Scaffolding on neighbours roof

[SuPerDoPer]

I think I already know the answer to this but need clarification.

I've lived here for only 3 months and I'm having solar panels fitted. The scaffolders came yesterday and the area that they need to reach is very narrow and right next to my neighbours garage extension. The neighbours weren't in to ask so I was very clear that the scaffolders shouldn't put anything on the roof next door or encroach on their property. Next thing I know the neighbour has returned home to see 3 blokes on his roof putting scaffolding on his roof and has come round here fuming. I said I'll tell them to take it down and work round it but he seemed more angry about not being warned than what they were actually doing. I apologised profusely and he went off in a grump.

Today I bought a nice box of posh biscuits and went round again to apologise and offer the biscuits. This time his wife answered and kept me on the doorstep for almost 10 minutes telling me how upset and distraught she was and how worried she was about the scaffolding damaging the lead on her roof. I said I'll call them and ask them to come back and remove it but she said no it's done now but wanted to keep telling me how awful the experience was.

I realise I am at fault here but apart from making sure my workmen dont cause any further upset is there anything else I can do? Would you be this upset and distraught if a neighbour put scaffolding on your property? I'm not sure if I would give it a second thought after the initial surprise.

Sympathies OP, this happened to us fairly recently. Our neighbours were told we were having work done but the scaffolding company didn't tell us the scaffolding would go into next doors garden! We apologised, luckily our neighbour was fine about it. Slight over reactions on here in my opinion!

OP,

I strongly suggest you get confirmation from the installer that they will check and stand over any corrective work that may need doing.

YOU will be liable for any damage that those cowboys may have done.

A broken tile, a leak, redecoration can cost serious money.

Those elderly neighbours have every right to be annoyed and concerned at the calibre of cowboy who do this.

Cowboys do damage and YOU will be liable.

Get your conversation and what has been agreed in writing and get it confirmed that No damage has been done before you pay the final bill.

I'd be furious and insist it was removed immediately.

The workmen have demonstrated a shameless disregard for the safety and insurance protection of the neighbours and their property roof, and YOUR insurance liability for any damage done to neighbours roof. That in itself is a red flag of cowboys cutting all possible corners, so damage is more likely.

Check the terms and conditions of your own insurance policy both for property damage and public liability; the workmens deliberate misconduct may have invalidated your cover. . In other words, if anything goes wrong, (damage to your property or the neighbours) your insurers won't pay up. Roof damage sometimes takes a while to become apparent.

BEFORE you pay the builders bill, I would seriously consider obtaining an independent survey to check for any damage done to the neighbours property. Deduct the survey cost from the builders bill.

An offer to pay to have their roof professionally inspected and cover any required repairs would be the appropriate response.

You will possibly end up on the hook for more damages than were caused by just the scaffolding, but that is something that you are going to have to address with the scaffolding company. If you had gotten proper permission from the neighbors, a pre-placement inspection could have been performed that would have identified existing roof problems.

@Blossom64265

An offer to pay to have their roof professionally inspected and cover any required repairs would be the appropriate response.

You will possibly end up on the hook for more damages than were caused by just the scaffolding, but that is something that you are going to have to address with the scaffolding company. If you had gotten proper permission from the neighbors, a pre-placement inspection could have been performed that would have identified existing roof problems.

What if the OP can't afford to pay for repairs for damage she didn't actually cause? Did you miss the bit where she told them not to access next door?

Surely this is down to the scaffolding company and/or whoever gave them the contract.

That’s for the OP to facilitate and put a claim in to the company who ignored her instructions. Why exactly do you think the neighbours should be the ones to arrange the roof inspection and shoulder the cost of any repairs?

If that's directed at me @SirChenjins I didn't say they should have to do anything, I said the OP might not be able to afford to pay.

As I said in the last sentence (that you chose to ignore), 'Surely this is down to the scaffolding company and/or whoever gave them the contract.'

I didn’t ignore your last sentence - I said that it was up to the OP to facilitate that (and by that I meant payment) one way or another. As @Blossom64265 rightly said, “it’s the OP who is going to have to address with the scaffolding company, and if she had gotten proper permission from the neighbors, a pre-placement inspection could have been performed that would have identified existing roof problems”. The OPs ability to pay for any damages caused by her scaffolders shouldn’t be her neighbour’s concern. ‘Telling’ workmen isn’t sufficient - you should have a clear set of instructions for something like this so that neighbours aren’t left worrying about potential damages and costs.

OK, I can't be arsed argue with you. I think the scaffolding company or the company who contracted out to them should be paying, you disagree.

I can understand why they’d be angry, treading on a garage roof can cause damage and you could end up with a bill coming your way in the future if you’re not careful. I’d ask the builders to take a photo of the garage roof just incase you’re accused of any damage in future which they might ask you to pay for.

