Ugh kids damaged car outside the house - parents say take me to court...

[The Running Man]

Hi all, fairly new one on me. 2 kids riding a scooter down the street came off and crashed into my car parked outside my house.

I got up went outside and took one of the children home who was crying and in pain.

I went back to look at my car and there some paint scuff just after the door and on the sill.

I went back to the house and asked to speak to his parents. Dad came to door and said;

"What do you want me to do"

I replied

"If I get a quote to fix it can I send it over "

He said;

"Just take me to court"

I said, "okay is that it?"

He said yep and closed the door.

What's my next step chaps??

 

[Lashout_UK]

Get it fixed, pay the bill, move on with your life.

 

[chroniclard]

#BREXITBRITAIN
#BOXINGSTANCE

 

[singularity]

Letterbox!!!!!!!

 

[FlapR]

I'd take them to small claims court out of principle.

 

[BongoHunter]

Use the time and effort it would take to pursue this to build a driveway

 

[Kenai]

2 options

Option 1 - you can actually be bothered to do something about it and follow it through, in which case, lawyer up. Get angry in a year when he damages the car again out of childish retaliation.

Option 2 - you would rather just do without the hassle of engaging with lowlives. Fix it yourself. Optional extra, wait a year and then damage his car in childish retaliation.

 

[The Running Man]

I'd take them to small claims court out of principle.

Its s principle thing now. If he'd reacted reasonably and apologised etc and said he was really hard up etc I could have offered 50/50 or accepted even an apology or promise the kids would be grounded / not allowed to play near my car etc

But to just come out and say, "take me to court"

I mean

 

[Semple]

How new is the car etc?

If you were to go down the legal route, then you're after small claims court. I believe you can do it online now.

It's a bit of an empty threat really. As it'll cost him more if you have to pursue it through the courts.

Personally if it was me, I'd get a quote first for a repair. He might seem more favourable when he's calmed down a bit, and if the quote is less than he's probably thinking it'll cost. If he's still refusing just remind him that it'll cost him more through the courts.

 

[Doobedoo]

Put dog doodoo in a brown paper bag, leave it on his doorstep and set it on fire.... Then run far enough away so he can’t see you but close enough that you can see him stamp the flames with his feet.

 

[cheesyboy]

Can you even take a minor to court over this sort of accidental damage?

You can't take the parent on: he didn't do it

 

[Akagi]

Stand and bang.

 

[fezster]

A quick search suggests it may be more difficult than you'd think:

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=110240

The parent is a complete prat, from what you've said - but in this case, it may just be better to pay for the repair yourself and get on with your life.

 

[Randomface74]

I don't think you have a case against the child or parent for damages. Not against the child because they're a child. Not against the parent because they couldn't reasonably have prevented it. The best you could do was try your luck by asking anyway, which you did and it didn't work. End of story I think.

 

[azazl187]

Accidents happen mate. It was just your unlucky day.

The guy is clearly a ***** but people often are when they think that their kids are threatened. I'm a great believer in what goes around comes around. He will get his **** days too, that you can be sure of. One of those will be yours.

Otherwise damage his car and if he confronts you deny all knowledge.

There is no point in pursuing this case believe me.

 

[BlackBat]

If you bother to claim with your car insurance, they may give you the option of claiming against the parent, because if they have house insurance then their insurance should pay up. If I recall correctly, the most you could get back is £400, I guess your premium would go up and/or you'd lose your no claims though. Is it worth the potential grief though?

 

[Stephanie Peterson]

Abduct kid, after a couple of days send a parcel to parents in post containing a dirty shovel.
Can always let the kid return after a week.
Ok... bit over the top????

 

[lordrobs]

Its a rubbish situation but there isn't really much you can do without making more hassle than its worth. At least it was an accident and not vandalism or stupidity on their part.

My wife's car was damaged by some little angel about 10 years ago. Trail of tiny foot prints over the bonnet and roof, unfortunately when they stepped near the windscreen the roof crimped and didn't spring back I asked some of the parents on the street, to be honest I was pretty sure I knew who did it but had no proof. Anyway the conversation went;
"Did you happen to see any of the children on the street playing about on Jane's car? There are small shoe prints all over it and there's a dent in the roof"
"Oh no! Well, it can't have been my kids. They couldn't even climb onto a car."
"Er... well I saw both of them on the roof of your car yesterday."
*blank stare*
"Couldn't have been my kids"
"Right... sure it couldn't"

We were getting rid of it anyway and they didn't even spot it when we traded it in but it wasn't the point. Thankfully she run off with someone in their swingers club, split from her husband and soon moved

 

[200sols]

Would taking to court work? Do you have any evidence or could he just deny everything?

 

[jpaul]

not clear if they were on the road .. but was there any virtue in reporting it to the police, for an incident #, and putting it on record;
but, maybe that would oblige you to report it to your insurance company.