Garage dispute - advice needed

atrixblue.-MFR-.

TBH OP has agree'd in writing of a £900 check as a settlement eventhough refused i would send this £900 not the £700 in verbal agreement.
send it along with a full and final settlement statement.

what work was carried out? to cost this much money?

TrickyWicky

s_b wrote: »

A verbal agreement is just that and is unenforceable

Not in a court of law sb. If you want to stand in front of a judge a lie, taking the risk that it could land you in jail in the future then thats down to you but many people won't take that risk because its known as perjury.

A verbal agreement is still legally binding however if one side disputes it then yes its difficult to prove. Ultimately its a battle of the wills and who has the biggest b@lls in front of a judge.

scaredofdebt

What garage in their right mind would do £1300 worth of work on a vehicle worth £800 without first getting the OK from the owner?

I often ask my garage to ring me if the work is going to cost more than X but I've never put it in writing, maybe I ought to start doing that. Should I get a witness to sign the agreement as well? Maybe a solicitor?

AlexisV

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

TBH OP has agree'd in writing of a £900 check as a settlement eventhough refused i would send this £900 not the £700 in verbal agreement.
send it along with a full and final settlement statement.

what work was carried out? to cost this much money?

Offer was made and rejected. No contract ever existed and is null and void.

colino

I'm amazed that a garage owner would allow a hospital project, cluttering up his space for a prolonged time, and allowing the owner to drive away with the ticket is anything less than a close friend. Business is business and it's normally no cash, no keys, so either this guy is saint or your stitching him up.

SteveABZ_2

Thank you for the replies, everyone.

My own theory of what has happened here is that the garage has forgotten, or misinterpreted, my instructions re the £700.00 limit. I have had four figure bills from the garage before (£1200 to fit an exhaust to a Porsche Boxster - and I supplied the exhaust!), but this was an old car that I used for track days and weekends.

I was also used to waiting up to two weeks for work to be done, it's just the way this particular garage works.

I am going to let this go to court and let things be decided that way. Yes, I will probably lose and end up with legal fees in addition, but there is principle at stake here.

YoungBusinessman

Make the garage aware by not taking your £700 payment as agreed, you will badmouth them that much they will lose alot more business than the £600 difference they are dragging their heels over. Works for me.

s_b

YoungBusinessman wrote: »

Make the garage aware by not taking your £700 payment as agreed, you will badmouth them that much they will lose alot more business than the £600 difference they are dragging their heels over. Works for me.

who wants your business
i certainly dont
and trust me here most businesses wont once they find you hear half a story and want to slag
you have much to learn young businessman wet behind the ears.

YoungBusinessman

Garages seem to once i mention that it will end up costing them more than they are arguing over. How am i hearing half a story and want to slag?

If i was the OP i would know the whole story so im saying them being the one that knows the whole story, they are in a position to say they will cost them work for there shocking treatment.

dispossessed

TrickyWicky wrote: »

Not in a court of law sb. If you want to stand in front of a judge a lie, taking the risk that it could land you in jail in the future then thats down to you but many people won't take that risk because its known as perjury.

A verbal agreement is still legally binding however if one side disputes it then yes its difficult to prove. Ultimately its a battle of the wills and who has the biggest b@lls in front of a judge.

Well said - ultimately, in the absence of tangiable evidence, this is exactly how it is.

The evidence, even if only verbal, would be assessed against the Civil standard of proof - i.e. "on the balance of probabilities".

The burden of proof is with the Claimant.