For emailing the police?

[itsnotanyonesyear]

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.

@cupofdecaf

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.

All that demonstrated was that Cummings was a lying road

Yes, I am actively saying fuck lockdown, fuck old people, I need the right shade tiles.

No, I have said that we have followed every fucking rule for the entire year. We have been buying a house throughout this whole shit show, and it has been beyond stressful, but we have no choice and need to move. You won't find many people who are building their house that have made every choice online, it's standard to go to show rooms, it's standard to view samples. This is the biggest purchase of our lives, which despite us not being old or vulnerable, do still count. Very sorry if we want to make the right choices to avoid having to pay to change things down the line.

I clearly don't want to do anything wrong, but the builders merchants themselves have made our appointment and said they are allowed to operate at a social distance. Our developer has said to us to make sure we attend because otherwise we could end up having to shell out thousands and thousands more. Believe it or not an extra £4K won't be very hard to find during a pandemic with possible furloughs looming over everyone's heads. I have even emailed the fucking police to see if I'm being given the correct information so as to avoid breaking rules and subsequent fines.

So please get off your bloody high horse. I'm so sick of this attitude. Of course vulnerable people are important but other things can be important to people too ffs.

Sorry, rant below was to titchy and their high and mighty comments.

Yes you aibu emailing the police. There is plenty of guidance from governments available for you to make an informed decision.

Extra 4K won't be very easy to find. It will be bloody hard if not impossible.

You're not doing anything wrong

It's very clear this is allowed or the business (note: BUSINESS) would be closed

Anything to do with money/business is allowed

Wasting police time means things like dialling 999 and hanging up for a laugh, not emailing as a citizen to ask for clarification about something.

Just go to your appointment its essential

I would say you should go . If the business is open and the transaction could be held up .

And I don’t blame you for contacting the police . I know someone who did the same as he had to deal with a relatives estate and drive out of Wales and they said yes he could .

If the builders merchants are open, it’s considered essential, you are therefore allowed to go. It isn’t a problem.

"but the builders merchants themselves have made our appointment and said they are allowed to operate at a social distance"

so there you are then

But if your DH is unwilling to the point of refusing, surely there is a way of completing before the stamp duty holiday and then choosing what you want? If you go over budget you'll just have to pay the extra?

Contacting the police, however, is ludicrous

Just go. I'm in Wales and I wouldn't begrudge you. You have a deadline and the showroom has made the appointment and has measures in place. If Tesco have had to cordon all their books off from sale, you can bet that they'd have been forced to close if it was deemed non essential.

I think it is fine to email the police to ask for clarification of whether this is within the legal regulations or not. I have emailed the police in the past for advice on a traffic matter. They replied about a week later with good advice. The emails are probably answered by civilians and it is not the same as dialling 999 in terms of wasting police time.

I wouldn't expect a reply from the police. I am a bit surprised you emailed them to be honest, but I suppose you were looking for ways to persuade your DH.

If he refuses to go then I would go alone. I know it's not ideal but I think even just one of you seeing the stuff in person is better than you both just going off pictures online.

You aren't wasting police time by the way. It's just an email. Probably takes 20 seconds for someone to scan over it, and if it's really such a huge imposition for them to type a reply, they could just ignore it.

You’re fine, your husband is being ridiculous. You are allowed to go and chose your tiles etc. YANBU

I'm in Wales too, I don't see anything wrong with you making one trip to sort everything out. You have a deadline to meet and the builders merchant is open. It's not like you are going out to browse around multiple shops on a whim.
You are being unreasonable to have bothered the police!!!

This is the ridiculous situation the Welsh "non essential" diktat has forced upon us.

I emailed the police during the last lockdown as I needed to break the rules to check on one of my properties. I got an email back within hours saying I was OK but to carry proof of why I needed to travel to show if I was stopped.

Speaking as an elderly (76) person with a variety of underlying ailments, I will not assume you are trying to kill me off because you go to choose your purchases in person.
Some crazy remarks on here.

if they are happy to do the appointment with you then just press on
Emailing police a bit ridiculous though.
But not as ridiculous as your husband,

Absolutely ridiculous to think the police have time to be updated about your new kitchen, house purchase etc. Jesus Christ. You’ve clearly never worked in the emergency services or similar and have no regard for what they do.

This is so self absorbed and entitled it actually has filled me with rage.

I hope you get done for wasting police time but you won’t because they don’t have time for nonsense.

Go to your appointment if you want. Or don’t. Who cares. But stop thinking you’re above the rules and entitled to an exception because you want to chose your tiles in person.

Fuck me this is the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever seen on here.

I think it’s fine OP and I’d do the same.

Worried sick?! Look if you can’t afford the house don’t buy it. Don’t you realise what the fines are for? They’re to STOP you doing exactly what you’re wanting to do. But you think it’s ok cos you can afford it? And it’ll save you £4k (possibly, lots of other factors). Have you heard yourself?
Remember, the virus doesn't move; people do. Shall I tell my paramedic son and his paramedic g/f (who’ve both had Covid) that it’s ok cos you can afford the fines that are there to protect people like them? Or tell my 85 yo neighbour who’s not been out since March?
Hope your kitchen’s worth it. 🤷‍♀️

DopeyDuck she has not committed the crime of wasting police crime by simply asking a question.

Wasting police crime is committed when you report being robbed when you haven’t, for example, and have wasted their time by requiring them to do unnecessary investigation.