Help needed on an MT problem

Fellow ARRSErs, I have a problem....

A couple of months ago, I had to attend a court case as a witness for the MOD. The MOS's legal branch provided me with a UIN to arrange transport and accomodation with. My unit's admin office organised the flights, hire car, and hotel for me. All good so far

On the way back to the airport, I had a flat tyre, so I changed the wheel, and carried on with my journey. At the hire car place, I told them what had happened, filled out a form, and caught my flight. Still good

So yesterday, I wasn't unduly put out when I received a bill for said tyre, replacement, and admin fee, I just took it to the admin office. However, I was very upset to be told by the chief clerk that I was going to have to pay for it. As far as I was concerned, I was on duty, in a duty vehicle, and that was that. If I was on exercise and got a flat in my rover, would I have to pay for a new tyre? The problem stems from the fact that I'm in a very small unit, with no MT, as there's no green fleet. Therefore, no-one can give me chapter and verse on the way forward.....HELP!

 

This isn't going to answer anything, but, if I had a flat in a hire car, using it for non-duty reasons, paid for by myself, would I expect to get a bill for the accidental puncturing of a tyre? I would be a bit miffed, thats like asking me to pay to get it washed just cos I drove it.......

It seems to me to be another case of 'lets hit the poor old MOD emplyee with a bill cos even if he doesn't pay it, someone will' syndrome, or am I just too cynical in my old age?

I reckon that if its in the hire contract that the hirer pays for any punctures, then thats not YOU, its the firm, so the firm pays. It was duty and thats as far as it goes in my book, just dont ask me to proove I'm right as I haven't got a clue where to look..........

 

utter Fcuking B*****ks my friend. You do not pay for puntures unless you were caught ramming a screwdriver through it. Negligence,. Misuse and Damage (NMD) is not actioned for a punture whilst the vehicle is moving on the road. Suggest your Chief Clerk stick to Fcucking Pay and leave up and stop making decisions that above his Knowledge, trade group, Mental capacity.

 

Yeeesss, and while I agree with you, the buck stops with the chief clerk, as we have no MT bods at all. The nuts of it are this. The MOD refuses to take out the hire companies insurance scheme, as the MOD is a self insuring company. Ergo, the car hire company is right to look for recompense. If I'd wrapped the car round a tree, I couldn't very well leave them with the uninsured scrap and expect them to pick up the bill, or no-one would bother with insurance. The same principle applies to the tyre.

However, I don't think that I should be picking up the bill either, as I was on official duty..... but for the record, I'm really not blaming the chief clerk

 

Suggest you try your Master Driver for your Bde for the book answer who will be able to tune your CC in. I'm not having a go at your Chief Clerk personally. It just winds me up when people in position of responsibility, shut doors on helplless individuals and sit smugly at the end of the week thinking "Job done". He is there to help mate!!!!

 

Ok, You should have a copy of the hire agreement! The car which was hired for you should have been done through your local Transport support unit(TSU)? The repair bill should be sent to them, they will then pass them on to their budget manager who should deal with it as a pass through charge.

Hope that helps.

 

For most hire companies it is up to the hirer to pay for any damage to windscreen or tyres - this was a surprise to me and is buried in the small print. A few hire companies pay it themselves -eg Hertz (which is a bit more expensive until you apply MoD discount) always used to.

As you were duty I think its the unit that should pick up the cost - wasn't your fault!

 

Thanks for all your help, I've just had a call from the CC, the unit's going to pay for the tyre. I'm not sure the right budget is taking the hit, but its all the same company. Just for the record though ARRSErs, if I hadn't dug my heels in and said "I'm not paying that", I'd have been a days wages down. I'd like to think that it wouldn't have mattered if I'd been junior to the CC, and indeed it probably wouldn't, as he seems a decent type. Thanks once again for all your help

 

RESULT............

Of sorts............