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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be naffed off with my neighbours???

28 replies

Youcannotbeserious · 22/03/2008 13:15

My neighbours have had builders in for a few weeks and, about a week ago, took off on holiday.....

However, it's now clear that they've gone away to allow the builders to 'crack on' over the Easter weekend...

The builders are making a terrible racket and the place is a mess (because, presumably, without the owners about, they are less bothered about the mess - I've even noticed that they are smoking in the house, which the owners would never permit but that's beside my point!!)

Anyway, am I just being hormonal and unreasonable to think that my neighbours should have mentioned the fact the builders would be here all weekend? I appreciate that they are having work done etc., but surely it's not normal to work right through the easter holidays???

It's pretty unbearable in our house because of the noise but we're pretty stuck as we haven't made any plans.... I'm 7months pregnant and REALLY needed a rest this weekend as I've been super busy... DH is trying his best and has taken the kids out, but every time I try to sleep / relax, all I can hear is hammering, drilling or sawing...

And the most frustrating thing is it's such a small house... I can't imagine what it is they are actually building unless it's a tardis in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OP posts:
dizzychixies · 22/03/2008 13:19

harsh they didn't tell you esp when you need the rest

peanutbear · 22/03/2008 13:21

do you live next door to me??? exact;y the same has happened to us the have evn pulled all the fence down without notice so now the children nor the dog can go out in the garden

they promised that they would have no work done over the weekends when they started and now only 3 weeks in they are here today

the dog keeps going mad because there are people in our garden

and they are listening to radio 1 at top volume !!

so no YANBU

dizzychixies · 22/03/2008 13:25

peanut bear thats ridiclious - go out and tell them to turn it the sod down and put the fence back up - cheeky sods

etchasketch · 22/03/2008 13:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

peanutbear · 22/03/2008 13:28

is there really nothing you can do I was going to ring my solicitor on monday to get the worked stopped at weekends !!!!!!!!!

Original poster
Youcannotbeserious · 22/03/2008 13:30

Peanut - that really isn't on.... I'd be out in an instance if they were in our garden - the last thing I could cope with is a barking dog too!!! (Ours goes ballistic if anyone comes onto 'his' patch!!)

But, marmaduke - No, I know there isn't anything I can do about the builders, they are obviously doing their job, I am more ticked off that our neighbours didn't mention that it might be noisy / messy, just to at least give us the chance to think about getting away.....

(And, I'm really hoping house prices fall !!!)

OP posts:
peanutbear · 22/03/2008 13:31

and me we have sold ours and are renting this one !!!!

Original poster
Youcannotbeserious · 22/03/2008 13:32

Peanut - I can't see what can be done, which is why I haven't said anything to the builders next door... I mean, presumably, they have agreed with the owners to do the work.... It's not their fault, is it?

OP posts:
peanutbear · 22/03/2008 13:34

no but I am hoping there is some law somewhere because they gave a time scale of six months Its only been 3 weeks and they have accidently let my dog out twice on to the main road and have crap choice in music

to be fair the builders are quite friendly the owners on the other hand are not !!!!!

dizzychixies · 22/03/2008 13:35

peanut - does your landlord know whats going on?

WanderingTrollegg · 22/03/2008 13:35

Very rude of neighbours not to have forewarned you - for all you know you could've decamped somewhere too.

You have my sympathy. My next door neighbour has been moving out one car load at a time for the past week and I'm about ready to torch the bloody place tbh.

THUMPTHUMPTHUMP HEAVEHEAVEHEAVE (SHOUTING IN POLISH, PROBABLY TOMETOYOUTOMETOYOU) BBBABAAANNNNNGGGG!!!!! TTTTHHHHHUUUUUDDDDD!!!!!

It's farking incessant.

FioFio · 22/03/2008 13:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

cupsoftea · 22/03/2008 13:38

yanbu - what awful neighbours.

Original poster
Youcannotbeserious · 22/03/2008 13:39

No, I do agree that they have every right to have the work done...

What I am naffed off about is THEY have b*ggered off and not said anything (even though we are reasonably friendly). I don't think it would be beyond the wit of man to have mentioned it so we could have made plans too....

OP posts:
peanutbear · 22/03/2008 13:39

Yes he knows the work is being done he doesn't have to live here though what really grates is they never informed the lettings agents so they could not warn us that we would be living next to a building site for the entirety of the tenancy

DH works away and sometimes needs to sleep in the day but we would have happily put up with it if they hadnt worked on a weekend or let my dogs out

£1800 a month to live next to a building site DH is fuming

dizzychixies · 22/03/2008 13:40

£1800 a month - I would be looking at tenancy agreement and demanding a refund for your inconvenience

FioFio · 22/03/2008 13:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
Youcannotbeserious · 22/03/2008 13:41

Peanut - I think you have every right to be really annoyed and the fact that they have left your dog out is not on at all...

Surely you have some come back on YOUR landlord?

OP posts:
peanutbear · 22/03/2008 13:42

the least they could do is buy me chocolate!!!!

CaptainUnderpants · 22/03/2008 13:43

Is it building work that they have had to have planning permission for ? If so it may well say in the permission when work is NOT to be carried out .

Councils will usually allow work on a Saturday up to 1pm but no way on a Sunday .

Original poster
Youcannotbeserious · 22/03/2008 13:43

mmm... lots and lots of chocolate!!!!!

OP posts:
peanutbear · 22/03/2008 13:44

thank you for that I think it probably would require permission but I have yet to find it on the internet

digitalgirl · 22/03/2008 13:50

It's always much easier to swallow if you've been warned in advance. Then at least you could have made plans to get away. YANBU. Tell them when they get back that you'd appreciate it if they could let you know about weekend work in the future. They have to be nice to you, you're pregnant.

At the end of the day it's always better to get on with neighbours and let them know politely when they do things that piss you off, otherwise you end up building up a lot of resentment which could have been avoided (DG speaks from bitter experience).

My current neighbour on the other hand, has sublet her bedroom to a couple that seem to have really loud sex all the time. Not really something we can formally complain about. Would like to 'give as good as we get', but still not in the mood at 13 weeks pg.

Think she's done it to get back at me and DH during those TTC months.

lovecat · 22/03/2008 15:48

Call the council! Do it now!!!

Seriously, they will have rules about when builders are and are not allowed to work and in our borough they are supposed to down tools after 2pm on a Saturday and NEVER on a Sunday or Bank Holiday. I found this out after the house next door was converted into flats and the git of an owner had the builders going 24-7 - DD was 5 months old at the time (and I was severely sleep-deprived, so you have my every sympathy) and when I rang the council they sent someone round immediately (I was amazed!) and he read them the riot act. The next time they even tapped a hammer out of the allowed hours I charged round there threatening to phone the council and it worked!

The builders hated me, but quite frankly I didn't care....

jalopy · 22/03/2008 16:20

Yes. It's rude.

We did a loft conversion last autumn and constantly checked with the neighbours about noise, mess, etc.

They are away this weekend and are having their roof done. They too checked to see if this was alright with us.

It's called common decency.