Neighbour being a lady garden

[pugmanxud]

Evening all. This morning had my next door but one neighbour knock on the door saying I had apparently scraped his rear bumper whilst parking. He has no proof of this and his wife is a god awful driver (dithery angry midget 60 year old) and could have well scraped my car whilst parking. As most of you know I've just re-painted my car and blacked the bumpers.

In short he has no proof of this and pretty much his word against mine.

I know you are all a good bunch of (camp) lads.

Where do I stand as far as legally etc and insurance. Do I report it to the police as slander or just ask them where I stand. Is this a civil matter as no 3rd party loss or damage.

He reckons his daughter had something similar happen (In the instance I HAD hit his motor) and she got 5 points and a £300 fine or is he talking out of his bumholy?

will

[Piggy]

Needs proof. End of.

We assume you didnt?!

You could call your insurance and claim he has hit your car...let them deal and argue over it

[pugmanxud]

Oooh that's an idea... So im not f*cked unless he can prove it!

[Piggy]

Well, no.

Its like saying "you stole £1000 off me"...but with no proof. Police are just guna laugh.

[Niall]

Your word against his. Wont go anywhere however i would show him that (assume this scrape is on his bumper?) there is no damage to your bumper and that if its bad enough, surely there would be some of his paint on your car.

[pugmanxud]

I'll have a look tomorrow as to whether there is any damage to mine. So he can't claim on my insurance or get a penny out of me without proof...

[Piggy]

No dood.

Can you imagine what sort of situation we be in if people could do that!?

"err, yes, er this bloke with a bmw reg KW***** hit my car and has caused £5000 of damage."

"ok, no problem, we will claim off his insurance and fix your car"


Not likely matey. Thankfully!!!

If there isnt any damage on yours...how can you have even nudged his car!?

[pugmanxud]

Exactly! Not even inspected mine yet! There could well be a mark on it where she may have scraped my bumper but not had the time to look yet. My bumpers are skanky black thick fibreglass jobs and i just cleaned and rattlecan blacked them so a 10 min repair job for me with a bit of scotchbrite thinners and some black spraypaint.

Am i best off telling him to 'k off and do one or reporting him to my insurance or police or what?!

[Piggy]

check your bumper first

if there is damage, you can tell a lot from damage and any paint transfer, depth of damage, direction etc. May indicate who actually did what.

Plus, work out who parked there first.

[pugmanxud]

trouble is there is all sorts of traffic come and go parking up my road. carers/district nurses shoppers. jehovac*nts with their hall at the bottom mf my road parking all the way up here.

there's lots of damage on my bumper as it is but under black paint. Am I best off repairing my bumper first so no damage is visible then contacting insurance/ police etc.

[Piggy]

What day was it? Were you even there?!

Jehovahs Witnesses be the most honest people you would meet, if they even just touched your car, they would leave a note even if no damage. Most honest people I know

[Connor]

I wouldnt repair any damage (if any) to your car, as thatll look dodgey as f*ck

[pugmanxud]

Fair enough. I just don't agree with their views but let us not bring on a political and religeon fuelled debate!

As I say I'll have a look at me bumper tomorrow and report back.

[bashbarnard]

Thats bollocks bro. Likes been said though cant prove shit. Your word against hers. Unless they have a witness then they basically dont have a leg to stand on.

[pugmanxud]

That was my thinking. so my insurance will refuse to pay out to them unless I tried to counter claim which I won't be as there is ver unlikey any damage to mine!

[306Dan]

The insurance won't even bother to consider it on either parts, no evidence no witness's and by the sounds of it he's speculating that you hit his car

[pugmanxud]

Cheers chaps! Pretty much what I thought/hoped...

[Dum-Dum]

I wouldn't report it to your insurance, he might just be trying to pull a fast one and then they'll have you down as being involved in an accident which you haven't been.

Also don't call the Police, at best its a civil matter if even any offence at all.

