Bunnings Warehouse is a household name in Australia, known as the go-to destination for all home improvement needs.

With numerous stores nationwide, the retailer sees thousands of customers pass through its aisles and parking lots each day.

One such customer was Carol, who visited a Bunnings location just before Christmas. Little did she know, her quick trip would lead to a month-long saga over a paint-covered car.

Carol and her husband visited their local Bunnings store in Chatswood, on Sydney's north shore.

As they were shopping, another customer accidentally drove over a can of black paint that had been dropped in the car park.

The can exploded, and paint splattered all over one side of Carol's vehicle, causing significant damage.

Carol’s car was vandalised with paint by another car after visiting a Bunnings Warehouse, but the store refused to pay damages for the vehicle. Images: 2GB

The incident has since remained unresolved. Carol claims that Bunnings has refused to take any responsibility or pay for the damage, arguing that the incident happened in a public car park.

Carol, however, believes that Bunnings should cover the bill for the damage, as there were no signs warning motorists to park at their own risk.

Carol's car is 17 years old and only covered by third-party insurance. So Carol contacted 2GB host Ben Fordham on 25 January seeking advice on what to do over the incident.

'It's not a public car park,' Carol told Fordham.

'It (the car) is a mess.’

'My husband was at Bunnings when he approached by a staff member at the time when it happened who said “We've got cleaning fluids upstairs.”'

‘But he told them, “No, you've got to sort it out.”'

Despite contacting Bunnings five times over the past month and speaking to two managers, Carol says the situation hasn’t progressed.

She also claims to have at least three witnesses who can corroborate their story.

'He's also been in twice and spoken to two of the managers but they haven't done anything,' Carol claimed.

'This was over a month ago—this was prior to Christmas.'

The incident has divided public opinion. Some believe Carol should report the incident to the police, while others think she should foot the bill herself.

A lawyer named Rod called into the 2GB radio show to say that Bunnings should be liable in the first instance.

'It's their responsibility to keep their car park safe and to mitigate risk to others,' he told Fordham.

'But and it's a big but, people who suffer loss or damage have an obligation to mitigate their loss.’

'So if Carol's husband was offered cleaning products right there and then by Bunnings and failed to do anything about it and wipe the paint off while it's still wet, then that's a significant problem for her.’

'She or he should have cleaned it off with cleaning products right there and there, and the entire damage could have been mitigated immediately.'

Bunnings confirmed the incident, stating that their team offered the customer cleaning materials for the car.

'As soon as our team became aware, they offered the customer cleaning materials to help them remove the paint,' Bunnings Regional Manager Alan Harvey said.

'While our team did everything they could to assist at the time, unfortunately actions of other customers shopping with us are often beyond our control.'

The incident serves as a reminder to all consumers to be aware of their rights and responsibilities when using car parks.

It also highlights the importance of having comprehensive car insurance, which can provide coverage in situations like this.

Key Takeaways

• A Bunnings customer, Carol, experienced paint damage to her car in the store's car park and demanded that Bunnings cover the repair costs.
• The incident has caused a debate among Australians regarding who should be responsible for the damage.
• Bunnings argues that the responsibility does not lie with them as the incident involved another customer in what they consider a public car park.
• A lawyer suggested on 2GB that while Bunnings should ensure safety in their car park, the refusal to use offered cleaning materials to mitigate the damage may affect Carol's claim.

What do you think, members? Should Bunnings be held responsible for the damage to Carol's car, or should she foot the bill herself? Let us know in the comments below.

 

[mylittletibbies]

Even the outdoor carparks they close the gate . The out door ones after they close you can still walk in just not drive your car

Nope,not here. I'm talking about Bunnings, not carparks in general

 

[Rosi Gordon]

Bunnings Warehouse is a household name in Australia, known as the go-to destination for all home improvement needs.

With numerous stores nationwide, the retailer sees thousands of customers pass through its aisles and parking lots each day.

One such customer was Carol, who visited a Bunnings location just before Christmas. Little did she know, her quick trip would lead to a month-long saga over a paint-covered car.

Carol and her husband visited their local Bunnings store in Chatswood, on Sydney's north shore.

As they were shopping, another customer accidentally drove over a can of black paint that had been dropped in the car park.

The can exploded, and paint splattered all over one side of Carol's vehicle, causing significant damage.

View attachment 39990

Carol’s car was vandalised with paint by another car after visiting a Bunnings Warehouse, but the store refused to pay damages for the vehicle. Images: 2GB

The incident has since remained unresolved. Carol claims that Bunnings has refused to take any responsibility or pay for the damage, arguing that the incident happened in a public car park.

