Neighbour not happy with us and wants us to pay for car damage

[abitmorepls]

Not me, but my partner. We moved into our new house 3 months ago, and our driveway is right next to our neighbour’s, separated by a small picket fence. Yesterday, my partner decided to wash his car for the first time since we moved here. We didn’t think much of it until our neighbour knocked on our door this morning, saying there were dirt and stone chips on the side of her car, and she thinks it’s from my partner using the pressure washer. We obviously apologised and offered to pay for her to get her car professionally cleaned or suggested that my partner could do it, but she said there’s paint damage from the stone chips and that a clean wouldn’t really help. My partner thinks it’ll be fine after a wash, but she was upset, not aggressive, but very upset, and asked why we didn’t let her know so she could have moved her car. Honestly, we didn’t realise it would be a problem, he used to wash his car all the time at our old house, and nothing like this ever happened. So, what should we do now? I feel caught in the middle.

I really feel for your neighbour. It’s always a bit unsettling to begin with when new people move in, simply because they’re an ‘unknown’ but then to damage her car and on top of that, your partner doesn’t take responsibility! I bet she’s feeling distraught right now, thinking she has the neighbours from hell.

I’d be bending over backwards to sort this out amicably. Do you realise how much paintwork damage can cost to repair? If your neighbour uses an accident management company the costs will be in the thousands. If I was her I’d already be on the phone to one, after your partner’s dismissive attitude. She doesn’t need ‘proof’. Civil claims are on the balance of probabilities and if the damage is on the side of the car nearest yours, she will win.

Send your partner round to apologise profusely and offer to pay all costs involved. I’d also be bringing her a large bunch of flowers.

Using a pressure washer to wash a car is complete overkill, and very likely to cause damage to your own car as well as to other cars or surfaces nearby. We used to have a neighbour who had to use some kind of petrol or electrical tool for everything, as if he couldn't do the most basic task without using one of his manly toys. It just seems really reckless and immature.

This. ^ Pressure washers are very powerful @abitmorepls and it was very unwise for your husband to wash his car next to someone else's car. That said, I find it unlikely that anything on his car would have damaged the neighbour's car, or scratched it. It's not like he was jetwashing the driveway.

As a pp said, I would not admit to anything. She can't prove he has damaged her car. You should have said 'why would my husband washing his car result in gravel and stones being on your driveway, and near your car?'

Tell her she is mistaken.

If you’ve chipped her car with your careless pressure washing of course it should be fixed properly. A wash won’t repair chipped paint.

Why on earth would you pressure wash a car near other cars. The debris risk is huge.

This!

Actually your other half was rather stupid, why wouldn't he ask to move a car or move his because a pressure washer will make everything fly up and chip the paintwork very easily. That's the main rule at washing services I've worked at in the past never pressure washer cars near each other. He damaged it regardless of wether perceived seen and should fix it!

The snow foam agitates the filth and grime so it’s easier to remove with the sponge/mitten.

the sealer makes the paint silky if you get me so the road grime doesn’t stick. When I last had my car ‘sealed’ the grime literally comes off when you went through a puddle. Great idea if you are lazy like me and can’t be bothered with washing the car every week

Might be overkill but they are also standard these days. Even plenty of petrol stations have them for people to use to clean their cars these days.

Very stupid to use it so close to another car, they throw up all kinds of stuff. Came home one day to find the new neighbour had pressure washed his path and yard and it had forced a bunch of debris under the gate connecting our gardens. He was obviously going to leave it there, but I came home unexpectedly and found him in the act - I made him clear it up, as it was a massive pile of crap - dirt, stones, etc etc.

How on earth did they get in between the cars if they were so close to each other?

This. How is stone chip damage a thing?

I would want to examine the car myself first to see the extent of the scratches. If you decide to compensate her make sure you get a copy of a legitimate bill, and not just accept a verbal quote. My neighbour tried to palm me off with paying for half of a fence job without any paperwork. She got a bunch of cash-in-hand cowboys in to do the work and I wasnt going to accept her word for it.

I would ask her to claim through her insurance. There is no way she can prove her car didn't already have stone chip damage from normal usage.
Certainly offer a valet if you want to, but I maybe wouldn't again now she turned you down.
Get a better fence/hedge

Thank-you for the reply, it was very informative but did made me feel like a tramp 😅

Do people really wash their cars every week?! My house is immaculate but my car is a wreck. I think I’m newly inspired to go to a car wash.

We will never know if the pressure washing caused the chips or if they were already there. It is certainly likely to have dirtied her car though.

How likely the paint chips occurred will depend on what was being washing off your car, the surface the car is on and how solid/high the fence.

Pressure washing a car should be done in an open area or at least in the vaccinity of only your own possessions. Doing it right next to the neighbours car was very inconsiderate

Yes, that's why I said household insurance. I didn't mention car insurance.

People saying just ignore it I assume have never used a pressure washer. Thay had to be the stupidist thing I ever heard. Who washes their car with a pressure washer right next to someone else’s. You’d either move your car onto the street or ask them to move their car. I’d bet good money he’s caused it to be both filthy and damaged.

To be honest I'm more concerned that the neighbour spoke to you and not your partner and your partner let that happen. It's your partner that should be talking to your neighbour and your partner who should be holding the burden of this, not you. Has your partner spoken to the neighbour?

I cannot read all of the posts but just in case nobody's mentioned it.... If pressure washing a car was that likely to damage the paintwork of anything near it, they wouldn't be used by anybody to clean cars. The dirt comes off the car in such a fashion that SOME of it will hit the paintwork of the car being cleaned.
The neighbour is a chancer. If you acquiesce to this, you'll be paying through the nose for years to come.

Have you examined the other side of her car? If it has no chips but the side near your drive does, then the pressure washing probably did cause the chips. If the other side has similar damage to the paint then they are chancing their arm and it was probably already damaged.

I find it bizarre too! I don’t understand why people wash their own cars. £3 to go through a car wash or £19 to pay someone do it inside and out - why on earth would you spend precious time doing it yourself?

Nah, she’s trying it on.

I pressure wash my car regularly and my car sits on gravel. Unless you’re pointing the end of the hose into the gravel, it’s not going to jump up and damage the car parked nearby.

Depends on the pressure, surely? My neighbour helpfully pressure washed my yard and about half the mortar came out.

Nah..if the stream is aimed at the alloys and tyres then of course some of the pressurised water will also hit the ground and kick up stones.

Bottom line is he was careless of surrounding vehicles so should take her at her word because her claim is very likely in all probability.

Some pressure washers are not actually meant for cars as they can damage the paint. Depends on the pressure. The higher ones are meant for patios etc only.
The neighbour is not saying dirt bounced off OPs car onto her own. It is stones being kicked up from the ground.

Professional cleaners dont wash cars beside other cars