Free Traffic Legal Advice

Whilst it may be sorned, the council (and environmental depts) may be interested if it is VERY unroadworthy.

We had a car sorned in my old flat car park, flat tyres, moss growing on windows/doors, food inside dated 3 years previous. The council came and placed a notice on it that it was going to be removed, followed by a scrappy sticking a business card on it, then it disappeared, presumed taken by the council (or a scrappy).

So it can be done, but will probably depend if it is just sorned and roadworthy, or sorned and a danger to the environment.

Or depending where you go in Europe (Lanzarote for instance, but I understand the same firms operate in other Spanish countries too), some hire firms have zero excess.

Worth checking before you splash out for excess cover, when it's not required (as I almost did!)

Quote from: andy_foster on March 13, 2025, 07:41:50 pm

However, for competent drivers, any hazard should be able to be visible from far enough away to react at the national speed limit.

Any hazard?
What if the hazard is a reported diesel spill, something that may be invisible or not be visible until extremely close or it could be a vehicle that has totally left the carriageway making it hard or impossible to see and the potential hazard could be glass or similar in the active lane.

Not sure that either of these, if not visible from a car at NSL, would be a hazard to a car. A motorcycle? Possibly. But with the majority of motorways being relatively straight even a diesel spill becomes less hazardous.

You could say the same for the lorry that overfilled its tanks at a rural petrol station, then emptied the excess in the first right hander following the fuel station. No hazard signs, no forward warning that it's there except for Mk1 eyeball and observations.

You will always have to engages with your insurance and look at their advice. If they advise going through an accident management company be aware of what has been said in previous posts.

Only as far as you're contracted to do so, i.e. informing them of an accident. You absolutely do not have to claim through them, but if you don't, there are benefits and risks.

The only downside I understand of dealing direct with the third party insurer, is that if you need to make a complaint (for instance, if the repair is not satisfactory), you may not be able to take it to the insurance ombudsman as you are not the customer of the third party insurer.

Judging by the speed of responses from SP83 and the OP I'm guessing you have some boiler plated responses prepared, this would be a good starting point.

PM me if your interested/agree that we need something to take up the 'easy win' tickets. @Southpaw82 : If this is to progress the best place for it would be as part of this site, and for that we'd need the owners permission. It's possible to host it elsewhere, if required, but would be better within this sites' mechanism for maintenance etc.

Whilst I have toyed with (and mocked up a wizard like site with upload facility), the biggest barrier is the end user and their comprehension of the paperwork or situation in front of them. Some of the key timings / information need people to accurately answer questions and (for instance) know what stage they are at.
Unless you're getting AI/OCR involved with scans or pictures, as demonstrated by threads on here sometimes not getting the details required even 4-5-6 posts in, the weakest link is going to be the user.

Perhaps a better option would be for the user to start the process, it to be moderated/validated for the stage they are at, then allow the automated system to continue?

If you do need any help just shout.

so it's possible for two people born in different centuries to have the same licence number, minus the last few random digits

Not to mention the same first, middle (or lack of) and last names, and the random digit.

ABCDE (5 digits of surname) YMMDDY (Decade of year, month 01-12 if male or 51-62 if female, day 01-28,29,30,31, last digit of year) F (First initial), M (Middle initial or 9), Random digit (normally 9), ZZ (Computer check digits).

For the first 30 days they can just reject for any faults.

30 days to 6 months the onus is on you to prove the faults did not exist at time of purchase, presumably you're not disputing it's a manufacturing defect.

The consumer is entitled to one of the following, at your discretion, in the first instance:

• Repair
• Replacement
• Full or partial refund*

They are not entitled to refuse the first two options unless it will cause significant inconvenience, is disproportionate to the cost of the goods, attempts to repair or replace have failed, repair or replacement is impossible, or repair/replacement will take a significantly long time.

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-rights-act-aKJYx8n5KiSl

https://www.businesscompanion.info/sites/default/files/CRA-Goods-Guidance-for-Business-Sep-2015.pdf

FWIW: I have claimed through S.75/Chargeback (the card company I use has the same form for both initially) and they did reach out to the other company for their side of the story. If you are complying with the consumer legislation I can't see them siding with the customer unless you're being unreasonable.

That said, would it cost you more in return postage than the CC fees?