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Original poster

Uninsured car underage driver

57 replies

Livedandlearned · 07/03/2023 19:38

A boy who doesn't have a provisional licence yet although he's 17 has driven someone else's car without permission.

The car has been damaged and the repair bill is £2300.

The car wasn't insured by the owner and nor did it have an mot.

The car owner wants the repair paid for understandably,

What is best moving forward?

OP posts:
Nimbostratus100 · 07/03/2023 20:30

RiktheButler · 07/03/2023 19:59

Your son (presumably) stole a drug dealer's car and crashed it?
Paying for the repairs is the least of your worries

pay the drug dealer double what he is asking for, then move house

Timeforachangeisitnot · 07/03/2023 20:33

Well that just sucks for you OP. Is there a danger that drug dealer is looking to get your son to ‘work off’ the debt ?

Sorry, that may be over-dramatic , but it a scary sounding situation.

StreamingCervix · 07/03/2023 20:34

I also think it will be good for your son to get some end of the consequences of this, and hopefully he will learn a lesson from it.

I don’t think I’d involve the police at this stage and just pay for the damage, with your son paying it off in instalments through work if need be.

Original poster
Livedandlearned · 07/03/2023 20:39

Timeforachangeisitnot · 07/03/2023 20:33

Well that just sucks for you OP. Is there a danger that drug dealer is looking to get your son to ‘work off’ the debt ?

Sorry, that may be over-dramatic , but it a scary sounding situation.

I don't think so, he doesn't have contact really.

I don't think he's that bad, but I'm very aware of what could happen.

My son will have to repay me. I'll just have to suck it up and pay it.

OP posts:
Wonnle · 07/03/2023 20:40

Whether the car was insured or MOT'ed by the owner is irrelevant really , your son took it and drove it away and then crashed it

Timeforachangeisitnot · 07/03/2023 20:40

Sorry you are in this situation. Hope you can get it resolved quickly.

WarningToTheCurious · 07/03/2023 20:42

Wonnle · 07/03/2023 20:40

Whether the car was insured or MOT'ed by the owner is irrelevant really , your son took it and drove it away and then crashed it

Whoever was driving it when stopped by the police would presumably be receiving points / fines for those offences.

Original poster
Livedandlearned · 07/03/2023 20:47

I agree about the irrelevance of the car being uninsured etc, it just annoyed me.

OP posts:
Nimbostratus100 · 07/03/2023 20:53

How is your son? Sounds like this could be a turning point in his life, and it could go either way

Original poster
Livedandlearned · 07/03/2023 21:10

He's had a big shock, I was absolutely gutted he had done this.

I told him I wanted to report him and make him take the consequence.

His mental health hadn't been great but he's been better since living back with me.

OP posts:
unfortunateevents · 07/03/2023 21:22

Not sorned, was stopped by the police the day before.
Am I misunderstanding here but if the car was stopped by the police the day before your son drove it and it was uninsured and had no MOT, how come the police didn't seize the car on the spot? How was it even available to your son to drive?

MadeForThis · 07/03/2023 21:27

Is your sons friend paying half?
How did it go from £300 to £2300

How do you know the dealer won't ask for more money?

Original poster
Livedandlearned · 07/03/2023 21:30

No, only my son apparently. I would also like to know why the price has increased but as it's all so shady I can't question it.

I'll be paying the full amount and just hope that's the end of it.

OP posts:
WarningToTheCurious · 07/03/2023 21:35

unfortunateevents · 07/03/2023 21:22

Not sorned, was stopped by the police the day before.
Am I misunderstanding here but if the car was stopped by the police the day before your son drove it and it was uninsured and had no MOT, how come the police didn't seize the car on the spot? How was it even available to your son to drive?

I wondered why it wasn’t seized too - uninsured cars are always being seized on the TV police reality programmes.

LynetteScavo · 07/03/2023 21:41

You pay the bill, but make sure you're not being taken for a ride with the cost. The fact that the car owner is dodgy isn't the point- even if the car was insured, why should it go through on the owners insurance? That's not how I would present it to dodgy bloke, though. I'd be telling him he should be insured and he's bloody lucky to be getting anything out of me at all. I'd totally be questioning the amount. I'd probably start by offering £500, and hope he didn't argue.

Your DS pays back what you believe to be reasonable. Personally I'd want it all paid back, as I'd be so angry.

He stole a car and drove it with no road experience. I wouldn't actually go to the police, but I'd tell him he was very, very lucky that I wasn't.

Original poster
Livedandlearned · 07/03/2023 21:51

I'm going to offer half and see how that goes.

OP posts:
Wonnle · 07/03/2023 22:06

WarningToTheCurious · 07/03/2023 21:35

I wondered why it wasn’t seized too - uninsured cars are always being seized on the TV police reality programmes.

Show quote history

It's only a fine and points in most cases , cars can be seized though .
No MOT = no insurance by default

unfortunateevents · 07/03/2023 22:07

Given that your son was staying with his dad at the time I'm not sure why this should even be your problem - why is this guy not approaching your ex? Oh well of course, he has decided to pick on the female instead! 😡

Original poster
Livedandlearned · 08/03/2023 18:20

I actually think they are all in it together now. I received a text that was aggressive and threatening to report my ds. The text was from his friends mum.

Obviously I know she won't report him, but I'd like to call her bluff.

I ignored the text.

OP posts:
PotteringAlonggotkickedoutandhadtoreregister · 08/03/2023 18:24

If you pay the full amount you know this won’t be the end of it it, right? They know you will pay, and they will keep on asking and asking for more.

I genuinely think you have no way out of this other than to call the police.

Foreversearch · 08/03/2023 19:03

@Livedandlearned this has ongoing blackmail written all over it. Once you make the first payment they will be back for more £££ saying you have broken the law by bribing them not to report it. You are then in a cycle of handing over money and getting in deeper and deeper until your son is running drugs.

Report to the police and make it clear you are afraid for your son’s, and your families safety. Far better to face the consequences now.

WarningToTheCurious · 08/03/2023 19:33

Was it just coincidence that the day before your DS took friend’s mum’s boyfriend’s car, someone was stopped in it and found to be driving with no MOT and insurance?

Original poster
Livedandlearned · 08/03/2023 19:57

Ds told me that the car was stopped, I don't know any other details.

OP posts:
Ginger1982 · 08/03/2023 20:10

You're being extorted here. Have you seen proof of the cost of repairs?

WuTangGran · 08/03/2023 20:32

Foreversearch · 08/03/2023 19:03

@Livedandlearned this has ongoing blackmail written all over it. Once you make the first payment they will be back for more £££ saying you have broken the law by bribing them not to report it. You are then in a cycle of handing over money and getting in deeper and deeper until your son is running drugs.

Report to the police and make it clear you are afraid for your son’s, and your families safety. Far better to face the consequences now.

Exactly.