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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think builders should not piss in the garden?

27 replies

BluebellGal · 20/04/2016 11:02

House next door is being renovated. So I don’t drip feed, here’s some background:

House is buy-to-let, owners live far away. Builders have no markings on their vans and won’t give us their contact details (we’ve asked 3 times – foreman said he’d drop his card around and never did). When they arrived on site, broke a window to get in (shocked, I confronted them, thought they were a burglar and they said they didn’t have a key to get in).

Works have been going on for 3 months now, very noisy. Our house literally shakes when they are drilling and we can’t hear the TV. They work 6 days a week and occasionally start at 7:30am. Also often arrive at 7am but don’t start making noise until 8am. A few weeks ago, the builders disappeared and an alarm went off for 4 days. We had no way of contacting anyone to turn it off. It drove us mad and I ended up getting a migraine. Managed to track down a letting agent who contacted the builders to sort it out. Was thoroughly pissed off, so when we spotted the owners we told them about it – they had no knowledge, apologised and gave us their contact details. I’m also annoyed because their garden fence is collapsing onto our garden under the weight of overgrown plants.

So now I’ve spotted the builders pissing in the garden! Our gardens are very small, so we can see (and potentially smell) this. AIBU to think builders shouldn’t piss in the garden if the plumbing is not working and rent a portaloo?! I’ve been really patient and understanding until now, but feel like this is the final straw.

OP posts:
MattDillonsPants · 20/04/2016 11:08

YANBU it sounds awful!

The first thing you need to do is put all this in writing and send it to both the letting agent AND the owners. Make sure you stress that you are concerned not only for your own health and safety but also that of the owners should they happen upon these builders' makeshift latrine by accident!

What next? Pooing on the patio!?

Also mention the garden ruining your fence and state that this must be remedied within a week. That's more than enough time for them to arrange someone to cut it back.

STRESS the health and safety and that if things aren't improved, you will need to call environmental health. State that you want to SEE a portaloo with immediate effect.

Original poster
BluebellGal · 20/04/2016 11:12

Thanks MattDillonsPants - hadn't thought of it from a health and safety point of view. We can't write a letter as we don't have owners address and letting agent not finalised but can have a mobile number for the owners.

I have to go out now unexpectedly, so won't be able to reply for a couple of hours, but will be very interested to hear what others say.

Thanks Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
BluebellGal · 20/04/2016 11:14

I can hear their really shit Euro-pop music now. Glad I'm going out

OP posts:
MattDillonsPants · 20/04/2016 11:17

Just had a disagreement with DH about this OP! He said there's nothing wrong with weeing in the garden! Shock

I told him it's disrespectful and disgusting! He's wrong. I'm right!

BettyBi0 · 20/04/2016 13:00

I'd ring the owners every time something happens and let them know about the pissing and unsociable hours. Maybe ask your local council about it too in case they can do something to enforce sound/hygiene rules?

specialsubject · 20/04/2016 13:02

that's the least of your worries, and the urine of the adult human male is good for the plants. I don't see a problem as long as you aren't getting flashed. Also saves water, especially as in the UK we use drinking water to flush toilets.

all the other stuff IS an issue.

toohardtothinkofaname · 20/04/2016 13:05

You can put in a complaint with your councils Enviromental Health person. I did this last week with some builders who left their generator running all night. Guy visited, when I got back later they'd completely gone. Turns out the work wasn't known about/allowed.

ifgrandmahadawilly · 20/04/2016 13:11

At least it will keep the foxes away.

Seriously though YANBU. Although I don't think weeing outside is necessarily all that bad, nobody should be trespassing in your garden and invading your privacy.

VestalVirgin · 20/04/2016 13:14

and the urine of the adult human male is good for the plants.

No, it isn't. While urine (the sex and age of the person does not matter) can be used as fertilizer when mixed with water, just pissing on the plants is more likely to make them die. Especially in a small garden where they will be using the same spot twice. Also, it is not a civilised way to behave and someone WILL be getting flashed at some point, if they're so careless that they can be seen.

Also, this all sounds extremely dodgy. Breaking a window to get in because they don't have the key? This window will have to be repaired. That costs money. I cannot imagine the house owners are okay with this.

