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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

For emailing the police?

67 replies

itsnotanyonesyear · 31/10/2020 10:33

We're buying a new build house and are rushing to complete before the stamp duty holiday ends. Our developer has told us there are big delays ordering kitchen/bathrooms and that we need to place our order in the next week if we want any hope of completing on time. We are supposed to go on Wednesday to do just that but DH wants to cancel because we are in a firebreak lockdown (Wales) and he doesn't want to get fined. I completely get it, we've followed all the rules but the fact that the builders merchants is open and we have a strict deadline surely means it's ok? We've ended up having a huge argument over it because having to cough up an extra £4K for stamp duty to me is a bigger risk than the police fining us £60. I know the Welsh lockdown 'ends' on the 9th but who knows what the new restrictions will be, my fear is that they get tighter or nothing really changes. The appointment would be social distanced and with masks. It's so much money at risk here.

I ended up emailing the non urgent contact centre for our police force to ask if we'd be fined for this, DH said that's an absolutely ridiculous thing to do and I'm wasting their time. I'm just worried sick about having to find another £4K if we get delayed.

OP posts:
MynephewR · 31/10/2020 10:37

Just go, like you said the fine is a hell of a lot less than the stamp duty. If your DH refuses then go on your own, he will just have to be happy with whatever you choose.

RosieCrumpet · 31/10/2020 10:37

Why do you need to go in person to place an order?!

RosieCrumpet · 31/10/2020 10:38

Also, it sounds to me like there's no chance you'll complete on time anyway because the developers are screwing you around.

itsnotanyonesyear · 31/10/2020 10:38

@RosieCrumpet

Why do you need to go in person to place an order?!
To pick our flooring, tiles, appliances, kitchen, worktops, showers, we literally need to pick every aspect of the house and don't want to do all of this based off photos online when they make look different in person.
OP posts:
RosieCrumpet · 31/10/2020 10:38

And yes, you are wasting police time contacting them over this.

plessuregirle · 31/10/2020 10:40

Yes it's a ridiculous thing to do. The police are inundated as it is. Just use your common sense.

RosieCrumpet · 31/10/2020 10:40

For the sake of the £60 fine, I'd go. But I'd bear in mind that if you get fined then the police may make you leave too - so it'd all be for nothing and there's little chance you'll complete on time anyway (the developers are just trying to use the deadline to control you - be prepared for "oh, if you don't want this massively overpriced appliance then you won't be able to complete on time..." bullshit).

bobbiester · 31/10/2020 10:41

Daft thing to do. To they are never going to admit in writing that it could be something they'd ignore.

emilyfrost · 31/10/2020 10:41

we've followed all the rules but the fact that the builders merchants is open and we have a strict deadline surely means it's ok?

No, it doesn’t mean it’s okay. Why do you think you should be an exception?

There isn’t a “strict deadline” because you can complete at any stage, you just want to do it quickly to save yourselves money.

And he’s right, you’re wasting police time.

AvoidingRealHumans · 31/10/2020 10:41

How is it wasting police time contacting them on a non emergency channel asking them to clarify the law?
She didn't call 999 for gods sake.

As others have said, I would go alone if my husband didn't want to come. It would be worth the fine in the long run.

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 31/10/2020 10:42

This is a personal decision for you to make weighing the risks / benefits. It’s not something you can delegate to the police. They are not there to give you immunity from prosecution in advance of committing an act.

cupofdecaf · 31/10/2020 10:42

I don't think it's the OPs fault the rules are so confusing.
As Cummings demonstrated what is reasonable and necessary to one person might not be to another.

itsnotanyonesyear · 31/10/2020 10:45

Developers aren't trying to sell us extras, everything is included we just need to decide what we like. A small local developer building a handful of homes and working with us to ensure we can benefit from the holiday is all it is. I would argue it is a deadline, it's the date on all of our contracts when we exchanged as we weren't expecting all this shit to kick off again. It was an email in which the subject was 'Non urgent query'. Is it wasting police time in the sense I can get in actual legal trouble for? It's nothing to do with thinking there should be different rules for us, it's asking for clarity on the fact builders merchants are open, as is construction and we have an appointment to attend. I can't find clarity online of whether this is an offence or not.

OP posts:
RosieCrumpet · 31/10/2020 10:48

@AvoidingRealHumans

How is it wasting police time contacting them on a non emergency channel asking them to clarify the law? She didn't call 999 for gods sake.

As others have said, I would go alone if my husband didn't want to come. It would be worth the fine in the long run.

  1. You don't ask the police to "clarify the law". They aren't lawyers, it's literally not their job to clarify the law - they don't often know the nuances of the law. Why would they!? Regardless, their answer would always have to be to follow the law.
  2. Contacting a non-emergency line still uses up time? It uses up just as much time. How would it not use up time?
Of course she's wasting police time.
BillysMyBunny · 31/10/2020 10:54

If the business is open and making appointments I would assume it must be fine - as a business they would face a much larger fine if they were breaking the rules so I wouldn’t expect them to be making illegal appointments.

itsnotanyonesyear · 31/10/2020 11:02

@BillysMyBunny

If the business is open and making appointments I would assume it must be fine - as a business they would face a much larger fine if they were breaking the rules so I wouldn’t expect them to be making illegal appointments.
This was my logic too.
OP posts:
TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 31/10/2020 11:07

But is there not more to it than the just £60 fine?

Isn't the risk that you may inadvertently pass on Covid 19 the whole point of the locked down areas?

itsnotanyonesyear · 31/10/2020 11:08

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles

But is there not more to it than the just £60 fine?

Isn't the risk that you may inadvertently pass on Covid 19 the whole point of the locked down areas?

But we wont be seeing anybody. We aren't stopping on the way, and the appointment is socially distanced. The company should have a plan in place for cleaning between appointments. We are in the same health board area.
OP posts:
vanillandhoney · 31/10/2020 11:09

If the shop is open and accepting appointments then I would assume it's okay.

titchy · 31/10/2020 11:10

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles

But is there not more to it than the just £60 fine?

Isn't the risk that you may inadvertently pass on Covid 19 the whole point of the locked down areas?

Yeah but as long as she gets the right shade of greige worktop who cares if one or two vulnerable oldies catch CV and die Hmm
itsnotanyonesyear · 31/10/2020 11:12

It never takes long to be accused of wanting old people to die on MN. Believe it or not people can simultaneously care about their own lives, finances etc and old people. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

OP posts:
Didntgetmydiamondring · 31/10/2020 11:16

AIBU for emailing the police?

Yes,

NotDavidTennant · 31/10/2020 11:18

I think you're unlikely to get a positive answer from the police. Even if what you're doing is technically legal they will say something vague like, "Individuals are being asked to only make essential journeys at this time". There's no way they will want to be seen to be encouraging people to make journeys that are not absolutely necessary.

In your shoes I would just go and take the risk. The chances of encountering the police are surely pretty low.

tashac89 · 31/10/2020 11:23

Wouldn't it fall under the moving home guidance? At the moment moving home is allowed and other 'associated activities' so surely it would be part of that?

"Associated activities, for example, removals processes, property preparation, handover of keys, surveys and valuations can also take place in line with guidance on working in other people’s homes."

titchy · 31/10/2020 11:30

@itsnotanyonesyear

It never takes long to be accused of wanting old people to die on MN. Believe it or not people can simultaneously care about their own lives, finances etc and old people. The two aren't mutually exclusive.
And yet you want to break the firebreak to make sure the colour of your tiles is genuine rather than browse online. FFS

Builders merchants are open because builders sell essential stuff which might be used for emergency repairs.

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