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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To go next door and punchworkmen

124 replies

nicslackey · 22/04/2020 12:37

House next door (semi detached was up for sale and empty for 3 years) has sold but is needing extensive renovation. AIBU to feel irritated at the horrendous noise whilst I can't go out and we are working from home with conferences online etc. Think all day drilling as they strip all the walls, rip out kitchen etc. I know it has to be done. I appreciate the new owner will want to get in asap but ffs. They called in to oversee yesterday and don't know us obviously, I could have a sick child and a wee note to say how long this will take would have been nice in the interests of good future relationships with your neighbours. Quite prepared to concede that I am BU and oversensitive to the noise but it is sooo loud, like they are coming through my bederoom wall and I can't watch tv. It's been a week so far. Is this really needing to be done now or can I go in and punch them (lighthearted obviously)

OP posts:
Waveysnail · 22/04/2020 12:39

Are they not breaking lockdown?

QueenOfHell669 · 22/04/2020 12:39

I wouldn’t have thought they’d be working during a lockdown Confused yanbu to be annoyed though I’m not sure there’s anything you can do Flowers

MashedSpud · 22/04/2020 12:40

Building works are suspended unless they have a government or nhs letter.

InTheShadiws · 22/04/2020 12:41

No they're not breaking lockdown.

Sounds awful though OP Flowers

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 22/04/2020 12:41

You can punch them as long as your arms are more than 2m long.

Original poster
nicslackey · 22/04/2020 12:41

Well, not sure that they are as nobody is living in the house and they can't work from home. I am sympathetic to the builders to a degree, needing work but as the house has been empty for three years how urgent is it. Does it even need to be essential?

OP posts:
vanillandhoney · 22/04/2020 12:45

Building works are suspended unless they have a government or nhs letter.

Since when?

Pineapple1 · 22/04/2020 12:46

It's non of your business.
Let them get on with it

ProfessorPollington · 22/04/2020 12:49

Sympathies - ours have been banging away for months and then recently restarted for three painful weeks. To be fair they have now stopped but when they were drilling into the party wall it was impossible to be in a call. I have to say really poor form of the new owners to not stop by or leave a note. I suspect they know it's a bit of an arsehole move to kick it all off right now and are avoiding you.

HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 22/04/2020 12:50

Building works are suspended unless they have a government or nhs letter.

No they aren’t, as horrendous as the noise is, unfortunately they need a home to live it, there current home they need to be legally out by a certain date.

Rivergreen · 22/04/2020 12:50

@MashedSpud that's a load of rubbish. Everyone is able to go to work as long as it is safe to do so. Workmen in an uninhabited house is fine.

OP YABU I'm afraid. As long as they are adhering to the hours your council has deemed are acceptable, then they can carry on. And indeed should.

ElloElloVera · 22/04/2020 12:52

Building work can still carry on with social distancing advised where possible. It’s not been banned during lockdown so that info is wrong.

Perhaps knock and ask (from a distance) how long the really boost work will be going on for. Just so they know it’s troubling you. Other than that unless it’s antisocial hours I’m not sure you can do much. Hopefully if the house is empty the work can move fast.

YahBasic · 22/04/2020 12:52

That’s only in Scotland @MashedSpud. I work in construction and we are BAU.

Gruffawoah · 22/04/2020 12:53

Haha why do people keep making up regulations? They are permitted to work, in fact, part of the issue at the moment is too many businesses and workplaces closing when they haven't needed to; increasing the amount claiming furlough etc. It is annoying though OP and I do empathise, not sure what you can do about it really though. You could talk to them, but I doubt that will make them stop work.

Smilethoyourheartisbreaking · 22/04/2020 12:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Handsnotwands · 22/04/2020 12:55

They can either go all out and get it over and done with. Or go slowly and it’ll last for months. Or nothing could be done and the house will eventually fall down and take yours with it

And it’s virtually impossible to put a timescale on a major renovation at the best of times let alone in the current situation. You’d be more pissed off if they’d told you it’ll take 3 months, then they discover a disaster and it actually takes 6 months

vanillandhoney · 22/04/2020 12:57

Thanks, I didn't think building was banned - I'm pretty certain work can still go ahead so long as you can maintain social distancing.

P1nkHeartLovesCake · 22/04/2020 12:58

They aren’t doing anything wrong!

I get you want to make conference calls in quiet but the workmen need to make a living as well, they like you have got bills to pay and food to buy

The rules are you can go to work if you can’t work from home

60sPony · 22/04/2020 12:59

“Building works are suspended unless they have a government or nhs letter.”

That is not true - hardly any construction is suspended in London at the moment. The economy needs construction to continue and builders want to work so it continues... Even in Italy and Spain during the most strict of lockdown phases most construction was ongoing.

CtrlU · 22/04/2020 13:00

This is a non issue really

Buy earplugs and get over it.

CtrlU · 22/04/2020 13:02

And they are not breaking lockdown.

People really have too much time on their hands.

One Minuit I’m reading threads bashing people for being OUTSIDE homes - the next; I’m reading threads bashing people for being INSIDE ??

OneandTwenty · 22/04/2020 13:10

It's easy to see who bullshitted their tax and now have to work because they are not receiving anything...

OP I sympathise. Of course they are breaking all the current rules, they are hardly respecting social distancing are they? And renovating a house is not an emergency.

Do report any incidence of unacceptable noise: loud radio is not permitted, out of legal hours , bad parking and so on. Being a builder is never an excuse to be antisocial and they can get fined.

OneandTwenty · 22/04/2020 13:11

People really have too much time on their hands.Confused
what the hell does that even mean?

People are stuck at home, so obviously can't help noticing or have a way to escape horrendous noise from next door?

CtrlU · 22/04/2020 13:13

@oneandtwenty

It means find a hobby and stop watching why your neighbours are doing and making assumptions and then spewing hate on here about them being selfish...

Why part of that did you not get Confused

CtrlU · 22/04/2020 13:13

It means mind your business. That’s what it means