The only thing that YOUR CLEANER can do is ask for a copy of the invoice, so check that actual costs match those paid for.

However, if the neighbour had wanted to go through insurance, and claiming off the cleaner's insurance, costs would end up far more than that, when increased premiums, etc were taken into consideration.

Add to which the fact that you cleaner can be shown to have been dishonest by waiting to be 'caught' by the CCTV before admitting liability (which is actually a criminal offence of failing to inform the other party after an accident, covered under the Road Traffic Act (I believe)), then I'd suggest it is your cleaner's best interests to let the matter lie, and for you not to get involved.

I doubt if there's anything you can do, to be honest. If your neighbour went to a BMW dealer, which, of course they are perfectly entitled to do, then I'm not surprised the repair cost £420. I expect their insurance/third party jobs start at £300, regardless of what needs doing.

Did your cleaner see the quotation before the repairs going ahead? If so they could have asked your neighbour to obtain a couple more quotes from different car repairers? Did your cleaner actually see the receipt for the £420, so do you know this was the amount the repairs actually cost? Edit............I've just read you haven't seen the invoice. Bad move, I'm afraid; were it me I wouldn't have paid out a penny until I'd seen it because it's really your cleaner's money, so they should at the very least have a copy of it.

I'm afraid that, at the end of the day, if your neighbour did, indeed, pay £420 for repairs then I can't really see how they are ripping your cleaner off. It's just claiming what they've already paid out.

Could they have got the work done cheaper? Well, I would say almost certainly "Yes!" but it's too late to travel down that road now that the work has already been carried out and paid for. It's always best to shop around for this kind of work; the BMW dealer may-well have farmed-it-out, anyway. Main dealers often do.

Others on here may possibly be able to offer better advice but, I'm afraid, from where I'm sitting, I don't believe there's very much you can do. But I do well understand you not being very happy about it.

Edited by Galaxy on 18/09/2015 at 12:25

I'd leave well alone if I were you. The cleaner doesn't deserve much sympathy if she didn't own up to it straight away: but in any case if the neighbour went to his BMW dealer even a 6-inch scratch could easily cost £420 to repair, espcially if the car has metallic paint.

The only way to get it done for less would have been to call in one of thr mobile dent / scratch repair people, but your neighbour was under no obligation to do that.