Carol, however, believes that Bunnings should cover the bill for the damage, as there were no signs warning motorists to park at their own risk.

Carol's car is 17 years old and only covered by third-party insurance. So Carol contacted 2GB host Ben Fordham on 25 January seeking advice on what to do over the incident.

'It's not a public car park,' Carol told Fordham.

'It (the car) is a mess.’

'My husband was at Bunnings when he approached by a staff member at the time when it happened who said “We've got cleaning fluids upstairs.”'

‘But he told them, “No, you've got to sort it out.”'

Despite contacting Bunnings five times over the past month and speaking to two managers, Carol says the situation hasn’t progressed.

She also claims to have at least three witnesses who can corroborate their story.

'He's also been in twice and spoken to two of the managers but they haven't done anything,' Carol claimed.

'This was over a month ago—this was prior to Christmas.'

The incident has divided public opinion. Some believe Carol should report the incident to the police, while others think she should foot the bill herself.

A lawyer named Rod called into the 2GB radio show to say that Bunnings should be liable in the first instance.

'It's their responsibility to keep their car park safe and to mitigate risk to others,' he told Fordham.

'But and it's a big but, people who suffer loss or damage have an obligation to mitigate their loss.’

'So if Carol's husband was offered cleaning products right there and then by Bunnings and failed to do anything about it and wipe the paint off while it's still wet, then that's a significant problem for her.’

'She or he should have cleaned it off with cleaning products right there and there, and the entire damage could have been mitigated immediately.'

Bunnings confirmed the incident, stating that their team offered the customer cleaning materials for the car.

'As soon as our team became aware, they offered the customer cleaning materials to help them remove the paint,' Bunnings Regional Manager Alan Harvey said.

'While our team did everything they could to assist at the time, unfortunately actions of other customers shopping with us are often beyond our control.'

The incident serves as a reminder to all consumers to be aware of their rights and responsibilities when using car parks.

It also highlights the importance of having comprehensive car insurance, which can provide coverage in situations like this.

Key Takeaways

• A Bunnings customer, Carol, experienced paint damage to her car in the store's car park and demanded that Bunnings cover the repair costs.
• The incident has caused a debate among Australians regarding who should be responsible for the damage.
• Bunnings argues that the responsibility does not lie with them as the incident involved another customer in what they consider a public car park.
• A lawyer suggested on 2GB that while Bunnings should ensure safety in their car park, the refusal to use offered cleaning materials to mitigate the damage may affect Carol's claim.

What do you think, members? Should Bunnings be held responsible for the damage to Carol's car, or should she foot the bill herself? Let us know in the comments below.

Everybody knows that having your car in a shopping car park is at your own risk regardless if there is signage or not. The "significant damage" can easily buffed out and why didn't they accept the offer to get the cleaning stuff from the staff. Looks like they are looking for compensation to get a new car. The only ones at fault here is the unknown person who dropped the paint, the person who drove over it and the owners of the "damaged car" Bunnings are not responsible for anything that happened there.

 

[Shane O'Neill]

Bunnings Warehouse is a household name in Australia, known as the go-to destination for all home improvement needs.

With numerous stores nationwide, the retailer sees thousands of customers pass through its aisles and parking lots each day.

One such customer was Carol, who visited a Bunnings location just before Christmas. Little did she know, her quick trip would lead to a month-long saga over a paint-covered car.

Carol and her husband visited their local Bunnings store in Chatswood, on Sydney's north shore.

As they were shopping, another customer accidentally drove over a can of black paint that had been dropped in the car park.

The can exploded, and paint splattered all over one side of Carol's vehicle, causing significant damage.

View attachment 39990

Carol’s car was vandalised with paint by another car after visiting a Bunnings Warehouse, but the store refused to pay damages for the vehicle. Images: 2GB

The incident has since remained unresolved. Carol claims that Bunnings has refused to take any responsibility or pay for the damage, arguing that the incident happened in a public car park.

Carol, however, believes that Bunnings should cover the bill for the damage, as there were no signs warning motorists to park at their own risk.

Carol's car is 17 years old and only covered by third-party insurance. So Carol contacted 2GB host Ben Fordham on 25 January seeking advice on what to do over the incident.

'It's not a public car park,' Carol told Fordham.

'It (the car) is a mess.’

'My husband was at Bunnings when he approached by a staff member at the time when it happened who said “We've got cleaning fluids upstairs.”'

‘But he told them, “No, you've got to sort it out.”'

Despite contacting Bunnings five times over the past month and speaking to two managers, Carol says the situation hasn’t progressed.

