Pothole Claim: How to Report Pothole Damage
Potholes become much more common in cold or wet weather. Damage on our roads become worsened by ice or water getting under the surface, expanding and causing weak spots on the road. When a vehicle drives over this weak spot, the road material becomes displaced, therefore causing a pothole.
So how do you go about reporting them and making a claim for any damage? Here’s where we delve into the pothole issue.
Report Pothole Damage: How To Get Them Fixed
It's never been easier to report a naughty pothole. Indeed, the government positively encourages it, you can report them here, simply pop in the postcode of the road fault and you're off.
However, when the damage is to a motorway or A Road, then your pothole location heads to Highways England, in Scotland it goes to MyGov and in Northern Ireland NIDirect.
"Take pictures of the hole, note it’s size, shape and depth. Also the location, weather conditions, and if there are any witnesses to the damage."
Pothole Claim: How To Make One
It's exactly the same for claiming compensation for any damage. We're getting a little ahead of ourselves though, first what's the procedure if your vehicle is damaged?
Take pictures of the hole, note down it’s size, shape and depth - if you don't have a ruler use a bottle, coin or pen for an ideal of scale. Also the location, weather conditions, and if there are any witnesses to the damage. (Please note that you won’t be able to do this on a motorway, not only is it illegal, it's very dangerous).
Then take pictures of the damage and get several repair quotes. You must follow the local council’s guidelines when it comes to submission of the claim. These can usually be found on your local government website.
Pothole Damage: What If My Claim Is Rejected?
If it's rejected then you have the option of using your comprehensive car insurance policy. Or the repairs can be arranged and monitored for you by MotorEasy. If not, a small claims court action is a possibility if the damage is at least £1,000.
However, your claim may be rejected if the council wasn't aware of the pothole. If the pothole appeared recently after their latest inspection and no one had yet reported it as a hazard, the council can reject your claim as they trook responsibility to check the roads. This serves as a reminder of just how important it is to notify them about any problems you see in your locality.
