How to get next door’s builders to stop dropping stuff in my garden?

[AngeloMysterioso]

My next door neighbours are having a loft conversion done. It’s been a bit of a PITA so far- there was only just enough room for the skip on the pavement in front of their house so the builders dumped all their other stuff (including planks of wood and an enormous sack of sand) right up in front of our hedge. They didn’t ask us first, we just came outside and it was there. Every time we ask how much longer it’s going to be there for we’re told “it’ll be gone in a couple of days”. It’s been 3 weeks so far. They’re also making a complete racket every day, including at weekends (Mr NDN did bring a bottle of wine to apologise for the noise on the first Sunday).

That by itself I could live with but they also keep dropping stuff off the scaffolding into my garden where my 19 month old son plays. So far I’ve found several enormous screws and nails, a few fairly sizeable chunks of wood, and today, I only just got to DS in time to stop him taking a bite out of a chunk of fibreglass insulation.

I don’t want to be that neighbour who’s constantly nagging the builders and I don’t want to start any issues with my NDNs (we’ve only lived here 18 months) but this stuff is really dangerous for my son- I’ve had to start scanning my garden every morning before he can come out to play but I don’t always see things like screws, and the bit of insulation was dropped while I was hanging out my laundry to dry, so I didn’t even realise until I saw DS with it.

How the hell do I get them to be more careful?

Contact the council for illegal dumping or ask neighbour if to take the stuff off your lawn and move onto theirs

You need to talk to your neighbour, let them know about the stuff your son is picking up, they will probably be mortified if they are reasonable humans

@CCC11

Contact the council for illegal dumping or ask neighbour if to take the stuff off your lawn and move onto theirs

And this will really help neighbour relations won't it ?

Take photos.

Talk to neighbours first, if no joy then complain to the council.

When the builders are there go out and ask them to stop it.

Talk to them first I agree.

That by itself I could live with but they also keep dropping stuff off the scaffolding into my garden where my 19 month old son plays. So far I’ve found several enormous screws and nails, a few fairly sizeable chunks of wood, and today, I only just got to DS in time to stop him taking a bite out of a chunk of fibreglass insulation

This gave me chills. I'd be asking them to put up that net screening you sometimes see around scaffolding on building sites. I had a car that got a sizable dent in the roof after a roof tile was dropped from a scaffold, and when the scaffolders took down my NDN's, they dropped a scaffolding clip and a board that went through our garage roof.

Your NDN sounds pretty reasonable OP, I'd have a chat with him and ask him to speak to them about what they can do to work more safely.

I'd also check their planning permission, which usually sets out permitted hours for building work. I don't know if it's the same everywhere, but our council never gives permission for Sunday working. If they're breaching the permitted hours, your NDN needs to tell them to stop.

We’ve already spoken to them once after I found the first couple of screws- the chap who I assume is in charge came round the next morning, apologised profusely and said they’d be more careful.

Today after I got the bit of insulation off DS I called up the builder who was up there and said they’d dropped it, he said sorry and “it’s just a bit of insulation”. Yeah harmless until your toddler decides to eat it!

Ask the builders to be careful as some of their materials have fallen into the garden.

Presumably they aren't actually throwing things into your garden and presumably at 19 months old you aren't leaving your child unsupervised out there anyway, so it's no biggie really, surely?

Just ask them to be a bit more careful.

We’ve already asked them to be more careful. I don’t leave him unsupervised, but I don’t always spot the screws first time around, and if they drop something and it lands on his head there won’t be much I can do to stop it.

Presumably they aren't actually throwing things into your garden and presumably at 19 months old you aren't leaving your child unsupervised out there anyway, so it's no biggie really, surely?

If you read the post OP hasn’t seen everything every time, so it is a biggie, her child could end up hurt. What if something drops onto them?

