A bit like 'cheques in the post' is that one!

Right, some ideas to secure payment.

Establish who owns the vehicle involved. Is it a person, is it a business and if a business is it a sole trader, partnership or limited company. This is important because that is where the debt lies.

You can be all sweetness and light and offer to help the cashflow by accepting stage payment by postdated cheque. Say, one next week and one the week after to 'help with the cash flow'. Don't do this if it is a limited company as that creates a little more hassle unless personal cheques are offered .

Once you have signed cheques in your hand the pursuit of the debt is easier if it or they is or are not paid as the stopped or bouncing cheque becomes the issue and the vehicles etc, no longer come into it. You sue on the Cheques Act. Of course you can still say that you will dob him in if payment is not forthcoming.

If the business is a limited company it may need a severe prod to get it to disgorge the money. Again, prepare the ground. Write and ask them to confirm that the money will be paid next week, say that it is pressing and that you want a note for the garage, if necessary write one for them and enclose it. If they have admitted liability in writing already fine, if not refer to conversations, dates times etc. when they admitted verbally including the note left at the scene I seem to recall . . . When the time comes if a Limited Company does not pay you when they have contracted so to do you can issue a Statutory Demand, it is easy and costs nothing. It usually has an electrifying effect.

Hope that helps! Funforus

(PS - Dont' waste your time replying to the trolls and 'sanctimonious Sammys' that lurk on these sites. Simply stick to the simple plain facts and ignore the innuendos and assumptions)