A Guide to Pothole Claims For Tyres

We’ve all been there, driving along happily when all of a sudden BANG! A pothole seemingly comes out from nowhere and causes you all sorts of trouble.

Its no secret that potholes result in huge amounts of damage to road user’s vehicles, with UK councils paying out millions of pounds in claims every year.

In fact, according to a 2023 estimate by Asphalt UK, it would cost £14 billion to fix the backlog of carriageway repairs on UK roads due to chronic underfunding and deterioration​

Hitting a pothole at any speed can cause damage to your vehicle, buckled wheels, burst car tyres and misaligned wheels are all common.

The cause of potholes?

The main cause of potholes is weather, which would explain why the UK has such a big pothole issue.

When water sits on a road’s surface, it begins to seep through and settles under the road its self.

Temperature changes then lead to water expanding and contracting which in turn pushes up on the road surface resulting in deterioration and ultimately a hole.

Another factor in creating potholes is road users. Ironically the very people that potholes bother the most. The weight and strain that cars, 4x4s tyres and trucks in particular put on the roads is a contributing factor.

Over the 12-month period ending in June 2024, vehicles in the UK traveled a total of 332.9 billion vehicle miles, with cars alone accounting for 76% of all motor vehicle traffic. This immense usage significantly contributes to wear and tear, leading to more potholes over time.

How to claim pothole damage to tyres

So what should you do if you are unfortunate enough to damage your vehicle as a result of hitting a pothole?

If the damage is enough to warrant a claim i.e. an EV tyre or wheel needing replaced, then you’d better contact your local council.

If there is no damage to your vehicle it is still advisable to report the pothole so it can be repaired before it creates a problem.

Making a pothole claim

Measure

Firstly, make sure it was a pothole you hit.

As obvious as this may sound, many councils do not consider a hole in the road to be a pothole unless it is at least 40mm deep and 200mm wide. It’s worth checking out with your local council's definition.

You can still make a claim if the hole is not to these measurements but you will likely have a harder time getting any compensation.

Document

Get some evidence together. With camera phones everywhere it has never been easier to generate proof.

This will help your case a lot. If it’s safe to do so, take images of the pothole its self, ideally with something in it for size comparison.

Also take images of the road as a whole, note anything important about the pothole – it’s position on the road, if it’s hidden, etc. - and finally take images of the damage caused to you or your vehicle.

Report

It is important to make the pothole known to your council.

The UK government has committed £8.2 billion over the next 11 years to address the growing pothole issue, making it crucial that potholes are reported accurately to ensure repairs are made in the right areas​

Even if you’re not making a claim, it’s nice to be nice and being a good citizen is always rewarding. Information on who to contact to report a pothole can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/report-pothole

Prove it

If you want to claim for damage caused to your vehicle, you need to prove it was the pothole that caused it. It will come as no surprise that there are people out there making all sorts of false claims in the hope of a pay out.

Its important to prove you’re not one of these people. Your mechanic should be able to put into writing an analysis of the damage caused.

Make the claim

At this stage you should be aware of which authority is responsible for the pothole you hit and you should have already reported said pothole to this authority. 

First, follow the local authority’s claims process - most councils will have a form for you to fill out and should provide you with that. This isn’t always successful but is definitely worth trying before taking things any further.

Unsuccessful?

If you are unsuccessful in claiming anything but feel you are still entitled to a claim - then do not be undeterred.

The authorities want to avoid paying out for damage. The next stage here is for you to make a full claim, though be aware this is not an easy or quick process.

Why Are There So Many Potholes?

Despite various funding announcements, local roads—the ones most frequently used by the public—remain severely underfunded.

Most councils want to see potholes fixed, but government investment is heavily weighted towards motorways and major roads, leaving local routes in a dire state of repair​.

This has created a backlog that could take years to resolve unless more consistent, long-term funding is introduced.

Making a full pothole claim

Research

First you’ve got to get your hands dirty and do some digging. Use the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to your advantage and get some information from the authority who maintain the road where the incident occurred.

This is easier than it sounds and simply requires you to write to the authority requesting inspection logs showing how the road is maintained and also for the authority’s policy for inspecting and repairing roads.

The simplest way to make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request is using email.

Dig a little deeper

Once you’ve heard back and receive the information you requested then you’ve got to read through all that information.

Sieve through the inspection logs to find information on how often and how inspections have been done one the road – these details should be specific so make sure to note every fine detail you can find.

Next, you want to find information on the pothole itself. I.e. has it previously been reported? What did the authority do about it? How long did it take them to take action?

Get as much information as you can gather.

Cross-reference

You now have to read through the authority’s road maintenance policy, you’re looking to find anything here that does not match up to the inspection logs.

You want to find information that suggests the authority were not following their own policies, or whether their policy is in line with national policy.

Be sure to take note and make a list of any disparities between the authority’s inspection logs, their policies and the national policies.

Submit your claim

The time has arrived, you can submit your full claim.

This can be done by either writing letter or email, detailing all of the information and issues previously mentioned.

Mention that you are owed compensation to cover the cost of repairs made to your vehicle and that the authority is liable.

Then explain why using all your evidence and research as backup. 

Waiting

Once your claim has been submitted you may need to wait for an official reply so allow at least 2-3 weeks before chasing anything up. When you do finally hear back you will be told one of three things:

1. You’ve won. This is the best result and you’ll be receiving the full amount to cover any repairs.
    
2. Part offer. You’re getting something back but not the full amount. This is common and you may have to be willing to accept the compromise.
    
3. Rejected. You didn’t win, even after all your hard work. The authority will likely send you a detailed explanation as to why, be sure to read this with an open and understanding mind. Remember this is tax payer’s money the authority is dealing with, so if you don’t deserve a pay-out, you won’t get one. 

If you’re still not happy, you can try taking things further by going to the Small Claims Court. Though this wouldn’t be recommended for a claim any less than £1000, also be sure you’ve got a solid case and a good chance of winning.

MoneySavingExpert.com have a good guide on making claims in the Small Claims Court that can be found here: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/small-claims-court