My car hit a pothole, which shredded two tyres. I paid £197 for replacements and sent the receipt to Reading borough council. It admitted breach of duty but has deducted 30% from my claim to reflect wear and tear. The affected tyres were relatively new and in good condition, but, since I don’t have receipts from when I bought them, the council refuses to refund the full cost. I’ve argued in vain that I should not be left out of pocket by its negligence.
PJ, Reading
Drivers up and down the potholed country will be making the same unhappy discovery. Council insurance does not include “betterment”. That is to say, it doesn’t cover replacing old items with new. So unless you can produce receipts showing that the damaged tyres had been bought very recently, the council will deduct a sum from a claim. A 30% deduction strikes me as arbitrary and unreasonable. Mileage and driving conditions, more than age, determine condition.
