My trolly crashed into a car

[SP8849]

So, while putting my son in the car, the trolly accidentally rolled into another car. I was horrified. I normally make sure breaks are on, next to a metal pole ect.

The man claimed I damaged his car, there's a dent the size of a 5p. I offered to rectify my mistake as the decent human I am. I gave him my number& I said I'll pay for the damage. I've been looking& comparing quotes- he knows this. However, he messaged me saying he has someone coming round Wednesday& charging £80. Apparently highly reputable ect. But if I can find someone cheaper, let him know.

I've found someone who will do it for £60- runs his own business ect. I'm going to suggest this to him. I've offered to rectify my mistake& arrange for someone to sort it but I refuse to pay more than I have to. At the end of the day, I could have said the dent wasn't me& got on with life. What should I do?

Personally I’d go with paying £20 more for his choice.

The reason being that for the sake of £20 I couldn’t be accused of employing someone to do a ‘shoddy’ job (which the car owner might try to say no matter how good the job is)
This way HE employed the person to work on his car with £80 recovered from you.
If the work isn’t good enough, that’s not your problem.

I agree with pp for the sake of £20 for an easy life I would just go with his choice & move on with my life.

I would pay the £80 and let him take responsibility for it all. That way there is no come back on you if the repair job isn’t too standard.

But it was you! Bodywork is a lot more expensive than people think. But you can certainly argue if you want. Then he can report it to his insurers and you can guarantee that your bill will go up. A lot. Someone did that to me - although there was more damage. They claimed it wasn't them but there was CCTV footage. They still claimed it wasn't them, so solicitors got involved and it cost them an extra £350 on top of the repair.

Pay the £80

You caused the damage
He’s entitled to have it repaired by someone of his choosing
Great if he agrees to use your person but he doesn’t have to

@Moondust001 Alright, jeez not that I don't feel
guilty enough! I've already said I'd pay& even if someone wasn't in the car I'd leave a note- I wouldn't be able to live with myself! I was just asking advice on payment.

@00Sassy Thank you for your helpful comment

Id pay the eighty but it get it written down and signed by him as accepted.

@PerfectPenquins thank you- I'm going to accept the £80. What do you think I should say? That he takes all responsibility for the work being done, as this price has been agreed by him& the company of his choice?

For the sake of £20, I'd just pay it.

I'd just pay the £80 and be done with it. It really isn't worth spinning things out and causing rancour over £20.

I would get him to sign something along the lines of
" I am accepting 80 quid in full and final settlement of damage caused to car reg. On x date as per the agreed photos and estimate I have produced."
Don't authorise the work, just give him the money in a traceable way.

That was really nice of you to offer to pay. I'd offer the £60 company and say you'll pay £60 and he chooses who repairs it. He's onto a good thing with you offering to pay at all so hopefully he'll accept that.

(Moondust, how did you get their details/get them to pay? Small claims?)

That was really nice of you to offer to pay.

What do you think she should have done?

Ha. What everyone else who's every done that does. Deny it and walk off. My car, and the cars of most people I know, has suffered over the years from this kind of thing. I don't know anyone who's ever offered to pay or chased anyone through either small claims or personal liability insurance.
It is nice of her.
Only in mumsnet world is it considered the norm. Of course everyone in mn is amazing.

Pay the £80 then it's on him if Bob isn't good enough etc

Then he can report it to his insurers and you can guarantee that your bill will go up. A lot.

What? Who insures their trolley? Is it third party, fire and theft?!

Ignore that, I misread it as your insurers ....but how on earth do you set an insurer on someone for a trolley rolling?!

I'm interested in how moondust managed it. Some people have personal liability insurance with their house insurance. Otherwise I imagine it's small claims court. If you know who they are, of course.

There was a thread similar to this YEARS ago - except the guy was claiming £4000! Poor OP was beside herself and the amount of people talking about car insurance was unreal. IT WAS A TROLLEY! I’ve always wondered what happened to her.

Sorry if I’m wrong but did this happen on private land (supermarket car park)? Isn’t there a sign saying vehicle owners are responsible for their own vehicles? You don’t own the trolley, you can’t tax insure and mot a trolley. He parked the car accepting the terms of the car park (that there is a risk of damage to vehicles) and as it wasn’t another vehicle causing the damage then how can there be insurance claim?
You made the mistake of offering to pay and therefore accepting blame so for the sake of £20 now that the bloke has your contact details I’d pay it and get on with your life. If it happened again you’d want proof of the damage being your fault and I’d go as far as to say you aren’t responsible for what happens to the shops trolleys on their land (if the trolley rolls off because of uneven car park, poorly maintain trolley brakes/wheels, etc...not your fault!!) it’s not as if you pushed the trolley into him. Next time don’t accept blame and don’t share details.

Then he can report it to his insurers and you can guarantee that your bill will go up. A lot.

Surely the OP's car insurers won't accept liability for damage caused by a trolley? Someone who doesn't even own a car could cause damage with a trolley. I'm not saying there'd be no claim but it would have to go through the civil courts and it would be difficult to prove liability because it could be claimed the trolley was faulty.

@Archibaldsmellysox Thank you for the advice. When a 6ft guy gets out the car shouting, I just had no idea what to do. Makes it worse that I'm 38 weeks pregnant& a hormonal mess. Hopefully, it will never happen again but I've taken advice onboard.