What can I expect after I get my moldy car back?

Questioner

I purchased my car myself in October 2022. In September 2023 I was involved in an accident. Fully comprehensive insurance and from there I took my car to a top damage repair company. Damage: replaced windshield and light bumper damage (and other minor damage). Replacing a window is a day's work. The car was in top condition mechanically, nothing wrong. New and perfect. Contact has been absent from them. I delivered my car in week 37, in week 47 I only got my car back after I called several times to ask how the repair was going. In week 47 I finally get my car back. How do I finally get my car back? 2 tires without tire pressure, glass shards still in the car and a car completely moldy inside; belts, upholstery and trunk (down to the seams) even moisture damage in my radio screen.

Lawyer

It appears that the body shop has breached their duty of care. They did not return your car in the expected condition and your car now has damage that it did not have before, such as the mold and moisture damage. You can file a complaint with the body shop and send a letter explaining the problems and that you want them corrected. Make sure you do this by certified mail so that you have proof that you filed a complaint. Also take photos of the damage. If the body shop is unwilling to fix the problems, you may want to consider taking legal action. It may be helpful to consult a lawyer or attorney who specializes in consumer law. In addition, you can tell your insurance company that you are not satisfied with the work of the body repair company. They may be able to help you, because they ultimately chose the company to repair your car. Finally, it is important to know that in the Netherlands you can also appeal to the Vehicle Damage Repair Disputes Committee in some cases if you cannot reach an agreement with the company. These are the steps you can take to try to rectify this situation. However, please note that it may be helpful to seek legal advice as this can be quite a complex situation. This information is intended as general advice only and there may be factors specific to your situation which require different actions.' ---------------- Stichting Rechtswinkel.nl is a national organization with students and volunteers. The above advice is based on limited information and may be incomplete or even incorrect for your situation. Always consult a lawyer or attorney for your further steps. Read disclaimer: https://rechtswinkel.nl/disclaimer I would like to invite you to rate the above answer so that we can learn from your response.