Hit a pothole today and which caused tyre damage. Not sure how much damage has been done as it was dark and I’ll take my car to the garage tomorrow. Tyre was flat when I parked up though.
Just curious if anyone has managed a successful claim to their local council for similar such incidents. This pothole has been reported and is showing on the local highway authority map as a reported road fault (with no timeline for repair).
6 comments
Not had experience myself but it’s [a pistonheads question this](https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=10&t=1929733).
Depends when it was previously reported.
10 minutes before your report, pretty much no chance of claiming.
Several days, you’ve a good shout. Especially if it was repeatedly reported.
Put in an FOI request about that section of road for the repair history and reports.
You need to have a picture of the pothole with proof of how deep it is , a ruler inside or something for scale like a can.
Without evidence to back up your claim there’s literally no chance whatsoever. And anything below a certain depth won’t be paid out.
Also only main roads or A roads I was told ( whatever that means ). If it’s a back country road, they won’t pay out either.
Depth and width. Your pic will be time stamped; screenshot the page showing it’s awaiting repair (when reported etc) and date that.
Only then, complain…. and when you don’t get anywhere, ask for the legal officer to whom you should submit your small claims.
Councils routinely push back on this stuff but they have insurance for this.
I have. Coming down a steep hill on a narrow road, pot hole was enormous and unavoidable, bust the front nearside wheel and instantly went flat. It was a Range Rover too so large wheels & tyres. I can’t remember if it was cracked but it was at least badly dented. Figured I might as well pull over and take the pictures. Took ages but I got the cost of the wheel repair back from the council.