Car Accident, need help!

tony551

Afternoon all,

Pardon my forgiveness if this is in the wrong place!

OK, i'll keep this as concise as possible:
- icy road just before Christmas '12
- car skidded on a corner, hit a residential wall
- 2ft x 7ft wall knocked over, car was damaged

- tenant came out, i exchanged details, gave me details of landlord
- next day, i see landlord, explain situation, exchange more details, we both agree it will be difficult to fix this close to xmas, so he takes my details, explains he's not bothered if i sort someone to fix it, and he'll get in touch soon
- hear nothing
- a week later, i drive past, the wall has been rebuilt
- i go away for january, return to find £720 has come in post from said landlord
- i email, ask why i wasn't consulted etc, why i wasn't given chance (immediately after the incident I had sent photos to a builder I knew who was happy to come do the work, I was just waiting for a definitive free date from himself before awaring landlord)
- we exchange emails etc, i paid half. £360, attach reasons as to why I think it's wrong that I should now be expected to pay the full amount (it was a 2ft wall remember....)

- receive letter today (3rd) stating if I don't pay remaining amount by 17th, they'll seek payment from me via debt collection...

i'm seething at the pure arrogance of it all, but seriously, where do I actually stand?

thanks for reading!!!!!

Hintza

Talk to a Quantuty Surveyor and find out what he thinks is reasonable and take it from there. A builder might do but they won't be as impartial especially after work has been done.

Then you can decide objectively whether to fight it.

If it was my wall I'm not sure I would let any Tom, !!!!!! or Harry fix my wall.

bod1467

Did you inform your (car) insurance company about this incident/accident?

InsideInsurance

With the costs involved it is possibly not worth fighting.

You would need to get an independent expert to value the cost of removing whatever was left of the wall and building a replacement. Whilst £720 does sound a bit high £360 sounds too low and much more a cash in hand job with the damaged wall just being dumped somewhere

neilmcl

Did you get a copy of an invoice showing £720 to pay or just a letter from the landlord. If the latter I'd be asking for proof that it indeed cost that amount to repair. Also, he can do what he likes with regards debt collectors, they'll have no rights to get anything from you.

MamaMoo_2

I'd also be asking him for copies of the three written quotes that he obtained beforehand to ensure he mitigated his losses...

tinkerbell28

He holds all the cards really. You should've probably just gone straight to your insurance. By not doing so, you left yourself open to being ripped off or blackmailed.

Now however, you've paid a few hundred quid, for a few hundred more, he will call it quits. £300 odd pound, vs policy excess and having a premium rise over the next few years, due to a fault claim on your file. Oh and a note to say you didn't declare an accident in a timely manner. I know which I'd choose.

arcon5

Fortunately he hasn't thought to contact your insurance company yet, but had he done you could be in trouble if you have breached the contract by failing to declare the accident.

I agree the amount may be much higher than you could have done it for, but proceed with caution. Open a dialoge with him and see if he will meet in the middle - although not much incentive for him to do so.

mattyprice4004

You don't pay, he contacts your insurance, you potentially have a policy cancellation that could double your premiums for life, if not then higher premiums for 5 years as a fault claim.

I know what id do!

paddedjohn

7ft x 2ft wall involves a max of 200 brick, a days work and a trip to the tip. You are getting shafted with the price but at the end of the day you caused the damage and you are getting away without having to go through your insurance.

Gemma__3

He still needs to declare this accident on any insurance application as there is a question if he has had any accidents in his motor claimed for or not.