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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:
NoGuarantee · 26/11/2019 17:53

@RedskyToNight - you can work 6 hours without a break. If your shift is more than 6 hours, you need a break at some point in that shift but the WTR don't say the break needs to be in the first 6 hrs.

I know you said you had no storage for a bike, but could you get a fold up one or keep it in someone's garden with a cover over it, or in someone's shed perhaps locked up securely? Just ideas, I know not ideal...

fuzzyduck1 · 26/11/2019 17:57

Push bike? 2 miles isn’t that far.

Devereux1 · 26/11/2019 18:00

Is there a reason the OP won't consider a bike? Several posters have suggested this now.

Original poster
Wild123 · 26/11/2019 18:01

School is a ten minute drive in the opposite direction of where i work i drop at 8:40 and am at work for 9am. I then take my lunch break at 3pm and am back at the office from 3:45 to 5:30pm (cover for phones til 5 but I'm contracted til 5:30). I'm live a bit rural so i can get the bus from my home to school pretty easily but getting to where i would would take at least 45mins. The after school club is run by a private company and not the school so no discount available. Before and after school club would be £20 per day plus transport. Not an option for me to get there in time after i finish work.

I was driving the car for 2 months before insurers decided to pull there finger out of there arse to get a quote for repairs then wrote it off a week and a half later. They then sorted a hire car out which ive had for nearly three weeks. They will come and collect my damaged car any day but they are taking so long to reply to my emails/questions (last one 7 days!).

I spoke to my finance company and as the car is deemed total loss its not an option to buy bsck and repair and keep the car nor have the settlement paid to me and put lisn against another car. Due to my credit rating they are unable to offer me another loan.
Thank you for all your replys im just super stressed and angry that I've been put in this situation when i wasnt my fault. I cant believe im having to rearrange mine and my daughters lives because of this 😭

OP posts:
Original poster
Wild123 · 26/11/2019 18:03

If i see a fold up bike for sale for a reasonable price i will buy one for the interim but otherwise i have nowhere to store two bikes and i don't know im actually fit enough to ride over 10 miles a day!

OP posts:
NoGuarantee · 26/11/2019 18:07

She's already said she can't store bikes.

You'd be surprised how a few short journeys will be easy on a bike! Are there hills or is it flat?

As its dark early now, you'd need decent lights and reflective gear, helmets etc. Does your work do a cycle to work scheme?

Devereux1 · 26/11/2019 18:08

OP, believe me 10 miles sounds a lot but it is nothing. This is an opportunity - problem solved and you get fitter in the process. I'm sure someone nearby will store your bikes. Foldups tend to be more expensive.

Sallycinammonbangsthedruminthe · 26/11/2019 18:10

Can't your daughters dad help? It might make life easier for you if he could perhaps do some pick ups and drop offs too? Its not just your burden to carry.Could he step in to help your daughter?

Original poster
Wild123 · 26/11/2019 18:15

Yes school journey is all up hill.. least coming down will be ok. its a small block of 8 flats so noone has room to store a bike.

No daughters dad works away most weeks so not in a positio to help. Does collect from school on a Friday.

OP posts:
LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 26/11/2019 18:16

It sounds like there are just two main options, OP - give up your job - or find a way to make it work so that you can still work full time. If it were me, I'd be doing everything to make sure that I can continue in my job.

I realise that it's embarrassing for you to ask parents for help with the school journeys but that's what you'll need to do. Work out how long you think you'd need the help for and be upfront about it.

You haven't spoken to your office yet so they may be able to come up with a way of assisting you to help yourself a bit. Speak to them and find out what options there are, if any, at least you'll know where you stand.

Option 1 - giving up work, you can do that any old time but I think it would be a grave mistake.

Nobody knows your situation better than you do so instead of having to dismiss the suggestions that you're being given by people who don't know you, what are the things that you CAN do for yourself?

I also agree with PP, get that courtesy car picked up. I can't believe they've let you keep it for 3 MONTHS but, if they're going to stiff you with a bill then get rid of the car straight away before it really gets out of hand.

HunterHearstHelmsley · 26/11/2019 18:20

I might be being really dense (its concerning as I have a car on finance!) But can you not buy a car with the insurance pay out and just continue repaying the finance company?

