Neighbour's Wheelie Bin Damaged my Car

nidO

MercOwner wrote: »

Chase it, and if i don't get a response then, I'll give it up. I was genuinely upset as I'm really precious about my car, and saw it as more their fault than mine. I was surprised so many people disagreed with me about it, but it doesn't sound like it's worth all the hassle.

Leaving aside my and everyone else's feelings about your attitude with your neighbours, i'm genuinely curious...

Given that:

1) Your car is reasonably valuable (it has to be, for a couple of minor dents to total over £500 of work)
2) You're precious about your car
3) You're obviously not so rich as for money to be a total non-issue

..why is your car only insured third party?

undaunted

Perhaps better not to disclose that here - as suggested above your neighbours could quite easily read the thread if they do happen to google

foxtrotoscar_2

MercOwner wrote: »

Chase it, and if i don't get a response then, I'll give it up. I was genuinely upset as I'm really precious about my car, and saw it as more their fault than mine. I was surprised so many people disagreed with me about it, but it doesn't sound like it's worth all the hassle.

undaunted wrote: »

Perhaps better not to disclose that here - as suggested above your neighbours could quite easily read the thread if they do happen to google

Hopefully they already have.

eskbanker

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

If I was them the only action I would take is to sent you a 2 word reply to your letter.

Perhaps they'll refer MercOwner to the reply given in Arkell v. Pressdram....

picardygirl

MercOwner wrote: »

Chase it, and if i don't get a response then, I'll give it up. I was genuinely upset as I'm really precious about my car, and saw it as more their fault than mine. I was surprised so many people disagreed with me about it, but it doesn't sound like it's worth all the hassle.

I dont blame you at all for being genuinely upset, i'd have the right hump, but being upset and having the hump doesnt mean you can blame someone. But, as others have already mentioned, and i totally understand your really precious about your car, as i am too, but i have fully comprehensive insurance, why have you got third party? Surely if your car was that precious you would have full comp insurance on it? Maybe its time to get full comp insurance.

undaunted

So what, if any, response did you get Mercowner?

Dird

undaunted wrote: »

So what, if any, response did you get Mercowner?

Hopefully his neighbours signed him up to all kinds of spam mail to be delivered to his home e.g. fetishes, ann summers etc for being such a turd

Who would he sue if his precious, 3rd party only, merc was struck by lightning? I doubt the archbishop would pay out from his threats of legal action.

Who the hell ties down their wheelie bin? Nobody. Not even you? Do you keep it in the front garden in the week? Then the wind could blow it out of your garden and into on-coming traffic...or hit a little girl walking to school. Why are you being so negligent to not tie down your bin after I've just warned you of this?

I know most merc's are ugly besides the latest model but are they also so weak? How can a bin cause 4 dents...what about the people that hit your door in carparks when leaving their cars...do you threaten them with legal action too?

MercOwner

I got a long letter that looks like it was written by a lawyer. They must know one. It's just a load of stuff about how they weren't negligent and it was a reasonable place to put their bins, even thought it's right next to my driveway where there's a gap in the wall! Not sure what to do next.

nidO

MercOwner wrote: »

Not sure what to do next.

Accept that their solicitor (along with just about everyone who posted to this thread) is correct and you're not, pay for the repair to your car or live with the dents, and try to repair the relationship with your neighbours you've caused to get off on both wrong feet.

OR

Decide you still know best, issue a small claims court summons, probably lose, then feud with your neighbours over every possible thing imaginable for the next however many years you both live there.

Aretnap

MercOwner wrote: »

Not sure what to do next.

Get the car fixed, get comprehensive insurance in future, and chalk it down to experience. Oh, and hope you never need a favour from your neighbour.