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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Not to allow builders access to electricity

45 replies

Welshmaenad · 28/04/2015 18:30

Have posted before about works being done to outside front of house - it's part of regeneration work at no cost to us. New windows went in a few weeks ago and they are now working on frontages, with no access required to the inside of the house.

Obviously as council-commissioned work we have had no say in the firm used for this work. Window guys were lovely and very professional, scaffolders a bit blue of language but very polite and tidy. Builders have been a bloody nightmare. Rude, ignorant, repeated very loud foul language being shouted in the street, very loud radio on right outside the house. The other day I popped out front for a cigarette and was treated to a loud reminiscence from one about how smacked some poor girl in a local nightclub on the butt so hard he made her skin bleed, which was apparently HILARIOUS and source of much guffawing. In short, they've done nothing to endear themselves to me,I'm can't wait for them to finish, and plan to make a complaint to the council when they do (not wanting to do so beforehand due to fear of retribution). I don't trust them and I do not want them inside my home at any point.

This morning as I was packing the kids into the car one approached and me and said "can we have electric off you today?". I said no, sorry, as I was going to be at Uni all day. He then said I should just open a window for them. I said no, I wasn't prepared to leave a window open all day when I was out. He said no, not open, just enough to have the cable through. I repeated that I was going to be out all day (usually get home 5.30 and they generally piss off at 4) and they wouldn't be able to unplug, and besides, that still meant the window wasn't locked.

He stood there for a good thirty seconds scowling at me, possibly waiting for me to suggest some alternative, or back down, which I wasn't really prepared to do, then snapped "oh FORGET IT THEN" and stormed off. They've been working for several weeks and this is the first I've heard that they need access to electricity. They were rendering my house today, I'm not really sure why that necessitates access to electricity, but I'm not really very clued up on construction! Possibly they just need it for their very loud radio, who knows.

At no point were we advised that we would be required to supply electricity for the builders or provide access for them to get inside, only that we would need to provide access for the window fitters, which we have done. I kind of think when you are working outside this is a problem for the building firm to solve, and I don't think I should be required to compromise my home security for people I don't trust and who have behaved obnoxiously up until now. AIBU?

OP posts:

lescec · 28/04/2015 21:39

No you are not being unreasonable. Their contract would state they are responsible for supplying their own power. If the council wanted you to do that (say for work indoors) they would tell you that and offer derisory compensation for the few kWh you could prove they used. Probably same for water.

Also no council employed contractor should swear in public or in front of customers. Even if you don't mind, how many kids and elderly overhear? And don't get me started on violence towards women. Get evidence and complain. To make it effective complain via whoever is standing for election locally and thinks they have a chance of getting in. They probably won't be marched off site but should be on final warning, and more importantly, warned that repeats will lead to being on the banned list for future work. Oh, get as many people as possible to send in independent complaints.

Chattymummyhere · 28/04/2015 21:49

Lots of the local council houses around here are having solar pannels/new guttering/new faceplates? The amount of blaring radios I hear on a basis walk to the shops and the langauge is horrendous. I've even had a few make remarks to me. No point in complaining as its the same company who win all the local council contracts around here just glad I'm not one of the people living in the houses their working on. Although I wouldn't mind some solar panels.

Report the vents although it will end up as a he said she said as there is no proof it's them.

Original poster

Welshmaenad · 29/04/2015 15:26

I've contacted the council today and the guy in charge of regen for our area is going to be calling me back.

OP posts:

Andrewofgg · 29/04/2015 15:43

Obviously YANBU.

If their work needed electricity they would have a generator.

JessieMcJessie · 29/04/2015 15:57

No idea what a trickle vent bar is but impressed you are getting the outside of your house done up for free.

YANBU not to give them access to "the electric" for no other reason than their dodgy grammar.

laughingcow13 · 29/04/2015 20:40

So you are getting an asset you own done up for free at our (EU citizens') expense and you are moaning because they want to use your electric to power their tools?

CoffeeBucks · 29/04/2015 20:45

Cow did you miss the bit where there's a 99% chance they've tried to force access to the house?

