Opions and advice after accident

[Seanchadwick2k3]

Hi people
Someone crashed in to my car today when it was parked outside the house. The fella was very apologetic and asked.if we could sort this out without going through the insurance. The damage isn't too bad, dented from wing and a few scratches. The dent has no creases and looks like it will pop out. He took some pictures and called me 20 mins later from his friends garage who said they would have it in on Monday to repair and paint over 2 days.

What worries me is this garage has zero info online, no reviews, can't even find a name.

Am I screwed if I let him do the repair and it's of poor quality?

 

[Charlie Farley]

put it through the insurance and save yourself the hassle of it going tits up, there is always a chance he is not covered though.
do a quick reg check through MID and go from there.

 

[Charlie Farley]

here

https://www.mib.org.uk/check-insurance-details/check-a-vehicle-not-at-the-roadside-after-an-accident/

 

[Seanchadwick2k3]

I don't really mind not going via the insurance as it'll save me the hassle and won't affect my premiums providing a decent job is done. I think I may contact my own trusted body shop for a quote and see where it goes. My car is Monza silver, don't want to turn up to some awful paint match. Was just curious if I had any come back at all if the job wasn't up to standard.

 

[Charlie Farley]

As soon as you let a third party loose on your paintwork you have no guarantees whatsoever unless you have a proper guarantee on paper from the garage or person doing the job.

 

[Charlie Farley]

For all intensive purposes, if you go down the " not going through "insurance route then the accident never happened and you have no rights whatsoever to claim for something that effectively never happened as it was a verbal agreement.
Your choice, and your risk, how much do your value your car.

 

[Seanchadwick2k3]

Yeah that's what I was thinking your right. Thanks for the URL by the way, I'll take a look.

 

[Charlie Farley]

It is very easy and tempting to just say , ok let's forget the insurance and I know a mate that will fix it, it rarely works out that way.
He pranged your car so claim for a proper repair, dont take the risk chap, i've made that mistake myself and won't again.

 

[NHN]

It could also be a ploy to get your car, do not go direct, use insurance & report it immediately, honestly call your insurance company asap.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Exactly Nigel, my thoughts exactly, a lot of similar scams around at the moment.

 

[Seanchadwick2k3]

Thanks for the advice, to be fair it was a genuine accident. I live on the same road as my kids primary school and his kids go to the same school. I live on a corner and it's still about 3/4 inch of ice on the road. I was walking up my path with my daughter when his van with his Mrs and kids in slid in to my car. Only damage is to drivers wing and all cosmetic, he didn't appear to be driving quickly as it's pretty much impossible as your wheels just spin.

I just don't fancy some cowboy painting my car.

I know a very good local body shop who have done work for family and friends and have great reviews online and I trust them to do a good job. I'm going to get a quote from them tomorrow and I'll let him choose to either go via the insurance or foot the bill for the trusted shop.

 

[NHN]

That's middle of the road, sensible, he can't really say no, but get him to pay them upfront before the work starts or you could be left with a bill & then insurance won't help either.

 

[Charlie Farley]

 

[Charlie Farley]

Whichever way you go with regards to not going through the insurance channels, make sure you get something in writing from him that he accepts full liability for the accident and damage arising from the accident and will cover the full repair cost at his expense.
Dont do amything just based around a verbal agreement no matter how nice he may seem, people can change their minds in an instant , get it on paper first with his signature, then get it fixed.
If he doesn't want to then i'd just go through the insurance rather than mess around with possible issues further along the way.

 

[rum4mo]

As long as your car was parked "fully correctly" as you have mentioned living on a corner, just saying or asking, that is all.

 

[Seanchadwick2k3]

Thanks for all of the replies. I guess o live on the exit of a bend, my car has been parked there for 6 years and never had an issue. In fact I had parked as far over as possible to give people plent of to since the ice was so thick.

I went to my body shop of choice and had a quote of £400 for the paint work. That's to spray the wing and repair to bumper and blend it all in with the pillars etc. Also an extra £90 if the wing needs to be replaced which i think i will.

I've sent the fella a text messages and a whatsapp along with a copy of the quote and so far no response. I'm going to try and ring him tomorrow and if he fobs me off I'll be straight on to the insurance.

 

[Charlie Farley]

I expect he was expecting something like a £150 bill from his back street guys, not just under £500.
best of luck with it.

 

[Seanchadwick2k3]

Well this all took a turn for the worst. Since my messages were being ignored my other half done some Facebook detective work and I used my Google foo. Found the fella who hit my car and he went to prison in 2016 for robbing a lady and knifepoint.

Took my daughter to school this morning and seen him in the van so went to have a word. After I explaining everything he jumped out the van and threatened me. His Mrs comes over pushing him out the way and insists the only have £200 which I rejected. Tried to take a picture of his van and he then tried to get my phone out of my hand and told me if I go thru the insurance or take pics of his van then my house is gettin torched. I have the audio of the whole thing recorded.

Apparently his van is a ghost, despite being taxed, mot'd and insured.

 

[swisstony]

Well I think you have your answer then. Despite you thinking he was a nice guy, your gut instinct should now have kicked in and you need to go through the insurance.
Sounds like a lovely piece of work !!

 

[Charlie Farley]

Well this all took a turn for the worst. Since my messages were being ignored my other half done some Facebook detective work and I used my Google foo. Found the fella who hit my car and he went to prison in 2016 for robbing a lady and knifepoint.

Took my daughter to school this morning and seen him in the van so went to have a word. After I explaining everything he jumped out the van and threatened me. His Mrs comes over pushing him out the way and insists the only have £200 which I rejected. Tried to take a picture of his van and he then tried to get my phone out of my hand and told me if I go thru the insurance or take pics of his van then my house is gettin torched. I have the audio of the whole thing recorded.

Apparently his van is a ghost, despite being taxed, mot'd and insured.

That's not good at all chap.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I think you are going to have a struggle with this guy.
He's already in your face for a better word and no way is he going to pay up the cost of repair and i suspect going through the insurance will not help.
You really need to get some proper legal advice on this, the prang is one thing, but threatening behavior is something else altogether.
Don't confront him now, just take proper advice.

 

[Charlie Farley]

just count yourself lucky you didn't take up his offer of his so-called "mates" doing the repair, you most likely would never have seen the car again, or it would have been used in a robbery or something worse.

 

[Charlie Farley]

If it was me and he took that attitude and threatened me I'd have just flattened him on the spot, I take no prisoners in this sort of situation, but that's just me and you did the right thing to walk away.
I've had run-ins with these sorts of a*holes before.

 

[Pinky1959]

I would go to the local police station and put a complaint on file but not have them contact him (Yet) and then in the unlikely event something happens to you or your family or house it is logged.
I wouldn't go anywhere near him.
Good luck.

 

[Seanchadwick2k3]

Under normal circumstances I probably would have just said screw it and go through the insurance and get the police involved if needed. My only concern is the fact that he knows where I live, his kids go the same school and we'll I'm dealing with scum here and scum don't have a conscience. At the moment I've accepted his offer of £200 but I'm yet to receive anything and I'll try and find a wing the same colour which unfortunately seem to be like rocking horse poop but I'm in no rush. If it gets him off my case and keeps my family safe then Im happyish. Got a lot going on at the min and can't really be dealing with this rubbish aswel.

My insurance are aware and he is insured which is good.

Last message I had he apologised for his behaviour and offered to drop off the cash, he does appear to be trying to sort himself out in some fashion since he gotmout the nick

 

[Pinky1959]

I hope it gets sorted and you do not have to worry about him or his family.
Have a good Christmas.