my cars have been vandalised in a HA car park where i live - who pays?

[helencat]

HI i live i a block of flats owned by a housing association, over the last year my car has been damaged badly on several occassions, the police and HA have been notified but the HA refuse to do anything like install CCTV make enquiries etc etc they DO NOT have an owners liability sign in their car park! where do i stand for the cost of the repairs? i am on disability benefit and cannot afford to have 4 panels on my car replaced, resprayed etc or the additional depreciation of the car. I got a new car 3 months ago and the car i traded in was devalued by £2000 due to the damage and now my newer car has suffered the same fate............... any advice much appreciated!

cheers Helen

 

ps the close is a cul de sac and only residents would be up their. on one occassion i heard the perpertrators do it then enter the main door to the block but because i didn't see them the HA refused to do anything. But if they refuse to install CCTV how am i supposed to get proof?

[raydetinu]

I am afraid you will just have to cliam on your own insurance or the people that did the damage. you dont have to park there.

I cannot see how HA would be liable.

[helencat]

actually yes i do have to park their!!!! their is nowhere else and i'm disabled. It is obviously a tenant who is doing this but the HA are happy to do nothing about it? as they have no owners liability notice in the car park i feel they are at least partially responsible for the repairs due to their lax attitude towards crime on their property. They could easily install CCTV (which has been recommended by the police) but they choose not to? perhaps i wasn't clear this is NOT the 1st time this has happened and it is a covered car park so can't be seen from any windows so their is never going to be any eye witnesses to see them do it?

[missmop]

I don't think you will get much joy with the ha I'm afraid. They do not have to provide CCTV, and will probably say they cannot afford it due to a rise in costs for everything.

 

Have you spoken to the ha about maybe re-housing you as you say this has happened a few times, so sounds to me like you are being targeted if other cars are parked there and remain damage free? I know you probably don't wan to move, and why should you? But it could save you the cost of insurance claim after insurance claim. We had to claim on our insurance due to vandalism a few years ago resulting in sky high premiums until it comes off after 5 years. I know how bad it must also feel going to sleep at night (or lack of it) wondering if your going to wake to furthar damage.

 

Having police reports of the damage may help you get furthar up the moving list, and getting your local mp on your side will also help them sit up and listen.

 

I know just how awful being on the receiving end of damage can be, stressful to say the least! So for the sake of your health it may be worth considering a move.

 

Good luck

[raydetinu]

They will never accept liability. Unless they have described it as secure or monitored parking ( even then I am sure they would not accept it, especially as you know there is a problem )

Anymore than if you were personally attacked in the car park.