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 26/11/2019 18:21

Sorry - courtesy car for three weeks, not months. That's still a longer time than I've heard of (usually 2 weeks). Now that your insurers have decided though, get rid of the courtesy car or you will get a bill for it.

LIZS · 26/11/2019 18:27

Are there any other families or childminder going same way to school she could travel with, even short term. £20 a day has got to be better than losing your wage. It might even be resolved by the time you have worked notice. How do you cover school holidays?

BarrenFieldofFucks · 26/11/2019 18:29

Her daughter goes back to work with her.

After a few months of finance payments saved you could buy an old banger?

TheABC · 26/11/2019 18:34

Another option is an electric bike with a ride along option for your daughter. You can stack it in the hallway, using pegs to hang it. It's not widely advertised, but you can buy them through the Bike to work scheme. Check with HR at your workplace: it's an interest free government loan which gets repaid through salary sacrifice before tax.

Alternatively, find anything you can sell quickly on Facebook groups or eBay to scrap together £500 for a cheap runaround.

AliceLittle · 26/11/2019 18:38

Find a new job working from home? You mentioned you're an office manager, I'd assume there is plenty of transferable skills into the remote PA field.

autumnmum · 26/11/2019 18:48

Op I feel for you as I had a car written off earlier this year (not my fault). People who haven't had this hapoen just think you recieve a ruddy great cheque and everything is OK.

So the at fault party should provide you with a hire car until you recieve payment. If you had gap insurance as well that should pay the difference between what the insurers deem your car to be worth now and what you paid for the car. That should mean that have enough to cover outstanding finance and still get some cash back. I also got scrap value for my car (but my car was only 12 months old so scrap was a fair chunk). I found there was a delay between what the insurers gave me and what the gap insurance paid out which delayed me clearing my finance, and meant I had no car for a couple of weeks between hire car going back and getting a new car. Even if you have bad credit now you should get some cash if you had gap insurance. Can you use this to buy a runaround?

Good luck - it's a horrendous experience.

HyacynthBucket · 26/11/2019 18:49

Any chance your employer, if they know the situation, could advance some money to you to cover the car? They may be keen to come to some arrangement to help you keep your job.

Original poster
Wild123 · 26/11/2019 18:49

The purpose of insurance is restoring the policyholder to the same financial position after a loss as they were in immediately prior to the loss occurring and writing off my car does not do this for me.

Spoke to my boss but we are a small company so loan not an option. Bus is £185 every 5 weeks so will see if i can ask for some flexible working til i can afford a car which i can't save for as will have to now find an additional £75 per month..

I will ask a couple of parents if they could help for a little while.. i would do the same for any of them without a second thought.

OP posts:
cccameron · 26/11/2019 18:50

He drove into the back of you? Did you suffer any symptoms? Even a mild whiplash claim would pay out £1-3k and solve your new car problem.

Original poster
Wild123 · 26/11/2019 18:50

Bus £185 every 4 weeks or £ 13.30 per day

OP posts:
IWorkAtTheCheesecakeFactory · 26/11/2019 18:50

Op I don’t know who you work for but some companies and unions have links to car financing schemes. You get a discount on financing cars through your work/union. I’m sure your work know the situation and would have mentioned it but worth asking just incase.

Sorry you’re in this situation. I’d be really angry in your shoes. Is there no chance of a civil claim against this guy? Prior to his actions you had a car. Now you don’t. Judge Judy would say “you need to be made whole again” that means you should be in the same position as you were before the crash.

IWorkAtTheCheesecakeFactory · 26/11/2019 18:52

Yes I hope you saw the doctor about that back pain you’ve been having ever since the accident.

autumnmum · 26/11/2019 18:53

Oh and I meant to say you will not get charged for the courtesy car if it wasn't your fault. I had a hire car for 7 weeks whilst my insurers were sorting out the mess with the 3rd party. They collected it as soon as they paid out, but I was not charged a penny for it.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 26/11/2019 18:54

That blame/claim thing can take YEARS to settle and OP would be expected to attend hospital and physio appointments. I think it's really not doable in her circumstances - and that's if she did actually suffer an injury, of course.