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AIBU?

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Original poster

Car Write Off - Have to give up work?

187 replies

Wild123 · 26/11/2019 15:03

So some dick went into the back of my car nearly 3 months ago and has written off my car which is on finance.

It took me a couple of months of research to buy a car that was going to be reliable, economical, at a low risk of faults, cost effective and with low mileage (12070 at time of purchase).

I am no longer in a position to buy or re-finance another car and my daughters school is 2.4 miles from my house in the opposite direction of where I work. I currently do the school run in the morning and take my lunch break to collect her in the afternoons. I can't use public transport to get to school and back to work on time and i for sure can't afford the additional childcare to put in morning and after school club.

AIBU to feel like this is not fair? What the hell do I do now? I can't give up my full time job..

OP posts:
Nearlyadoctor · 26/11/2019 16:57

@cabbageking - there is an unused part from the date of the accident until the end of the policy, if the OP’s car was repairable she wouldn’t have to start a new policy hers would trundle along until the end of the insured year. At that time her premium may go up due to the accident depending on her NCD.

Schuyler · 26/11/2019 16:58

I understand you’re feeling stressed but giving up work is illogical. You’ll have no income and will not be able to claim benefits for a set period of time.

Dagnabit · 26/11/2019 16:59

If you do use wraparound care, make sure you open up a tax free childcare account and the government will top it up for you by at least 20%.

Invisimamma · 26/11/2019 17:00

I still don't understand what's happened to the extra £110 per month that you'll stop paying when the finance is settled? I understand bad credit rating but you will free up some cash in your monthly budget by not paying finance and can use this...

And if you work 9-5pm you must be using before/after school care at the moment anyway?

havingtochangeusernameagain · 26/11/2019 17:02

I am confused about this. If the insurer is settling the finance, why are you still having to pay the finance? Can't you get another deal on another car with the same finance? Why is this affecting your credit rating?

If you gave the car back and got another car, you'd have new a new monthly payment plan.

So if the car is paid for (by the insurance) doesn't the same apply?

I can't see why you are being left in such a bad financial position. At worst, you should be at zero.

Alternatively, why is the car being written off? Can it be fixed and then you just continue paying the finance on it? Or has the finance company said this isn't acceptable? I think we need more information to be able to help you.

This is a lesson in not having a car on finance!

havingtochangeusernameagain · 26/11/2019 17:03

And if you work 9-5pm you must be using before/after school care at the moment anyway The OP said she collects her child in her lunchbreak (presumably takes it very late in the day).

NoSquirrels · 26/11/2019 17:04

invisimama £110 won’t buy a new car outright, though. OP can’t get new credit, she says. She doesn’t use wraparound childcare - her employers let her collect at 3pm ‘in her lunch hour’ and bring child to the office. Unusual set-up!

£110 will pay for some combination of public transport, taxi and wraparound care in the short-term, though.

mrcow · 26/11/2019 17:06

It’s always worth trying for a second opinion on repair costs. It at not be a write off with a different garage?

mrcow · 26/11/2019 17:06

*may not be

Looking4wards · 26/11/2019 17:07

OP can’t get new credit, she says
Can you ask the current company you hired the car from to hire another one? You have a history with them so maybe they'll be more willing to be flexible with you?

NoSquirrels · 26/11/2019 17:10

Insurance companies often write off repairable cars - if you get a second opinion from a smaller garage it may be your best option to repair privately. But category S is ‘structural’ so might not be worth it.

MarchionessOfCholmondeley · 26/11/2019 17:12

You said up thread that you are refusing to let the insurance company take away the salvage of your crashed car to delay settlement so you can keep hold of the hire car for longer. Be careful with this, the other guys insurers will only pay out hire charges for a reasonable period. If you deliberately delay things, you mind find they refuse to pay out the whole of the hire charge and the hire company could, potentially come after you for the balance. Carefully check the wording of the hire agreement.

SmellMySmellbow · 26/11/2019 17:15

I sold my old vw golf for £350 and it still had loads of miles left in it, full MOT etc. Why not get something like that on a loan for an interim solution? (I upgraded to a much fancier qashqai for 2k, but could have easily stuck with the golf, it was just a bit leaky in winter and needed new door seals.)

SarahNade · 26/11/2019 17:15

His insurance company should be paying for a hire car for you. If he has full insurance, you shouldn't be out of pocket - or out of a car - from day one.

Go in or phone your insurance company, and finance company, because they should be able to arrange an interim car as you were not at fault. That is the job of an insurance company. Especially since you were not at fault.

Doesn't every school district have a school bus service which operates to specifically take children to school? That's what school buses are for.

