Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour wants us to replace garage roof

187 replies

imnotyourbitch · 18/04/2023 14:49

We have an old side garage between our house and our neighbour. They don't have a garage, so while ours goes up to the boundary, theirs was removed many years ago, so they have the width of a garage between ours and their house.
The garage was built at same time as house, in 1950.

The garage has an asbestos roof. We had it checked by the council when we moved in (we were having other work done we needed building regs signed off on), and also had it coated with a protective coating, and we were told that it is perfectly safe as it is. Our long term plan is to have the whole garage replaced as part of a side extension, but that is at least 5 years away.

Our neighbour has cats who climb on the garage roof to sunbathe. (It's slanted, so not entirely flat but not a normal roof shape). They've said they are concerned that the cats claws will disturb the asbestos and cause health issues in the cats, and that we need to replace the roof. And after discussion, they've said they will report us to environmental health if we don't change it.

Technically, we could afford to do it, but it would wipe out all of our savings due to the cost of removal.

We paid for the roof to be coated to make it safer - it wasn't needed but we felt it would be a good thing to do. Neighbour didn't have cats when we moved in. Wiping out our savings would change our plans for the next year, and would also impact our kids hobbies (some of the savings is earmarked for new equipment for it) so we really don't want to throw it all on a roof for a few years. But also, I do get that if her cats claw / scratch at the roof it could put them at risk.

Aaahhhh. Any ideas?

OP posts:
TheCatReallyDidComeBack · 18/04/2023 16:12

Should say we didn't remove it ourselves, because you do have to get it off carefully so a nice team of experienced people with masks and stuff is a better idea.

Sugarfree23 · 18/04/2023 16:13

Tell them to keep their cats off your property. If they damage the coating its their fault.

Alternatively as the neighbours is so concerned about it - he could foot the bill or at least pay for some of it.

Glittertwins · 18/04/2023 16:13

It's their problem, not yours. You've already made sure it's as safe as it can be. Up to me to discourage my cat from going where it should not

Charlottewebsbabies · 18/04/2023 16:15

When we moved into our house one of the first things we did was plant lilies and roses as I love lilies and roses

Fast forward about 5 years and one of our neighbours died

The silly cow that moved in (and was itching for a fight the second she saw us) also bought 3 cats

As soon as my lilies started coming up,she demanded we get rid as they are dangerous to her precious cats

We couldn't stop laughing at her-we chose to plant flowers in our own garden and she chose to get 3 cats

If she was that bothered about them then she should have made them house cats-whats she going to do?

Go round every single house for miles and demand they dig up anything that's dangerous to her pets?

She did try to ring the council to tell us to dig them up (guessing that gave them a good laugh) and when that failed,she went round all our other neighbours (and randomly my in laws when they came to visit-she was put back in her box by my fil) but only got two on board-we still have our plants

Tell the silly cow to either pay for it herself or to jog on

(Oh and her cats are still alive-we rarely see them in our garden-i think she had a word with them and they listened which I hear is rare with cats)

YesitsBess · 18/04/2023 16:16

imnotyourbitch · 18/04/2023 16:11

Thank you everyone. I really, honestly wasn't sure if she had a right to ask this or not (she has history of being CF but is generally a fairly good neighbour).

Off to order little kitty sun loungers for the roof! Her cats are sweeties and we do really like them and even kept a raised area in our garden because the cats like it. And I'm big softie. But I don't like them £3k amount!

Make sure you also get a little roll of tickets to hand out and one of those ticket punchy things.

And a hat. Make it all official-like.

taxguru · 18/04/2023 16:17

There are asbestos roofs all over the place, on sheds, garages, small industrial buildings etc. Cats probably walk/sit on others too! There's no danger if they're left alone and ultimately disposed of properly.

InSpainTheRain · 18/04/2023 16:21

Ignore them. Their request is ridiculous!

xyxygy · 18/04/2023 16:25

The obvious response is the agent-of-change principle - everything was perfectly safe until they acquired cats. They are the ones who changed the circumstances, and therefore they're welcome to pay for the roof to be replaced if they want to...otherwise, not your problem.

