dla and car insurance

katanata
katanata Posts: 3 Newbie
edited 23 May 2012 at 8:33AM in Disability money matters
I need advice as my 4 yr old child scraped a neighbours car doos on one side with a stone. I said I would pay the damages but the quote she gave me was £1319.89. This is a dla car. I told the owner that I dont have that amount of money and if she goes through her insurance I will pay the excess. She is refusing to do that as she said she will lose her £500 bonus. I have been told this is wrong and she will just pay the excess and it wont affect future insurance. The car was parked on the street and not in her drive. I also told her to take me to small claims court but she said she doesnt get legal aid as her husband gets a disability pension. What should I do. She is demanding £500 by the end of the month. I am on income support.
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Comments

  • McKneff
    McKneff Posts: 38,816
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
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    edited 22 May 2012 at 2:48PM
    Dont pay her anything for now. She doestn need legal aid for Small Claims Court, its probably going to cost 30 quid or so, the daft bat.


    Personally I would just let her take you to court, if you are on a low income and you are told to pay it will be a minimal amount per week.

    As an aside, she is bound by the terms and conditions of her insurance policy to report any 'incident' relating to her car. Tell her to look at her terms and condition and speak to them first. This clause is in all insurance companies terms and conditions.

    In the meantime, if you cant get into the CAB, most solicitors will give you a half hour free consultation.

    Deal with everything in writing and admit nothing from now on.
    make the most of it, we are only here for the weekend.
    and we will never, ever return.
  • I didnt admit anything. Another neighbour told her it was my child but she thought he just had chalk. I have already seen CAB. They told me not to pay but let her go through insurance or court. I have already told her this but she wont do either. thanks for your reply.
  • I would drop a note through her front door saying that you CAN'T do anything, and that she is going to have to take you to small claims court- don't let it get heated or let it get ugly.

    Im sorry your in this situation, its nobody's fault but your neighbor sounds like a pain in the backside.
  • janninew
    janninew Posts: 3,781 Forumite
    I would drop a note through her front door saying that you CAN'T do anything, and that she is going to have to take you to small claims court- don't let it get heated or let it get ugly.

    Im sorry your in this situation, its nobody's fault but your neighbor sounds like a pain in the backside.

    To be honest I would be slightly annoyed if I had my car scratched by a child! I don't think its fair to call the neighbour a pain in the backside!

    At the end of the day if you haven't got the money you can't pay, if it were me I would offer to pay in instalments and try and stay friendly. Your child has damaged her property so morally I feel you need to do what you can to resolve the situation.
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  • If her car is through the motability scheme where her DLA mobility component pays for it, then she will not loss her bonus by making a claim on insurance. Plus all repairs need to be done via motability approved garages.

    I have contacted the insurance regarding small damage such as scratches which have been classes as fair wear and tear.

    I have also reported a slight bump in a car park where the other driver drove off after demanding I pay for the damage to his car. My car had bumper damage. I called Motability and this could not be classed as fair wear and tear. I had to pay £75 excess and the work had to be done through an approved garage.

    Despite this, Motability have told me I am still entitled to the bonus when I hand the car back, although I thought this is £200 not £500.

    I would take the advice of the CAB and other posts here - do not pay her. I also agree that it is a good idea to put everything in writing.
  • anguk
    anguk Posts: 3,412 Forumite
    edited 22 May 2012 at 10:13PM
    If her car is through the motability scheme where her DLA mobility component pays for it, then she will not loss her bonus by making a claim on insurance. Plus all repairs need to be done via motability approved garages.

    I have contacted the insurance regarding small damage such as scratches which have been classes as fair wear and tear.

    I have also reported a slight bump in a car park where the other driver drove off after demanding I pay for the damage to his car. My car had bumper damage. I called Motability and this could not be classed as fair wear and tear. I had to pay £75 excess and the work had to be done through an approved garage.

    Despite this, Motability have told me I am still entitled to the bonus when I hand the car back, although I thought this is £200 not £500.

    I would take the advice of the CAB and other posts here - do not pay her. I also agree that it is a good idea to put everything in writing.
    You do have to be careful now with Motability insurance, if you have several claims (they go back over 5 years) Sun Alliance can refuse to insure you when you get your next car (which means you can't get a motability car) or ask you to pay an extra premium for insurance. A quick google brings up several cases where RSA have refused to insure a Motability driver because of previous claims:

    http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=3142746
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/messageboards/F3611783?thread=7591442

    If the lady in question has already claimed on her insurance a few times she may be very wary about making another claim, especially as the damage to the car is not her fault.
    Dum Spiro Spero
  • \i have written a letter as advised and I am going to have it checked and co-signed by CAB or solicitor as I am not financially able to resolve this but I am willing to pay in inslalments or pay her insurance excess.
  • anguk
    anguk Posts: 3,412 Forumite
    It could be worth checking your own household insurance, something like this may be covered.
    Dum Spiro Spero
  • right my firiend had a disability car, firstly the £500 is not £500 at all its £250 good condition bonus which she will get at the time she hands back the car,(so shes not losing out till her 3 year lease is up anyway) and making a claim wont afftect this, my friend reported a small dent which wasnt fixed and still got her bonus....if she doesnt report it shes the one in the wrong.

    Plus if you havent admitted it was your daughter she will still need to prove this, and also the most the excess will be is £75/100, and thats even if they choose to fix it, if its only a small scrach they may leave it till she hands the car back.

    Tell her your very aware of the terms and conditions around her car and your very sorry it was damaged but shes wrong and needs to inform them asap.

    On another note why was a 4 year old out in the street unsupervised anyway?
    5 kids..1 hubby...1 dog..3 rabbits and a goldfish...yep ours is a Madhouse :D

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  • Jahlove
    Jahlove Posts: 78 Forumite
    Has your daughter admitted it? If not then tell her you will have to go to court because you don't know if your child did it as your child say's she did not, it will then be up to your neighbor to prove in court that it was indeed your child which will be extremely difficult for her to prove with no cctv or fingerprints etc.

    Saying that if your truely belive your child did do it it would be the honorable thing and try and work out a way to pay for it, her quote is ridiculous though she is deffinelty trying it on, company's like chips away will do a cracking job for a couple of hundred quid.
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