Is it mandatory to have damage caused by a garage repaired at the same garage?

Questioner

I recently took my van to a Vakgarage, to have a spare wheel suspension system placed under the van so that the spare wheel could be hung up again. This suspension system was broken. This was still under warranty. Now I have picked up my bus and I discovered that my running board at the rear doors suddenly bent far on one side. After closer inspection it turned out that the garage had simply and rigorously ground off an important rod with which the running board was attached to the bottom of the bodywork and had removed the entire piece from underneath. As a result, the running board was only attached to one attachment point on the side, which caused it to tilt and it was therefore no longer sturdy at all and could no longer withstand my weight. So now I have an expensive running board that is no longer sturdy and no longer safe hanging under my bus. I suspect that the rod in question was in the way when mounting the spare wheel. This is located close to it. However, I was not informed about this during the repair period and also not when I came to pick up the bus again. I had to discover it myself when I was working on the bus again. It is obvious that the garage did this. You can also see the fresh grinding marks. So that is not the problem. However, I no longer have confidence in this garage and would like another garage to either put a new running board under it at their expense or have it repaired by another garage. In the case of repair, that company must of course also be specialized in repairing such damage so that a safe and solid construction is created again. It should be clear that this garage cannot do that and moreover they are not a car body repair company. My question: am I now obliged to have the damage repaired by this garage despite all this? I have no confidence in them and they are not a car body repair company. Proof that they have done this and are liable is also good. But I do not want this company to come to my bus anymore. Can I enforce damage repair or replacement by another company? And if so, how? Thank you in advance!

Lawyer

You must give the garage the opportunity to inspect and repair the damage or defect. To do so, you must summon the garage and give it a reasonable period to repair. You can also state that if the garage has not repaired the damage or defect within the reasonable notice period, you will have this done by another company, in which case the garage will be responsible for the costs involved. If you go straight to another company and then hold the garage liable for the costs, they can (easily) dispute that there was damage and/or a defect and/or dispute the (amount of) the costs.