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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Wheelie bin damaged neighbours car.

105 replies

GiantBabyMumma · 29/11/2018 15:13

Hi,

I had my neighbours (both ladies from next door and one from opposite) knock on my door this morning to tell me that my empty wheelie bin had blown over and dented the side of their car.

They said that it had blown over once and they had picked it up, then it had blown over again into their car and caused the damage.

I was in my dressing gown and holding my crying (teething) baby so told them they'd have to come back later and speak to my partner when he is home from work.

Who is at fault here? I think neither as the wind is beyond my control!

I didn't hear the bin falling over, but they did, twice?

They supposedly moved it into the second position from which it fell causing the damage, so they have admitted that they put it in a place it was likely to cause damage if it fell.

If they had told me the first time I would have moved it.

Everyone on our street keeps their bins on the drive as there is no access to the back and nowhere else to keep them, so not just us.

I also feel as though the 3 of them knocking on my door together was to try and intimidate me into agreeing to pay any costs.

This happened between my partner leaving for work at 7.10am and 8.30am when they knocked on my door. They knew I was home alone with the baby (as I am every week day whilst on maternity leave).

Would I be unreasonable to say, no, we will not be paying anything? My partner wants to bring up the 3 of them banging on my door together to gang up on me when they know I'm home alone, do you think this would just cause further arguments?

Tia

OP posts:
itsnowthewaitinggame · 29/11/2018 18:30

If three came to your door when only one had been affected I’d say that was bullying

badlydrawnperson · 29/11/2018 18:34

I doubt you are liable

There is no doubt - OP isn't liable.

hidinginthenightgarden · 29/11/2018 18:35

Years ago our neighbours wall fell down and broke our fence. Their insurance said they wouldn't pay as it was "an act of god". I would say the same applies here.

CrazyKitkatLady · 29/11/2018 18:47

I've had the opposite thing today, my neighbors bin blew into our car in the night. I have sent them a text asking them to please move it to the other side of their drive whilst its windy but wouldn't expect them to pay in the first instance as obviously not their fault! If it kept happening I might get annoyed but as a one off there's nothing to be done, just an accident!

Yamayo · 30/11/2018 11:27

So what happened?

Racecardriver · 30/11/2018 11:33

I think they’re lying. I don’t see how any empty or nearly empty wheelie bin could dent a car ffs.

Shepherdspieisminging · 30/11/2018 11:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

firawla · 30/11/2018 11:38

There is no way I would pay anything in your position, they are trying it on!

billybagpuss · 30/11/2018 11:39

Any updates OP

LivininaBox · 30/11/2018 11:43

The wheelie bin is not even your property, it belongs to the council. At least that's how it works here.

lilyblue5 · 30/11/2018 11:50

I can definitely fight my own battles but when you are home alone with the children (especially partially dressed) you aren’t always up for it, as three of them came round it was probably quite overwhelming for the OP.

Did they come back last night OP?

UnicornSlaughters · 30/11/2018 11:51

"And that is exactly why we don't leave our bin in X position" whilst shrugging unhelpfully.

"Maybe chat to your insurance?"

Close the door

ValMc1 · 30/11/2018 11:54

My old metro was written off by a wheelie bin. Someone had moved a full bin into the road one night, a car came down and shoved it into my bonnet - lovely outline of the bin. Took it to my local garage who found it amusing - wife of local garage offered me a lift home (they lived in the same road) and I pointed out the offending bin - it turned out to the theirs!!! Car was written off.

DartmoorDoughnut · 30/11/2018 12:02

Hope it’s all sorted out

Tistheseason17 · 30/11/2018 12:07

Yep - tell them to claim on their insurance for A/D.

Technically, they moved it to the position where it blew over and hit their car - but don't mention that as they may change their story.

OlennasWimple · 30/11/2018 12:16

"oh dear, that sounds unfortunate. What did your insurers say?"

Eilaianne · 30/11/2018 13:05

I agree with the other posters saying that they need to claim on their accidental damage insurance.

But I'm also a bit Hmm at you feeling such umbrage that they "ganged up" on you as 3 people to report the issue, you asked them to refer the matter to your husband, and you seem to think that because you're home with a baby that they're being cheeky to talk to you about it.

I smile and say hello to my neighbours, but i wouldn't have a clue about if any of them are home, breastfeeding or on holiday, working long hours - and it's not because i'm living in a bubble, but your work habits and being alone with a child is generally not something i'd pay much attention to - your life is probably a lot less important to recollect the details on than you appear to think Hmm
or are you saying that no one should knock on your door because you are alone and have a baby? all they did was need 2 mins of your time to discuss the problem! if you don't want to talk to anyone, just don't open the door - but don't open it then basically accuse them of being cheeky.

BMW6 · 30/11/2018 13:27

I think they’re lying. I don’t see how any empty or nearly empty wheelie bin could dent a car ffs.

You are wrong. I have actually seen it happen. Empty wheely bin, very very strong gust, large dent on car door. There were about a dozen bins blown all up the road that day. I was watching from the window as was concerned our car would get hit by one.

MrsMiggel · 30/11/2018 13:34

It’s an act of God, the wind blew the bin into the car. The fact that you own the bin is irrelevant. The only way you’d be liable is if you were negligent in some way eg if you’d left the bin in a position where it could cause damage. And you haven’t been negligent. They put the bin in the dangerous position themselves!

sonandhelpneeded · 30/11/2018 13:50

@JacquesHammer so if people leave home prior to bin men collecting, they should be late for work or appointments? Should they factor nothing into bin days in case it's windy?

@GiantBabyMumma not your problem!

Craft1905 · 30/11/2018 13:54

If this went through any insurance, they wouldn't pay either, citing an act of god.

Not true. They wouldn't cite act of god, because act of god doesn't exist in insurance, it's a made up load of rubbish that people believe. Read thru any UK insurance policy issued in the last 100 years and you will find no act of god exclusions. It's an urban myth

If they refused to pay, it would be because they OP wasn't negligent, nothing more.

bertielab · 30/11/2018 13:54

I once had an empty bin blow into myself my car whilst driving , wrecked the car and classed as an act of god. You have no liability here

JacquesHammer · 30/11/2018 13:56

so if people leave home prior to bin men collecting, they should be late for work or appointments? Should they factor nothing into bin days in case it's windy

Went through that above! It’s all a bit of whataboutery in any case as the OP was there. So “what if they’re at work” is all a little pointless.

Craft1905 · 30/11/2018 13:57

Years ago our neighbours wall fell down and broke our fence. Their insurance said they wouldn't pay as it was "an act of god".

No they didn't. They said they wouldn't pay because their customer wasn't negligent. If they actually said "act of god", ask them to point to the bit in the policy where they exclude "acts of god". When they can't find it, ask them to pay.

GiantBabyMumma · 30/11/2018 20:11

They didn't come back last night. Partner saw them this morning and they didn't mention it.

OP posts:
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