Next Door Builders continuing to work during Coronavirus lockdown

[Bedgers]

AIBU to ask my next door neighbours to stop their building work during the current lockdown climate or at the very least to not work on Saturdays. I have 4 kids and we cant use the garden due to the noise, dirt and smell of the builders cutting steels in the garden next door. We live in a typical London terrace house so builders are leaning over our garden hanging on to the fence while doing the side return. The building work started in December and it's really adding to our stress now that we cant go out. The architect said if he stops the builders don't get paid and we are wrong to ask them to do this as they live hand to mouth (his words not mine!).

The only thing relevant here is if they're breaking any rules (about noise levels, hours of working, planning permission, coronavirus legislation).

Otherwise you're basically asking them to stop working and give up their job (& salary) because.... What, your kids want extra time in the garden? On what planet would anyone ever be able to agree to that? Even if the builders sympathize with you, you're asking them to quit working which is how they feed their families and pay their own rent/mortgages. Few people could ever decide to just.. stop ... Work...

You want to tell them to work less?!

This is a perfectly reasonable request if you also offer to pay them all their full time wage while they stop working.

If they are genuinely encroaching into your property physically you have a right to ask them to stop, but other than that I'm afraid you just have to put up with it.

It won't be long until we go on full lockdown and they will be made to stop.

I'm looking at this from the other side. Our builders are carrying on working because otherwise we won't have a working kitchen or bathroom which would be a disaster if we go into total lockdown. Having a side return done means your neighbours probably don't have a kitchen either- gave you spoken to them? They may be as distressed as we are and just trying to get something functional in place as fast as possible.

Goodness me, please don’t be so ridiculous. Of course you cannot ask them to stop! They will all very likely be self employed, and facing the prospect of not getting any government help until June. They are working whilst they can.

Please just accept that they will probably be stopped by the Government soon anyway and then you will get your peace.

They also cannot stop because you cannot leave a habitable property unsafe for an indefinite amount of time.

DH is a self employed builder and we rent, whilst the 80% of monthly income he’ll get in June is great & a much appreciated announcement, he meanwhile needs to (as safely as possible) continue working when he can, otherwise we will default on our rent, lose the house we live in after lockdown and not be able to eat or pay bills as my income covers 2 thirds of the rent and nothing else.

Also three years ago he had a really bad year income wise so 80% averaged is actually 60% of his current income and we do live ‘hand to mouth’ because 100% of income was nearly impossible to survive on anyway.

Much as not getting out in your garden must be a pain, there are real people who will go under just trying to find a way to survive financially if they stop. I’d much rather he didn’t have to too, but for now he doesn’t have much choice. Chances are we’ll be in full lockdown any day now, but if people can get the backs of their houses or their roof back on or a functional kitchen or bathroom so they don’t have to camp out for the next few months and we can get enough money to buy food and pay bills whilst we wait it out then it it wins over a temporary inconvenience I’m afraid.

I know this won't be popular but I am sympathetic to the poster. My father is in hospital with Coronavirus and I have been told to self isolate. Unfortunately my neighbour (a buy to let landlord) has. decided now would be a great time to get the builders in from 7am to 7pm ,Monday -Saturday. they are drilling, sawing and making excessive noise. We live in flats and my walls literally shake with the vibrations- it has given us headaches and this with the stress is making us ill. Unfortunately no one can get in touch with the owner of the flat and we have no idea how long this will be going on for - the development manager says they are ripping down every internal wall so it could be months. I do understand that people have to work and be paid but our health is also important. Whilst people are forced to stay indoors I do think there should be more restrictions on noise levels and length of time that you can make such noise.