Real Life MMD: Should I keep schtum over damaging neighbour's car?

jamespir

tell the truth and sort it out properly

florere

Of course you should own up, getting on well with the neighbours is worth more than the cost of repairing a small scrape.:D

tomar

davidt1980 wrote: »

Im by no means dishonest, I'm a scout leader in fact but if its a slight scratch it may have even happened in a supermarket when they parked their car or any other place where space is at a premium and just coincidence that you thought it was your nephew. If it makes you feel better tell your sister and if she thinks SHE should tell them (as its her son), let her and she should pay the bill as its her child after all and all you were doing was asking them to get out of your car...No Brainer, let her have the dilemma, although I see it as no dilemma at all.

Can this guy really be serious???

Brian_Steele

You have to own up to the neighbours. Tell them what happened and that it was your sister's 3-year old. They may accept it and take it no further; perhaps offer anyway in a non-pushy way and if they demur, then that it is an end to it.

If they say they do want it payed for, then accept that. Remember a Chip or Dent service could do the job for much less than a bodyshop if it is only a small mark.

Then mention it to your sister, who might offer to cover the cost as it was her child. If she doesn't, then you could broach the subject and try at least to share the cost.

Otherwise, you have to pay. After all, you were in charge and technically you let the child do it.

hiper

I had a friend living with me who was listed on my insurance. He accidentally reversed into a car parked on the opposite side of the street caving in the door (no damage to my car). On returning from the journey he noticed the damage which I suppose he originally thought was just a "bump".

We spoke to the neighbour and it turned out it was his sons car who was visiting (hence parked on the street). They were very calm about it, the son was impressed by our honesty.

Since this was an accident it was reported to the insurers, and as we were both very hard up at the time we made a claim (I had NCD protection), and this was the big mistake. For about £250 of damage (if that) the settment was for over £2,000 if I remember correctly.

Even though I wasn't in the car at the time, and have a spotless record, I've had to pay for this in increased premiums since and it makes looking for insurance more difficult since I have to inform prospective insurers of this accident.

I suppose my quiestion is, where do you draw the line about a bump that can be settled with a handshake and when to inform the insurers.

Augustus_the_Strong

I'd say, own up (and get your sister to come along too - it's her kid, and her neighbours). You wouldn't be asking the question if you didn't think it was the right thing to do. Offer (again with sister) to pay for the cost of the minor repair. If it's a major repair then I'm not sure what you should do.

Next week, can we have the same dilemma from the neighbour's side? (Shall I ask them to pay for the dent to my car?)

nczm

If he loves his car that much and it's only a tiny scratch he probably has a touch-up pen which will fix it up. Tell you sister, speak to the neighbour & offer to buy the pen to touch it up if they do not already have won and split the cost with your sister

flakmagnet

elvis86 wrote: »

So if I've "never understood" why people have pride in their homes, and personally I choose to live in a crumbling squat, I'm okay to come round to your house tonight and brick your windows..?

And if I can't see the point in computers and I've "never understood" why people spend hundreds of pounds on them, you won't mind if I throw yours on the floor and stamp on it..?

Your opinion stinks.

Wow, that's a bit harsh. That doesn't mean that the OP takes no care around other people's property or goes out and damages it.

I personally share that opinion to a lesser degree. I don't ever plan to buy a brand new car because it is inevitable (in my mind) that it will get dented/scratched/be less than perfect, and when it does happen, I will be upset. This (hopefully) will be no fault of my own and will just be one of those things that happens (as opposed to malicious damage, which would really upset me)

A car is very different to a house in this respect. If you are lucky enough to live in a nice neighbourhood, hopefully nothing will happen to it, making it "easier" to take pride in, as only time/weather will damage it, whereas, in my opinion, minor cosmetic damage to a car is inevitable.

That said, respect other people's decisions to take pride in their cars and (back on topic here) TELL YOUR NEIGHBOUR. Most likely they'll understand, I personally wouldn't make a neighbour pay back the damage anyway for an honest mistake, but I'd rather feel like I trusted my neighbours.

onesixfive

Not your child - Not your neighbour - Your sister should own up to what HER child has done & she should pay.
If you feel obligated because child was in your car/care, then pay half with your sister.

elvis86

flakmagnet wrote: »

Wow, that's a bit harsh. That doesn't mean that the OP takes no care around other people's property or goes out and damages it.

I wasn't responding to the OP, but directly to the poster who attempted to justify her disregard for other's people's property by explaining that she "never understood" why anyone drove a new car.

Frankly, whether she "understands it" or not, if sthe neighbour did choose to spend their hard-earned cash on a new car and parks it outside their house, I think that they have a right for it not to be damaged by other people. And where accidental damage does occur, I think that the neighbour has a right to expect that the person responsible owns up and offers to rectify it.

To be honest, IMO there was carelessness here which the OP needs to accept responsibility for. The OP should have been more closely supervising the nephew, especially if there was the potential for him to damage someone else's property. If the OP doesn't want to shell out for repairs to other people's stuff, they shouldn't allow a situation where their car is parked close enough to someone else's to damage it, and a 3 year old is allowed to fling the door open.

Parking further from the house(heaven forbid!) where there is sufficient room to fully open the doors and get kids out. Childlocks. Supervision the nephew. All of these could have prevented the damage.