Removing cement from a car's paint...

[andy_d]

what was the outcome on this ?

[Bob Meadows]

Still working on it!!

[StatusRed]

Sent a formal demand for payment to the builder, at first they sounded reasonable but after sending through the 3 quotes (2 were about £2k, other was £850) they started asking a load of questions like why is it so much. In the end got tired of it so I've said pay for the lowest quote within 14 days or I'll take legal action.. We'll see what happens.

[DaveNP]

They should have some sort of Public Liability Insurance so the builder just needs to send it on to them and get it paid, my wife had similar when her car and many others got spattered with paint by the building site next to their office, in the end the builders' insurance just arranged for a firm to clean all of the cars.

[StatusRed]

Originally Posted by DaveNP

They should have some sort of Public Liability Insurance so the builder just needs to send it on to them and get it paid, my wife had similar when her car and many others got spattered with paint by the building site next to their office, in the end the builders' insurance just arranged for a firm to clean all of the cars.

Yeah but maybe they're still relucant because it will affect his premiums etc..

[DaveNP]

The other factor may be that the insurers only respond when they're forced to, for business purposes they can't just throw money around but the threat of legal action should prompt them to act.

[StatusRed]

He saw me at the house today and came over to chat, he looked at where the cement had splattered on the car again.

Said he wasn't sure when I said about potentially not doing the work and attempting to fix it myself but taking the money but he said he spoke to his lawyer mate who confirmed that's something I can do because he's effectively devalued my car by the cost to professionally fix it.

He said when he gets the next lot of money in for the development (probably a week or two) he'll pay me, this is promising, I think he's realised I'm serious and he's backed into a corner over it.

[DaveNP]

That sounds positive.
He may have been suspicious of you wanting paying but proposing to do it yourself, after all it would sound a bit like you just want the money. I have done similar in the past when someone ran into my car, being an older car when it got to the insurers approved body shop they were struggling to get the parts and match the paint, the breaking point was when they said 'We can't get the bracket for that but we can bodge something up' (yes they used the word 'bodge'), the insurers had previously suggested 'cash in lieu of damages' so I took the money and did the job myself.

[StatusRed]

Originally Posted by DaveNP

That sounds positive.
He may have been suspicious of you wanting paying but proposing to do it yourself, after all it would sound a bit like you just want the money. I have done similar in the past when someone ran into my car, being an older car when it got to the insurers approved body shop they were struggling to get the parts and match the paint, the breaking point was when they said 'We can't get the bracket for that but we can bodge something up' (yes they used the word 'bodge'), the insurers had previously suggested 'cash in lieu of damages' so I took the money and did the job myself.

Yeah exactly that. The point is its an offroader so I don't care too much about the bodywork but if I were to sell it tomorrow and wanted what it's worth before he damaged it I'd have to pay this amount to get it professionally rectified. As it is I'm thinking I'll use the money to pay for a spray to remove the cement, as close paint match as I can find and some lacquer and I'll do the best I can without having to redo full panels so it at least won't rust, this also takes time.. I'll buy a cover for the car too so when it's parked up it shouldn't happen again.

[XC90Mk1]

It sounds to me as though he is fobbing you off to be honest. When something is damaged you don’t have to wait for him to be paid.

Now of course, you know his ‘character’. He may be genuine and about to receive payment.

But as someone who works for himself I know often it take a MONTHS to get paid. Even where there is a formal contract.

You don’t want him telling you every 2 weeks ‘I am just about to be paid mate’ which can happen.

I am not saying it will, I am just saying that 100% sounds like what will happen. I am very doubtful you will see anything from him?

I assume all these promises are verbal? Has he actually emailed or better still written to you clearly stating he will pay X amount in Y weeks?

As the saying goes, verbal contracts are only worth the paper they are written on….