thx for the replies. yes the bodyshop have commissioned a brakes test which I'm assuming will show nothing serious but potential 'adjustments' as seems to be par for the course after this type of accident sadly. Regarding the charges, my excess is £250 (yikes) and obviously the owners of the building will be claiming on my policy, so the insurers will sort it all out, but I'll expect a hike in my premium. Not fair really as I feel like I did all the right things but I guess its a case of proving it.

thanks & thanks.

I've noticed a couple of other posters on this forum have had a similar problem as me and would like to hear from anyone else who has had this. (I know it sounds odd, but I swear its true...) My car a Focus Cmax was parked at the top of a hill (on the flat, but at the top of a hill) with the handbrake on. After approx 10 minutes the car ended up inside ()a building at the bottom of the hill with the handbrake still on. There was even resistance when we tried to drive it out of the building which proved the cable hadn't snapped, but it was still on. Now this is obviously very serious but confusing to me, especially as I know that when leaving the car I reached back into it & put the car into 1st gear. I can believe that it maybe wasn't fully in gear and it somehow 'popped' out of gear, but I can't quite work out how the handbrake was on for 10 mins, then failed, then was on again... Believe me, it was the scariest thing I've ever encountered, having a car crash through a wall inches away from me! But if it's happened to you - or if you have an idea about the mechanics of it, please can you let me know. Many thanks.