POTHOLE CLAIMS
Your council owes you for
the road it failed to fix
Pothole damage is not bad luck, it is a maintenance failure. Here is how a claim works, what you can recover, and what you need to send us to get it moving.
What is a pothole claim?
A pothole claim is a compensation request you make to the local highway authority after your vehicle is damaged by a defect in the road. The authority is responsible for inspecting and repairing the roads it manages, and it has a statutory duty to keep them in a safe condition.
If the defect was reported and left unrepaired, or the road had not been inspected for an unreasonable time, the authority may be liable for your repair bill. Claims are decided on the evidence you supply and on the authority's own maintenance records, which is why the way a claim is written and submitted matters as much as the damage itself.
What you can claim for
Anything you had to pay out as a direct result of hitting the defect, backed by a receipt.
Wheel and tyre damage
Buckled alloys, split tyres and punctures caused by the defect itself.
Suspension and steering
Broken springs, damaged shock absorbers, tracking and alignment work.
Bodywork and undercarriage
Bumper, sill, sump and exhaust damage recorded by your garage.
Related costs
Recovery, courtesy car hire and the excess you paid out because of the incident.
What to send us
Five things turn a hopeful complaint into a claim a council has to answer.
Photos of the pothole
A wide shot showing the hole in the road and a close shot for scale, ideally with the street name or a landmark in frame.
Photos of the damage
Your wheel, tyre and any bodywork, plus photos of the failed part before your garage replaces it.
A garage invoice
An itemised invoice from a VAT-registered garage carries far more weight than a verbal estimate.
Where it happened
The road name, nearest junction and the direction you were travelling.
When it happened
The date and approximate time. Councils check their own inspection records against it.
How the process runs
01
Join and send us the incident
Upload your photos, invoice and the location. It takes a few minutes.
02
We build the claim
We identify the highway authority responsible and write a formal claim letter citing their statutory duty.
03
We file and chase
The claim is submitted on your behalf and followed up in writing until the council responds.
04
You get the outcome
We keep you updated at every stage and handle the back-and-forth until your claim is resolved.
Pothole claim questions
Who is legally responsible for pothole damage?
In England and Wales, the local highway authority has a statutory duty under section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the roads it is responsible for. If it failed to maintain the road and that failure caused your damage, you can claim your losses from it.
Is this the same as an insurance claim?
No. A council claim is made against the highway authority, not your own insurer, so it does not normally affect your no-claims bonus or premiums. Claiming on your own policy is a separate matter and one you should discuss with your insurer.
How long does a pothole claim take?
Some councils take months of chasing before they give a decision. We do everything we can to speed the process up, but timings are ultimately set by the authority handling the claim.
What if the council rejects the claim?
We will talk you through the reason and the options, including whether an escalation is worth pursuing.
Can I claim more than once?
Yes. Your annual membership covers every pothole incident you report during the year, with no per-claim fee.
Ready to claim it back?
One annual membership, unlimited pothole claims, and a team that deals with the council so you don't have to.
Join for £89.99/year