Just a quick question...

mahamageehad

Hi guys, don't think I've ever posted here before but I was wondering could someone answer a quick question for me?

I'm living in an apartment block in Cork since September. It has an underground car park for tenants, but we don't have to pay to park there, or have a permit or anything so technically anyone could park there.

A few weeks ago, the Friday before the May Bank holiday, I left to walk to college at 11am and my car was perfect. However when I arrived home at 2pm the wing mirror on my drivers side had been taken clean off.

This put me in a sticky situation as you can imagine because there was no possibility of getting it fixed until at least Tuesday and I would be putting myself in danger (both driving and with the Gardai) by driving the car.

I got the mirror fixed on Tuesday morning. It cost me €45 which is a lot for a student. I work part time and only earn €60 a week which I can usually survive off. And this wing mirror is blue while the car is red but I had to settle for second hand as a new one was €130. I went to management on Friday when I realised what had happened and made the complaint that the car had been scratched and dented and the wing mirror taken off. They told me to follow it up with them on Tuesday.

However when I arrived back at the office on Tuesday I was just told "Sorry we can't see it on the camera, nothing we can do". As you can imagine I was not impressed as there goes my plans of trading up over the summer.

So my question is this: Have I any comeback?? Have I any rights because I'm paying my rent there and it's a tenant carpark?? Or is it just a case of tough luck??

Thanks guys!!

Paulw

They have no liability for your car parked there. If they did see something on CCTV, they can then use that to allow you to persue the responsible person.

But, you have no recourse against the management company/agent.

Tough luck, unfortunately.

mahamageehad

Ya I thought as much alright. That's why I never really followed it up after that. But what really sparked this thread was today when I went down to check where the camera's are there is only 1 camera... at its point at a blank wall 5 meters away from it. I just thought that it was crazy!! So technically if I decided to go on a destruction spree tonight against the 200 or so cars parked here, nobody could be blamed as it would have to be on CCTV?? Thanks again by the way.

partyguinness

I am afraid you will have to put this down to experience:(

It might be worth your while checking other cars in the complex to see if they are damaged. Surely the vehicle that hit you will also be damaged. Obviously if the car was just visiting then no luck.