Chicken bald back

[CatieB]

A few weeks ago I left my car parked in a residential street near the hospital. I came back to find it had been pranged at the back. The person had left a note which I was pleasantly surprised about and as I sat there an elderly couple came to tell that it was the husbands fault, he'd done it.

 

The man was visibly upset and I could tell he had been at the hospital so I reassured him that it was only a prang. He gave me his number and asked if he could pay direct for the damage. This is totally against how I work, Im such a square as my best friend says, but he was obviously upset.

 

Long story short, I agreed. Got a quote, sent it to him by email and he was over joyed at the cost. The agreement was he'd paid the garage direct. Car went in today, no contact. Just had an email to say sorry but Ive asked garages around here and they say its too much, your car must have been hit before

 

Im so upset. How can someone be like that. I wasnt even asking him to recoup me for my inconvenience - hubby has had to ferry me back and forward to work for two days a journey or 7 miles each way plus the trips to the garage in the opposite direction 8 miles etc.

[Olly]

Oh dear. I would always go thorough insurers because of the risk of this - but that's no help to you now, and it is upsetting when you have gone out of your way to be reasonable.

 

Is it worth pointing out that going to your insurers is going to be even more expensive- and you have his admission of liability.

[Geoid]

Ask for his insurance details and deal with his insurance company. If he doesn't comply, report it to the police.

[CatieB]

I know Olly, normally I always would,, it was just the fact he was obviously coming from the hospital and had bigger things on his mind.

 

To add insult to injury, its not a huge bill- a bit over £200, he says garages have told him it should be £50!!! Really? Does anyone do a job for £50 and its not tiny - Ive not had a car for two days so cant be that small a job.

[soapdragon]

£50.00 seems to equate to about an hour and 15 mins of labour let alone any parts/paintwork needed! Harden your heart and go to your insurers- thats what they are there for! They should deal direct with his insurers.

[Groovychook]

I would contact your insurers too.

You tried to be kind and considerate but he's taking advantage of your good nature.

Such a shame that he's responded in this way

[Princess Leia]

Unless he's taken YOUR car to the other repair shops, how can they possibly estimate it at £50? Even if he has a photo, you can't give an estimate from that. He's trying it on. It is upsetting but you need to call his bluff by asking for his insurance details.

[kinsk]

I can understand why you are upset. No good deed goes unpunished!

 

Hope it all gets sorted.

[CatieB]

He has paid the garage, but not before ringing them this morning and complaining and asking them to justify the work - he didn't pay at that stage.

 

He then asked them to call him back after 2 at which stage he asked a load more questions and paid. Apparently they told him straight; you managed to damage three panels, of which there are two different paints (one was matt), and the damage is consistent with one prang. He then asked why they had repaired the bumper and was told "mate if we'd have replaced it you'd have paid three times the price" Seriously.

 

Hubby thinks I am daft, but I am upset that he thinks he's been ripped off when all Ive tried to do is help and make it as cheap as possible.

[CatieB]

Oh and thanks for listening and your words of advice everyone.

[Groovychook]

Glad you've got it sorted.

Don't beat yourself up, none of this is your fault... you were just being nice

[sjp]

I know Olly, normally I always would,, it was just the fact he was obviously coming from the hospital and had bigger things on his mind.

 

To add insult to injury, its not a huge bill- a bit over £200, he says garages have told him it should be £50!!! Really? Does anyone do a job for £50 and its not tiny - Ive not had a car for two days so cant be that small a job.

in what century labours more than that an hour in a body shop he's lucky you didn't go to a main dealer I paid more than your repair for a new key fob for my van 2 weeks ago (dealer only part)

[soapdragon]

I am glad that this is all sorted out now - its sad that the man decided to be awkward when you were actually doing him a massive favour.

[Grandmashazzie]

Maybe Catie b as you say he is unwell and transferring his anger to the bill. You have been more than kind,put it out of your mind.

[kinsk]

I paid more than your repair for a new key fob for my van 2 weeks ago (dealer only part)

 

Snap!

[Alis girls]

Glad its sorted - I had similar some yrs back when in the snow some guy went into my car which was parked. He just happened to have a "mate" round the corner who sorted out probs like this but I refused to go with him pointing out I dont make a habit of going off with men I dont know ( chance would be a fine thing ) - he turned out not to have insurance and it was a mess. Luckily not a big job but annoying.

[Purplemaniacs]

Glad you got it sorted. Such a shame you had so much upset when you were trying to be kind.

 

Chrissie

[Valkyrie]

Glad it's done and dusted. But I guess a lesson learnt the hard way - let the insurers do what you pay them to do. He'd probably done that a few times so that's why he'd rather do it privately. Perhaps his insurance is already sky high with him pranging all over the place!

Onwards and upwards.

[TheGirlsMum]

He probably got off lightly, his excess would most likely have been more than £200

[gavclojak]

Funny enough .....several years ago I was sitting in a parking bay eating a packet of maltesers when I felt a clunk, I had been hit from behind. An elderly lady had hit me and was upset/sorry/said my fault etc! I had a tiny little scratch on my Saab but her bumper was hanging off!!

 

I said "what was you doing? She apparently thought I was parked at some traffic lights a few hundred feet in front, when the lights went green she went !!!

 

I did. in fact exchange insurance details but didn't think to ask one of the thirty odd people sitting in the cafe who had front row seats to it all. Imagine my shock/surprise when I had a letter saying she held me responsible, that she had stopped to let me reverse into the parking bay and I reversed into her. I was literally gob smacked, I didn't see it coming, she was very posh, came from a very affluent area.

 

That was a lesson I never forgot

[Cinnamon]

Similar thing happened to us too.

 

I often wonder that if when these elderly people go home they phone their sons or daughters & are 'advised' to take a different route when it comes to taking the blame or paying up.

This is certainly what happened to us & we found ourselves dealing with a rather gobby son who hadn't even been in the car with his mother at the time

[Alis girls]

Makes you wonder if they should be driving. We're the Maltesers relevant to the story? Lesson learnt eat some other type of chocolate sorry ignore me.

[Valkyrie]

 

Yorkie bar = don't mess with me!

 

But that reminds me of a trip to Waitrose last year leading up to Christmas. One of their windows was boarded up and some of the base bricks had been pushed out of place - we asked joyriders/smash and grab? Nope, an elderly lady accidentally put her foot on the accelerator! Luckily "Ooops, word censored!"ody was hurt.

 

Same in the village here. Local cafe was boarded up. Elderly gentleman went through it in his car. I'm so glad we stopped my dad from driving - it was scary when we were passengers. At least we managed to prevent any accidents that way.

[gavclojak]

Makes you wonder if they should be driving. We're the Maltesers relevant to the story? Lesson learnt eat some other type of chocolate sorry ignore me.

 

No relevance at all, I was just setting the scene

[Alis girls]

Excellent Gavclojak love a good story.