Namechange224422 · 18/04/2023 16:27

Put a visible sign on your roof saying “private property - no cats” 🤣

raincamepouringdown · 18/04/2023 16:27

"I needed a good laugh today. Thanks!" Shut door in their faces.

stbrandonsboat · 18/04/2023 16:27

Tell her to buy some little asbestos proof suits for the cats and also some wellington boots. Paws and faces washed immediately upon returning to their house. Jobs a good'un 👍😂

snowgirll · 18/04/2023 16:28

kitty Sun loungers 😆😆

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 18/04/2023 16:28

I'd be so horribly tempted to ask CF neighbour if she knew that, once her cats have come down off your roof, they head off to sunbathe outside the local Asbestos Recycling Plant.

xyxygy · 18/04/2023 16:29

Also...if they're so convinced that their cats are scratching off the protective coating on your roof, then that's damage to your property. Maybe suggest that they should be paying for that damage.

EilonwyWithRedGoldHair · 18/04/2023 16:29

maximist · 18/04/2023 15:14

I had an asbestos roof on the shed at my last house, which my cats loved to sleep on. One lived to be 17, the other's still going at 19. Doesn't seem to have done them any harm...

This. We had an asbestos roof outside. Our cat and the neighbours cat slept on it for many hours on dry days, both lived to a good age.

Are they going to insist all the neighbours dig up any lilies in their gardens as they're toxic to cats?

stbrandonsboat · 18/04/2023 16:30

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 18/04/2023 16:28

I'd be so horribly tempted to ask CF neighbour if she knew that, once her cats have come down off your roof, they head off to sunbathe outside the local Asbestos Recycling Plant.

Definitely. In fact, the recycling place employ the cats to catch the rodents that like to spend their time playing in the asbestos dust 😃

Summerfun54321 · 18/04/2023 16:31

Write a letter addressed to the cats advising them to keep off your roof for health and safety reasons.

DrPrunesqualler · 18/04/2023 16:31

As long as you don’t bang about on the roof it’s perfectly safe.
Plus you’ve gone to the added expense of having it coated, which tbh is unnecessary but for the cats now an added protection.
Your neighbour reporting you won’t get them anywhere.
Its quite a pricey thing having asbestos removed so I wouldn’t bother tbh.

MelchiorsMistress · 18/04/2023 16:34

Fuck that OP! I’d give your CF neighbours two options. They can pay the entire cost for you to have the garage roof replaced or they can keep their cats on their own property.

Namechangethisonetime · 18/04/2023 16:36

They are having you on!

The cats are not going to be the cause of the roof needing replaced. Heard it all now. Smile and ignore!

Pluvia · 18/04/2023 16:37

This reminds me of the new downstairs neighbours (converted flats in an old building) who came upstairs to say hello and said my floors needed insulating because they could sometimes hear me moving around. I could hear everything from their music to noisy sex coming from their place. I remember the man saying 'It'll only cost a few grand. It'll involved having to replace all the skirting boards and have the bottoms shaved off your doors.'

I said 'Great. When you've got the money together and someone to do the work I'll leave you a key.'

Gooseysgirl · 18/04/2023 16:39

Jesus this is just a while other level of cheeky-fuckery!!!! The council will piss themselves laughing - what a waste of time. Just ignore them.

Suzi888 · 18/04/2023 16:40

You won’t get useful replies in aibu.

The issue appears to be that the cats (who are allowed to roam anywhere) so it’s absolutely pointless asking your neighbour to “keep them inside”, may disturb the protective coat.
This exposes you to asbestos. Are you willing to take that risk? If so, crack on. If not then you need to cover it keep the cats off it.

You could cover with the felt stuff? Not sure what it’s called. Should be relatively cheap.
Try spikes (unlikely to work).

Gooseysgirl · 18/04/2023 16:41

Summerfun54321 · 18/04/2023 16:31

Write a letter addressed to the cats advising them to keep off your roof for health and safety reasons.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 OP I beg you to do this...

GoodChat · 18/04/2023 16:45

Suzi888 · 18/04/2023 16:40

You won’t get useful replies in aibu.

The issue appears to be that the cats (who are allowed to roam anywhere) so it’s absolutely pointless asking your neighbour to “keep them inside”, may disturb the protective coat.
This exposes you to asbestos. Are you willing to take that risk? If so, crack on. If not then you need to cover it keep the cats off it.

You could cover with the felt stuff? Not sure what it’s called. Should be relatively cheap.
Try spikes (unlikely to work).

Them disturbing the protective coat on top of the garage (even if they could) isn't going to harm OP.

She shouldn't have to pay out so that the neighbours cats don't get harmed by asbestos that she's already taken steps to seal.

Swipe left for the next trending thread