Kaykay066 · 26/11/2019 17:15

My credit isn’t great but got a car from money barn, it is more expensive but worth a try or get a £500 banger and save the £110 for something else once banger needs replaced. I’d be stuck too without my car as I drive 40 miles to work and no public transport at times/route I take

LakieLady · 26/11/2019 17:18

Would work consider loaning you say £1,000 for a run around and taking it out of your pay monthly?

My employer offers interest-free loans for precisely this (and a few other) purposes. They started doing it because they have a lot of essential car users and support workers doing shift work. The pay is low, so people tend not to have savings, but they have to have cars to either do their job or get to work. We can borrow up to £2,000, interest free, and repay by salary deduction.

If it's a small company, they might be prepared to lend you some money, OP. There's nothing to be lost by asking.

Devereux1 · 26/11/2019 17:21

Sorry if I missed it, but I saw someone recommend cycling, but I didn't see an answer. This is a perfect solution.

Ellisandra · 26/11/2019 17:26

@SarahNade are you in the US? We don’t have school districts in the UK, nor dedicated school buses that serve all schools.

PurpleCrazyHorse · 26/11/2019 17:28

I'm not sure where the £110/month is going once the insurance pays the finance company.

Pay a school mum to do you a favour after school and can you talk to work about arriving late in the mornings to buy you some time until you can save up for a car from the £110/month? Definitely worth exploring those options. If you're a good worker, they'll be keen to keep you as recruitment is a pain. They might offer a hardship loan for example which could be paid back out of your salary monthly, which might give you £500 up front for a cheap runaround. Chat to school about wraparound care and whether they can offer a discretionary discount, or are they in the government scheme (you pay into a government account and they top up with 20%). School won't want your DD missing school or being late as it impacts their figures. Definitely worth a chat there too.

Honestly, you sound really genuine and not out to be a CF. I'd absolutely help a mum like you while you got back on your feet.

Going forward set up a standing order or direct debit to pay the minimum on your debts (as a very minimum). It ensures that however busy you are, you make a payment and don't default. You can always pay more every month on top.

Blistory · 26/11/2019 17:35

Have you approached the finance company to see if they would be willing to let you change the vehicle ? They would use the pay off to cover the purchase of a new vehicle and the agreement would continue as normal.

Have you tried to negotiate a higher settlement ?

Is the finance lease, hire purchase or a personal loan ?

RedskyToNight · 26/11/2019 17:36

if you work 9-5pm you must be using before/after school care at the moment anyway

The OP said she collects her child in her lunchbreak (presumably takes it very late in the day).

But she also said being in the office 9-5 was non-negotiable.
And even if she could somehow take her lunch break at the end of the day (ignoring the fact this means she's working more than 6 hours without a break) this would still mean she was in the office at 4pm with the journey to school still to make. I don't know any primary schools that finish that late?

WiddlinDiddlin · 26/11/2019 17:37

Stop dragging out the insurance collecting your car, you WILL get a bill for the hire car from them/your insurer/the person who hit you's insurer.. honestly, they are likely to try it even if its reasonable use, when you push it beyond reasonable time frames you ARE going to get stung for a big bill.

LuckySeventhWave · 26/11/2019 17:38

Speak to the school.

When I temporarily couldn’t afford breakfast and after school club as a lone parent because I’d started a new job, they used school funds. Kids were on ‘pupil premium’ which your’s might be too if you’re on low income.

It’s also possible even if not on pupil premium. You just need to speak to school family liaison worker.

Last resort is you really will have to ask other mums if they can take your child to and from school temporarily. School family worker can help organise this.

Getting to work:
Ask employer for loan for car, taxi, public transport etc or if anyone can do lift shares temporarily.

There’s always a way. And when you’re at rock bottom accept that shelving pride will get you out of the pickle.

If you want to ‘rely on yourself’ that means getting up hours earlier to walk your kid to school then walk to work.

Or go on long term sick leave, but you’ll still have to afford/walk kid to school.

Ferretyone · 26/11/2019 17:41

@Wild123

It doesn't matter what insurance you have you need to get the chap who crashed into you to pay. Take advice from citizens advice

Beseen19 · 26/11/2019 17:42

Realistically you cannot afford 4 taxis a day but just as an alternative...could you take your daughter early on public transport/walking and get back to work on time, either utilising a breakfast club or maybe if she has a friend who lives locally you could drop her off for the walk to school. Then potentially you could contact a local firm and enquire if they have a taxi driver who is DBS checked for school transport and have him/her pick up your daughter and take her to your work every day after school. Then you would only be paying for 1 taxi run a day until you manage to save up enough for a runaround.