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Doing people a favour.......

(150 Posts)
Anne58 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:01:59

Some months ago I lent my 4wd automatic to the friend who had the stroke, as he was going back to work and it was easier for him to drive than a manual, given that his left side was still quite weak.

About 6 weeks ago, they told me that there had been an accident with a "boy racer" no-one hurt (fortunately) but considerable damage to the body work of my car. sad They said that they would arrange repairs etc.

We went over to have dinner with them last night and I was a bit taken aback to see the car sitting on the drive, still badly damaged. They said that they have not actually used it for the last 5 weeks.

I didn't say anything as I didn't want to spoil the evening, however I do think that if they weren't actually using it, it would have been the ideal time to get it fixed?

Mr P lost 3 days work last week due to problems with his car, and I have said that it would be quite useful to have the other car back, but I really would like it repaired before it is returned.

I know that they are not exactly "flush" for money, and I think that the repair isn't going to be cheap, but I do feel a bit let down.

I also was a bit surprised that the damage seemed to be on the passenger side, (although to be honest I couldn't see the drivers side because of the way it was parked), the way the accident was described to me I would have expected it to be the drivers side that was hit.

I'm beginning to get a bad feeling about this..................

Greatnan Sun 11-Aug-13 19:07:05

Is the damage not covered by your insurance, if you had given your permission for them to drive it? They could pay you whatever you lost on your NCB.

Tegan Sun 11-Aug-13 19:16:27

They should have had it repaired straight away.

j08 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:22:06

Is the car driveable? Can you get it back to yours? And then get it repaired under the insurance in the usual way. Not mentioning the fact that it had been lent out.

This is probably hightly illegal advice. But still........

Anne58 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:24:40

The car had been sort of "off road" because at the time I was driving the Focus and Mr P had a company van. In order to make it easier to tax, insure etc, we signed it over to them i.e. completed the slip that you have to do when you sell a car, although no money changed hands as they understood it was just a loan of the car. That meant that they were then able to insure it themselves, tax it etc. which they did.

I also have a feeling that they did not exchange details with the person who hit them, but I can't be sure about that. When I phoned J earlier today to thank her for a lovely evening, I did ask when they planned to get the repairs done, she said the repair chap was flexible confused. I asked if they were going to get it done under their insurance, she said "oh, that's a thought, I'll get B to phone NFU (their insurers) tomorrow"

Don't you think the insurers will wonder why they have taken this long to get in touch, and if they haven't got the other party's details, that will look a bit odd too?

Like I said, I do have a bad feeling about this. I think I'm perhaps not being given the full picture.

Ana Sun 11-Aug-13 19:25:22

I thought an accident while driving a borrowed car had to be covered by the actual driver's insurance? I know I'm covered to drive a car lent to me with the owner's permission - but only third party cover.

I don't know how they could just sit through dinner without even discussing the matter...confused

Ana Sun 11-Aug-13 19:26:21

Ignore my post, please - yours hadn't come up at the time of posting, phoenix!

peaches41 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:26:50

Sounds a bit fishy to me.

Anne58 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:28:03

j08 & Ana see my most recent post. Hopefully it will explain how the arrangement was set up.

Ana Sun 11-Aug-13 19:28:25

Yes - as I said....

Anne58 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:30:19

Sorry, bit out of synch!

j08 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:30:29

Phone her again tomorrow evening and ask how she got on with the insurers? And ask her straight out if they exchanged details at the time of the accident.

Hope this isn't going to muck up a friendship.

Ana Sun 11-Aug-13 19:31:10

Sounds as though they think it's theirs - which I suppose it is, legally...

Anne58 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:31:13

That's my main worry too j08 sad

merlotgran Sun 11-Aug-13 19:31:20

If you completed the transfer slip and they have taxed and insured it then technically the car is theirs. They should have exchanged details with the driver who hit them. If he was a boy racer he might not have been insured and they might not have taken out uninsured loss cover.

Tricky. You sound very tolerant, phoenix. Time to Kick Ass maybe??

Anne58 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:32:38

merlot I think it would be tantamount to kicking someone while they're down! They have had a hell of a lot to put up with since B's stroke.

j08 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:34:37

Ok. Well, wait a couple of days and then ring and see how they'e getting on with the insurers. Just sort of, gently keep the ball rolling now.

merlotgran Sun 11-Aug-13 19:37:57

Difficult when you don't want to fall out with them because you understand their predicament. It's probably giving them more than a few sleepless nights as well.

janeainsworth Sun 11-Aug-13 19:40:33

Not sure exactly what you mean by a "boy racer", P. Was it a car, and if so was he not insured?
Is he being prosecuted? perhaps this is delaying things, but evcen so it's odd your friend hasn't been more open with you.
Someone ran up the back of me on a roundabout once causing considerable damage to my car. It was 3 months beforehe and his insurance company admitted liability and I could get my car repaired.
I do hope you manage to sort it without spoiling your friendship sad

Anne58 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:41:11

Yes, I think it is. But I just don't understand why they have left it so long.

Anne58 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:44:08

The thing is, IF Mr P's car continues to play up, we will really need it, as every he doesn't work, he doesn't earn, and as I said he lost 3 days last week, which is a lot of money!

But I'm not too happy about getting it back until it's been repaired. Bit of a catch 22.

If it comes to it, Mr can use my car, but it will be a nightmare on fuel.

Anne58 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:44:54

Sorry, meant "every day" he doesn't work etc.

j08 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:51:53

You will need to make your phone calls to them sound helpful rather than "chasing up". Which I am sure you would do anyway.

Ana Sun 11-Aug-13 19:53:18

And of course you'll have to get them to sign it back over to you again. At some stage.

Anne58 Sun 11-Aug-13 19:59:53

J08 that's the odd thing, J rings me almost every day, just idle chat sort of thing, and I didn't really think I would need to ask how things were progressing. She told me about the accident the day it happened, shortly after I did think that I might need the car to go to an interview, she said "Ok, I won't book the car into Mr F the repairer, just in case you need it" It then transpired that I didn't need to go to the interview, which I told her, thinking that she would then get on and book it in, but obviously not, hence it still being on their drive in a damaged state!

Yes Ana I think as soon as it's done!