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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To expect roofers to clear up?

20 replies

berryfull · 21/04/2023 06:49

Recently or next door neighbours were needing repairs to their leaking roof and gable end . They are council tenants so the council arranged the repair. Their house butts up against our garden and so the scaffolding company put scaffolding up in our garden. Without our permission actually and necessitating some upheaval, but we facilitated this to support our neighbours .

The roofing company are different from scaffolding company, but both contracted by the council. They worked on the scaffolding over our garden for two weeks. they were very noisy, radio blaring and loud sweary conversations all day. Butt again we put up with this to support our neighbours.

Part way in I noticed they had scattered an area of garden beneath the scaffolding with grey gravel. It covers my lawn, flower beds and herb garden. In some places it’s 10 com thick . It covers an area about 10m wide by 5 m .

I contacted the roofers immediately to ask to to clean up, asking that they knock on my door and we look at it together and agree how to remove. I then noticed they’d been in my garden without me and shovelled some of the deepest areas up, taking away turf and leaving bare soil where lawm had been.

by this time they’d finished the roofing and moved on. And told me they would clean the rest up when the scaffolding was removed.

it’s now been a month since the scaffolding has been removed and there’s been a series of no shows and promises, but mainly just ghosting. The garden is still a mess , really damaged.

aibu to expect them to fix the damage?

how can I make them do this?

OP posts:
GoodChat · 21/04/2023 07:01

Ask your neighbour to clean it up or to contact the company and get it resolved. They'll probably need to complain to the council to be honest, as they're their contractors.

berryfull · 21/04/2023 07:11

Our neighbour is a council tenant.

OP posts:
Ohdearwhatnow4 · 21/04/2023 07:12

I'd call the council a d ask for a inspection. Would also state it was never agreed they could use your garden/walls

GoodChat · 21/04/2023 07:14

berryfull · 21/04/2023 07:11

Our neighbour is a council tenant.

Yes so it's their home and the council arranged the repair.
No different to a homeowner communicating with their own workmen.

Freshlycutgrasss · 21/04/2023 07:15

Complain directly to the council housing department. Ring them today & ask for them to send a supervisor round to agree how to sort it out to your satisfaction. If they don't, put an official complaint in.

LoobyLobbyLou · 21/04/2023 07:26

Definitely complain to the council. Show them photos

berryfull · 21/04/2023 07:56

Do you not think that the roofers should clean it up?

OP posts:
WhiteFire · 21/04/2023 08:04

Contact the council /HA and ask for it to be resolved. This (sadly) is a common occurrence, so they will be well used to it.

ImustLearn2Cook · 21/04/2023 08:05

That is absolutely appalling. If you own your property are you entitled to compensation for the damages? Maybe get some legal advice.

They should have been respectful, discussed with you about using some of your property for scaffolding, been more careful and cleaned up after themselves.

berryfull · 21/04/2023 08:08

No communication from the council atall. No notice, the scaffolders just showed up out of the blue. I’ve tried to be very accommodating and patient. Fed up now

OP posts:
Surplus2requirements · 21/04/2023 08:09

berryfull · 21/04/2023 07:56

Do you not think that the roofers should clean it up?

Of course, nobody is saying they shouldn't but the people you need to complain to are those that contracted and pay them

IhearyouClemFandango · 21/04/2023 08:12

Council are your first port of call here. They pay the contractors so they are the client. Ask your neighbour for a contact if needs be

GoodChat · 21/04/2023 08:23

berryfull · 21/04/2023 08:08

No communication from the council atall. No notice, the scaffolders just showed up out of the blue. I’ve tried to be very accommodating and patient. Fed up now

Turned up to tidy up?

TheFlis12345 · 21/04/2023 08:24

I wouldn’t want the roofers to clean it up, based on their idea of cleaning it so far they would do more harm than good. I would be asking for a gardening company to come and sort it or compensation to cover you hiring one to do so.

berryfull · 21/04/2023 08:25

No . The scaffolders just turned up in my garden out of the blue to put the scaffolding up originally before the roofers could do the work. No communication prior.

OP posts:
GoodChat · 21/04/2023 08:26

berryfull · 21/04/2023 08:25

No . The scaffolders just turned up in my garden out of the blue to put the scaffolding up originally before the roofers could do the work. No communication prior.

Sorry I thought you meant they'd just turned up today Grin

Saniflo · 21/04/2023 08:32

Well... a bit late now bit why did you agree to it? Scaffolders and roofers are notorious for this sort of thing. You should have just told them to get off your property right from the start and none of this would have happened. Not trying to victim blame here, but obviously this was never going to end well.

kweeble · 21/04/2023 08:39

I would make a complaint and claim against the council if it’s a council property. It sounds like a gardener could fix it in half a day.
I think I’d fix it myself and learn not to let anyone round again - can you lock your gate etc / sort out extra security.

berryfull · 21/04/2023 11:43

was just trying to be nice as my neighbours needed their roof fixed as they were living with damp and rot.

OP posts:
taxguru · 21/04/2023 11:48

berryfull · 21/04/2023 11:43

was just trying to be nice as my neighbours needed their roof fixed as they were living with damp and rot.

Yes but workmen are notorious for mess and damage and will usually take the piss if you let them. Give an inch and they'll take a mile. As others have said, complain to the council, send them pictures of the mess/damage and insist that they clear it up and repair etc. No point trying to contact the roofers/scaffolders, they'll just ignore you, after all, they clearly didn't give a toss about your property!

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