She also claims to have at least three witnesses who can corroborate their story.

'He's also been in twice and spoken to two of the managers but they haven't done anything,' Carol claimed.

'This was over a month ago—this was prior to Christmas.'

The incident has divided public opinion. Some believe Carol should report the incident to the police, while others think she should foot the bill herself.

A lawyer named Rod called into the 2GB radio show to say that Bunnings should be liable in the first instance.

'It's their responsibility to keep their car park safe and to mitigate risk to others,' he told Fordham.

'But and it's a big but, people who suffer loss or damage have an obligation to mitigate their loss.’

'So if Carol's husband was offered cleaning products right there and then by Bunnings and failed to do anything about it and wipe the paint off while it's still wet, then that's a significant problem for her.’

'She or he should have cleaned it off with cleaning products right there and there, and the entire damage could have been mitigated immediately.'

Bunnings confirmed the incident, stating that their team offered the customer cleaning materials for the car.

'As soon as our team became aware, they offered the customer cleaning materials to help them remove the paint,' Bunnings Regional Manager Alan Harvey said.

'While our team did everything they could to assist at the time, unfortunately actions of other customers shopping with us are often beyond our control.'

The incident serves as a reminder to all consumers to be aware of their rights and responsibilities when using car parks.

It also highlights the importance of having comprehensive car insurance, which can provide coverage in situations like this.

Key Takeaways

• A Bunnings customer, Carol, experienced paint damage to her car in the store's car park and demanded that Bunnings cover the repair costs.
• The incident has caused a debate among Australians regarding who should be responsible for the damage.
• Bunnings argues that the responsibility does not lie with them as the incident involved another customer in what they consider a public car park.
• A lawyer suggested on 2GB that while Bunnings should ensure safety in their car park, the refusal to use offered cleaning materials to mitigate the damage may affect Carol's claim.

What do you think, members? Should Bunnings be held responsible for the damage to Carol's car, or should she foot the bill herself? Let us know in the comments below.

hmmm

 

[Jennylolo]

Yes, I agree, and also was the staff member offering the cleaner qualified to know that this would not cause further damage. Also, how on earth do you drop a can of paint and not know. Or did it get put down and forgotten?

it said a paint can was dropped and rolled over by a car causing the splattering.

 

[Jennylolo]

my car is 17 years old and is insured. Just put a claim in for damage done in a shopping centre when it was parked. And the car's market value is worth about 4K only. Insurance is a must.

 

[Wazzer]

Bunnings are liable. The situation is similar to damage being caused to a vehicle by another vehicle in a carpark. The carpark may have signs saying they are not responsible but legally they are. The signs are intended to 'put you off' Put your claim in writing.

Wrong.

 

[Rosi Gordon]

Yes they do

Not all Bunnings stores lock their car parks at night, I have 4 within a 10 minute drive and none lock their car parks at night.

 

[Squizzy1]

Bunnings Warehouse is a household name in Australia, known as the go-to destination for all home improvement needs.

With numerous stores nationwide, the retailer sees thousands of customers pass through its aisles and parking lots each day.

One such customer was Carol, who visited a Bunnings location just before Christmas. Little did she know, her quick trip would lead to a month-long saga over a paint-covered car.

Carol and her husband visited their local Bunnings store in Chatswood, on Sydney's north shore.

As they were shopping, another customer accidentally drove over a can of black paint that had been dropped in the car park.

The can exploded, and paint splattered all over one side of Carol's vehicle, causing significant damage.

View attachment 39990

Carol’s car was vandalised with paint by another car after visiting a Bunnings Warehouse, but the store refused to pay damages for the vehicle. Images: 2GB

The incident has since remained unresolved. Carol claims that Bunnings has refused to take any responsibility or pay for the damage, arguing that the incident happened in a public car park.

Carol, however, believes that Bunnings should cover the bill for the damage, as there were no signs warning motorists to park at their own risk.

Carol's car is 17 years old and only covered by third-party insurance. So Carol contacted 2GB host Ben Fordham on 25 January seeking advice on what to do over the incident.

'It's not a public car park,' Carol told Fordham.

'It (the car) is a mess.’

'My husband was at Bunnings when he approached by a staff member at the time when it happened who said “We've got cleaning fluids upstairs.”'

‘But he told them, “No, you've got to sort it out.”'

Despite contacting Bunnings five times over the past month and speaking to two managers, Carol says the situation hasn’t progressed.

She also claims to have at least three witnesses who can corroborate their story.

'He's also been in twice and spoken to two of the managers but they haven't done anything,' Carol claimed.

