Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think neighbour should pay for damage?

183 replies

Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 16:05

Our next door neighbour's wheelie bin has crashed into our car and damaged the taillight. The bin is left by her garden backdoor in the private car park we all share. The bin was empty and unsecured and the high winds have caused it to roll 6 feet away and cause the damage.

Neighbour says she is not liable to pay as it was an accident however we will now be left £36 out of pocket. AIBU to think she should pay?

OP posts:
BlueSkiesLies · 12/03/2019 19:46

No. Claim on your car insurance.

Original poster
Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 19:54

I agree about dp driving with a defective tail light, unfortunately he works 45 mins away so a taxi would be too expensive. He doesn't get sick pay so the choice is drive or lose his wages which we can't afford too. He was ill a month ago and lost several days then. We can't take another hit.

OP posts:
HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 12/03/2019 19:56

Yabu, it was an accident and that why you have insurance.
Personally however I’d pay just for neighbourly relationship, not because I am liable however.

mummymayhem18 · 12/03/2019 20:00

I can't believe the amount of you saying the OP is being unreasonable. The neighbour left her bin out in high winds when it had been emptied the day before. Of course it's her fault. If that had happened to me I would have offered to pay. Plain lazy and stupid leaving it out in those weather conditions. Obviously has no common sense. And also it doesn't matter whether it was £36 or £360 the neighbour was at fault.

izekiah · 12/03/2019 20:06

I’m not a lawyer but honestly I don’t think the neighbour would even be responsible AT ALL.

An act of God; she wasn’t negligent.

Where I live, people often have bins out for a day or so after collection.

it’s also £36!
I wouldn’t have paid either especially with that note !

youknowmedontyou · 12/03/2019 20:09

I agree about dp driving with a defective tail light, unfortunately he works 45 mins away so a taxi would be too expensive. He doesn't get sick pay so the choice is drive or lose his wages which we can't afford too. He was ill a month ago and lost several days then. We can't take another hit.

Oh well that's ok then!

Dippypippy1980 · 12/03/2019 20:18

Sorry but that note is awful!! No wonder she reacted the way she did.

You approached this in completely the wrong way.

Prequelle · 12/03/2019 20:21

I would have gone mad about that note too. Could you have sounded anymore up your own arse. It's more like a note from a bloody debt collector than a neighbour. You haven't come across great here at all and I suspect she absolutely would have paid for it had you approached this better.

TidyDancer · 12/03/2019 20:28

Oh dear, you've been the catalyst for this becoming so dramatic with that awful note OP. I'm not quite sure what you were thinking tbh. It was a terrible way to deal with things anyway, but the actual phrasing was daft. Can't believe you're so surprised at her bad reaction after that.

Original poster
Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 20:29

I accept I was wrong about the note however I don't think she would have paid regardless.

Out of interest how should I have approached it? presumably just tell her about the damage and just hope she offers?

OP posts:
youknowmedontyou · 12/03/2019 20:32

I accept I was wrong about the note however I don't think she would have paid regardless.

Why?

Pinkyyy · 12/03/2019 20:36

Out of interest how should I have approached it?

Well, it wasn't urgent as you'd already decided that you'd be getting it fixed, regardless of who was paying. So I'd have waited until you thought someone was in, and knocked on the door to tell them what had happened. You should have explained that her bin had been blown by the wind and damaged your car, but that fortunately the repair was only going to cost £36 for the part. At which time she would likely have felt much more inclined to offer to compensate you.

Original poster
Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 20:42

I've been thinking about what you've all said about my note and I have knocked on my neighbours and handed over a box of chocolates I had in my present cupboard to apologise for the note. I gave it to her partner and told him I was sorry for any distress I'd caused and not to worry about anything. Hopefully this will mend things.

OP posts:
Pinkyyy · 12/03/2019 20:47

That was very nice of you OP, well done for doing the right thing. It's never easy to admit when you're wrong and I'm sure she will appreciate it.

Original poster
Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 20:48

Oh and I realise she'll probably think I'm strange but that's better than thinking I'm a bad neighbour!

OP posts:
TheOxymoron · 12/03/2019 20:51

I think they should contribute morally but legally you would have to prove their was some negligence on their part and the wind isn’t in their control.
You will likely have to claim from your insurance.

Prequelle · 12/03/2019 20:54

Yeah that was nice of you OP.

dudsville · 12/03/2019 20:56

You're not being a mug to admit that your neighbour didn't maliciously drive the wind toward her bin for the purpose of dancing your cat very superficially. You would be being an adult who is capable of recognising that stuff happens. Even though you don't like her, she's not at fault. She could pay or you could let it go. Either position is equally acceptable in adult world.

Original poster
Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 21:00

Thanks Prequelle and Pinkyyy. I hope it helps although as I said we only said hi to each other so not much to lose if she is still upset but I guess more to gain if she isn't.

OP posts:
Youshallnotpass · 12/03/2019 21:03

Give up, she is not liable, you can’t prove negligence. Solicitors are expensive. You will lose if you try taking it further.

Youshallnotpass · 12/03/2019 21:04

I’ve now rtft and have seen what you did. Brilliant decision and will smooth things over Grin

BayandBlonde · 12/03/2019 21:04

I guess she could argue why didn't you park your car in your own garage. You rightly said yourself the deeds state the garage is for storing a vehicle only. You can't have a dig about storing presents in hers when you aren't using yours yourself, irrespective of the time of day or how often you use the car.

If there wasn't anywhere else to park yet you have a garage you haven't really got anywhere to go with this.

This is all assuming you only have one car.

Original poster
Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 21:06

Youshallnotpass - I have given up! I never mentioned solicitors, that was a poster replying to me. I have paid for the parts and taken chocolates to my neighbour to apologise.

OP posts:
HarrysOwl · 12/03/2019 21:08

OP, that was a lovely thing to do. I kinda hope she offers something towards the cost, now, just to return the good-neighbour feels.

Original poster
Lauren1983 · 12/03/2019 21:10

If she does offer money I won't accept although dp probably would so she'd need to be careful who she speaks to!

OP posts: