anyone been through similar? I don’t really like conflict but nor do I want them to think they can get away with it every time.

OP posts:
Ginmakesitallok · 21/04/2021 13:04

I'd go and speak to them and let them know how much it'll cost them to fix it.

MaMaD1990 · 21/04/2021 13:07

Give them the bill to fix it

Letsallscreamatthesistene · 21/04/2021 13:08

How old is she?

Timeforabiscuit · 21/04/2021 13:11

Give them the bill, but do you get on with your neighbours generally? Actions like this make me think perhaps the children are picking up on what adults are saying behind closed doors?

I'd say it reflects incredibly poorly on their parenting, and them as people, if they didn't apologise and make good.

Mumdiva99 · 21/04/2021 13:11

I sense a back story here......
Did the other daughter tell you when she bumped the car? If so - threatening to call the police seems very harsh.....was it damaged in anyway?

How old was the girl with the bin? What sort of damage has she done to a badge/emblem?

drpet49 · 21/04/2021 13:14

Give them the opportunity to pay it. If they don’t, police. People like this don’t care, time to make them accountable.

IliveonCoffee · 21/04/2021 13:14

Perhaps speak with your insurance, not necessarily with the intention of making a claim, just to see if there is anything they can do. It might be you need an addition on your policy (like legal cover) to be able to claim against them personally, or their home insurance.

Contacting the police might mean some kind of criminal damage but a) not sure where that would lead with repairs b)you'd probably have to demonstrate it was explicitly deliberate.

Quote for damage and small claims? Not sure on the process.

I'm not sure the answer but they at least would be the first avenues I explored, if I didn't think simply talking and saying, hey look this happened, would you cover x invoice cost'

AllTheCakes · 21/04/2021 13:17

What do you mean by given them notice, are you their landlord?

l2b2 · 21/04/2021 13:22

Do you mean you've given them notice you will be going to the police if it happened again ?
Confusing phrasing.

Original poster
Shopaholic100 · 21/04/2021 13:22

She is around 22ish. If she had knocked and said sorry I might be more sympathetic. I have spoken to the mum who said she would replace it. Relationship with the neighbour was good until a few weeks ago, when I had to pull her up on her serial building work she is obsessed and hasn’t stopped building since she moved in about 10 years ago, jobs are usually half done as her builders keep running away. Her whole house is covered in scaffolding and the next lot have run away too, leaving an exposed room in her house. I do feel sorry for her but, but she has made the last year absolute hell with the constant drilling and banging.

OP posts:
pollylocketpickedapocket · 21/04/2021 13:27

I presume the first bump was an accident? And you threatened the police? And you’ve been harassing her about building work. You sound a busybody with nothing better to do, thank god you’re not my neighbour.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 21/04/2021 13:31

@l2b2

Do you mean you've given them notice you will be going to the police if it happened again ? Confusing phrasing.
I think the OP means that, when the previous bump happened, they gave the neighbours notice (ie. notified them) that, if it happened again, she would be going to the police.

Giving notice of something means notifying someone of something, or warning them.

BumBurnerBum · 21/04/2021 13:35

Why would you think this is deliberate? Can you prove it? I'd presume the police would state this is likely accidental (she'll hardly admit otherwise) and advise you to go through your insurance.

Jessbow · 21/04/2021 13:54

What damage has a plastic bin done to a metal car badge/emblem?

Did you see her deliberately ram the bin into the car?

( I have never heard anyone describe moving a bin as driving it!)

boredinthouse · 21/04/2021 13:58

Why is the building work any of your business, other than it being annoying and noisy? Why are they deliberately damaging your car? Is there a huge backstory here?

MaMaD1990 · 21/04/2021 14:03

They've said they'll have it replaced - sure that's case closed? Why drag it out?

BizzyBone · 21/04/2021 14:04

@Jessbow

What damage has a plastic bin done to a metal car badge/emblem?

Did you see her deliberately ram the bin into the car?

( I have never heard anyone describe moving a bin as driving it!)

I think she means the neighbour drove at the bin, which in turn went into their car.
Original poster
Shopaholic100 · 21/04/2021 14:19

@boredinthouse

Why is the building work any of your business, other than it being annoying and noisy? Why are they deliberately damaging your car? Is there a huge backstory here?
The building work is my business because it caused a hole in my roof and has caused other damage to my property. The extension they built was built without permission. I was promised in January the damage would be rectified it is now the 21st April and it’s still not done. They were supposed to come on Monday to do work, for other damage on my side, again no show.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius, I will happily send them to live next to you. You seem to have a similar mindset. Does standing up to neighbours who damage your property make you a busy body? There are some interesting comments on mumsnet sometimesHmm.

OP posts:
boredinthouse · 21/04/2021 14:22

Well if you don't say that in your post then how is anyone supposed to know the context?

So they've damaged your property and haven't fixed it and now they're damaging your car. Well surely it's a police matter if you have it in cctv.

Original poster
Shopaholic100 · 21/04/2021 14:24

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius, I will happily send them to live next to you. You seem to have a similar mindset. Does standing up to neighbours who damage your property make you a busy body? There are some interesting comments on mumsnet sometimeshmm.

Sorry SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius, it was pollylocketpickedapocket who I was referring to above.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius, you explained it perfectly.

OP posts:
RedMarauder · 21/04/2021 14:41

OP just report them to the police.

If you do report it then your husband will have to inform his insurer that he has had issues.

Regardless once he rings his insurance company they will lodge it as a claim.

With the hole in your roof as she has done SFA about the damage you are going to have to investigate whether you should take legal action. I suspect your home building insurer would be interested and so would your mortgage company, if you have a mortgage, as your house is not in a condition it can be sold.

ilkleymoorbartat · 21/04/2021 14:41

You said you don't like conflict OP, but there seems to be a lot of conflict.

I think you just go and tell them that you've given enough time to fix it, and that you'd like it fixed by x date.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 21/04/2021 15:06

No worries, @Shopaholic100. Thanks

mathanxiety · 21/04/2021 15:17

You need to call your home insurer about the damage to your property.

Find out from your neighbour the name of her home insurer and take the matter from there.

Stop pissing around with talk of the police. None of this is a police matter.

Call the council about the unauthorized building work.

drpet49 · 21/04/2021 19:30

Good for you OP standing up for yourself. Don’t let them get away with it.

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