Changed windscreen by insurer damaged

[MOSS 41]

hi, not sure if right group heading. My insurer was hastings so outsourced windscreen change to national windscreens, who it appears further subbed out to Collision Repair Group-

faulty windscreen, deception, cant sell car as wanted to in dec last year, so now a drop in value also

 

Chronology

5 oct  21 changed screen after stone chip.

noticed some water in my car footwells over next two week, took videos , two inches worth had built up had to be special vacumed out and car stank was damp for weeks after the valet

because was new windscreen locator pin, trapped and bent by incorrect fitting letting water go down inside of screen behind dash to floor.

 

16th oct same engineer came and refitted same windscreen by snapping off locator pin (admitted by him), but it whistled loudly from that point on, sent in videos

 

Called them back in November, another engineer came said he was master fitter and it will be perfect when hes done, found holes in seals and incorrect fitting of screen, refitted same screen again

 

it still whistled  (videos of noise and complaints constantly sent to company)

 

engineer 3 and fourth visit, in jan 2022 didnt remove screen just put extra glue at bottom, which did nothing, but telling me he identified more holes etc- this is the interesting part, he goes out of his way to point our some black spray marks ( my car is brand new 70 plate and valeted one week before) on top corner of my bonnet, i said ive not see before but 'he wanted to make sure i didnt think he did it' 

 

car still whistles, further videos sent to company, asking why they are not changing the screen i know is damaged, they refuse.

Get a phone call after last engineer  left from company, saying engineer reported back, nothing wrong with your screen, he doesnt know why he was sent, they will not attend my property again- i said that is not the conversation we just had that morning! what was person on phone name etc can i speak to manager- he refused to give me this information

 

ultimately manager rang back from company 200 miles from me , starting conversation with, 'hi, i know you and where you live, ive just been googling you etc, and a way to intimidate me!

i asked how , 200 miles away social media private etc, he wouldnt answer.

 

at this point ive now just escalated to Hastings the insurer to deal with.

 

But this is the interesting part, not only is my windscreen faulty the black spray on car bonnet requires a respray, and has been identified by local screen fitter as windscreen glue, thats eaten into paint and will need to be resprayed- 

so i went to my ring cameras and cctv and lo and behold you can see the engineer on that day, flick a spatula of glue on the exact corner, vigorously try to clean it off over proceeding 20 minutes, and then lie to me on camera that he didnt do it- ive forwarded this to insurer.

 

im at a loss here, now what to do , ive told collision repair to not contact me again as going through insurer, and they lie and intimidate me only, caught on recorded calls and cctv.

 

but i cant sell my car, none of this is my fault, dont want a claim lodged against me for a windscreen change gone wrong, what legal redress do i have here apart from going to ombudsman

 

sorry for long post

 

 

 

 

 

 

so ive escalated and raised complaint to hastings 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MOSS 41]

Hi,

Just want it made good , So I can sell 

We took delivery of new car in Dec and my trade in and Wbac was a lot higher than now - so out of pocket in dropped value to unfortunately 

[MOSS 41]

Thanks for responses - insurer said splitting complaint into two halves 

 

1) to sort windscreen and paintwork (I said I need new one by someone else - not them people

 

2) my treatment by this firm 

 

how long do I give them , in my mind , just book me in elsewhere and get it Sorted ie what am I waiting for ?

 

where would I go for independent inspection ? (Another windscreen Co) Because surely this is going to cost a lot of money I shouldn’t have to pay for someone to take off and inspect windscreen , paintwork easy enough to get report on 

 

How long do I give them to book me in elsewhere for screen and paintwork before getting independent inspection ?

[MOSS 41]

Ok, will look into that thanks 

I’ve put the insurers on notice too 

 

what I find so frustrating is fighting so hard , I’ve just sent my ring camera conversation of them talking to me at door admitting screen is damaged by the snapping off of locator pins , followed by , this is standard practice by us fitters , locator pins aren’t necessary -

so why have them then / damage is damage , according to my research they are essential for positioning and even a 1mm drop in screen can result in gaps and whistling 

 

it’s like banging your head against a brick wall 

[MOSS 41]

Ok will do -

I’m awaiting their response , from putting them on notice yesterday , and asking what they are doing to organise repairs 

[MOSS 41]

Still no response from insurers -

I’ve emailed , asking why is no one contacting me to organise screen repair / replacement and get car booked in for paintwork ? 
 

nothing. -

 

out of interest i did swing by a car bodywork place - who again confirmed , This primer from windscreen fitters is flicked on my car bonnet and would be happy to put in a letter headed report if required - 

 

 

but I need to get the ball rolling , and still no 

communication from insurers ,I can’t afford to sit around for 8 weeks to escalate to ombudsman - unable to sell my car while it continues  to

devalue 

[MOSS 41]

still no response- im just being ignored

car still damaged in driveway, i dont have the money to pay privately to change windscreen and get a respray and then claim back through the courts 

 

how do i pressure them to fix my car they damaged through their authorised installer

 

ive sent all the evidence and cctv - its really a slam dunk, there can be no argument -i dont know what the hold up is.

