Another thing I've learned is to not always accept the first refusal. Earlier this year, I drove into a terrible pothole in my car at night. It totally ruined the wheel, which I had to pay over £230 to get replaced. I contacted the local council to ask if they could pay for it. Several months later, they finally replied, saying they would not pay me. I replied saying that I didn't accept their refusal, and wished to escalate my complaint to a higher level. A couple of days later I got a reply saying they would indeed pay me.