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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU with these workmen?!

28 replies

FrustratingWorkmen · 11/03/2021 12:40

NC for this - but regular MN poster.

City Fibre are doing some sort of work in our area. Involves digging up streets and roads to install cables of some sort - no issue with this. Up until today the work hasn't really affected me.

Today however is a different story. I have two issues and I'm not sure in the grand scheme of things if I'm BU.

  1. Noise. Not just general noise. But these workmen are very close to my kitchen window where I'm WFH. They are incredibly loud and using the C word in every other sentence as well as swearing. I've had to postpone one client meeting as they could hear them, but I have another shortly. I've asked them nicely if they'd mind not swearing as I'm trying to WFH, but they laughed and said "cheer up love, might never happen"?!
  1. They have decided to use my front garden as a dumping ground for everything. There are currently bollards, buckets, a broom and some sort of tarmac mix in a bucket on it. The grass is ruined now where they've been walking all over it.

I called their HO and explained nicely what had happened, and the fact they had ruined my garden. Their response was: we will feed it back to the team.

AIBU in a) wanting to be able to have client meetings without sounding unprofessional, and b) not understanding why people don't respect other people property?!

OP posts:
PissTestRightNowDaniella · 11/03/2021 12:41

Record them swearing, include footage of the stuff they've dumped, then take to Twitter.

DynamoKev · 11/03/2021 12:43

YANBU

Alexandernevermind · 11/03/2021 12:44

Assuming they do not have permission from you (or the homeowner) to use your garden you need to take lots of photos and insist that their stuff is moved and the damage to your garden is repaired.
The language is horrible, but I don't think you can do anything except relocate from the kitchen. Can you use a bedroom at the back of the house?

Tiktaktoe · 11/03/2021 12:45

Go out and tell them to get the fuck out of your garden. Tell the HO that you will be billing him for a Gardner to reinstate the lawn.

Alexandernevermind · 11/03/2021 12:45

Actually, @PissTestRightNowDaniella has a good point about the power of social media.

trevthecat · 11/03/2021 12:46

Photos and recordings. And make note of any wages lost due to cancelled meeting due to the language

tulippa · 11/03/2021 12:47

You could bill City Fibre for the damage to your garden and lost earnings due to not being able to hold your work meetings? The noise might be unavoidable but the swearing and ruining your garden aren't.

Original poster
FrustratingWorkmen · 11/03/2021 12:47

@PissTestRightNowDaniella

Record them swearing, include footage of the stuff they've dumped, then take to Twitter.
That's actually a great idea. Have taken photos of everything!
OP posts:
NewPapaGuinea · 11/03/2021 12:49

Would this be considered anti-social behaviour?

Pokerface12 · 11/03/2021 12:49

I would take everything from your from garden and move it into the road else where. I would be fuming!

sqirrelfriends · 11/03/2021 13:19

OP, do you live in a place beginning with a J?

If so, we might be in the same area. They were working on a street I walked down yesterday and were swearing quite loudly, which wouldn't have bothered me but DS was very interested in them and what they were doing. It came across very aggressive and they seemed annoyed a small child was interested. (We didn't get near them or stand looking, just DS commented as we walked past)

PissTestRightNowDaniella · 11/03/2021 13:23

Companies are terrified of the power social media holds, sadly it's the quickest way of getting stuff done these days. Shouldn't be that way but there you go....

Hope you get a quick successful outcome OP.

justilou1 · 11/03/2021 13:30

The “Cheer up love, it might never happen” bullshit is now considered harrassment if it is followed (inevitably) by the rest of the fuckers laughing at you.

Notaroadrunner · 11/03/2021 13:35

Tell them to remove their stuff from your property now. They have no right to use your garden as a dumping ground. Send all photos to the company and ask for compensation to repair the damage. Mention the comment made to you when you politely asked them to stop swearing. They are disgusting.

AngelDelightUk · 11/03/2021 13:38

Definitely video them. It sounds like they are just plain rude

LoudestCat14 · 11/03/2021 13:48

Tell them to remove the stuff from your garden immediately and if they kick off or make disparaging comments again, call 101 for advice.

CanofCant · 11/03/2021 14:01

@PissTestRightNowDaniella

Record them swearing, include footage of the stuff they've dumped, then take to Twitter.
Yup, I'd do this.
CanofCant · 11/03/2021 14:02

Oh, see you already have! I hope it gets sorted asap.

Baubles2020 · 11/03/2021 14:03

You’re calmer than I would be. I’d move all their crap off my front lawn for starters whilst telling them what they could do with their “cheer up love” comments 🙄 I’d post photos and videos of their language on social media and then I’d bill the company for a new lawn

Moelwynbach · 11/03/2021 14:03

Remove all their shit from your garden and place it down the hoke that have dug. Tell them to cheer the fuck up too.

Original poster
FrustratingWorkmen · 11/03/2021 14:04

@sqirrelfriends

OP, do you live in a place beginning with a J?

If so, we might be in the same area. They were working on a street I walked down yesterday and were swearing quite loudly, which wouldn't have bothered me but DS was very interested in them and what they were doing. It came across very aggressive and they seemed annoyed a small child was interested. (We didn't get near them or stand looking, just DS commented as we walked past)

No, not in a place beginning with J - seems there's a few workmen like this about at the moment! So after some googling, I found their website and there is a form I can complete for complaints. So I did. Less than 15 minutes later I received a phone call from the Area Manager who I briefed fully on the situation. He asked me to send him any evidence I had, and that he would be dealing with this today. Now just a waiting game to see if they respond!
OP posts:
thenonsensepotter · 11/03/2021 14:05

@Pokerface12

I would take everything from your from garden and move it into the road else where. I would be fuming!
I think I'd be tempted to full on throw it into the road. Make sure it goes everywhere and they have to spend a good amount of time picking it up again!
B33Fr33 · 11/03/2021 14:07

I bet the workmen wouldn't have been so flippant if a man had asked them to curb the profanities. Now you've gone through an official channel hopefully they'll st"bleep"up.

CanofCant · 11/03/2021 14:08

I did a quick Google and took a look at their Twitter and you aren't the only one to complain about the conduct of their workers.

Original poster
FrustratingWorkmen · 11/03/2021 14:12

@CanofCant

I did a quick Google and took a look at their Twitter and you aren't the only one to complain about the conduct of their workers.
I've just looked after your comment - the Trust Pilot reviews alone say it all!!
OP posts: