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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Nanny ran out of petrol

28 replies

namelessposter · 27/04/2014 17:16

So.. following on from my thread a fortnight ago, where our (otherwise good) nanny pranged the car twice in 6 weeks, today she had the bad luck to run out of petrol. She called me 10am to report that the car had broken down, (we were away for the weekend, she was using the car in private time for personal errands, which is allowed) so I called a breakdown service and had her recovered home.

Having chatted with her now, the fuel light came on during her outbound journey, and the car stopped around 20 miles later. She had expected that there would be more fuel left than 20 miles worth after the light came on and was planning to stop at the next fuel station on her return journey. She had driven past at least one fuel station since noticing the light was on. She didn't think the car could be out of petrol yet since there was one bar still showing on the gauge.

The car is newish and is still under mains dealer warranty for mechanical failure, but I can't see myself persuading the dealer that running out of fuel 20 miles after the warning light comes on was a fault of the car. The recovery cost was £140+VAT. What's the verdict - her expense, or mine?

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MrsPixieMoo · 27/04/2014 17:21

Her expense. She made a silly mistake and in her own time. You're her employer, not her indulgent mother.

clam · 27/04/2014 17:27

So she allowed you to call a breakdown company out, when she knew she had 'just' run out of petrol - not technically a breakdown?

Her mistake.

nannynick · 27/04/2014 17:51

It is a mistake that can happen to any of us I feel. Until it happens you do not know how quickly you will be out of fuel. My car manual says to topup once gauge reads 1/4 of a tank, so perhaps the manufacturer does not feel the gauge is that accurate.

Are they a fairly new driver, did they not know that fuel gauges are not very accurate and if the warning light goes on they need to take immediate action?

They were the driver so they are responsible for making sure it has sufficient fuel, is parked correctly, does not commit any traffic offences.

So yes, I feel she should be held responsible.

However the car should be covered by a breakdown policy which is down to the owner to pay in my view. So why is there a charge from the breakdown company? Why did they not diagnose the problem at the roadside, arrange for some fuel? Why the 140+VAT cost - whose decision was it to have the vehicle towed to home?

Original poster

namelessposter · 27/04/2014 18:00

The warranty includes reimbursement for breakdown recovery costs, but not in the case of running out of fuel. Hence the £140+ vat bill. Yes, she is a young driver.

OP posts:

WeAreEternal · 27/04/2014 18:02

The breakdown and recovery were due to her negligence, she should have to pay the bill.

Does she have to pay for petrol in her own time but you pay for the petrol during working use?
Is it likely that she was trying to avoid putting petrol in the car in her own time and hoping to make it there and back on the light and then fill up at your expense tomorrow?

Original poster

namelessposter · 27/04/2014 18:02

My decision to tow - she told me on the phone that the fuel light had come on only a 'few' miles earlier, and she was strongly of the view she hadn't runout of fuel. When we looked at a map later it was 20 miles, ad definitely no fuel.

OP posts:

AlarmOnSnooze · 27/04/2014 18:10

Cost down to her. She should not be in he habit of running the car that low on petrol anyway. Age has nothing to do with this. You can either take notice when the fuel light comes on, or ignore it and face the consequences.

If she hadn't driven past a petrol station I would have more sympathy (caught out/didn't know area well/didn't realise how far to merest petrol station etc) but to drive past a petrol station when the fuel light is on? Foolish.

RandomMess · 27/04/2014 18:16

Either her or go halves. I was horrified that my new car said it could do 45 miles on the remaining fuel (at my current usage type of thing) then a few miles later said blank!!!!

I would expect it to do far more than 20 miles before it ran out tbh.

Lonecatwithkitten · 27/04/2014 19:17

Going forward do you not have some kind of recovery policy for the car/nanny/children. I have a joint AA policy so that au pairs car is also covered.

Itsfab · 27/04/2014 19:23

Her cost. She should have said about the fuel gauge situation where you might have know it was just run out of petrol and no need for towing.

If you feel she is sneaky enough to want to use the car but not fork out for any petrol then I would find it hard to want her around tbh.

