Friend Going Back on his word - Where do I stand?

Bored-Stupid

Hi all,

Ok here are the facts.

A few months ago I tipped into the side of my friends car. I was reversing out of a space and he stopped horizontally across my bumper and got out to tell me something. I couldnt see him behind me (my rear windscreen was steamed up,may as well be honest), and I hit the side leaving a dent in his rear door. I got out, apologised, said I would pay for half the damage and that was grand, no guards or solicitors were called.

Anyway he got a few quotes and I organised getting my uncle who is a mechanic to take a look today. On our way down I mentioned that it shouldnt be that much if we are paying 50:50. To my amazement he blew a gasket, claiming I never mentioned that we would split the costs and said it was my fault so I should pay for it all. We left it that I would seek legal advice but the parents (the best solicitors of all:D) said that he didnt report it at the time so I should just leave him to his own devices!

Anyone have any advice or comments on this??

Thanks in advance!

Nothingcompares

You hit your mates car, talked him out of going through the official channels and now want to balk out on paying for the damage? some friend you are

fasterkitten

You're squirming out of a deal, the terms of which were very favourable to you. And 'the best solicitors of all', mammy and daddy are charming to advise you to screw over your friend because he tried to do the decent thing.

Just editing to add;
- it was entirely your fault because you were reversing
- you shouldn't have moved the car until you had cleared the windscreen
- he agreed not to involve Gardai or insurance companies
- he has waited MONTHS for the repairs to be organised
- he is allowing YOUR UNCLE to carry out the repairs
- on the way there you have the brainwave that it would be cheaper for you if you got him to pay half the costs of something that was not his fault.

How can you be surprised that he lost his temper?

RasTa

Why exactly should your mate pay half when you reversed into his car? Pay up.

Bored-Stupid

Hmmm.... I see where you are all coming from and I appreciate the responses, but we agreed that we would split the costs but now he is going back on HIS word. We didnt call guards or insurance companies as he was happy for the costs to be split 50:50. Im just annoyed he is coming back claiming I never mentioned this. Looking at it I was parked legally and reversing out of a proper parking space and he parked along the back of my car in the middle of the street, so technically was he not illegally parked?? I thought I was doing the best compromise and willing to split the costs...also it took this long to organise getting repairs as he was never willing to sacrafice his time and meet me so I could take him to see my uncle.Had to organise it for a Sunday (myself and my uncle having better things to do on the Sabbath).

But I refuse to take the comments you made about talking him out of using the professional channels and also that I had a "brainwave" to get him to pay half the costs on my way there. This was sorted at the time and as for the guards he was more than welcome to give them a call (would have been the best option the way things panned out only I thought we had sorted it out and would have been pointless ringing them).

Einstein

You're having a laugh?
You hit his car, why would he pay for the repair?
Maybe he just realised that you were trying to screw him for your mistake!?

Pay up..

/shoo

Bored-Stupid

Einstein wrote: »

You're having a laugh?
You hit his car, why would he pay for the repair?
Maybe he just realised that you were trying to screw him for your mistake!?

Pay up..

/shoo

The reason he would pay is because thats what he said he would do (well half of it anyway).

Einstein

Bored-Stupid wrote: »

The reason he would pay is because thats what he said he would do (well half of it anyway).

and maybe he changed his mind...or misheard you.

the friendly thing to do is say "theres no rush in fixing it". I wouldn't offer to go 50/50 with any of my friends if that happened tbh.

Blazer

Bit of a dodgy one..first of all the idiot parked his car in front of someone reversing out of a spot. Someone did that to me as i was reversing I'd refuse point blank to pay and have the guards called. I might turn out to be wrong but no way would I accept responsibility for that.
I reckon someone's been having a few words with him as well (mammy+daddy etc) and saying you should be paying for it all.
I'd have a chat with him, see what he's happy with accepting.
If he still wants the full amount paid for , pay for it and cut him off as a friend.

artielange

His 50 is to cover damages to your car.
Your 50 is to cover damages to his car.

I swear i have heard this explained to me once and found it crazy but that might be his understanding.

