Son damaged neighbours car. Advice please

pinkfluffybabe

As a driver I would be well narked if some kids were playing with bricks near my car. People work hard to buy a nice car and no amount of 'its just a material object' means that others can damage it (intentionally or otherwise) without paying for the damage.

I respected the OP saying that they would pay for the damage and not expect the car owner to claim. I don't expect to pay excesses and lose my no claims due to others carelessness. However, starting the chat about how far apart the marks are strikes me as maybe trying to get out of it, which isn't reasonable.

scheming_gypsy

kimevans wrote: »

THE CHILD HAS ADMITED IT!!!!!!
"I have strese this point exactly to my child today as the other mum has been doing with her son.
being that they are both 7 they do not yet understand the concept of coincidence, allthough tey ahve had a hard lesson in this over te last two days. they had no intention to commit vandalism and given thier age thinking ahed is not a stong point. he was crying hiseyes out when he got home as he knew he had done wrong but the fact that they were able to tel the truth about what they had done let me know that i was not doing so bad as a parent"

if i was the op i'd be more concerned about having a 7 year old who can see over a 6ft wall to see and know they'd done it.

Also like to know what amount of damage was done for it to cost £700 in repairs. Somebody reversed a 4x4 into a friends car (and drove off) leaving a huge dent in the boot. The body shop has quoted £140 to sort it out.

milkydrink

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

if i was the op i'd be more concerned about having a 7 year old who can see over a 6ft wall to see and know they'd done it.

Also like to know what amount of damage was done for it to cost £700 in repairs. Somebody reversed a 4x4 into a friends car (and drove off) leaving a huge dent in the boot. The body shop has quoted £140 to sort it out.

So if the children didn't know a car was the other side of the wall its OK to throw bricks over .
I also think a car owner is entitled to have their car repaired at the main dealers & they don't charge £140 for anything except wiperblades:mad: .

The children admited they done it, it's up to the parents to pay for it, I really don't see what there is to debate?

scheming_gypsy

you're a bit strange aren't you?
.
Secondly, going back to the first post the OP didn't say what car or how old it was and from them playing 'yesterday' to the time of the post the damage is likely to be around £700 so not much time to get quotes.
Thirdly, £140 to remove a dent isn't cheap and a what's the difference between a main dealer and a bodyshop? none apart from the name of the shop!

6 years ago i had a 1995 Toyota Celica, that had had a few scrapes and somebody kindly scratched it for me. It cost me £700 for for a full respray, full service and full valet.. possibly some other work as well so £700 would have to be a fair amount of damage and probably replacing a wing on a new car.

The point i'm debating is that even though they said they did it, how do they know they did it? they couldn't see over the wall to see if they did so it's all going off the word from the car owner. If somebody shouts at a 7 year old and says you did this to my car, most 7 year olds will think they have done it.

pink_phantom

pinkfluffybabe wrote: »

As a driver I would be well narked if some kids were playing with bricks near my car. People work hard to buy a nice car and no amount of 'its just a material object' means that others can damage it (intentionally or otherwise) without paying for the damage.

I respected the OP saying that they would pay for the damage and not expect the car owner to claim. I don't expect to pay excesses and lose my no claims due to others carelessness. However, starting the chat about how far apart the marks are strikes me as maybe trying to get out of it, which isn't reasonable.

This is my point. Why weren't they being supervised correctly? Surely if they were playing with bricks that is a danger in itself. When you leave your kids with someone, you expect them to watch them to some degree.

milkydrink

No I'm not strange...........

The OP NEVER questioned the amount of the repair, just would (household) insurance cover it. The OP NEVER in her posts said she thought it was excessive & if she felt it was I would think it reasonable for her to see or have a copy of the written estimate.
If the children were playing by bricks & they admitted throwing bricks over the wall & the car has a brick dent in it & THE MOTHER CAME ON HERE & FIRST OFF SAID HER CHILD HAD DONE IT!!! Then why is anybody suggesting the car owner is trying to scam anyone??? Surely the car owner is entitled to have his car repairs at the expense of the parents whos child damaged it.
If the mothers of the children have insurance that will cover it, good luck to them. But I don't see why the car owner should be expected to take it to anywhere other than a, his main dealer or b, an independant garage he is happy using.

scheming_gypsy

If you're going to use capitals in a post to stress a point please have a point to stress. I will now show you how to use them properly.
I NEVER said the op questioned it and I NEVER said the op thought it was excessive.

Now we've cleared that point up you may like to scroll back up and see that I asked what the damage was as I thought it was excessive seeing as a friend is paying £400 to have a dent massaged out, it would be cheaper to buy a boot but then there's the hassle of fitting it and changing the locks.

It's called common decency usually. Most people would appriciate it's an accident and a 7 year old can't see over a 6ft wall to see that their car is parked there and would try and help the parent out. Usually by getting a reasonable quote from a repair shop. We're talking about a body repair here and not a full engine rebuild on a Lambourghini

milkydrink

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

It's called common decency usually. Most people would appriciate it's an accident and a 7 year old can't see over a 6ft wall to see that their car is parked there and would try and help the parent out. Usually by getting a reasonable quote from a repair shop. We're talking about a body repair here and not a full engine rebuild on a Lambourghini

None of us have an idea as to the extent of the damage & the OP NEVER suggested she thought the bill excessive.
My DH always takes his (new) car to the main dealers for everything, if hes prepared to do it when hes paying is it not reasonable to expect him to use it in an accident? My (banger) goes to the local garage.

Yes kids will be kids & these things do happen & I unlike many of the posters on here DID NOT THINK the OP was out of order for trying to get hers (or the other boys parents) to cover it. I would also think it reasonable that she see the estimate for the repair bill. But if there is a lot of damage & the car owner uses the main dealer then the OP will (along with the other parents) pay up & hope the boys learn from this.

I also think a lot depends on where they live, as regards the price of the repair. As we all know us in the south east pay through the nose for everything. My DH doesn't have many garage bills under £500.

scheming_gypsy

i'm not saying she was out of order either. My point is that it seems strange, the original post didn't say that there was a witness just that the neighbour said it had happened and the lad admitted to it.. Now you have to admit that unless the lad was taller than the wall he wouldn't know himself if it hit the car as he couldn't see it land.

Just seems too convinient and expensive, although we don't know the make and model of the car.
If it was my lad in the OP's position i'd ask for the bill so i can pay it via credit card and see exactly what work was done and if it was all just caused from this accident.

Addiscomber

If I hurled a brick over a wall, and heard a clunk, I would be pretty sure that I had hit something.