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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is my mum being ripped off?

116 replies

1993obj · 16/10/2020 17:13

My mum had an accident that was her fault the other week. All is going through the insurance. However, the value of their car is worth less than the outstanding finance. The couple involved have a shortfall of ££££ due to outstanding finance.

When I have had a new car I've had bridging insurance to cover this shortfall. However this couple didn't have this and so the insurance will only pay out the value and not cover the outstanding money.

The couple rang my mum who is mid 70s and told her that without the money they will be unable to afford a new car and so they want her to pay for the shortfall.

She is aware it is her fault and was made to feel guilty. I don't want my elderly mother being taken for thousands of pounds if these ppl are just chancing their luck but I do understand she feels it is her fault and wants to put things right but is this right? Should she be paying this or is it their fault for not having the correct cover on their insurance and therefore its tough? I've never claimed on insurance or had an accident so no idea how it all works.

OP posts:
Original poster
1993obj · 17/10/2020 10:48

So I spoke with my mum this morning. She said its her landline number they have so she said she will try and get that blocked but she said she is concerned they know where she lives too.

She said she has had no word from the insurers it has just come from them. They have contacted her a few times this week about it and once mentioned solicitors and that their insurer advised them to go to the small claims but that they don't want to do that and hope to avoid it. Obviously making it sound like they don't want to do that but clearly putting the wind up her to scare her with mentioning solicitors and court.

She said they contacted her the other day to say they are going to come up to drop off the finance paperwork today and speak to her in person - not sure why she needs to see that or why they need to speak to her and I'm concerned they are going to make her write a cheque there and then or put pressure on her. I'm not sure what but I am concerned they are coming to the house.

I've asked her to stall them an hour by making some excuse when they ring and that gives me time to get over there before they get there and I will deal with them.

She said she's not been sleeping about it and has been ill all week with it. I've logged it with the police now I realise the extent of the problem and am quite concerned about it.

OP posts:
SBTLove · 17/10/2020 10:52

This is outrageous, coming to her house with finance paperwork? I’d be asking the police to speak to them. Can you contact your mums insurance company on her behalf and explain what’s going on?

Mellonsprite · 17/10/2020 10:55

This is concerning, the sound like scammers.
Tell her to not open the door to anyone. Discuss that she mustn’t be pressured into withdrawing any cash or sending payments via online banking either.
I’m not sure it’s actually completely your mums fault either.

Waveysnail · 17/10/2020 10:59

She needs to ring insurance company now and explain what's happening. They are clearly trying to pressure her. They dont need to drop off paperwork or see her in person. It should all be handled through the insurance company. I'd be tempted to ring them on your mums behalf and tell them not to come to her house or contact her again

Original poster
1993obj · 17/10/2020 11:01

The police initially said they were going to send a community officer to speak to her on Monday but they just rang me back and said they are stepping it up as they are concerned. They've rung my mum and they're sending someone out to speak to her shortly and they're going to contact the other party too.

I'll encourage her to speak to the insurance company, thank you but I will do this myself if she doesn't, thank you.

OP posts:
CakeRequired · 17/10/2020 11:02

It sounds more like the accident was their fault to be honest. She might have checked before moving off and they were going so fast that by the time she moved, they hit her.

If I were you, I'd get their number, phone them back and tell them if they actually turn up at the house, you will be calling the police. Prevent them from coming at all. Tell them to go through insurance only, it is for the companies to deal with, not these idiots.

If they get aggressive on the phone, send the police to their door now before they even show up at your mums.

Waveysnail · 17/10/2020 11:02

I'd be tempted to put an answer machine on mums phone and tell her to let all calls go to answer machine. So she has a record of the number of times they are contacting her. Tell her to keep a diary of times they contact her and what is said

CakeRequired · 17/10/2020 11:02

Cros posted, nevermind. Let the police handle it.

Waveysnail · 17/10/2020 11:03

Glad the police are taking it seriously xx

Howlooseisyourgoose · 17/10/2020 11:06

So glad the police are taking seriously. My mum would be very vulnerable in this situation so you have my total sympathy.

I would love to be a fly on a wall when they get a call Fromm the police!

Noshowlomo · 17/10/2020 11:25

Awful! Your poor mum and yes, bloody scammers!

SuperrHann · 17/10/2020 11:31

If they do file any sort of small claims against your mum, make sure she passes this over to her insurers immediately. She is fully insured and so she should not bear any cost of this. If they think the insurance pay out is insufficient, then they should be suing the insurers for more.

