Author Topic: Complaint letter to council about pothole  (Read 17671 times)

Complaint letter to council about pothole
« on: 21 October, 2008, 05:57:50 pm »
I hit a pothole last night so hard I wrecked a rim and got a flat tyre. Unfortunately I had no choice, it was either that of take a dive up the front of an oncoming car.

I'm pissed of since I've reported it to the Council before (back in February) and now it's going to cost me a new rim.
So I wrote a letter. Would anyone care to critique it before I send it?

Dear sir,

I hit a pothole in Estreham Road last night which has caused a puncture and damage to the wheel rim on my bicycle which will require replacement of the rim, rim tape and spokes.

The pothole was not visible due to rain and poor road conditions, but is one that has previously been reported to the council by the CTC according to their website: Hazard #11159 - FillThatHole.org.uk

I would like to claim for the cost of prepairs to the damage caused.

I estimate the damage at
Rim:
         Mavic Open Sport Clincher Rim - From £20.99 - Worldwide Cycling Mail Order Specialists and Consultants - Parker International
      

£20.99
Spokes:
         DT Swiss Competition Silver 14/15g Spokes - Only £10.00 - Worldwide Cycling Mail Order Specialists and Consultants - Parker International
      

£20
Rim tape:
         Vittoria Rim Tape - Only £2.25 - Worldwide Cycling Mail Order Specialists and Consultants - Parker International
      

£2.25
Wheelbuilding cost: Bike Repairs, Bike Servicing at De Ver Cycles (London & Surrey) - Servicing, Repair, Resprays for Mountain Bikes,
Road Bikes, Hybrid Bikes, Touring Bikes

£40
Inner tube: http://www.parker-international.co.uk/ProductDetails/mcs/productID/4439/groupID/8/categoryID/101/v/a58a940d-1a68-4dd6-8c63-abb4177e74b7
£2.25

As you can see the total cost comes to over £85, not to mention the inconvenience of having to repair a puncture in the pouring rain as a result of a lack of road maintenance.
Since I build my own wheels, I'm happy to waive the wheelbuilding fee which is the set price charged by the nearest local shop. However, I would like to claim the remainder as compensation.

Could you please let me know how to go about doing this?

I will take photographs over the next few days to illustrate the damage and I will try to photograph the pothole.

Regards,



αdαmsκι

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Re: Complaint letter to council about pothole
« Reply #1 on: 21 October, 2008, 06:16:27 pm »
Get a photo of the pothole before you send the letter or else it may "vanish" before you get round to doing so.
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Re: Complaint letter to council about pothole
« Reply #2 on: 21 October, 2008, 06:42:18 pm »
I wouldn't waive the wheelbuilding cost.

You're going to lose out your own time and effort to build the wheel.  Why do it for free?  You could be doing more worthwhile tasks with that time you're losing.

Jacomus

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Re: Complaint letter to council about pothole
« Reply #3 on: 22 October, 2008, 08:16:36 am »
I second both Adamski and Nutty.

Photo evidence ASAP and screw the waiver! They will try to wriggle out of as much as possible, don't make it easy for them. They owe you. Bigstyle. I would insert a paragraph highlighting what could have happened (i.e. you getting thrown off and under the oncoming car) had you not been so lucky. Doesn't matter if its BS, creating paranoia in a health and safety dominated environment is easy and will work in your favour.
"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity." Amelia Earhart

Re: Complaint letter to council about pothole
« Reply #4 on: 22 October, 2008, 08:56:53 am »
Did you orginally report the pothole to the council in writing? If so, attach a copy to this letter; it will show who it was addressed to and who may have ignored it.

Drop the parts breakdown and show a quote from a decent lbs or wheel builder.  You could offer to do it on a non commercial basis if you feel benevolent.

Drop the "pissed of" - either add the other F or use slightly more moderate language. 

Re: Complaint letter to council about pothole
« Reply #5 on: 30 March, 2009, 05:34:15 pm »
Well, just five months after writing to claim for the damage to my wheel, I've received an offer from the council to meet my replacement costs in full, but not the repair costs, because I did that myself and haven't sent them a receipt.

I'm tempted to write out a receipt on a bit of paper and send it to them, but I guess I have to accept that in the end I haven't lost any money.

They've also resurfaced the road where the pothole was.

Still, it's a good job I didn't decide to get the wheel rebuilt at a shop, otherwise I'd have been carrying even more cost over the last 5 months.


toekneep

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Re: Complaint letter to council about pothole
« Reply #6 on: 30 March, 2009, 08:36:20 pm »
I would say that is a result myself. Well done for following this up in the first place.