More about my financial crisis,

Resolution in sight

Meanwhile, as far as my finances are concerned, I’d been trying many avenues. 

By chance, many months back, I’d met Merlin, a Mercedes mechanic who works at a private garage. He had admired my car outside Halfords. We occasionally kept in contact. I was reminded of him while clearing duplicates from my Contacts. 

I emailed him, he quickly replied saying,

“Don’t worry, my garage can do both sides for the price the Dealership will charge to do one.”

He gave me a formal quote. I sent it to Laura at the BDA Benevolent Fund, the charity that supports dentists. Although I wasn’t given help towards paying this bill, thankfully they had provided me with a grant to pay the arrears of my April rent.

In the end, Hastings Direct took my car to Merlin’s garage free of charge.

Mercedes Benz Specialists, MBS, the garage where Merlin works, repaired it last Tuesday for only £220 replacing both ball joints. This was well below what the Mercedes Dealership would have charged me (£750 for one side only)!

While out busking and using money I’d saved by temporarily putting off music lessons, I managed to pay for these repairs. It is back, but I don’t want to use it as I can’t afford fuel while I’m trying to rebuild my reserves. At the moment I can get to most places using buses or getting lifts.

On the Sunday of the incident, when I called Hastings Direct, my rescue service, I was told I wasn’t a member. In the emergency, I joined, and called out, the RAC. This cost me almost every penny I had in the bank, leaving me £1.65 to live on until my pension was paid the following Friday. I had to pay £97 to be rescued!!! I still can hardly believe it. 

I claimed the flatbed expenses back from Hastings Direct. They paid it. I also claimed compensation for all the stress, sleepless nights and worry about my financial affairs that had occurred as a result of being told I wasn’t a member of the Hastings Direct breakdown service and having to pay to be rescued out of my own pocket. 

Sam Valentine, the manager at the breakdown customer services, Hastings Direct, paid me £100 in compensation. I had asked for a fair amount. I am still unhappy with this sum. I think a fair amount would have been between £250 & £400. I suffered stress from sleepless nights and worry about how I’d make ends meet until my pension was paid.

I had to go out busking to be able to buy food. I feel Mr. Valentine considered the interest’s of his business above that of his customer’s, the people who keep him in business. 

They are in the process of having new computers installed. This has been causing problems. The two systems are incompatible. This is why my details were not on the system the advisor checked when I broke down!