Hi all, wanted to ask a question and see if anyone has experience or advice which I can use to help - if there's any legal expertise able to advise in particular.
I bought a brand new car 7 months ago, currently has 5000 miles on the clock, absolutely immaculate as you would expect of a new car. A month ago a couple of neighbours brought their 9 and 10 year old kids to my door (one lives right next door, the other opposite) to report damage to my car. Went out and they showed me the back window was smashed, the kids had been throwing stones over their wall, which is adjacent to my driveway.
One parent offered to split the cost of repair, then left as they had other things to do, the second (neighbour opposite) stayed and helped to clear up the glass. Whilst clearing up they offered to get a quote to pay for the window. By then I'd noticed a load of stone chips and scratches so I told them I wanted all the damage repaired, walked him around the car and pointed out loads of paintwork issues. There were stone chips on the glass panelled roof, the front windscreen, scratches and chips to the bonnet, one of the front quarter panels, both rear quarters and the rear boot - it was in a horrendous state. "I'm not paying for that mate, I'll split the cost for the rear window". I reminded him it was a brand new car and you wouldn't find that much damage on a car that's done 5k miles, certainly wouldn't get stone chips and scratches to the roof and rear of the car from normal driving. Told him I'd get it done through the insurance and would expect them to pay my costs. He agreed this was reasonable, congratulated me for remaining calm - quite simply I'm very placid so never lose my temper outwardly.
I've now got my costs together, £1.5k which is my excess, buses and taxi's while I waited for a courtesy car to become available, one month's payment for my car (been without it for 5 weeks so far so felt it reasonable to claim the instalment), increase in my premiums for next 5 years (just renewed, my insurance has jumped £130 a year as a result) and an amount to cover inconvenience.
The dealership gave me a copy of their workshop costings - the repair value is £7.5k. Going the insurance route was definitely the right way to go.
Went to see the neighbours today about the £1.5k. Seems both sets have got their stance agreed between them. Both said they would only pay my excess and that I was being unreasonable. Immediate neighbour said "only one stone thrown and then I kicked them out of the garden". Their child is friendly with my youngest, told her a couple of weeks back that she was really sorry and the two involved had thrown about 10 stones each. Second set of parents, who had agreed me claiming costs was reasonable, decided to take the line "we could have just taken the kids inside and said nothing, then you would have come out to a smashed window and not known who'd done it". He actually said this in front of the kids, so basically teaching them that if they ever fuck up they can lie through their teeth and not have to take responsibility for it. Both kids have been out playing every day since, no punishment dished out whatsoever.
Absolute wankers, I'm fuming inside but don't know how best to take this forward and whether it would be successful. I did inform the police and get a crime reference number for insurance purposes. I do still have the glass and stones off the drive in a bucket, also took photo's of the damage on the day.
Any advice please?