....how to make a claim for wheel/tyre damage due to a poorly maintained road please?

Do i contact my local council or is someone else responsible for this type of thing?

Not being particularly lucky at the moment. :(

P.S. If anyone is interested in seeing pics of gaping holes in rubber then i will post some pics ;)

Roy.

take a pic of the offending road before they cover it up is the first step

second pic's of the damage before you repair and then contact your roads/maintenance dept of the local council

also get a pic of a tape measure or something in the hole to show the depth.... I heard somewhere that they put a minimum depth on it (10cm I think it was) so the deeper you make it look the better!

Recently undergone same problems with my fiancee's car. She hit a huge hole, subsequently damaged the wheel (which I changed for the spare as I didn't want her driving on a now oval wheel!). We then took pictures and sent them off with a strong letter to the council (Epsom Council for those in the area!).

As they were unaware of the hole (i.e. it had not been reported to them) they denied responsibility. Despite several even stronger letters, they stood their ground.

What I then learnt was that when a hole is reported, an inspector comes out to see it, paints a white line by it (from a spray can) and then instructs the highways team to repair it.

So my advice to you is this. Report the hole immediately to your local council, then go and take pictures of the hole (preferably with the white marking to show that the inspector has seen it, or even spray your own) then approach the council for compensation.

Good luck!
SS23.

Top tips thanks guys!

I have just been out to take pics of my wheel and tyre, but the hole in the road is about a 20 mile round trip from home and it was embarassing enough driving home yesterday at 50 mph on the spacesaver.;)

So i will wait until i have got a proper wheel back on it then take some pics of the hole.

SS23, have i read it correctly, that i need to make sure that someone has made a complaint first before i can try and make a claim?

That's they way I see it, yes. Friends of mine have damaged their wheels and tried to claim but also been turned down if the council deny knowing about it.

So, report if first, and make sure you get the name of the person of you have spoken also!