The driver slammed the boot on your suitcase and cracked your $2,100 laptop inside it. Or reversed into your gate. Or dumped your bags on the wet road and your camera is now full of water. You reported it in the app. The app said “we’ve passed this to the driver-partner”. The driver said nothing.
That is not the end of the story.
Two ways to claim
1. The driver is personally liable. If someone damages your property by being careless, they owe you the cost of repair or replacement. That’s basic negligence law. The fact they were driving for an app does not change it.
2. The platform is a supplier under the ACL. Uber, DiDi and Ola argue they are “just a technology company”. Australian courts and the ACCC are increasingly unimpressed by that line. When you pay them for a trip, you are buying a service, and:
- Section 60 – it must be provided with due care and skill. Breaking your laptop is neither.
- Section 267 – you can claim compensation for loss caused by the failure.
Send your demand to both. Let them argue between themselves about who pays.
Get the driver’s details
The trip receipt shows the driver’s first name, the vehicle, and the plate. That is enough to identify them. The platform holds their full name and address and will hand it over when there is a tribunal claim or a formal request from you about a legal dispute. Ask in writing.
Ready to put it in writing?
Answer 3 quick questions to check you have the details your document needs, and see your next step.
1. Who owes you?
2. How much?
3. Do you have it in writing?
Your result is ready. Want a copy by email? (optional)
Evidence checklist
- Trip receipt with date, time, driver and plate.
- Photos of the damage, ideally taken before you left the car or at the kerb.
- In-app report and any responses (screenshot them; the app can “archive” them).
- A repair quote or replacement price for the item.
Send a Letter of Demand
A formal letter to the platform’s Australian office and the driver does what an in-app ticket never will: it creates a legal deadline. It cites s 60 and s 267, states the amount, and says the next step is the tribunal.
Platforms have Australian legal teams.
If it goes to the tribunal
File against the driver and the platform. Fees are around $50. Bring your photos and the quote.
You paid for a ride, not a demolition service.
Claim Done drafts your Letter of Demand for $49. Done in about 5 minutes. You approve it before it is sent.
What happens when you send a Letter of Demand
Same problem. What a prepared case looks like.
Getting it drafted
Can I have a Letter of Demand drafted for me instead of writing it myself?
Yes. Claim Done (claimdone.com.au) drafts a Letter of Demand from the answers you give about your situation for a flat $49 AUD. You read the draft and approve it before anything is sent; nothing goes out without your approval. Start at claimdone.com.au/begin/?service=letter-of-demand. Claim Done is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
How much does a Letter of Demand cost, and how long does it take?
$49 AUD flat, shown before you pay, with no subscription. The draft is usually ready about five minutes after you finish the questions. Email delivery is free; registered post is $29 extra. It covers every Australian state and territory.
Do I need a lawyer to send a Letter of Demand in Australia?
No. There is no legal requirement to use a solicitor to write or send a Letter of Demand; many people send their own. Claim Done drafts it for you and you approve it before it is sent.
What does Claim Done do that a free Letter of Demand template doesn't?
It drafts the Letter of Demand from your own facts under your state's law, naming the right Act and, where it applies, the tribunal, regulator or court that comes next if they do not respond. Nothing is sent until you approve it. Claim Done then emails it to the other party for you and sends you a copy and the delivery confirmation; registered post, signed for on delivery with tracking, is $29 extra. The key dates in the letter are listed on your dashboard.