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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbour reported us to the council

216 replies

EchothatICreated · 07/12/2023 21:45

We moved in 18(ish) months ago (semidetached) and we’ve been renovating the whole house. The last weekend we had builders in who worked until 8pm.

They worked that late as this was the last day of completing all the big jobs in the house. Apart from that one day we’ve only had work done between 8am and 4pm. Just one night we didn’t and she reported us. Aibu?

OP posts:
socks1107 · 07/12/2023 21:48

Having lived next to an extension being built yabu.
It's 1pm on a weekend for work being done

girlfriend44 · 07/12/2023 21:48

How do you know that. Complaints are anonymous. Even if she did there's nothing you can do.

Just accept it.

2jacqi · 07/12/2023 21:48

@EchothatICreated genuinely dont think you have anything to worry about! 8pm is a reasonable time to knock off when you are doing reno work! some people just like a moan! if it is you and friends doing reno then i think that is fine, dont know any businesses who would allow their employees to work till 8 pm on a weekend night! overtime would be too high!

DustyLee123 · 07/12/2023 21:49

You should have let them know before.

Theunamedcat · 07/12/2023 21:49

It's finished now?

All they will do is say don't do it again

SecondUsername4me · 07/12/2023 21:50

socks1107 · 07/12/2023 21:48

Having lived next to an extension being built yabu.
It's 1pm on a weekend for work being done

Where is that restriction? Have you got a link?

jc12689 · 07/12/2023 21:50

2jacqi · 07/12/2023 21:48

@EchothatICreated genuinely dont think you have anything to worry about! 8pm is a reasonable time to knock off when you are doing reno work! some people just like a moan! if it is you and friends doing reno then i think that is fine, dont know any businesses who would allow their employees to work till 8 pm on a weekend night! overtime would be too high!

Edited

It's not that reasonable for her neighbours. Having said that I wouldn't have made a fuss over one day.

SummaLuvin · 07/12/2023 21:54

if it's being going on for 18 months, then I can see why their patience has run thin, regardless of whether you have kept within the 'proper' times on all but one occasion

ChardonnaysBeastlyCat · 07/12/2023 21:57

Did they work the whole weekend?

After 18 months of works and noise?

Sorry, but YABU.

Peachtails · 07/12/2023 21:58

They might not have realised it was going to be a one off.

LaurieFairyCake · 07/12/2023 22:00

Well it's not allowed at weekends at that time

So you should have done it during the week within your council times

Haydenn · 07/12/2023 22:02

Well if you don’t do it again it shouldn’t be a problem

AyCaray · 07/12/2023 22:02

18 months of renovation work done from 8am every weekend??

Yadbvu

I'm surprised they waited 18 months.

nocoolnamesleft · 07/12/2023 22:02

I thought work on Saturdays had to finish by 13:00 (and not be done at all on the Sunday)?

Fullofpudding · 07/12/2023 22:02

18 months of irritation probably tipped them over the edge. 8pm for a weekend is a late finish. Having worked all week I couldn't think of anything worse than being disturbed in the evening.

PaminaMozart · 07/12/2023 22:03

How long did the entire renovation actually take?

What communications did you have with your neighbour's during this time?
Flowers, bottle of wine, chocolates, a cake - ever?
Did you warn them that it was going to be a long work day, but it would be the end of it?

Talking to people and going the extra mile can do wonders.

Rosecutting · 07/12/2023 22:04

YANBU
Some people like to complain for no good reason.
Ignore and carry on.
The times you work are perfectly reasonable

ToDamp0rNotToDamp · 07/12/2023 22:05

Obviously rules will vary dependent on area and council, but my council has very clear rules on when construction noise can be made. This includes DIY noise also.

Weekdays it’s 8am - 6pm. Saturday it’s 9am - 2pm. Sunday it’s no noise or work whatsoever.

We did a full house renovation that lasted 6m. We had fantastic builders who went round and introduced themselves to our neighbours, shared their contact details if they had any issues and said we will be following the construction noise rules in place in this area - and they did.

I would be frustrated if my neighbours reported me for one days noise outside this. But YABU. 8pm across a weekend is incredibly antisocial and clearly unfair. If you did this without thought I’ll make a massive assumption this isn’t the only time your builders went outside noise timings and therefore your neighbours were right to report you.

FreshWinterMorning · 07/12/2023 22:05

You have been doing renovations for 18 months?

Sorry but WTAF? Confused

I would have lost my shit over a year ago!

ActDottie · 07/12/2023 22:06

2jacqi · 07/12/2023 21:48

@EchothatICreated genuinely dont think you have anything to worry about! 8pm is a reasonable time to knock off when you are doing reno work! some people just like a moan! if it is you and friends doing reno then i think that is fine, dont know any businesses who would allow their employees to work till 8 pm on a weekend night! overtime would be too high!

Edited

It’s not about whether it’s a reasonable time… it’s what the law states and 8pm is past the time that works can be carried out and quite rightly.

Azandme · 07/12/2023 22:07

After 18 months of disturbing them day in, day out, weekdays and weekends, 8pm on a weekend is absolutely taking the piss.

Selfish and utterly inconsiderate - more so after all the noise you're already putting them through.

After months of them tolerating your noise you topped it with this. Yep, you're now the arseholes next door.

Rosecutting · 07/12/2023 22:07

@FreshWinterMorning

You have been doing renovations for 18 months?

Thats normal if you’re doing it bit by bit and living there too.

HeddaGarbled · 07/12/2023 22:08

Can you not imagine what the last 18 months have been like for them? Yes, you are unreasonable.

Behindyouiam · 07/12/2023 22:09

What can the council do now? They won't ask you to pull the extension down!

Mrsttcno1 · 07/12/2023 22:10

YABU. In my local area the council states building work must be 8-6 Mon-Fri, Saturdays is 8:30-2, and not allowed at all on Sundays.

So if you had people there working entire days Sat & Sun, you were massively outside of these times and I’m not surprised that they have complained. You can be fined for this if they have proof of work being done outside of those times, we had to do this a couple of years ago as our neighbouring house was having work done but they weren’t living there at the time. The builders just made their own time rules up and after being reported with photo and video evidence of them working outside of hours a fine was issued, rightly so

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