Anti social neighbours written off car, what is the housing associations responsibility

Smellyonion

Around 6 doors down, the is family renting from a housing association. These are your typical nightmare HA neighbours. their feral kids play with rocks, they make mess etc.
Our car was so damaged by one of their children (aged 5) to the point that it was written off. It included scratching all of the drivers slides panels, drawn a stick man on one door, dents all over the drivers side panel, chips on windows. The damage was estimated at 3.5k. 
We spoke to the dad who because very defensive, shouting it wasnt his kids then one of his own children admitted it. The mother said that the kids which said it was their kids were snitches - yes this is the type of people. He then said that he would get it fixed. Since then, despite sending letters, there has been no attempt made. We decided to go through insurance, the police, the HA.
The insurance wrote it off, the police we just got a incident number and the HA has washed their hands.
I am fuming because this will cost us literally hundreds of pounds in excess and increased premiums. Not to mention the horrid amount of effort and inconvenience. The insurers want their rental car back and we have no other vehicle as we haven't received anything for the value of the previous car. These neighbours have had literally zero repercussions for their actions, the claimed it was children and just a car, how these people cannot feel embarrassed or sorry or responsible for their children is shocking.

I absolutely cannot allow these *** to get away with it but I have approached all 3 options and the HA said that there is nothing they can do? We know they have caused issues in the past and have had other complaints against them. How can the HA not take any action? We do I stand outside of taking them to court - they will unlikely pay anything as they are those types of people.

Slithery

It's nothing to do with the HA.

user1977

Smellyonion said:

How can the HA not take any action?

On what basis do you think their landlord could do anything about something their tenants do when they're not even at the property?

AdrianC

The HA have no responsibility. Why would they? They may be able to take action against those tenants for their anti-social behaviour in breach of the tenancy agreement if it was the adults, but it's a lot harder with a young child.

The child is under the age of criminal responsibility, so the police can't lay charges of criminal damage.

Your insurer will cease paying for the rental car as soon as the write-off is agreed, according to the terms of your policy - are you disputing the pay-out?

Yes, you will need to take a small claim action out to cover your uninsured losses - if they are found liable, then they will either have to pay or get a CCJ which you can then send bailiffs in to enforce.

Smellyonion

With the numerous complaints that they've had, surely if they took action on the previous events then our situation wouldnt have occurred. 

I would have thought that as the landlords they should have some responsibility for acting on Anti social behaviour?

comeandgo

Smellyonion said:

With the numerous complaints that they've had, surelyy if they took action on the previous events then our situation wouldnt have occurred. 

I would have thought that as the landlords they should have some responsibility for acting on Anti social behaviour?

You have thought wrong.

user1977

Smellyonion said:

I would have thought that as the landlords they should have some responsibility for acting on Anti social behaviour?

You might have a better argument if it was behaviour while they were actually on the property. Never heard of a landlord being involved where their tenant has gone out and done something antisocial elsewhere.

HampshireH

This is criminal damage and a police matter.

It always amazes me how much people expect housing associations to take responsibility for.

Their housing officers may frequently have to play police, social worker, mental health advocate and so on but they aren't any of those things.

If you are unhappy with the Police response I would suggest going back to them.

The HA can enforce the tenancy agreement. But a warning letter isn't going to help you with a previous problem and certainly won't help you get a new car

AdrianC

HampshireH said:

This is criminal damage and a police matter.
...
If you are unhappy with the Police response I would suggest going back to them.

The culprit is below the age of criminal responsibility.

theartfullodger

5 yr old writes off car, £3.5k damage,?? Is this a wind up?

Whenever I've lived near HA tenants they've been nicer, better behaved, than smug middle-class home owners banging on about house prices.  But appreciate others may have other experiences.

HampshireH

AdrianC said:

HampshireH said:

This is criminal damage and a police matter.
...
If you are unhappy with the Police response I would suggest going back to them.

The culprit is below the age of criminal responsibility.

Completely skimmed the age. Was too busy wondering why Housing is expected to pick up the pieces of someone's parenting skills and their badly behaved child.