'This was over a month ago—this was prior to Christmas.'

The incident has divided public opinion. Some believe Carol should report the incident to the police, while others think she should foot the bill herself.

A lawyer named Rod called into the 2GB radio show to say that Bunnings should be liable in the first instance.

'It's their responsibility to keep their car park safe and to mitigate risk to others,' he told Fordham.

'But and it's a big but, people who suffer loss or damage have an obligation to mitigate their loss.’

'So if Carol's husband was offered cleaning products right there and then by Bunnings and failed to do anything about it and wipe the paint off while it's still wet, then that's a significant problem for her.’

'She or he should have cleaned it off with cleaning products right there and there, and the entire damage could have been mitigated immediately.'

Bunnings confirmed the incident, stating that their team offered the customer cleaning materials for the car.

'As soon as our team became aware, they offered the customer cleaning materials to help them remove the paint,' Bunnings Regional Manager Alan Harvey said.

'While our team did everything they could to assist at the time, unfortunately actions of other customers shopping with us are often beyond our control.'

The incident serves as a reminder to all consumers to be aware of their rights and responsibilities when using car parks.

It also highlights the importance of having comprehensive car insurance, which can provide coverage in situations like this.

Key Takeaways

• A Bunnings customer, Carol, experienced paint damage to her car in the store's car park and demanded that Bunnings cover the repair costs.
• The incident has caused a debate among Australians regarding who should be responsible for the damage.
• Bunnings argues that the responsibility does not lie with them as the incident involved another customer in what they consider a public car park.
• A lawyer suggested on 2GB that while Bunnings should ensure safety in their car park, the refusal to use offered cleaning materials to mitigate the damage may affect Carol's claim.

What do you think, members? Should Bunnings be held responsible for the damage to Carol's car, or should she foot the bill herself? Let us know in the comments below.

Why is it Bunnings responsibility, they didn't leave the paint can in the carpark or drive over it to cause her problem, what sort of paint was it, and they did offer help which was refused. If you choose to park in their car park, it would ordinarily be assumed it's at your own risk, is she saying if they backed into someone for instance that would be Bunnings responsibility too? It sounds to me, like they have stubbornly made their issue worse.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Not all Bunnings stores lock their car parks at night, I have 4 within a 10 minute drive and none lock their car parks at night.

What area are you in

 

[Annna]

Yes they do

Not everywhere.

 

[Squizzy1]

Bunnings are liable. The situation is similar to damage being caused to a vehicle by another vehicle in a carpark. The carpark may have signs saying they are not responsible but legally they are. The signs are intended to 'put you off' Put your claim in writing.

Are you saying if Carol backed into another car in Bunnings carpark Bunnings would be liable? I know the Law is an ass, but not likely.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Shopping centres in Sydney have signs stating you park at your own risk. Meaning they are not responsible for anything happening to your car, maybe bunnings and every other retail store needs to put up signs

 

[Annna]

Even the outdoor carparks they close the gate . The out door ones after they close you can still walk in just not drive your car

Not at all stores. Not at my local one.

 

[Annna]

That is ridiculous,I recently backed into someone in a carpark.If that was
true there is no way my insurance
company would have paid, they know every loophole and don't pay for anything they don't have to.
Where did you get your law degree, in a weetie box.

I agree, the liable party is the feral, garbage driver who ran over the can and then cowardly drove away.

 

[Squizzy1]

One question I would ask.
Does Bunnings lock the car park at night.
If they do, it's a private car park.
If it doesn't, I would say it's a public car park.
Sadly there is no good will nowadays.
Yes Bunnings offered cleaning products BUT it would have been a gesture of good will if they could have cleaned it for the driver.

Given the drivers response, I would have done the same and left them to it.

 

[Annna]

If the damage resulted from a pot hole in the carpark or other car park fault, Bunnings would likely have to answer.

This damage was caused by a FERAL, GARBAGE DRIVER, who squashed a paint can, something he or she would have heard, felt and likely seen, who then chose to drive away.

Typical of many of today's society members.

No consequences whilst being raised equates to a lifetime of taking deliberate steps to get away with things and avoiding responsibility for reckless and accidental acts.

What a brave new world we are all inhabiting.

 

[Squizzy1]

Shopping centres in Sydney have signs stating you park at your own risk. Meaning they are not responsible for anything happening to your car, maybe bunnings and every other retail store needs to put up signs

Maybe they should then charge to park to cover their costs, because people are mercenary.

 

[Mrtnst]

As far as I can see, from a limited search of the internet, there is no national standard for liability for accidents in car parks that do not include vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-person contact.

So liability may be different from state to state.

