He may know who's bin it was because like most round here it had the house number on it. Equally, if he found a blue bin up against his car, your's was missing from its usual place and his car was downwind of your home it's going to be difficult to argue it was someone else's.

On that basis think he has a case

Wind was forecast for last night and it's arguable that a householder should have taken precautions to stop their bins from blowing around. Appreciate you're new here and might not understand the protocols but that's, at best, mitigation. I don't think his car being on drive rather than in garage gets you anywhere - everybody in this road bar 2 have at least one car on drive. Most garages are full of bikes, lawnmowers, additional freezers and general 'stuff'.

Refer claim to your buildings insurer.

Edited by Bromptonaut on 13/01/2019 at 12:01

I think he will go to an official mercedes-benz service. He said panels probably will change...

If the car owner did not know of the wind & take precautions.

Why would the OP be any wiser?

If the car owner did know about high winds

Why did he not play safe & put the car in his garage?

The car owner might say the garage is full of household goods - that was his decision to fill the garage & park in front of the door not the decision of the OP.

OP walks away with no blame in either in scenario..

This could get quite complicated but in essence. This is tort of negligence. If you acted negligently in leaving your bin in a situation where you knowingly thought it could damage your neighbours property then in law you have damaged him and he is entitled to claim damage from you.

However how can this be proven. You have stated it was windy. Were the bins stored in their normal place or had they been placed out ready for collection ? If they had been placed ready for collection was the neighbours car parked when you placed the bin ? Could you have reasonably expected that in the weather conditions was the bin likely to blow over and in which direction. You have to prove that you acted as " a reasonable man" in this situation.

If the bin was heavy when you put it out and the bin men emptied it in a wind, does the Council have a duty of care to place your bin in a safe place where it is unlikely to blow over ?.

OK so you are either negligent or you are not. If you are then most likely your House Insurance company are liable for losses incurred by your acts or omissions under Public liability.

I think you know your self if you acted in a reasonable way. If you think you did then tell your neighbour politely why you think it is not your fault. If he gets heavy then I would refer it to my Insurer with full information and advise your neighbour to communicate directly with them.

As usual, the OP has taken our comments and suggestions and gone away. Hopefully he'll come back and tell us the outcome when the matter is settled one way or the other.