Or are you just fixated on the 'getting shit for free' assumption?

expatinscotland · 29/04/2015 20:57

'So you are getting an asset you own done up for free at our (EU citizens') expense and you are moaning because they want to use your electric to power their tools?'

RTFT, FFS! And you know what? She never asked for it to be done up, it's part of a regeneration project. Why on Earth should people be forced to pay power for something they didn't even ask for? What if she doesn't have the money to power someone's tools and, if you had RTFT you'd realise a) the contractors have to use generators for that b) she was not going to be home and they wanted her to leave her home open for them all day, an action which, as any fucking dumbass knows, invalidates your insurance if there is damage or burglary on the property.

jerryfudd · 30/04/2015 08:20

Well said expat

Jux · 30/04/2015 09:18

I imagine someone living in a Council house was, on balance, less lucky than average. So I think it would be anti-social to resent any good luck that did fall their way.

expatinscotland · 30/04/2015 09:24

The OP has already said they are not council houses.

MsJudgementalPants · 30/04/2015 09:27

Jeez LaughingCow, get over yourself.

I'm another who read the thread title and was ready to say YABU, but no, you are definitely not! What an awful situation.

As someone else said, you would have been pre notified if they needed access to a power supply, they are just being cheeky bastards.

Good luck with the Regeneration Manager.

iamEarthymama · 30/04/2015 09:36

Actually anyone living in a council house these days is bloody lucky.
Luckier than the thousands of poor sods renting from incompetent landlords out to make a fast buck.
Luckier than those of us with no redress when appalling tenants ruin back lanes and gardens because we don't know who to contact to complain. I contacted the council when rats were running out from the piles of rubbish here.

I lived in a one up one down with outside loo until I was 6 years old. There was an elderly lady living in the basement and we had to go through her home to access the back garden and the loo.

The post-war creation of the Welfare State ensured that these sort of homes were demolished and we went to live in a 3 bed roomed house with an indoor loo, my mother was in heaven.

Now the EU is providing funds to bring those houses up to C21st standards.
Good work by them and WAG.

OP you are not unreasonable at all, they sound awful. I hope you get support from those overseeing the contract.

GottaFeeling · 30/04/2015 09:41

This really isn't about the cost of the electricity laughingcow.

balletgirlmum · 30/04/2015 09:48

We had new windows years ago as part of a regeneration project. It was means tested , we had to pay some but nothing like the full cost. (The r eSt ofvthe house was in good condition) it's funded Becsuse it's good for the area, makes it less run down so families want to move in helping local businesses etc etc.

YANBU.

BitOutOfPractice · 30/04/2015 09:51

Tabby but if I were you I'd be very nervous about what state my rendering would be in when I get home

BitOutOfPractice · 30/04/2015 09:51

Tabby = YANBU

TrollshaveLittleWillies · 30/04/2015 09:54

I'm another one who was going to say yabu ....but then I read the thread. Cheeky buggers.

balletgirlmum · 30/04/2015 09:56

I've just checked & it does seem there are different categories of films according to how long they have been out.

Original poster

Welshmaenad · 30/04/2015 10:54

Thanks Expat!

For clarity, we own the house. We did have the option to say no to the work that was offered, but it would have jeopardised our neighbours chance of getting the work as it's a small street and a certain % of houses had to agree for them to do the work here. As it happens, whilst there is no upfront cost to us, we will end up repaying the grant as we're going to put the house on the market soon and if you sell within 3 years you have to pay it back. Any increase in value will not come close to defraying the cost of the works due to the housing market here. So, Laughingcow, I'm sure as an EU citizen you will be glad to hear that you'll be getting your 6k back when we sell.

The cost of the electricity would, I guess, have been beey small and wasn't a consideration at all. Never mind read the thread, just read the fucking OP.

I've had a visit from the council guy in charge of overseeing the works today. He has apologised profusely got the issues we've had and has spoken to the site foreman, he is hopeful this means there will be an improvement in conduct onsite from now on, as do I.

The windows have mysteriously been repaired just as mysteriously as they were damaged.

OP posts:

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