Itsfab · 27/04/2014 19:26

Why didn't the breakdown people know it was lack of petrol and sort out some instead of insisting the car be towed home?

ConfusedPixie · 27/04/2014 20:06

She should pay it, relatively new driver or not if the light goes on it's silly not to spend five minutes topping it up on a 20 mile route! I push my own car on fuel but would never with my work car!

nannynick · 27/04/2014 20:12

The warranty includes reimbursement for breakdown recovery costs
Though it does not include some things, which may be included by other recovery insurance providers. So when taking out that policy (or being provided it with the car by the garage) and not taking out a policy to specifically cover a breakdown due to any cause, then I do wonder if you have some responsibility towards paying part of the cost of recovery.

Has anyone had a similar situation and been covered under policies provided by AA, RAC, GreenFlag? Would those providers usually have covered a run out of fuel situation? I can not locate details on their websites specifically saying it is not covered... and some types of policy also include putting wrong fuel in.

Them driving past a petrol station with the fuel light on is a big mistake. They should have refuelled, even just putting £10 in would have helped.

Is nanny in agreement that they were wrong not to put fuel in the car when the fuel light was lit? Would they accept paying a contribution towards the cost of recovery and are they in a financial position to be able to do so? Could they repay it via other means such as doing additional work for you/overtime?

Quinteszilla · 27/04/2014 20:13

Her expense. Surely she should have put tro and tro together and realised the had run out of petrol when it stopped, and tried to deal with the situation without letting you call recovery. Ie walktbgo ghe nearest stayion and buy a can of petrol to see her through, or at thw very least tell the truth. She has been very deceitful, in addition to negligent.

Quinteszilla · 27/04/2014 20:14

Two and two. Sorry fat fingers.

Lonecatwithkitten · 27/04/2014 20:52

AA would have checked for fuel and they usually carry some or would have taken her to fuel station. All Nanny would have had to paid for would have been fuel. I have had up to our cat any cars at one time all driven by young drivers, so have encounter this before.

NigellasDealer · 27/04/2014 20:54

breakdown company should have checked as lonecat said.
She should not have driven past a petrol station.

Original poster

namelessposter · 27/04/2014 20:54

Nothing deceitful I'm sure. I don't recharge for personal mileage - it's prob under 100miles a month in a high economy car, so no big deal. Not do I think she was intentionally lying about not running out of fuel. I just think it was inexperience.

OP posts:

Clobbered · 27/04/2014 20:55

It wasn't bad luck, it was bad judgement. This is the third episode with the car. I'd be reviewing her use of the vehicle, charging her at least half the cost of the latest fiasco and considering a written warning. For goodness sake, she's becoming a liability.

clam · 27/04/2014 20:57

OK, so pay the 150 quid then. Sorted.

Quangle · 27/04/2014 21:00

Can't believe you sorted this out for her. If she's old enough to be out in a car she's old enough to organise the breakdown service herself. She sounds a bit odd - you don't want another child, you want a nanny.

Agree that it could be inexperience but you pay for inexperience and that teaches you never to be such a twit again.

Original poster

namelessposter · 27/04/2014 21:12

She is very young. It is sometimes a little like having a third, older, child in the house. But se's never been solo in a breakdown before, is in a foreign country (she's Australian), was stuck on a major main road, and she was crying. So getting her home safe was the priority, and sorting out the bill afterwards less so. You would all have done the same. But I have told her she picks up the bill for the recovery, and to fill up sooner next time, and she was ok with that. Thankyou all for good and helpful advice

OP posts:

nannynick · 27/04/2014 21:16

3rd incident? Do I need to read other message threads?

Who is responsible for refilling car - were they leaving it for you to do?

Is going halves reasonable? Inexperienced drivers need to learn from mistakes, whilst the car is yours if she drives it she has some responsibility towards its upkeep.

nannynick · 27/04/2014 21:20

Good to hear a decision has been made. Quite right to resolve the problem and sort out cost later. Everyone safe is the important thing.

Itsfab · 27/04/2014 21:50

It is the OP, nannynick that she has crashed the car twice and the running out petrol is the third.

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