Difficult Neighbour clouts car.

Batflap

Hello,
My neighbour recently reversed into a parked car owned by me damaging the drivers side rear quarter and door as well as damaging the two trim/bump strips along that side. She admitted liability when she knocked on the door and told us that she had done it. As I work in the car trade I can get the vehicle repaired considerably less than most other people including insurance companies. I told my neighbour this and she agreed at the time to go ahead avoiding any issues with her insurer. The following day I took the car to my prefered paint shop and got it booked in with a price agreed of £300 for the dent repairs and a repaint of the affected areas. BMW quoted just under £80 for the two new trims. Once I reported this back to my neighbour, she then became angry blaming me for having parked the car on the other side of the road and said she didn't want to pay for it as she had decided that she may want to pay for it through her insurers. She is obviously now being difficult but I'd like to know how I stand. I have all the receipts and photographic evidence of before during and after the repair so should I now approach her insurers or should I consider small claims court?
Many thanks in advance.
Simon.

olly300

As your relationship is spoilt you can take her to the small claims court yourself.

Though it will take a few months as you need to send her letters, and give her a reasonable time period in which to reimburse you.

She can then decide whether to inform her insurers or not.

Regardless you can also tell her insurers.

chanz4

she can go through her insurance nothing stopping her, but you also need to declaire it to yours also.

hcb42

I dont think she is being particularly difficult, that is why we pay insurance after all.

Personally I would just do it through the insurance, it seems overkill to go to small claims first, when she has merely suggested you deal with ti via insurance. Not sure what the judge's view would be either, but it seems overkill and adding to costs for the small sum involved and given there does not appear to be any dispute over liability - you were parked, and unless you were parked dangerously it was up to her to avoid you.

vaio

hcb42 wrote: »

...... you were parked, and unless you were parked dangerously it was up to her to avoid you.

"unless"? surely that should be "even"?

Quentin

Batflap wrote: »

I have all the receipts and photographic evidence of before during and after the repair so should I now approach her insurers or should I consider small claims court?

It should be sorted much quicker by approaching her insurers.

Ask if they have an innocent third party claim dept, and if so they will be pleased to look after you, and get this sorted.

If not, and you don't want to claim off your own insurer, then move on to the small claims court route.

hcb42

vaio wrote: »

"unless"? surely that should be "even"?

A bit pedantic for this time on a Friday...perhaps the dangerous word was the one to highlight.;)

vaio

maybe, but I suspect you won't avoid liability if you hit a parked car even if it is parked illegally/dangerously

chanz4

Op have you reported it to your insurance company yet?

Tammer

Hi, please remember that your policy conditions may require you to notify your insurer. As the neighbour is difficult, you may not know if they have informed their insurer but that will mean yours will be aware of the accident and your car's involvement.

You should also be aware that, worst case scenario, not informing your insurer could even see you end up in prison in future!

Think things through carefully.

Sgt_Pepper_2

Tammer wrote: »

Hi, please remember that your policy conditions may require you to notify your insurer. As the neighbour is difficult, you may not know if they have informed their insurer but that will mean yours will be aware of the accident and your car's involvement.

You should also be aware that, worst case scenario, not informing your insurer could even see you end up in prison in future!

Think things through carefully.

In prison for what?