But the national carpark safety rules make the managers of a carpark responsible for rubbish removal and accidental injury and damage caused by rubbish in a carpark.

So there may be grounds for Bunnings to be held accountable for not cleaning up the dropped paint can.

Though you would have to prove that there was reasonable opportunity for them to do so.

However, failure to insure your vehicle and failure to mitigate the damage yourself, or except reasonable assistance offered, would heavily reduce any compensation payout.

 

[Ashbeare]

Bunnings Warehouse is a household name in Australia, known as the go-to destination for all home improvement needs.

With numerous stores nationwide, the retailer sees thousands of customers pass through its aisles and parking lots each day.

One such customer was Carol, who visited a Bunnings location just before Christmas. Little did she know, her quick trip would lead to a month-long saga over a paint-covered car.

Carol and her husband visited their local Bunnings store in Chatswood, on Sydney's north shore.

As they were shopping, another customer accidentally drove over a can of black paint that had been dropped in the car park.

The can exploded, and paint splattered all over one side of Carol's vehicle, causing significant damage.

View attachment 39990

Carol’s car was vandalised with paint by another car after visiting a Bunnings Warehouse, but the store refused to pay damages for the vehicle. Images: 2GB

The incident has since remained unresolved. Carol claims that Bunnings has refused to take any responsibility or pay for the damage, arguing that the incident happened in a public car park.

Carol, however, believes that Bunnings should cover the bill for the damage, as there were no signs warning motorists to park at their own risk.

Carol's car is 17 years old and only covered by third-party insurance. So Carol contacted 2GB host Ben Fordham on 25 January seeking advice on what to do over the incident.

'It's not a public car park,' Carol told Fordham.

'It (the car) is a mess.’

'My husband was at Bunnings when he approached by a staff member at the time when it happened who said “We've got cleaning fluids upstairs.”'

‘But he told them, “No, you've got to sort it out.”'

Despite contacting Bunnings five times over the past month and speaking to two managers, Carol says the situation hasn’t progressed.

She also claims to have at least three witnesses who can corroborate their story.

'He's also been in twice and spoken to two of the managers but they haven't done anything,' Carol claimed.

'This was over a month ago—this was prior to Christmas.'

The incident has divided public opinion. Some believe Carol should report the incident to the police, while others think she should foot the bill herself.

A lawyer named Rod called into the 2GB radio show to say that Bunnings should be liable in the first instance.

'It's their responsibility to keep their car park safe and to mitigate risk to others,' he told Fordham.

'But and it's a big but, people who suffer loss or damage have an obligation to mitigate their loss.’

'So if Carol's husband was offered cleaning products right there and then by Bunnings and failed to do anything about it and wipe the paint off while it's still wet, then that's a significant problem for her.’

'She or he should have cleaned it off with cleaning products right there and there, and the entire damage could have been mitigated immediately.'

Bunnings confirmed the incident, stating that their team offered the customer cleaning materials for the car.

'As soon as our team became aware, they offered the customer cleaning materials to help them remove the paint,' Bunnings Regional Manager Alan Harvey said.

'While our team did everything they could to assist at the time, unfortunately actions of other customers shopping with us are often beyond our control.'

The incident serves as a reminder to all consumers to be aware of their rights and responsibilities when using car parks.

It also highlights the importance of having comprehensive car insurance, which can provide coverage in situations like this.

Key Takeaways

• A Bunnings customer, Carol, experienced paint damage to her car in the store's car park and demanded that Bunnings cover the repair costs.
• The incident has caused a debate among Australians regarding who should be responsible for the damage.
• Bunnings argues that the responsibility does not lie with them as the incident involved another customer in what they consider a public car park.
• A lawyer suggested on 2GB that while Bunnings should ensure safety in their car park, the refusal to use offered cleaning materials to mitigate the damage may affect Carol's claim.

What do you think, members? Should Bunnings be held responsible for the damage to Carol's car, or should she foot the bill herself? Let us know in the comments below.

It was not Bunnings fault. It was the fault of the owner of the paint. If the paint had been cleaned using turps or similar before it had time to fully dry then the problem would be solved. Bunnings did offer materials to clean it. Although not stated if they would charge.

 

[mylittletibbies]

Maybe they should then charge to park to cover their costs, because people are mercenary.

Can you imagine how many millions of dollars it would cost Bunnings every year if they were responsible for every accident that happened in all their carparks all over Australia.
Do people ever put their brains into gear before they make such ridiculous statements.
I remember so many years ago my mother telling me to always make sure I put my brain into gear before opening my mouth. I must admit I haven't always done that lol.