[MOSS 41]

not done it yet, they said in call two weeks ago, they will get another company to come and fix new screen etc

so ive waited then radio silence , 

 

emailing and calling, no response

 

now rang again this morning and she will call me back after 'training'

[MOSS 41]

ok getting paint work one today 

[MOSS 41]

still awaiting paint quote, should come through today

 

they returned my call, and refused to agree to fix my car, as they had 8 weeks to investigate (4 weeks in already)

 

i said , investigation and complaint is almost irrelevant, you have damaged my car and need to fix it now

ive sent reports and CCTV of damage being done and cctv of agents admitting its a damaged screen in my car- so you cannot refute that your agents caused the damage no matter how long you investigate

 

so still cant sell car and dropped another 2k in value, i did ask them where i send my letter of claim, and now they seem to have transferred to another senior advisor 

 

 

[MOSS 41]

Independent company windscreen fitter been, is preparing quote to remove, find installation fault , and also quote for new windscreen if this one cant be used- he also saw and has pointed out , the inside headline on my car has black glue on it and has been cut on the other side too (ive taken photos of this ) and will need a new headliner too!

 

so once i have two quotes/reports i plan to send to insurer.

Do i say this must be fixed within xx amount of days ie 14

or i shall authorise the work myself and court claim

 

bonnet respray £xxxx

new headliner £xxxxx

windscreen repair /replacement £xxxxxx 

diminuition in value £6000 as couldnt sell in dec when took delivery of new car (if this can be claimed )

 

 

 

[MOSS 41]

will they not argue , you didnt let us finish our investigation , so didnt give us the opportunity to decide to  repair ourselves

[MOSS 41]

they wont answer my question about getting car fixed, they just say, we have to do an investigation and we are allowed 8 weeks to answer -to see if we have to fix it at all

[MOSS 41]

Just don’t want it to be a defence to a

court claim - that they weren’t allowed opportunity - just trying to cover all bases 

 

as far as I’m concerned -

car is damaged -

needs to be fixed by them

irrespective of investigation -it’s their responsibility to fix my car - just trying to take the correct steps 

[MOSS 41]

here is my draft LBA

does it look ok?

 

im obviously awaiting some figures i shall get today

hastings LBA CAG.pdf

[MOSS 41]

yes they do-

i thought it was worth doing as it explains why im claiming (what got me to this stage) what evidence i hold

 

and maybe goes to a different dept ? who isnt going to go through the whole case file probably and just read letter in isolation

[MOSS 41]

will hang fire a second , suzuki have agreed to take in tomorrow and do comprehensive report 

and lift carpets dash etc, for flood damage when it was under two/three  inches of water for a week when first installer chap, trapped locator pin and water ran down front of my windscreen on inside  (admitted by installer and two videos) as car still condensates and is a little smelly

 

they said , there may be rust, corroded parts , airbags maybe affected etc 

they will also type up about the headliner damage as they said photos i sent are such sloppy damage thats happened

 

prob is now keeping this claim under 10K

 

 

 

 

 

[MOSS 41]

Still awaiting water damage video -

it’s being done Monday,

but Early indications, seem to point to no water damage 

 

 

so update is 

still no response to

complaint by Hastings due by Monday for 8 weeks 

 

but been contacted today from hoopers to say they have been asked to independently

assess vehicle, but trust pilot reviews are awful and says they are not independent 

 

my main question is about evidence 

 

so I have 

 

videos of water coming in car from first screen fitting , cctv of fitter flicking black primer and Mastic on bonnet and trying to clean off , cctv of fitters admitting it’s still whistling and parts snapped off windscreen on last visit 

and photos of headliner damage 

 

so if assessor comes out and says nothing wrong or damage not made by the fitters or fault insurance , and I inform him on cctv camera (what evidence I hold before he starts) then Surely he would be committing a fraud 

 

just trying to prepare for them trying to wiggle out of it 

 

I mean I’ve sent all the concrete evidence

so why do they need another assessment ? 

 

 

 

[MOSS 41]

Ok- should I watch assessor do inspection and should I casually drop in conversation that I hold all this cctv evidence ? 

 

 

or keep quiet ? 

[MOSS 41]

I was maybe thinking , if he knew he would write report accurately - and insurers would deal with and fix 

 

rather than do a

standard denial type report , to get out of it 

which I then completely challenge with the cctv and prolong the agony of this drama 

 

I never thought dealing with an insurance

company would be this bad when evidence is so complete 

 

but I see what you are saying ,

ill

just point out the damage and see what he comes back with 

[MOSS 41]

so 8 weeks has passed, this 'hoopers' arent responding to booking emails they instructed me to use as communication,

so cant yet organise their review. Hastings dont respond anymore either, i've tried to involve suzuki finance too as its 'their' car, but they dont seem interested unless it was a total loss, and said cant help

 

i want to start the court action, as ive just had enough

 

to clarify

1)i claim as an individual against Hastings Direct of Hastings Insurance Services ltd

2) i claim under consumer rights act ? breach of contract?? as the legal basis?

3)what i claim for is costs to repair i have quotes for ? or performance of contract to force to repair car

4)i claim diminuition of value? is this based on evidence or 10% rule (as car was less than one year old when damaged)

 

thanks for help