Mechanical damage and poor service from my insurers.

Concerned75

Just after some advice from relevant people in the field.
My car had it's exhaust catalyc converter hacked out and stolen, from outside a council housing carpark, where I  live on 18th March 2020.
Called the police and my insurance company. After a week and half not hearing from them, I called their repairers, who were oblivious the car was undrivable and I needed a courtesy car. They exchanged cars the same day and I was able to track the repair online, which said it was assessed and ready to be fixed. A week later, after hearing nothing and no update, I got a call from the assessment engineers to tell me my car couldn't be fixed, part was too expensive, so it would be classed as a write off? The engineer interpreted this to me that the repair shop, wasn't experienced in mechanical damage and therefore didn't want to do the work.
The engineer suggested I be paid in leiu and get it fixed elsewhere. (My car just had a fresh MOT and new tryes 2 weeks before the theft)
Bear in mind, I still haven't been contacted by the repairer about my car, so after another week of waiting, especially with the lockdown, I called the engineer to ask what's happening about my car being returned/exchange courtesy car... He tells me the repairers have now closed till May 7th. They were supposed to call and let all customers know this before closing on furlough.
To current date, my car is still locked up in the repair shop and I still haven't been given the payment in leiu either; rang my insurers twice about this.
I'm now concerned that it hasn't been moved for the past 5 weeks and I understand this can effect the tyres, battery etc...
Under these circumstances, am I within my right, should I get my car back and take it to a mechanic and there are additional issues accrued to the car because it's been locked away and not looked after at the fault of the repairer, I should be given the difference for this?
Based on what's wrong and parts, I've been told this could have been fixed within 2 weeks, if it wasn't for the incompetence of my insurers and their repair shop.
Advice welcome and thanks in advance.

dacouch

Toyota????

forgotmyname

No it wont hurt it being parked for 5 weeks.

If they cannot change a CAT then they wont be in business for long.  Minor repair they will entrust to
the newest and lowest paid member of staff its that easy.

Fixed within 2 weeks, it could be fixed within 2 hours if they had the staff working and did not have a list of other
vehicles ahead of yours.

Concerned75

It's a Honda Civic. A 53 plate. I was told by the RAC that it's a 2hr type job. The repairer wasn't busy, as they had finished most of their jobs or didn't accept them due to the Corona and social distancing they told me.

MinuteNoodles

Doesn't matter if they're busy or not, if they've not got the part they can't fix the car.

Ganga

What is the value of the car and the price of a cat convertor? you could always buy the car back off the insurance company if they write it off and fit the part yourself, you might even be able to pick one up second hand as who ever stole yours must be selling them to a scrap dealer

Concerned75

Ganga said:

What is the value of the car and the price of a cat convertor? you could always buy the car back off the insurance company if they write it off and fit the part yourself, you might even be able to pick one up second hand as who ever stole yours must be selling them to a scrap dealer

I think this is the route I'm going down. The converter is about £40 for an older car. They got the part, because the engineer's job is to source it. Fingers crossed, it will get sorted out soon, one way or another.

MinuteNoodles

Concerned75 said:I think this is the route I'm going down. The converter is about £40 for an older car. They got the part, because the engineer's job is to source it.

No it isn't the assessment engineer's job to source it. The assessment engineer's job is to find out what the average price of a replacement is to make a decision on the likely cost of repair and whether or not it is financially viable. The parts department of the garage that does the repair is who sources it from their suppliers who may or may not be open following the lockdown starting.