No, I don’t disagree - but the OP should be arranging that inspection and organising that repayment. That may mean she has to pay upfront for the survey and repairs, and then seek to recoup the costs from the scaffolders and/or contractors - the neighbours shouldn’t have to spend a minute organising anything, getting into lengthy disputes with third parties or paying a penny upfront.

Or repairing their own herbaceous borders, of course.

I think we're actually agreeing about the desired end result @SirChenjins so apologies, it's been a long day!

Ffs you’ve apologised if they are so upset take it up with the scaffolders . What more can you do ?

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

I think we're actually agreeing about the desired end result *@SirChenjins* so apologies, it's been a long day!

No need to apologise! @PinkSparklyPussyCat We are agreeing about the end result - the OP needs to sort this and not the neighbours, but ultimately it’s the scaffolders who need to pay for any survey and/or damage. Just might mean that the OP is out of pocket for a while during the time she recoups any money from them that might have to be spent upfront. Hopefully there won’t be any damage done though.

The scaffolders said they'd been told I'd given permission. I asked if I looked and sounded like a woman who'd given permission?

This wasn't an East Sussex scaffolding company was it, @SpinningTheSeedsOfLove?

I had almost exactly the same conversation with the guys who put up the scaffolding when my neighbour had her extension built. However, she had already explained that her builder had explained to the scaffolders how it should be done so that it wasn't intruding into my (narrow) drive, so I called their bluff.

It was almost completely blocking the top part of my drive, the cheeky fuckers. Neighbour's builder made them come back and move it all, but they had the last laugh. When they came to remove it, they dropped a scaffolding clip through my garage roof, and it damaged one of DP's motorbikes.

Builder fixed it all, and paid for the bike to be fixed, but it was still a bloody nuisance.

Bloody furious. And genuinely concerned that damage had been done to my roof. My roof was damaged by my own builders when they put scaffolding up, so no way would I tolerate that risk for work that is of no benefit to me.

I assume the builders are ready to put right any damage that may make itself know to the neighbours in the next few months?

@Jaxhog

PS. I'd have hurled your 'posh biscuits' over the fence at your house!

What on earth has the OP done wrong??????

You need to calm down and get help with anger management. Jesus Christ

@Miggymoggymugwumps

I'm another one who'd also be livid, and would find being offered a box of biscuits as an apology insulting!

What would you like as an apology? Gold bullion?

@OhFuckBloodyHell

I'd be absolutely livid. And you protesting that you'd told them not to, and giving me biscuits, without actually doing anything about the scaffold being on my roof would make me even more angry.

I would expect you to be on the phone to the scaffolders and make them come back and take it down. It's really not ok for you to let the scaffold remain, and is quite likely to damage your neighbour relationship long term if they're reacting as you've said.

Read the OP?

[quote OhFuckBloodyHell]@lockheart

I did see that, but the way it was worded definitely gave me the impression the neighbour wasn't sincere. I know people shouldn't say what they don't mean, but being angry, and continuing to complain and repeat how angry they are about the situation over and over definitely seems like they were in a 'there's no point, you've done it now' state of mind. Rather than genuinely not wanting the scaffolding removed.

I'm still worried for op if the scaffolders do damage. I can see them refusing to engage with the neighbour and op being stuck in the middle again, but this time for money she can't afford.[/quote]
That's projection!

I’d be cross. Firstly that you didn’t warn me, secondly that the scaffolding was up on my roof and the potential for damage and finally that my herbaceous border was trampled on. The border bit would be less worrying than the roof but would piss me off massively.

Whilst I think F&M hampers and £500 Amazon vouchers are overkill I would have another word with the neighbours after the scaffolding is down and everything has had time to cool off, hopefully after there being no damage. I would be massively pissed off if someone walked in my herbaceous borders, I know you were probably being tongue in cheek about them but I think she is probably pretty angry about that too.

I’d take flowers and a garden voucher (£20/£25). I would apologise again and say that it was really thoughtless of you not to give them prior warning that you we’re having work done and assure them this will never happen again and that as well as the roof you are also really sorry for any damage to her garden and hope the voucher will help a little and say how incredibly sorry you are for the stress you know it has caused them.

I'd be furious. A house is a seriously expensive purchase and no one else has any right to potentially damage it. The fact they weren't even consulted is awful. I would be really angry. You have some serious making up to do.

OP For contrast, I have been a homeowner for 20 years, and would have done just what you did. I might have WhatsApped beforehand to mention it, but not necessarily. I’m surprised how many people are so cross about it.

I’ve had the same thing happen to me, and I’ve just said to the scaffolders to please clear up after themselves and be careful of my property, and it’s all been fine. Maybe living in a terrace I feel it’s inevitable as we’re so close to each other?

Some of these responses have given me a good laugh. A man’s home is his castle!