Make a record of anything and he says about it so if he does call the insurance you can prove its bollocks

Which of his cars, where was it parked, what bit of your car hit what bit of his, any witnesses anything he says.
Then next time he tries it on start calling him out on it. The average person can only hold about 23 lies and if you make them keep lying to cover lies with more lies then once your up to about 30 you can start going back over them in different formats and laugh when the answers change.

[pugmanxud]

Ok will do! Will photograph his car and mine today... Shall i go speak to him and tell him to foxtrot oscar or just leave it and see what happens

[toseland]

no, let him come to you. Make it perfectly clear that you completely refute his claims of you causing the damage, Ask him to provide proof of the damage, as well as proof that it was caused by you, in writing posted to you via royal mail, with proof of postage provided (it may seem harsh but it gives you some leverage if he provides nothing), put this in writing to him as well

keep a diary of any and all interaction with him, if at all possible video evidence is great, at very least stick your phone to record audio for a later date if needed.

Ask him for permission to take photographs of his vehicle, if he refuses note this but DO NOT take them without his permission (this is potentially tresspass against him as well)

if he becomes aggressive, tell him that you will not continue the discussion until he calms down. Also inform him that he is not welcome on your property should he become aggressive and that you consider him trespassing if he should enter it, any communication should be via mail.

WHATEVER YOU DO DO NOT ENTER ANY FORM OF DIRECT CONFRONTATION WITH HIM (arguement)

[Dum-Dum]

Yep, let him come to you mate.

no, let him come to you. Make it perfectly clear that you completely refute his claims of you causing the damage, Ask him to provide proof of the damage, as well as proof that it was caused by you, in writing posted to you via royal mail, with proof of postage provided (it may seem harsh but it gives you some leverage if he provides nothing), put this in writing to him as well

keep a diary of any and all interaction with him, if at all possible video evidence is great, at very least stick your phone to record audio for a later date if needed.

Ask him for permission to take photographs of his vehicle, if he refuses note this but DO NOT take them without his permission (this is potentially tresspass against him as well)

if he becomes aggressive, tell him that you will not continue the discussion until he calms down. Also inform him that he is not welcome on your property should he become aggressive and that you consider him trespassing if he should enter it, any communication should be via mail.

WHATEVER YOU DO DO NOT ENTER ANY FORM OF DIRECT CONFRONTATION WITH HIM (arguement)

A few things re the above.

I personally wouldn't start asking for proof and getting it posted and blah. If he asks for your insurance details I'd decline on the grounds that you haven't been involved in a collision. (Although double check the legality of that but I'm 99% sure).

Defo keep a diary of all interactions.

And if you really want to f*ck him off then the below

Take photos of his car and this damage. You dont need to ask permission if its in a public place or can be seen from the road. Filming in a public place is perfectly legal as long as it doesn't become an invasion of privacy. If he comes out and starts shouting at you for photoing or videoing his car feel free to record him (if its still in public) as thats not an offence either.

Its also perfectly legal to video him if he comes to his front door and tell him your doing it to record the conversation so you can refer to it later or potentially use it in evidence if he submits a fraudulent insurance claim against you. If he then tries to record you at your door and is on your private land you can tell him to stop and he has to.

If you tell him you want him to leave your land (and you are the owner of the land or the owners agent) and you will consider him trespassing if he doesn't then the law says you can use reasonable force to remove him.

If he starts shouting and swearing don't reply in kind, be polite at all times and calm. "please stop swearing sir" "sir, your abusive language is very unkind" "please stop your abusive and vile language as its upsetting me" "your language is scaring other people, you've made that little old dear cross the road to keep away from you"

Oh and dont give it the "I'm gonna call the Police!" as you just look like a dick. If you need to call the police just do it and if he says hes going to call the Police I'd call them up on 101 and say you know hes calling them and you have the whole incident recorded and are happy to play it back to them and provide copies.

[toseland]

thanks for clearing that up dumdum, i should have added the "dont take pics if its on private property".. public land (road, next to a road, taking pictures over his wall from the public road are all well and good)