Pothole claim against council

[scorcher]

Put in a claim after suffering a blowout on one of the millions of potholes on Somersets roads and they have approved the claim. Now, to process the claim they need……. A screenshot of my insurance policy that was active at the time, a photo of the actual MOT in force at the time ( will not accept screenshots of online mot history) and proof of condition of tyre.
Insurance no problem, but haven’t got the old mot certificate ( cheap shed purchased without a lot of paperwork but MOT’d). Tyre long gone, didn’t even cross my mind to get a photo, but only done about 500 miles, after ironically having a blowout on another pothole but tyre was at the end of it life anyway. Never kept the receipt for it.
Can they really refuse a claim because they’re too lazy to check the mot status ( free online at gov.uk)? Obviously providing proof of condition of tyre will be difficult but at least should get something back. It’s only £60 at best at the end of the day but it just seems to be set up to avoid paying out if at all possible ( no surprises there)

[jondude]

I think you can ask the MOT place you used to print a hard copy for you?

• If it was not you who MOTd it last so you do not know where, I think on the MOT site you can use your V5C to get the address of the last station. On the mot history you will notice a link under the result - says 'View Test Location'.

Have not used this but presume it is the actual garage used?

Edited by jondude on Sunday 26th January 15:10

[a340driver]

Good luck with your claim OP. I suspect they'll try everything to wiggle out of it.
Edited to start my own topic and not derail this.

Edited by a340driver on Sunday 26th January 15:22

Edited by a340driver on Sunday 26th January 15:49

Edited by a340driver on Sunday 26th January 15:50

[Sheepshanks]

scorcher said:

Tyre long gone, didn’t even cross my mind to get a photo, but only done about 500 miles, after ironically having a blowout on another pothole but tyre was at the end of it life anyway. Never kept the receipt for it.

Ask the tyre place to reprint the receipt?

The other stuff seems unreasonable.

[martinbiz]

scorcher said:

Put in a claim after suffering a blowout on one of the millions of potholes on Somersets roads and they have approved the claim. Now, to process the claim they need……. A screenshot of my insurance policy that was active at the time, a photo of the actual MOT in force at the time ( will not accept screenshots of online mot history) and proof of condition of tyre.
Insurance no problem, but haven’t got the old mot certificate ( cheap shed purchased without a lot of paperwork but MOT’d). Tyre long gone, didn’t even cross my mind to get a photo, but only done about 500 miles, after ironically having a blowout on another pothole but tyre was at the end of it life anyway. Never kept the receipt for it.
Can they really refuse a claim because they’re too lazy to check the mot status ( free online at gov.uk)? Obviously providing proof of condition of tyre will be difficult but at least should get something back. It’s only £60 at best at the end of the day but it just seems to be set up to avoid paying out if at all possible ( no surprises there)

Just delaying tactics. You are making a 3rd party claim from a council or their insurers for damage caused to your vehicle, but in reality it is no different to making a claim for an RTC against a 3rd party, the status of your vehicle is not relevant, they have accepted liability and whether or not your car has an MOT or tax is none of their concern just as it wouldn't be if claiming for damage resulting from an RTC. If they are so desperate to know for some strange reason, then they can easily check the tax mot and ins status of your car online, I would write back and tell them so

[T-J-C]

You can print the MOT certificate yourself using the official gov.uk MOT webpage.

[scorcher]

T-J-C said:

You can print the MOT certificate yourself using the official gov.uk MOT webpage.

Thanks for that, missed that when I first looked. Council have agreed to pay for the tyre ( minus 5% for wear) so a decent result.

[trickywoo]

Surrey denied my claim because I couldn’t prove the pothole had been there for more than 3 months.

It had been reported (unknown to me) two weeks before I went in it but that wasn’t good enough.

I doubt they pay out for anything these days as they have so many get out clauses it’s ridiculous.

[Simpo Two]

When I tried this about 10 years ago with Essex CC I actually got through to someone in Highways (quite impossible now). His view was that I had to prove it, and when I said that the only way to do that would be to have a camera covering every wheel, he said 'yes'. Quite arrogant and disinterested. I hope he has subsequently damaged all his wheels in potholes.