Kids damaged my car at the weekend!

[steve123a]

On Friday night was round a friends with the car parked outside and heard a thumping noise about midnight, out the window see this kid go rolling round on the floor behind my car! Gone outside and they have run off, turns out the ran over the bonnet and roof, denting both! Anyway cut a long story short chased them and caught them, police were called and kids were nicked! At first they were completely denying it, but once confronted with the fact the police found footprints on the car, they changed their minds and admitted it! So police phoned me and told me they had reprimanded the one which did and that's all they are doing, if I want any compensation I have to take civil action against them! ****** typical, they get away with it and don't have to pay a penny, I have to fork out £350 excess, to top it I only just changed my insurance on wednesday! Has anyone else had similar experience or advice about trying to claim the excess back from the parents through small claims court?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[ultramodz]

Sorry to hear that - the same happened to my Dad years ago when his Mazda 626 was fresh out of the dealership - some drunk ran up and over the car denting the bonnet, roof & boot in the process.

There were construction works where it happened so the CCTV didn't catch them in the act.

He was understandable pretty gutted.

My last (B6) A4 got keyed down the side, scratching pretty deeply into front & rear wings & both doors.

Damn kids!!!

 

[Marc1]

That sucks mate, sorry to here about both stories.

 

[hazey7]

My sincere commiserations guys. I had my UR Quattro stolen years ago and they couldnt convict the guys who stole it (and crashed it). Cost me a fortune in XS, lost no-claims, etc. Plus the car was never the same and who wanted to buy a Quattro that had been repaired from major damage?

It is possible to speak to the parents and request 'some assistance with meeting the costs' or you will be forced down the small claims court route?

Then after that you could break all their legs.

 

[steve123a]

Cheers guys, am looking at contacting the parents, waiting for the officer in charge to call me when he gets back on duty to supply me with contact details for the guardian who picked him up form the police station! Also when I caught them they tried to deny and stated that they wouldn't do this kind of thing because of the school they go to, which is a decent school, so the misses has written a letter to the headmaster of the school informing him of the situation and explaining that it would be a shame if the papers got wind of the pupils weekend activities! See if they will shame them into making an apology to me and also add a bit of pressure on the parents!

 

[The_Golfather]

What a complete ballache!

Sorry to hear about this. Some youths have no regard for other peoples property and it stinks that they could get away with it.

The least you should be asking for is the XS to be paid by the guardians.

Hope it all gets sorted

 

[Good 2 B A Gooner]

I'd want the full price of the repair - being that they've admited liabilty, that should be easy enough, through the small claims court.

Think it's around £90, and if you win then they pay costs etc.


Not sure if I’d have phoned the rozzers though….!

 

[johnnythepie]

You can thank the Home Office for the administering of Cautions/Reprimands.If the kid is eligible, then thats what he has.Not fair, but typical of this (and to be fair previous) governments obsession with siding with the ****.Too damn right id have a word with the parents, amd then the small claims court.Its always the victim that pays.GGGRRRR

 

[ian52]

kids or not they deserve a good slap! i would never have done anything like this when i was young. they seem to have no respect for anything these days.

 

[pjmspeedy]

Sorry to hear about this. I've had a couple of cars in the past damaged by little shits so I completely understand how you feel!

Bring back National Service is what I say and every little **** that is under 16 must be made to join the TA for a while.

 

[yendall24]

i would approach the parents to see what they are prepared to do as regards reccompence if there not prepared to to pay for the damage leave it a few months and return the favour the only way to stop this sort of behaviour is to let them know how it feels and how much it costs to put right