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Original poster

Neighbour hit van and not admitting fault

32 replies

SpringKit · 07/11/2021 05:26

Be grateful for some advice here! We have builders (there is a lot of construction happening along our road, bungalows being converted). The residents along the road who have been here for a long time are not happy about the amount of building work going on.
Two days ago, an elderly gentleman reversed out of his drive straight into one of our builders vans. The van rocked up the kerb as the neighbour continued to reverse into it. Builders heard the noise of the impact from our roof.
Partner witnessed, and 2 builders on our roof witnessed. The neighbour drove off.
Lots of paint from neighbours car and big dent in van/alloy on wheel dented.
We spoke to the neighbour on his return for insurance details.
He is not admitting fault and saying he felt no impact and doesn’t believe he hit the van.
We are all quite gobsmacked. The van owner is contacting the police, and I filled a police report yesterday - but I doubt they’ll do much?
My concern would be that he could hit a child/pedestrian and not realise/drive away from scene of the accident.
Any thoughts would be appreciated - thank you!

OP posts:
Blush21 · 07/11/2021 05:43

If he’s given details I doubt the police will do much as he’s not failed to stop and provide them etc. I had similar recently where someone reverends off a drive and hit a car, total accident, but the insurance said regardless whoever is leaving the drive and manoeuvring, in insurance terms, is totally liable for the damage so your neighbours insurance should pay out at least. Sounds as though your neighbour knew what he was doing to me and did it on purpose

Original poster
SpringKit · 07/11/2021 05:44

Also, as a side note - our semi detached neighbour is also not happy about our building work. We have a surveyor involved.

Neighbour is currently phoning the surveyor on a regular basis to report anything she believes is unlawful. We are trying very hard to accommodate her concerns - but it has cost us thousands for surveyors fees, changing our plans to accommodate her concerns (despite our plans being passed) and delays while the plans were being changed.

The neighbour had her own work done to her garden front wall, and her builder knocked out bricks from our wall and threw them away leaving a hole.
We (kindly) spoke to her about this saying we’d fix it - but - (in a similar fashion to car neighbour) - did not admit fault and said a dog walker had kicked the bricks out.
I’m also frustrated that she has extended her property in the past (large brick built conservatory) - but didn’t seek planning consents.

Her major complaint with us is that we might cause damage to her conservatory (we have pair for a cover and extra sheeting to protect).
She has also demanded that we pay for her conservatory to be cleaned after the works by a contractor of her choosing.

OP posts:
Original poster
SpringKit · 07/11/2021 05:47

@Blush21 Thank you! He did fail to stop - he drove away - we spoke to him on his return about an hour later. My partner who witnessed said it looked deliberate.

OP posts:
Original poster
SpringKit · 07/11/2021 05:48

He wouldn’t give details, and put his car straight in garage and closed the door. So we don’t have number plate, but we have his address as he lives opposite.

OP posts:
ElftonWednesday · 07/11/2021 05:52

Legally it's not really your problem, it's between the neighbour and the builder, so try not to lose too much sleep about it.

Blush21 · 07/11/2021 05:52

Ah then that’s a different matter! I believe if you fail to stop after an accident you have 7 days to report it at the police station so that details can be taken, but if no one was injured I’m not entirely sure. Either way as long as the builder can provide the reg to his insurance they can sort it for him and contact the neighbours insurance. He needs to leave the garage at some point? Otherwise a name and address might help the Insurance find him

Original poster
SpringKit · 07/11/2021 05:52

Our neighbour, the neighbour who drove into the van - and a few other residents who have lived there for a long time are all very friendly and we can see them talking about us/complaining about building work out on the road. I don’t want to create an ‘us and them’ situation and we’ve really tried to accommodate concerns, but I’m just at a loss now!

OP posts:
Original poster
SpringKit · 07/11/2021 05:55

Thanks @Blush21 - yes, I put his address in the police report and a description of what he looks like. I did speak to him (as kindly as I could!!) saying we really, really don’t want to involve the police - and it would be much easier to deal with it through insurance. But he was adamant that he didn’t hit the van.

OP posts:
Snozzlemaid · 07/11/2021 05:55

Get his number plate and the van driver should contact his insurance company.
Our car was hit in a car park when we weren't around. Another person witnessed it and left a note on our windscreen giving details of the car that hit us.
That person didn't leave their contact details so I thought it was useless.
But my insurance company pursued it. It went right up to legal proceedings and a court date being arranged. This then prompted the car driver to finally admit what they'd done.
If you've got lots of witnesses he won't get away with it surely.

