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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Out of hours building work

31 replies

Floofydawg · 12/07/2023 18:58

Is there anything I can do about this? Is the guidance around hours when building work can be carried out actually law?

Neighbours are clearly getting a job done on the cheap - they started with jackhammers on the drive at 8am on Saturday. The noise went on until around 3pm. Zero chance of enjoying the garden. The builders have since been here every evening from around 6. There was no warning given regarding the noise which I would have thought would be common courtesy to those living around you.

This is out of order, right?

OP posts:
ForeverFriendsAndPierrot · 12/07/2023 18:59

What are they building?

LaylaLjungberg · 12/07/2023 19:00

It’s happening to me, I’m 5 weeks in. Everyone I ask says live and let live. Living next door to it makes me want to burn their house down.

Original poster
Floofydawg · 12/07/2023 19:01

ForeverFriendsAndPierrot · 12/07/2023 18:59

What are they building?

Does it matter?

OP posts:
Original poster
Floofydawg · 12/07/2023 19:01

LaylaLjungberg · 12/07/2023 19:00

It’s happening to me, I’m 5 weeks in. Everyone I ask says live and let live. Living next door to it makes me want to burn their house down.

You get the explosives, I'll buy the matches.

OP posts:
PineappleLatte · 12/07/2023 19:02

Floofydawg · 12/07/2023 19:01

Does it matter?

Show quote history

It can do.

daffodilandtulip · 12/07/2023 19:03

It doesn't really matter what the law says. The question is this: do any authorities care and will any authority do anything about it? And that's a big firm no.

(I'm on your side and feel your pain!)

Original poster
Floofydawg · 12/07/2023 19:04

@PineappleLatte I don't see how. They're building something which can be done in the daytime. Don't want to say in case said neighbour is on here!

OP posts:
BaronessEllarawrosaurus · 12/07/2023 19:06

If the builders are turning up at 6pm they're doing a mate a favour rather than a job so the rules wouldn't apply I'm afraid

LlynTegid · 12/07/2023 19:21

Saturday I doubt contravenes any noise laws.

If being done on the cheap, do you have any evidence to suggest people who are not legally allowed to work in the UK? I'm not sure if the case how you report this, but I am sure you can find out.

LIZS · 12/07/2023 19:23

If they had pp then there may be a limit for working hours as a condition.

Liverpool52 · 12/07/2023 19:32

Check your local authority website. Ours is 7am to 6pm weekdays, 8am to 1pm Saturdays and none on Sundays. I reported our neighbours for their builders starting up at 8am on a Sunday (I rang their doorbell first to explain they weren't allowed to be working and the works just got louder) and the council said they would send somebody out to speak to the neighbours and builders.

I asked them not to in the end because we ended up having to threaten them with an injunction when they caused significant damage to the party wall so thay stopped the works completely until it was sorted.

But I was surprised the council were so proactive.

Theraffarian · 12/07/2023 19:43

Our council is pretty good with this , hours are clearly set out , including only Saturday morning and nothing allowed Sundays and bank holidays . They were round to a friends neighbours pretty much as soon as she reported the problem which she had put up with for months ( long building project with dubious builders working after hours and Sundays ) . Not sure what they were told would happen if it carried on but they started working within allowed hours straight away.

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 12/07/2023 19:49

Our council is crap. 5 months in and our neighbours like to start his building works - hammering and drilling at the moment at around 9- 9:30PM. Can be weekdays and weekends.
I am seriously considering having a new patio laid.

Wildspace · 12/07/2023 19:51

You also have to think that restricting their hours will likely make the job go on for longer. Be careful what you wish for…

ReliantRobyn · 12/07/2023 19:52

They are building a hobby which the OP can't mention incase it's revealing.

wholivesondrurylane · 12/07/2023 20:00

Noise from 6pm? Taking the piss. I would complain to the council, you will find the right link on their website.

ForeverFriendsAndPierrot · 12/07/2023 20:25

@Floofydawg

Why so rude? It was a question

ForeverFriendsAndPierrot · 12/07/2023 20:26

ReliantRobyn · 12/07/2023 19:52

They are building a hobby which the OP can't mention incase it's revealing.

Let the mess and noise continue then, it's what rude neighbours deserve!

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 12/07/2023 20:30

There are laws around building noise but in my experience the council won't care unless it's repetitive and goes on for weeks. You'll need to keep a noise diary and have proof that you're being disturbed.

Original poster
Floofydawg · 12/07/2023 20:30

How was I rude? I genuinely don't understand why it matters what they're building. It's irrelevant to the noise disturbance issue.

OP posts:
wholivesondrurylane · 12/07/2023 20:34

Floofydawg · 12/07/2023 20:30

How was I rude? I genuinely don't understand why it matters what they're building. It's irrelevant to the noise disturbance issue.

guessing if they are making the house accessible to someone in a wheelchair there will be more tolerance than if they are building a swimming pool.

Original poster
Floofydawg · 12/07/2023 20:36

@wholivesondrurylane they're definitely not.

OP posts:
Original poster
Floofydawg · 15/07/2023 13:13

They're bloody at it again. Very loud drilling been going on all day. Bloody fed up of it 😡

OP posts:
LlynTegid · 15/07/2023 13:16

What have you done over the last three days? Complained to the Council, or anything else?

cinnamonfrenchtoast · 15/07/2023 13:21

Noisy building work is legal on a Saturday between 8am - 1pm in most areas. You'd be justified in going and telling them to shut it now, though.