A pot hole damaged my car tyre... What to do?

[Spiderweb]

On my way home from work this afternoon I hit pot hole, it was full of water therefore difficult to see and avoid. I hit it with a tremendous bang and almost immediately the low pressure warning light came on in the car. Upon inspection I found air coming out of some damage in the side wall. I will need a new tyre which cost around £157 plus delivery and fitting!
Can I make a claim to the council?
All your advice would be appreciated.

 

[gavroche]

Yes you can. Take a photo of the said pothole and time of the day you went through it. Send the lot to the Council with a covering letter and your bill. My son in law did that and got his money back.

 

[Levo-Lon]

My wife burst the front tyre on our car avoiding a "i need all the road 4x4 driver" and clipped a curb.
Im not sure how you prove a pot hole did the damage but a photo will help with all the details ..
send it to council highways Dpt id think..

as above then..

 

[huwsparky]

Personally I wouldn't change just the one either unless the other is literally like new.

 

[Spiderweb]

[QUOTE 4183685, member: 9609"]what profile / size were your tyres ?[/QUOTE]
Continental sport contact 275/30 ZR19.

 

[Spiderweb]

Personally I wouldn't change just the one either unless the other is literally like new.

The tyres have done approximately 5000 miles so at £157+ each I will replace just the damaged one.

 

[huwsparky]

The tyres have done approximately 5000 miles so at £157+ each I will replace just the damaged one.

Take it you've got a beemer??? My old M3 had tyres of that size on the rear (or very similar), never managed to got 5000 miles out of a rear though!

Let us know how you get on with the council, if they're going to replace one they'll replace both on safety grounds. I've heard of people claiming for pot hole damage before but can't remember anyone being successful unfortunately.

 

[Broadside]

I hit a pothole and it cracked the alloy rim but the tyre fitter didn't point it out when replacing the tyre, the crack was on the inside so you couldn't see it unless the wheel was off.

I had to deal with a couple of months of that tyre losing air until finally a different garage spotted it. That got quite expensive to sort out...

 

[Jimidh]

I claimed for a tyre after hitting a huge pothole a few years ago and the councils insurers paid out with no problem at all.

I sent them a map and a photo of where it happened. I spoke to the local garage and they told me they had had another three cars in that day who had hit the same pot hole.

Good luck.

 

[Dave 123]

@Spiderweb
You'll do it, but you'll have to be tenacious. A year or so ago I got a new front bike wheel from the council in the same circumstances.

 

[Levo-Lon]

An awful lot of broken BMW rims due to ultra low profile tyres on sport style alloy wheels.
id also considder a claim to BMW and get the rim checked thoroughly..if your claim fails with the council

 

[Illaveago]

As User just said some Councils will not pay out on damage caused by potholes that they were unaware of. So we should report bad potholes to the Council responsible. A right pain and a good get out, Oh we were unaware of that one!
As for replacing the other tyre I don't think the Councils insurance people will agree to pay for it .

 

[Spiderweb]

Take it you've got a beemer??? My old M3 had tyres of that size on the rear (or very similar), never managed to got 5000 miles out of a rear though!

Let us know how you get on with the council, if they're going to replace one they'll replace both on safety grounds. I've heard of people claiming for pot hole damage before but can't remember anyone being successful unfortunately.

Yes it is a BMW, no M3 though just a 520d. I've printed of a claim form and will let the forum know how I get on.

 

[Spiderweb]

It is unlikely you will be successful with your claim unless you can demonstrate that the council has failed in its duty to maintain the road adequately, normally by showing that the pothole had been there for some time, the Council should have been aware through routine inspection or reporting and that, having been aware, it failed to address the issue.

The pothole being there is not in itself evidence of negligence on the council's part.

This whole section of road is riddled with pot holes, many poorly repaired with new ones appearing weekly. It is not my usual route to work, since Tadcaster bridge collapsed with the floods it has become a diversion for many drivers.
It is probably the worst road surface I have ever seen, I am usually so careful however the pot hole on this occasion was underwater.

 

[graham bowers]

<Snip> Check on fillthathole to see if it has been reported and if so, when.

Good link there! I feel another hobby coming on ;-))