They've not actually lost out anything here though - they just haven't yet paid for the benefit of having a brand new car. The additional payments they need to make are essentially for the benefit they have already had. They would always have had to pay out that amount because that was the outstanding finance crash or no crash, so there is no loss to them - just a cashflow issue, which is why the insurers won't pay out and why they will struggle to claim more in court.

EvilPea · 17/10/2020 11:38

What awful people.

Was theirs even insured for them to drive? Have their insurance company even been in contact with your mums?

How dare they demand a new car from her, they’ve had x amount of months from it already. It is shit that you don’t get the proper value, but you can argue it and push for a higher offer. You don’t have to accept their first offer if you can show comparable cars. You’ll still be out of pocket but that’s the risk you take (especially driving as they did).

The driving round a pulled in car is common round here. Winds me right up, people just pile down the road making it worse.

For those talking about gap insurance you shouldn’t need it for the first 12 months. Your insurance company should replace new with new for the first year. So (Assuming your buying 3 years) your effectively buying 2 years for the 13th-36th month. Sometimes still worth it, sometimes not. So worth baring in mind.

VinylDetective · 17/10/2020 11:39

They definitely sound like scammers. Your poor mum @1993obj. This kind of thing makes my blood boil. They really are heartless bastards.

TidyDancer · 17/10/2020 11:47

Oh your poor mum! This is definitely scam territory. It sounds like they are well aware they didn't have the right insurance and are chancing their luck that an elderly lady may not realise that this is not her responsibility to fix. I hope it all gets sorted out, but glad to hear the police are taking it seriously.

Florencex · 17/10/2020 11:51

No they are trying it on. Her insurance only needs to cover the value of the car. She should not engage and tell them to speak to their insurance.

throwaway100000 · 17/10/2020 11:59

Yep, I thought they were chancing it. Definitely taking advantage of the situation and your mum’s vulnerability. Glad the police are taking this seriously.

NameChangeAgain222 · 17/10/2020 12:05

So glad the police are taking it seriously. Is there any way she can record the calls?

CayrolBaaaskin · 17/10/2020 12:07

No way should your mum pay- their loss from the accident is the value of their car. Their finance deal is up to them

DontTouchTheMoustache · 17/10/2020 12:08

Well done for taking charge and contacting police. Hopefully a visit from them will be enough to put the wind up these awful people so that they drop it, they are clearly just trying to take advantage of a vulnerable person 😡

IMNOTSHOUTING · 17/10/2020 12:14

Wow what a great result OP. I wouldn't have thought of involving the police but by the sounds of it they're doing a great job dealing with the situation.

Original poster
1993obj · 17/10/2020 12:59

So the police have been, they went to speak to the other party who has been told it is their fault by the police and not to contact her at all. They have said to the police they will take her to court and the police told them they will get nowhere with it.

Then then came back to my mum and said he is someone who is known to the police already. However they did say this wasn't in relation to any violent crimes but they are putting a marker on her house just in case anything further comes as a result.

She is calling the insurance to tell them the police have been involved too. Thank you everyone for your advice. Fingers crossed this is the last of it and it's been dealt with.

OP posts:
throwaway100000 · 17/10/2020 13:04

Perhaps they have been caught pulling this scam before!

SBTLove · 17/10/2020 13:17

Glad the police are being pro active here.

Lolapusht · 17/10/2020 13:28

@1993obj

So the police have been, they went to speak to the other party who has been told it is their fault by the police and not to contact her at all. They have said to the police they will take her to court and the police told them they will get nowhere with it.

Then then came back to my mum and said he is someone who is known to the police already. However they did say this wasn't in relation to any violent crimes but they are putting a marker on her house just in case anything further comes as a result.

She is calling the insurance to tell them the police have been involved too. Thank you everyone for your advice. Fingers crossed this is the last of it and it's been dealt with.

Great news! If there’s a marker on her house then she’s absolutely right to call the police if Mr Scammy Pants shows up. I know my parents usually wouldn’t as they are in the Wouldn’t Want to Cause a Fuss Brigade, so maybe say that the police need to know if this guy comes to her houses. Give her permission to call and make it the police’s instructions rather than you’re mum having to decide/worry about getting people into trouble etc.

Sounds well dodgy. You know the street, but they will have seen the on-coming car, seen your mum pull in, seen the other car flash her on, then they decided to keep going and drive into your mum.

Insurance company will not have told them to take it to the small claims. That’s not the first stage. It can be a lovely ta tic to scare people into doing what you want, though! She is not in danger of being taken to court (that will be worrying her too!). Everything is to go through the insurance company, she doesn’t need to speak to them at all. Out of interest, how did they get her address and landline number?