Original poster
SpringKit · 07/11/2021 05:58

@ElftonWednesday - yes - that’s what my partner said. Think I'm anxious about the whole building work situation. But I do feel like we witnessed a crime, and - I wouldn’t want him to hit a pedestrian and drive away. If he drives a car, he needs to drive with care and consideration.

OP posts:
Original poster
SpringKit · 07/11/2021 06:01

@Snozzlemaid really! I wondered if there was much that could be done. The neighbour kept saying ‘how can I admit to something I didn’t feel’ - so I think even if it went to court, he’d keep up that defence.

OP posts:
WTF475878237NC · 07/11/2021 06:15

Report him to the DVLA and say he is a danger to others.

Snozzlemaid · 07/11/2021 06:15

But if there are lots of witnesses they would give evidence and say what they saw happen.
As someone else has said it's not really your problem it's the van driver who needs to contact their insurance

WTF475878237NC · 07/11/2021 06:17

contact.dvla.gov.uk/driver/capture_third_party_personal_information

I would say he's got dementia (as clearly he doesn't remember hitting the van!).

Igmum · 07/11/2021 06:22

With three witnesses I would have thought you would be fine. Some years ago my car was hit by a hit and run driver while at traffic lights (yes they 100% knew they had done it). I reported it and the Police were great. Checked CCTV (major A road) and went out to interview the driver (company van) who first denied then admitted it (phew). They subsequently denied it again when the insurance company told them how much it was so the process took ages but it was eventually sorted. Good luck. Sounds like you have some pretty grim neighbours

ElftonWednesday · 07/11/2021 06:23

[quote SpringKit]@ElftonWednesday - yes - that’s what my partner said. Think I'm anxious about the whole building work situation. But I do feel like we witnessed a crime, and - I wouldn’t want him to hit a pedestrian and drive away. If he drives a car, he needs to drive with care and consideration.[/quote]
Yes, but with the best will in the world you have no more say over your neighbour's driving in this case than I do over someone who failed to see a bollard on new traffic calming measures where I live and demolished it at 9.30 on a Sunday morning.

Longdistance · 07/11/2021 06:29

Maybe he doesn’t have insurance and doesn’t want to admit it. Once he’s taken the van out get the registration and look it up to see if it’s taxed, MOT’d and insured.

Original poster
SpringKit · 07/11/2021 06:30

@WTF475878237NC thank you very much for that - yes I’ve just reported to DVLA. My concern would be if he hit a child/pedestrian and didn’t notice or drive away.

OP posts:
WTF475878237NC · 07/11/2021 06:32

No problem. Hopefully you've just saved someone that horrible fate.

Original poster
SpringKit · 07/11/2021 06:34

@Igmum thanks. Yes, it’s just mind boggling. I’ve never had to deal with neighbours like this before. It’s the flat denial when they are clearly at fault. I understand that we are being disruptive with our works - but we’ve really ensured that we’ve done everything by the letter of the law.

OP posts:
Original poster
SpringKit · 07/11/2021 06:41

Another neighbour (opposite me) backed out into a street lamp (it’s now bent) - and then on another occasion went into my brother’s car. She did knock and apologise, but her son then came over and wanted his friend to repair the damage rather than use insurance - as he was afraid she’d lose her licence. My brother had to go through insurance as he lives some distance away. I think she did lose her licence. They don’t like us either!!

OP posts:
Beebopawhop · 07/11/2021 06:48

Sounds like you have awkward neighbours! If you think he did it deliberately then I don't think he would do that to a child/ped but walking away from a scene of am accident is a crime as you say. Good luck.

Original poster
SpringKit · 07/11/2021 06:53

@Beebopawhop thank you! We do have some fantastic neighbours too. But there is clearly a divide going on between the residents along the road who have been there the longest, and new arrivals. I wanted to be friendly to all - but I feel I’m definitely in a camp now!

OP posts:
rrhuth · 07/11/2021 06:56

You have an unusually difficult set of neighbours.

Regarding the builder's van - not your problem. Just leave them to sort it out. You've given a factual account, that's all you are required to do.

Flouts1 · 07/11/2021 07:11

First stop being nice to your neighbours
They aren’t being nice to you so fuck them

As long as you have more witness than him you will win so you have 3 and he ha none
And as he is saying he didn’t do anything he won’t have a witness 😂
As soon as his car comes out from the garage take a video of the damage and follow round to the number plate so he can’t deny it’s his car
And if the damage is extensive report the fucker to the DVLA for driving away from the scene of an accident and that you think his driving is unsafe

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