I would have called the police after the window incident rather than confront them directly.

I would also ask the owners to fire those builders and hire some better ones. I would not let anyone do anything on my house if they think it is okay to break a window instead of asking/waiting for the key.

AnnPerkins · 20/04/2016 13:22

One person doing a wee in a garden from time to time might be harmless, it's meant to be good for your compost heap.

But two or more builders regularly going in the same places several times a day for a number of weeks is going to make a disgusting mess.

This is why you see portaloos on site where people are working outside nowadays. If you can't contact the owners speak to Environmental Health.

Original poster
BluebellGal · 20/04/2016 13:34

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I might contact Environmental Health and see what they suggest. As I say I've been really patient until now, so everything is getting to me a bit. I hope they finish soon and we get some nice renters.

OP posts:
Original poster
BluebellGal · 20/04/2016 13:39

Vestal Virgin - I know I was astonished when they broke the window to get in. They apologised for scaring me (I was making a cup of tea at the time) and said they were planning to replace that window anyway, so it didn't matter. Well, 3 months later, said window is still broken and no sign of replacement.

There are about 6/8 builders so yeah it is potentially a lot of wee, unless they can hold it in until they nip to Sainsbos for lunch. I too am concerned about seeing one of them have a poo.

They are definitely cowboy builders (realised as soon as they turned up) but the owners probably don't care as they're cheap and they just want to maximise profit. I just pray we get some decent tenants next door. My worst nightmare is an HMO as it is a very quiet residential area full of families with houses very close together.

OP posts:
EBearhug · 20/04/2016 13:46

My mother used to try and persuade any male visitors to piss on the compost heap. AFAIK, no one took her up on this.

I guess the building firm isn't signed up for any respectful construction code of conduct thing? If they were, you could contact them as it would probably breach the code of conduct. I think it's more likely to be large firms building new supermarketa or simular which do that, though.

Original poster
BluebellGal · 20/04/2016 13:47

MattDillonsPants Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
BluebellGal · 20/04/2016 13:48

^made me laugh!

OP posts:
Original poster
BluebellGal · 20/04/2016 13:49

EBearhug without even checking I guarantee they are not signed up to a considerate construction code!

OP posts:
user1460551377 · 20/04/2016 14:08

This is not acceptable. Environmental health and council will have to have owners contact details for council tax/planning permission if sought. Contact them and get them to liaise with their loud/dirty/ignorant builders.....give them a time limit to come back to you and if not done so make a formal complaint to council and environmental health.
Good luck and don't give up! X

user1460551377 · 01/05/2016 15:52

Any luck with builders behaviour improving bluebellgal?

Original poster
BluebellGal · 05/05/2016 21:24

No - in fact it's got worse. They were working on bank holiday monday until 7pm, keep blocking our drive so we can't get car out etc. Environmental health are now involved and will be calling me with an update tomorrow. They did explain there is a lot they can do to enforce action, so I am hopeful. I encourage others in our position to contact Environmental Health and see what they can do. Also keep a detailed log of times and behaviour so you can report it accurately.

Thank you for asking x

OP posts:
CuthbertDibble · 05/05/2016 21:43

The problem is that the owners will have got quotes for the building work and they've probably gone with the cheapest quote. The cheapest quote will be from a bit of a cowboy that hasn't allowed for expenses such as portaloos. Chances are there are lots of other things he won't have allowed for as I'm sure the owners are soon to find out.

AerithEarthling · 06/05/2016 01:22

Vile and i am guessing this is a cash in hand job because i could not imagine anyone working for a company breaking a window to get in

HelenaDove · 06/05/2016 02:51

I bet they havent got public liability insurance either.

bonnyscott · 06/05/2016 13:19

Yes, they will be able to make a difference. Don't give up but (speaking from personal experience) try not to let it all consume you! They're not worth it. All the very best - it's a really shitty situation X

Aeroflotgirl · 06/05/2016 13:22

It is disgusting, usually builders have portaloos hired by their company if there are no access to toilet facilities on site.

KellyElly · 06/05/2016 13:34

Disgusting. Start pissing on their van see how they like it.

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