Tell them, don’t ask them, to stop dropping stuff or you’ll call building standards. If they can’t stop they need to put up some kind of cover to make sure the stuff can’t fall into your garden.
I didn’t ask nicely years back when I went to speak to neighbours over the back who thought it was fine to let their kids play golf in the back garden. Flying golf balls coming into your garden and toddlers’ heads do not go well together. I made it clear that it stopped now unless they put high nets up. Golf is for golf course not a small back garden. It stopped.

They need to put up a tall nylon mesh safety screen so that dropped stuff lands in NDN's garden not yours. Just speak to the foreman and tell them, you are dropping havy objects where a baby plays. Either you put up a screen today or I will call the council and get HSE to shut down your unsafe building site.

Unacceptable behaviour.
Speak to your neighbour.

Take photos and then collect up the shit & go round to the neighbours. Tell them if their builders do not put up the relevant covering to stop this happening again, you'll hold them responsible should anything land on your son while he's in your garden. You've already talked about it, you've already been reasonable, time to dig deep and let them have it. Makes me feel ill to think if your son actually put the insulation in his mouth...

That’s not ok. Our (adjoining semi) neighbours had a loft conversion done. We did give access for scaffolding poles. I don’t think the workmen dropped as much as a screw.

The neighbours did ask for loads of parking favours on our drive - but we are on good terms and they did buy us Very Nice Chocolates when it was all done.

You do need to be that neighbour. You're being a mug and they know it.

As 2bazookas says, outline what needs to happen assertively and explain what the consequences will be if they don't step up. An unsafe building site is a serious matter.

@CCC11

Contact the council for illegal dumping or ask neighbour if to take the stuff off your lawn and move onto theirs

OH SO DRAMATIC !

Be that person OP. Your son is worth more than anything in this world and they're being careless and it could cos your son his life.

I've just been landscaping our garden and the amount of screws and nails from years past is astounding. I'm surprised wed missed these all this time. I dread to think what would have happened if one of the many kids in the family had picked one up and shoved it in their mouth/nose/ears or if it'd just pierced their skin.

I worry about harmful bacteria because I've seen a necrotising bacterial infection from DIY works take a relative's hand.

What they're doing is not up to standards. Don't let them poor the wrong foot forward.

It’s time to get serious with them OP. Speak with NDN and foreman together and explain exactly what has been happening and that the workman don’t seem to be giving a shit about the safety of your DC. Bad enough that they are throwing stuff into your garden but you having a DC makes it so much worse

Say it stops now or you will happily make a comment on their social media about how unprofessional they are. Your NDN hired them so has a responsibility for not pissing everyone off

Your DC safety is more important than any potential relationship with neighbours

I’ve been throwing most of the stuff away but this is an example. That’s the biggest bit of insulation but I’ve found quite a few smaller pieces too.

Oh- and there’s sawdust everywhere. I’m tempted to go out and vacuum my patio.

Reminds me of the roofers we had in our first house, who dropped slates into our bedroom ceiling. It was like lots of little grey sharks peeking through. Fortunately, none came all the way through. We sacked them on the spot.

They need to erect a net.

This is awful, not okay. For comparison -

We had our back roof replaced earlier this year. I was very anxious at the idea of something falling into next door’s garden - they have two young children. The job ended up taking a few weeks, I kept next door up to speed on what was happening each day. One weekend it was super windy so I made the roofers come back to bring down some loose tiles they had left up on the roof (despite their insistence these couldn’t blow off - I just couldn’t live with the risk!).

I can’t even remember if the roofers dropped anything - they were very tidy and everything was immaculate when they finished.

Couchbettato, i sympathise. yes, once seen, it's never forgot, NF.
so many people underestimate the possible serious consequences of soft tissue damage/infection.
take care.

I feel your pain op, builders have so much work on at the moment that they don’t actually give a shit.
Our neighbours had work done a couple of weeks ago and came on our drive without permission and left nails etc where we park.
I went out and gave them hell but they clearly weren’t bothered.
Relations with the neighbours are currently frosty.