Car damaged by falling estate agent board

regency_man

Hi,

I live in a block of flats and the agents who market the apartments often put boards up in front of the property - right by where my allocated parking space is. They simply attach the poles to our iron fence with a couple of zip-ties, which is blatantly inadequate in the kind of wind conditions we are having at the moment. Their signs have fallen down before, luckily missing my car, and I've reported it to them and said I wasn't happy with the way they were being put up. Nothing changed however.

Anyway, last night the painfully inevitable happened, a "To Let'" sign they had put up blew down and has put a dent and large scratch in the front wing of my brand new car.

What should I do? Do I need to get the police involved to record the incident? Then what do I do? Call the estate agent or go straight to my insurers? Will this cost me my no-claims bonus?

Should I even move my car until someone had been over to see the 'scene'?

Quentin

Your ncb could be in danger if you make a claim off your insurer.

Although you say this is down to negligence, it would be for your insurer to prove this, otherwise a claim would go down against you.

In any case you would temporarily lose ncd and your excess until the claim was concluded.

Maybe better to contact the agent and see what their attitude is before making a claim.

Taking photos for evidence will suffice, no need to do without your car.

Stooby2

I would take photos of the scene as you found it, the damage, broken zip ties. Then write to the estate agent with copies of the photos and tell them that you will be obtaining two quotes for repairing the damage that will follow shortly. Once you've got them, send them to the agent and invite them to choose which quote they wish to go for.

After that, well it's up to you. They may do the decent thing and pay. They may ignore you, or deny any involvement, so you'd have to decide whether you want to take it further. Writing to their head office if they're a large chain, for example. Small claims court if you feel that aggrieved over it.

vikingaero

Most EA's subcontract sign work out to a third party. I can see the EA blaming the sign firm and the sign firm ignoring you or blaming the EA. Both will squirm - EA's because they are snakes and the sign firm will often be a local guy who won't give a monkeys.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

if the car is brand new as in bought from new and under warranty it needs to go to the manufacturers approved body shop to retain its anti corrosion warranty.

Prothet_of_Doom

Stooby2 wrote: »

I would take photos of the scene as you found it, the damage, broken zip ties. Then write to the estate agent with copies of the photos and tell them that you will be obtaining two quotes for repairing the damage that will follow shortly. Once you've got them, send them to the agent and invite them to choose which quote they wish to go for.

After that, well it's up to you. They may do the decent thing and pay. They may ignore you, or deny any involvement, so you'd have to decide whether you want to take it further. Writing to their head office if they're a large chain, for example. Small claims court if you feel that aggrieved over it.

That is why they have liability insurance. :T

regency_man

atrixblue.-MFR-. wrote: »

if the car is brand new as in bought from new and under warranty it needs to go to the manufacturers approved body shop to retain its anti corrosion warranty.

Absolutely, and the finance provider for the car will likely insist it is done with the dealership, as I have to report all damage. This could end up costing hundreds if not into 4 figures.... it's making me very nervous.

James667

go to the manufacturers and see what they say but sounds expensive

NeverEnough

Stooby2 wrote: »

I would take photos of the scene as you found it, the damage, broken zip ties. Then write to the estate agent with copies of the photos and tell them that you will be obtaining two quotes for repairing the damage that will follow shortly. Once you've got them, send them to the agent and invite them to choose which quote they wish to go for.

After that, well it's up to you. They may do the decent thing and pay. They may ignore you, or deny any involvement, so you'd have to decide whether you want to take it further. Writing to their head office if they're a large chain, for example. Small claims court if you feel that aggrieved over it.

I would agree with this. Except I would go to the main dealers to get a quote and check about the need to use them in order to maintain the antiperforation warranty, or an approved bodyshop. No use getting a cheap quote from a small panel beater, make sure it will be appropriate to your warranty maintenance.

Ectophile

Don't bother with the police. If it was an accident, and nobody was injured, then they won't be interested. No crime was committed - it's a civil dispute.

Either contact your insurer and let them sort it out, or contact the estate agent and ask for them to pay for the repair.

paddedjohn

regency_man wrote: »

Hi,

I live in a block of flats and the agents who market the apartments often put boards up in front of the property - right by where my allocated parking space is. They simply attach the poles to our iron fence with a couple of zip-ties, which is blatantly inadequate in the kind of wind conditions we are having at the moment. Their signs have fallen down before, luckily missing my car, and I've reported it to them and said I wasn't happy with the way they were being put up. Nothing changed however.

Anyway, last night the painfully inevitable happened, a "To Let'" sign they had put up blew down and has put a dent and large scratch in the front wing of my brand new car.

What should I do? Do I need to get the police involved to record the incident? Then what do I do? Call the estate agent or go straight to my insurers? Will this cost me my no-claims bonus?

Should I even move my car until someone had been over to see the 'scene'?

The above bit worries me op, you knew there was a chance that your car would be damaged but you still parked there. Im not in any way saying you shouldn't be compensated, just pointing out that you dont want to give them any ammo to try and wriggle out.;)