Bored-Stupid

Einstein wrote: »

and maybe he changed his mind...or misheard you.

the friendly thing to do is say "theres no rush in fixing it". I wouldn't offer to go 50/50 with any of my friends if that happened tbh.

Then is he not as bad as im made out to be if he changes his mind? If he wasnt happy splitting the bill then he should have said something at the time.


Mathew Reilly - Yeah if I thought it would have been this much bother I would have phoned the guards. He wont talk over it, he has said I should pay for it and thats that. I was thinking about paying for it and just finishing it but 400 quid is hard to come by and im so peeved with him I dont want him having a cent of my money!

artielange - Yeah thats the problem, there was no damage done to my car (well except for a few small scratches). But the fact it wasnt reported and there were no witnesses and 3 months has passed would he have a leg to stand on if he contacted his solicitor or the Gardai? I would rather avoid a legal battle over something so small but im no annoyed he went back on what we agreed!!

artielange

[quote=
artielange - Yeah thats the problem, there was no damage done to my car (well except for a few small scratches). But the fact it wasnt reported and there were no witnesses and 3 months has passed would he have a leg to stand on if he contacted his solicitor or the Gardai? I would rather avoid a legal battle over something so small but im no annoyed he went back on what we agreed!![/quote]



but if he thought thats what he was agreeing to ,him paying for your damages and you paying for his....hes problably just as annoyed at you...if you know what i mean

off topic - I still cant figure out this quote buisness and multi-quote Im no even going to try

dats_right

If I was your "friend", I'd definitely be going through your insurance company for the accident which by the sounds of it was 100% your fault. In fact, I'd probably also be planning a trip to my GP in connection with those awful head and neck aches I've been experiencing ever since the accident!! You hit your friends car because you couldn't see or didn't look where you were going= very simple, it's your fault! and that is the view your insurance will take of it, by the way your friend has 2 years to claim for personal injuries and 6 years to claim for property damage (such as was caused by this), so Mammy and Daddy's advices are wrong and whats more aren't advising you very well at all, you really should be taking responsibility for your actions and pay for the damage you caused.

mayfire

It doesn t matter where he was parked. You hit him. He wasn t moving. Pay up.

Rev Hellfire

You reversed your car without checking to see that the way was clear, its that simple.
Pay up and chalk it down to experience.

Bored-Stupid

artielange wrote: »

but if he thought thats what he was agreeing to ,him paying for your damages and you paying for his....hes problably just as annoyed at you...if you know what i mean

off topic - I still cant figure out this quote buisness and multi-quote Im no even going to try

I think I might just pay up....seems like the handiest thing to do!It was my fault and im just fed up with it at this stage.

And to quote someone you just click on the quote tag on the bottom right of the persons post and then you write what you like underneath it......I was wondering about the multiple quotes and I havent a clue either!!

*Roisin*

To be honest you sound like you're acting pretty despicably. You were wholly at fault for the accident, your window was fogged up and you still backed up. Could you imagine using these excuses if it was a small child that had been standing behind the car and you knocked them down? I know it's easy to take a small chance, but when it doesn't work out you should take responsibility. I made a simple mistake once and caused some damage to the car in front of me. It was a small mistake, the driver in front admitted that he had come out too quickly...I still paid for all of the damage, and I really really appreciated the driver shopping around to get the best quote for me, which is what it sounds like your friend is doing.

I can't imagine him agreeing to pay for it. Had the Guards come down the responsibility would have been totally on you. He could have gone through your insurance, he could have called the Guards down, he's obviously shopping around for quotes and even gone to see your uncle, something that I would be sceptical about (no offence to your uncle, but I'd be wary of friend's of friend's going for a cheap fix for my car). He has other inconviences such as being without a car while his is being fixed. He could have tried to charge you for that as well! There are witnesses now, your uncle for one has seen you admit to it, as well as others I'm sure. For the sake of 400euro would you not just pay what you owe and stop giving this guy extra hassle and causing bad blood?

It is a pain but you have to take responsibility yourself and not misplacing your anger on the other person.