Damaged my car, left a note but now ignoring me

[Housemove2020]

Someone has damaged my car left a massive dent in the side while I was parked perfectly in the middle of the car park space. They left a name and number on my windscreen which I was grateful for however each time I call the number the woman tells me she “is unable to talk and will call me back.”

The last time I said can we just talk now to understand what happened with my car? (I have no idea at all how it happened because she would have had to smash right into the side to cause that much of a dent). She last said “I should be grateful she left a number” like why?! It’s not like she’s been cooperative since then. In fact why did she even bother leaving her number? Should I be grateful she left a number or is she now regretting being honest and trying to get out of it.

if it was me I’d be so guilty but also scared CCTV might get me!

I had similar, daft bint blocked my mobile number and everything. I rang her from dh’s phone and told her if she didn’t give me her name and insurance details I’d be contacting the police. She texted me her details soon after.

I’ve sent the insurance details of local cctv and also did an online Police report just in case the person had a conscience and reported it to them.

Sods law is that we have hard wired front and rear dash cam which had stopped working and was booked in to be fixed next week!

How bloody annoying, but wouldn’t it have been easier to just get it fixed than involve your insurance if you don’t have details of who did it?

Depends on the cost. It cost us £600 to knock out and respray a door that someone had dented. Bodyshop repairs aren't cheap. And that was a "back street" garage not an insurance approved bodyshop who apparently have a minimum charge of £1,000!

Someone bashed DS1 parked car this week whilst he was in work. He's only been driving one month. The guy left his details, and has not only coughed up in cash for the quote (£240) within a day, but rounded it up to £300 for inconvenience. No insurance involved thankfully.
Still some good people around.

I'd be more proactive. Contact police, and insurer again. Phone her again to tell her you've done both. Tell her if she doesn't contact you then Your'll consider it a crime.

A bus hit my parked car this morning with me in it and driver had no idea he'd done it until I took him to my car.

Invested in a front and rear dash cam as a result. Naturally, I've passed all details onto insurance company today, but I'll be livid if uts recorded as a fault against me when the bus driver misjudged how much space he had. Or didn't have, rather.

OP, get front and rear dash cam from Halfords or similar. It'll help you in future incidents.

Sadly not. Repairs going to be around £2000 and at least I get a free hire car as it’s estimated to be in the body shop for 5 days.

Had similar happen to me at the weekend, parked my car in a public car park, popped in the shop, came out and the car next to me was just exiting the car park. Luckily a witness saw him hit my car and we managed to get his reg as he drived off.

I contacted the police (there should be an online form you can submit a crime on your local constabulary website, just Google it). I also contacted my insurer who have my car booked in for repairs and hire car sorted already. They've told me I don't have to pay my excess, not sure why that is but I'm not complaining as it's £350.

I put a post on the local fb chat page to ask about cctv and luckily the third party must have a guilty conscious as they've now contacted me after seeing my post (nothing to do with the fact the police have probably contacted him 🤪).

If I were you op I'd just text her saying you've given her details to the police and insurer and then leave it at that.

But she's left details. Not enough details for OP to do a bit of secret sleuthing herself, but enough for her insurance company (who she presumably pays handsomely) to do the job they are paid for.

Admittedly it's not the most helpful and conscientious way to behave, but she's done nothing wrong.

Not to sound bat shit crazy but have you saved her number and then went onto either Snapchat or what’s app to see if she’s on there and it will show you her name and then you could maybe get more details from Facebook . Just a thought 🤣

What do you mean how do you get in touch with the police?? You report it online or call 101. The police will be able to track her number and find the owner of the car. They can apply to the phone company for who the phone is registered to! Then you go to the insurance company.

No, PP are correct.

The law requires the driver involved in a collision to leave their details and details is actually specified as ‘name, address and registration number’.

So the fact she left her phone number is irrelevant and if the driver still fails to report the incident, they’re breaking the law.

Not all police forces investigate damage only car park collisions and can I ask if your online reference from your local police force ends with NEA?

As far as I'm aware, if it's in a private carpark it's a civil matter.

She is required to provide you her insurance details within 24 hours. So by refusing to do so, she has commuted a failure to stop after accident. After 24 hours contact the police and report her that she has failed to provide her insurance details. It is not sufficient to merely leave name and number and then refuse to provide details

Also pass her details onto insurance company who will chase her. Do you have her car Reg number ? Can you ask if anyone else witnessed it

Ooh I’ll give this a go!

im so sorry people have no conscience! This is what I’m worried about. I might be better off just paying myself outside of insurance to avoid the insurance premiums if they can’t catch her
Don't do this

Report to police as it is a failure to stop - and to provide INSURANCE details

ive never had to contact the police about anything so was having a slow moment! Yes I’ve just done an online form now. Let’s see where that gets me

No the reference doesn’t end in NEA.

That’s terrible! Surely if you were stationary it is clearly the buses fault?

@Housemove2020 thats good because it means No Evidence Available and would most likely be filled if it ended NEA.