Mechanic Set Fire to my Car

juliebunny
juliebunny Posts: 1,705 Forumite
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in Motoring
I have an old Fiesta, 2001, insurance company valued her at £220 in my last renewal (April). I guess that valuation assumed MOT. She was coming up for MOT and needed some work doing including welding which was going to cost £500. I'm sure I'm not the first person to become over attached to a very reliable car after 15 years so I booked her in to be fixed.


Whilst she was being welded she caught fire and has sustained damage inside. Now needs a new back seat, interior door, respray to one panel, new seatbelt, and inside roof, probably a few other bits. In other words, she's a 'write off', I were to claim on insurance (which wouldn't be worth it on my policy as the excess is more than that.)


He has never offered any sort of reparation or even an apology. He just offered to get rid of her for me, so understandably I'm pretty miffed.


Another Fiesta enthusiastic is going to come out and give me a quote for fixing the fire damage and completing the other repairs and then I'll decide whether she should be kept or go to be 'recycled'.


My question is whether my mechanic can be held liable in any way to compensate me? Whether or not it would be worth the agro is another question. If so, would that be up to the value of the car or the value of the repairs?


We buy any car offered me £175 but there wasn't any section to tell them she didn't have any MOT so not sure how valid that holds (MOT runs out this week.)
Scrap guy has offered £100.


TIA for any advice.
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Comments

  • davidwood681
    davidwood681 Posts: 881 Forumite
    Take the £100 and tell the mechanic to chip in the same
  • caprikid1
    caprikid1 Posts: 2,134 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper Combo Breaker First Post
    Been there got the T-shirt, set a car alight myself. Sounds similar damage. As has been said cheaper to move on. If it needs welding its no minter. If you love it and want to keep it forever start to learn to tinker.
  • d0nkeyk0ng
    d0nkeyk0ng Posts: 873 Forumite
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    Surely mechanic would have some sort of business insurance? Would you not claim through them?
  • Alfrescodave
    Alfrescodave Posts: 990 Forumite
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    Why isn't the mechanic claiming on his insurance to recompense you for the damage he's caused to your car?
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,552 Forumite
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    His excess is probably more than the cars worth.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • Katapolt
    Katapolt Posts: 291 Forumite
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    forgotmyname wrote: »
    His excess is probably more than the cars worth.

    thats his issue, no? he set fire to someones property, he should be using his insurance to put the client back in the same position they were in before the incident.
  • arcon5
    arcon5 Posts: 14,099 Forumite
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    Tell them theyve just bought themselves a car and owe you a couple hundred quid. It's their fault their responsibility. They can then scrap it to get some money back but that's their business
  • missile
    missile Posts: 11,689 Forumite
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    Small claims court
    "A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." ~ Mahatma Gandhi
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  • motorguy
    motorguy Posts: 22,473 Forumite
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    davidwood681 wrote: »
    Take the £100 and tell the mechanic to chip in the same

    +1

    Thats where i'd be on it.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,093 Community Admin
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    The mechanic is absolutely 100% liable. The reason it caught fire is because he didn't do the job properly, he didn't remove interior trim/ panels on the other side of the panel he was welding on, he didn't have a fire extinguisher to hand or another person to watch for fire. He has basically broken every single basic workshop rule on welding on vehicles.

    As a business he should have insurance to cover this, if he hasn't then he has to put you right which is either fix the car or pay you for the value of the car.
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