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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Damage to property

98 replies

Notyetacatlady · 03/01/2023 14:33

Hi all,

With the cost of living as it is not everyone has saving so if a loved on accidentally damaged a neighbour or friends property and you couldn’t afford to fix it what would you do.
Insurance is an option but would mean already high premiums would sky rocket.
Feeling pretty on edge right now. Just received from a breakdown so don’t need this on top.
Owner of damage will not accept a payment plan.

OP posts:
rwalker · 03/01/2023 15:42

I think you should just suck it up it down to you to pay
the neighbour done nothing wrong why should they be out of pocket
if they claim on there insurance it will show as a claim for the next 5 years and increase there premium not far on them at all

Brefugee · 03/01/2023 15:45

but the owner still needs to go through their insurance, who will then contact OP and sue to recover their costs. It's not personal, it's how insurance works.

Tiani4 · 03/01/2023 15:45

They claim on their car insurance, you pay the excess

That's what judge Judy would make as the judgement. She ignores increased cost of premium. The defendant if at fault (which is how she might see it a your DD caused it by accidental fall) only pays the excess as the insurance is there to repair the car. So tell them to claim on insurance and show you the excess cost on their insurance letter and you pay that. It'll be about £75-150 at most usually. Make sure you get a receipt/ take photo of cheque acknowledging it so that they can't later claim you didn't pay them. A judge would expect they minimise Costs so they must claim on their insurance.

CockSpadget · 03/01/2023 15:47

Have you got legal expenses cover with your home or car insurance? The neighbour needs to claim through his car insurance as a no fault claim, then the insurance will then claim from your policy.

Tiani4 · 03/01/2023 15:47

The insurance company will not pursue a year old disabled girl for costs for a falling accident. She was not driving a car there is no insurance for people walking past that might fall.

Chickenly · 03/01/2023 15:50

Your payment plan option is a joke… do car repair places take payment options? Not likely.

Yes. Many do. www.halfords.com/help-and-advice/orders-and-bookings/payment-and-savings/finance/finance.html

DeadDonkey · 03/01/2023 15:51

OP it would be helpful if you told us what actually happened - it’s really not very clear.

Dotjones · 03/01/2023 15:51

You say you can't pay upfront and they won't accept a payment plan. You also say that you have the option of using your insurance policy. So do that, it's the only option you can actually choose to do.

Original poster
Notyetacatlady · 03/01/2023 15:54

She fell I was not in the car and I had not just pulled up either.

It is relevant that she is disabled actually because that is why she fell and I’m pretty fed up with neighbour for not allowing room. Yes it’s their land and they are entitled to use it how they wish but they have other options but leave it impossible for us to move around on our land.

Obviously I will pay but op saying about payment plans not being fair what would you suggest?

It’s more than I earn in over a week to fix and more than my dd dla for 2 months

OP posts:
Original poster
Notyetacatlady · 03/01/2023 15:55

Also the damage is superficial and it’s an old car but a whole panel will need spraying and we have been quoted 100s

OP posts:
Original poster
Notyetacatlady · 03/01/2023 15:56

@DeadDonkey my dd fell into their car

OP posts:
baublesandbreakdowns · 03/01/2023 15:59

They can go through their insurance if they want to claim. Not sure what they'd claim against though, public liability on your house insurance?

Can you put a fence between your drive and theirs?

baublesandbreakdowns · 03/01/2023 16:01

And yes, you should offer to cover the excess.

msbevvy · 03/01/2023 16:02

If it is an old banger they might only have 3rd party insurance. I don't think that would cover this eventuality.

DreamingOfAGreenChristmas · 03/01/2023 16:02

They need to claim on their insurance. A no-fault (to them) accidental damage claim.

That’s the situation, really.

picklemewalnuts · 03/01/2023 16:03

I really understand your frustration and distress, OP.

I think some people are being a bit blasé about finding cash to cover accidental cosmetic damage, caused by careless parking on their side and your daughter's increased tendency to fall due to her disability.

Wdib78 · 03/01/2023 16:03

Is there a chance you can take a pic of damage and show on here or try chips away, they'll give you a quote based on pics, you could tell neighbour that you're getting quotes yourself ( they maybe overcharging you).

A lady I work with scraped my car in car park a it cost £150 , was a few years ago.

MichelleScarn · 03/01/2023 16:06

Wdib78 · 03/01/2023 16:03

Is there a chance you can take a pic of damage and show on here or try chips away, they'll give you a quote based on pics, you could tell neighbour that you're getting quotes yourself ( they maybe overcharging you).

A lady I work with scraped my car in car park a it cost £150 , was a few years ago.

That's a good idea! I'm struggling to see exactly what damage a child's body could do to a stationary car! Was she carrying or holding a heavy object?!

Calmdown14 · 03/01/2023 16:07

What insurance would actually cover this other than their own car policy?

I had a trampoline hit my car after blowing 100m down my street. Cost £800 but I had to claim it on my policy.

Calmdown14 · 03/01/2023 16:11

And it will go down as a fault claim. Mine did even though I was asleep in my bed when it happened.

I could potentially have taken the person responsible to the small claims court but knowing her circumstances it would have been pointless.

I would have appreciated a box of chocolates or something left on the doorstep but she really wasn't bothered.

FrownedUpon · 03/01/2023 16:12

You should pay. Why should they be out of pocket when your DC caused the damage? You have to take responsibility for your own child’s actions.

TwoStepsAhead34 · 03/01/2023 16:12

BluIsTheColour · 03/01/2023 15:26

I don't think you would have to pay anything. It was an accident, an individual does not carry insurance for this type of thing but their car does. They claim their insurance and I would offer to pay the excess (I'd want proof) as they might rip the piss tell u it's hundreds of pounds when it is less.

What insurance cld u claim? U cldnt claim ur car insurance as ur car was not involved and not even the policy holder 🤷🏻‍♀️

100% agreed.
Was going to same the same thing!
This is why they pay insurance for.

ginnybag · 03/01/2023 16:13

I'm struggling to imagine the damage/how this happened? Was DD carrying something and has scratched the vehicle? Are they making your path inaccessible for her with their parking somehow?

Too, how sure are you that it was DD's fall that actually caused the damage they claim it did? It takes some blunt force to dent a car with an object like a body - was she hurt?

I'm not sure what insurance you would have for a child tripping on their own property, but their car insurance would cover third party damage.

However, if it's an older car and the repair costs are that much, then they'd be very likely to have the car scrapped and given the cash value, as insurance companies won't pay out more, and this is probably why they aren't claiming.

Brefugee · 03/01/2023 16:13

It is relevant that she is disabled actually because that is why she fell and I’m pretty fed up with neighbour for not allowing room. Yes it’s their land and they are entitled to use it how they wish but they have other options but leave it impossible for us to move around on our land.

I get that it is totally shit for you. However, as with other situations where you can't get the other person to do something that helps (both of) you, and what they are doing is legal, what you have to do is try to find a way round it that you can influence.

Although now, of course, you can say "see, this is why i've asked you not to park so close" or whatever it is. It's a PITA but that's how it is, you can't control what other people do unfortunately.

Question though: is there no 3rd party liability insurance in UK like there is in the US and Germany?

baublesandbreakdowns · 03/01/2023 16:14

FrownedUpon · 03/01/2023 16:12

You should pay. Why should they be out of pocket when your DC caused the damage? You have to take responsibility for your own child’s actions.

That's pretty unkind given the OP has explained their daughter has a disability and that's why she fell.

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