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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to have left a note on this car?

42 replies

NeighbourBashedAndRan · 09/01/2015 22:03

Serial namechanger..

We live in converted flats with a large enclosed car park outside our house that belongs to the residents. Each space is numbered but no one uses their own space. We're on the ground floor and generally use the same space outside our french doors if it's available. It wasn't the other day as a bright green car was parked there so we parked next to it.

DP went out to the car yesterday and noticed right away a large dent in our car scraped with green paint. No note on the car, he looked for the green car that was parked there the day before and found the car over the opposite side of the car park. Said car always parks in the same area of the car park i.e. 1 of four spaces in front of our house. Never over the other side of the car park where it was now parked. He went over and checked the green car and found residual damage on the driver door at the same height as the dent on our car.

Tonight he left a note simply stating "please contact re: the dent in ".

Since that note was left earlier the car has moved and the note is no longer there.

We do not know where they stay within the block of flats (2 buildings, 3 different entrances, approx 40 apartments).

First of all WHBU to leave a note?? And secondly what should we do now???

Attached is a picture of the dent!

OP posts:

Original poster

NeighbourBashedAndRan · 10/01/2015 09:16

Would I phone the non emergency police number to report?

Will call the insurer this morning.

OP posts:

MadamG · 10/01/2015 09:24

I'd leave a note everyday, forever, just get a pile printed and pop a copy under the wiper blades every time you pass. And put notes in the flats. Sooner or later they will react.

lampygirl · 10/01/2015 10:56

Takes me back to sitting in a stakeout in the car park of the MK Snowdome. Shiny new BMW, someone had put a dent in the side and left no note. Some investigation involving string working out the turning circle of the door proved it was the car still sat there and they only had 45 minutes until their parking ticket expired. Bought KFC and sat and waited.
They returned, denied it for a bit so got them to prove their door could in no way open into mine. Dent lined up with door and they fessed up. They didn't want to go through insurance so car went straight off to BMW where they clearly didn't like the cost of repairing a dent in the section where the hinge is (can't beat that out) as I had a call from their insurers the next day.

Seemed like a small win. Didn't touch my insurance so didn't put my premium up. Just goes down as a non fault claim with all costs covered by other insurance co.

This has happened to my last 2 cars in various car parks.
Get plenty of photographs of the damage on both cars and send it to the insurers. if they can recover all their costs from the other side it is unlikely to put your premium up.

Original poster

NeighbourBashedAndRan · 10/01/2015 11:14

Sounds like justice lampy!

Fingers crossed.

OP posts:

wowfudge · 10/01/2015 11:41

These kinds of things are really irritating. Someone scratched all down the near side of my practically new car last year - I think it was from someone's bag as they squeezed between the cars in a car park. Doubt the person who did it even noticed.

But don't start a campaign over this - keep the moral high ground and go through the proper channels.

Original poster

NeighbourBashedAndRan · 10/01/2015 13:11

Door has just gone! Car bashers are here right now talking to DP

OP posts:

Original poster

NeighbourBashedAndRan · 10/01/2015 13:13

Door has just gone! Car bashers are here right now talking to DP

OP posts:

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 10/01/2015 13:36

Fingers crossed for a good outcome, Neighbour.

I don't understand damaging someone else's car and driving off. I've actually been on both sides - I damaged someone's car in the gym car park, and waited in the car for the chap to come back, owned up, gave him our details, and we paid for the repair to his car. Some days later, I got an anonymous bunch of flowers, with a message saying thank-you - and the only person it could be from was the driver of the other car. I honestly didn't expect this.

Another time, in a different gym, I was called out of the swimming pool, to be told that my car had been damaged by another one in the car park, and that the driver had left her details for me at the desk. That time, as it turned out, all that had happened was that some paint from her car had transfered onto mine - it looked like scratches, but actually buffed off with minimal damage, so we didn't need to take it any further - but I did ring her to tell her so, and to thank her for her honesty.

fluffymouse · 10/01/2015 13:47

Waiting for an update op.

My car is full of scratches which I don't know how they got there, but since she is a geriatric I have never been bothered to find out.

Original poster

NeighbourBashedAndRan · 10/01/2015 13:47

They apologised and gave us their details. We'll go to a garage on Monday that's been recommended to us for a quote.

Feels good that there are some honest people still around when you hear all the horror stories!

OP posts:

ajandjjmum · 10/01/2015 13:54

Well actually they're not honest - you caught them out! Glad it's been sorted though OP.

Original poster

NeighbourBashedAndRan · 10/01/2015 14:03

Well that's true! They were hoping to get away with it! They said they didn't realise it was that bad...

They could've denied all knowledge though and said it wasn't them, at least they owned up after some prompting. Hopefully it'll be plain sailing now....

OP posts:

suitsyousir · 10/01/2015 19:27

Excellent news!

102030 · 10/01/2015 19:47

That's good to hear.

MinceSpy · 10/01/2015 20:01

You should still do it through your insurance company or you invalidate your insurance.

FreeWee · 10/01/2015 21:54

Glad they fessed up in the end but shame they had to be prodded with a note. Definitely green paint!

My car got hit in my work car park. I actually saw it happen as I was washing up in the kitchen over looking the car. I took photos and contacted our facilities department who have a record of everyone's reg. 4 months later it's still not sorted. She swore blind it wasn't her even when I told her it was me who saw it happen and sent her photos! I suggested she contacted our facilities department to review the CCTV footage which I know there was as I was parked right by the entrance. If she hasn't done it by now I guess it's been wiped but she said categorically it wasn't her even when I described exactly what she'd been doing to cause it. She's a colleague FFS. How can she be so cheeky!!?

LuluJakey1 · 10/01/2015 22:04

I reversed into a stationary car near to my mum's house and dinted and scraped a rear door. No idea whose it was. I left a note with my contact details and they did not contact me. The next weekend the car was there, parked in a different place, I left another note. No contact. My insurer told me I should inform the police as a matter of course. I did and got an incident number. They were not interested in taking any action. They thought the other car probably wasn't insured and that was why the driver was not contacting me- but they werenot interested in that either. It was about 4 years ago.

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