Scratched neighbours bumper: advice please!!!

Norman_Castle

his car had broken down in the middle of the nearby forest and had to be left there for over a month.

Why?......

Retrogamer

Sounds like your neighbour didn't care at the time, now plans to sell the car and wants some extra money from you for the damage you previously caused.
For neighbourly relations you should ask him how much, but if he comes out with a ridiculous quote, tell him you can't afford it and he'll need to go through insurance instead. By the sounds of things though, i doubt he will.

Nasqueron

If you are prepared to pay, make sure you offer to pay the garage / pay him when he has the invoice for doing the work, not cash - he's probably just trying to get some cash to get it through the MOT or for Christmas and won't have it fixed up

Quentin

Nasqueron wrote: »

If you are prepared to pay, make sure you offer to pay the garage / pay him when he has the invoice for doing the work, not cash - he's probably just trying to get some cash to get it through the MOT or for Christmas and won't have it fixed up

Paying cash in lieu is OK to compensate a third party for damage you have done, but if you resolve this outside of the insurer make sure that however it's done you get all loose ends tied up so that no further claims can turn up in the future.

dannyrst

Tell him it will take at least 1 year and 4 months for you to get the cash together.

facade

Choices would appear to be:

1) refer to your insurance company (at the time) if you reported it to them.
2) pay what is asked
3) Negotiate less payment (Good luck on that one)
4) Tell him to get lost. (Move the rabbit hutch inside, put the gnomes in the shed, keep the car in the garage, and build an 8' high wall round your property with broken glass on the top......)

Nasqueron

Quentin wrote: »

Paying cash in lieu is OK to compensate a third party for damage you have done, but if you resolve this outside of the insurer make sure that however it's done you get all loose ends tied up so that no further claims can turn up in the future.

I meant more calling his bluff - the scratch damage was fair enough, the OP admits that, but offering cash just gives the guy cash in his pocket which he may just want - offering to pay the garage bill forces his hand - either he wants the damage repaired as originally agreed or he goes quiet as he won't get cash in hand

Quentin

Nasqueron wrote: »

I meant more calling his bluff - the scratch damage was fair enough, the OP admits that, but offering cash just gives the guy cash in his pocket which he may just want - offering to pay the garage bill forces his hand - either he wants the damage repaired as originally agreed or he goes quiet as he won't get cash in hand

Assuming the OP has never reported this to his insurer then antagonising by calling the innocent third party's bluff isn't the way forward!

The third party has the upper hand, and whether the money is used to pay for repairs or goes in his pocket is irrelevant,

dgtazzman

Buy him a touch up pen for Christmas

Somebody grazed my car with a shopping trolley in the local supermarket car park and caused some minor scratches/denting, no note of course, cost me around £70 to have it buffed out and that was on a door panel, not on a bumper, which is there in case of impacts. After the buffing the scratches have all gone and the dent can only be found if you're really looking for it as it was so minor, would have cost close to £700 if I wanted the dent completely repaired, so I decided I can live with it ^^

Anyway, I'd say offering your neighbor £50-£100 is reasonable and make it clear it's full and final settlement of the issue, preferably in writing.

Nasqueron

Quentin wrote: »

Assuming the OP has never reported this to his insurer then antagonising by calling the innocent third party's bluff isn't the way forward!

The third party has the upper hand, and whether the money is used to pay for repairs or goes in his pocket is irrelevant,

But I'm not talking about involving the insurer?

OP stated "He told me he was going to get a quote from one of his mates and let me know the price."and then "Now, 1 year and 4 months after the incident he came huffing saying he needs to get the car sorted."

So say to the neighbour - yes you will pay for the repair to those small scratches as previous agreed but you will pay the garage for that work not give him cash. If he is genuinely after the repair he will accept that. If he wants cash in hand he'll have to admit that and we move into the realms of extortion/blackmail if he threatens to go to the insurance over it

Neighbour isn't going to involve the insurance any more than OP as both will get premiums bumped up and he will have broken the Ts & Cs as much as OP by not reporting it.