Roofers using bad language

[27Maisie27]

I feel like I’m being silly but I’ve just been in the garden, hanging out washing and the two roofers, working on a neighbour’s house, are talking to each other loudly, using the words fuck, cunt, wanker, areshole, bollocks etc

They are working for the council - if I report them, will I be identified and face repercussions? Or shall I ignore it, it’s only for a few days?

I live in a quiet area with several elderly residents and people with young children, and I am finding it offensive, and I’m sure I’m not alone. It’s a lovely day here (north west) and I am reluctant to spend any time outside because of this.

Christ, I sound like a wet lettuce!

You'd be happy with those words used liberally in front of your kids would you?

I had this with the neighbour's roofers a couple of years ago. Three or four of them on the roof and two effing and jeffing at the top of their lungs. I adopted the stereotypical 'middle-aged woman with hands on hips' stance and shouted 'Oi! Mind your language!'. They apologised and two of them blamed the other two, but the swearing stopped.

@ginasevern No, I didn't misunderstand your post. It wouldn't bother me if restaurant/supermarket employees were swearing. If they were swearing AT me, ie calling me a wanker as an insult, I would be angry, just as I would if they called me rude, stupid etc.

On the street in general I see the point. In that case move on and avoid. Surrounded by your home environment and neighbours, fairly safe to address the situation.

I'm Scottish though and "kin make hael sentences jist wi swear wurds" so a bit of swearing from roofers wouldn't bother me, the loudness while WFH definitely would.

OPs 4 year old already swears.

Only when she copies other people saying fuck and cunt in public, it’s hardly part of her regular conversation 🤣🤣🤣

Honestly i’d just shout out, “can you keep the swearing down please”. I work in construction and they know they’re meant to be considerate, they just probably don’t know anyone can hear them.

No need to fear angry repercussions like others on this thread have mentioned - they’re normal working men, not a Mexican drug cartel!

Roofers are the worst! The problem is their voices carry because they’re up high!
we had some next door and they were awful, really bad language and thick as mince from the convos they were having… good roofers though!
scaffolders come a close 2nd IMHO when it comes to language and rowdiness and volume. We had lovely builders in and they actually advised us to be out of the house the day the scaffolders were coming because according to the foreman they were great scaffolders but really loud and obnoxious…

I've just had the same... very loud and awful words.. l wanted my windows open ..but couldn't.. my Grandson was here.. so yes l rang whoever employed them ( number on Van) they were contacted via the council.. so rang the council.. it stopped the next day.. maybe the odd word... but not loud and nothing like " oi Bob ya fing wer.. what you doing that for? Or ya f*ing stupid c**t you've done that wrong etc".

I got rid of my previous gardeners for this. He was swearing loudly in conversation with his young apprentice.
I don’t want my neighbours to have to put up with that irrespective of whether it bothers me or not.
Ditto outdoor tradesmen blaring radios. I asked my roofers to turn it off. They understood when I explained. Mind you, they were exceptionally nice chaps so perhaps some might have got stroppy about it.
Noise for a purpose is fine but this was unnecessary.

So when they act aggressively after you have asked them to stop is when you contact their employers not before

In this instance

I've never known or heard a roofer or builder finish a sentence without swearing. Is what it is. Mouths like dockers.

Well, you are rather unusual then. I certainly wouldn't want to be out for a meal with my family where the waiters were audibly saying cunt, fuck, wanker, prick and arsehole every other word. Likewise I wouldn't expect a hotel receptionist, the local florist or a driving instructor to repeatedly use those words in front of customers. Quite frankly, most companies have policies on appropriate workplace language and simply wouldn't tolerate it. Employees would almost certainly be sacked for repeatedly using foul language, not only in front of customers but also their colleagues. I can only conclude that customer facing staff in your area use cunt and wanker as standard!

Why lie, what's wrong with requesting that they calm it down

If you have small children in your garden and this is your concern, then I would pop over and explain this to them and ask that they tone down the language - if you ask in a friendly way I am sure they will understand.

Please do not assume that all people over 60 are offended by this - their language can be equally ripe!

We had some great roofers but their language would have made a sailor blush. Maybe we should have said something but they were doing a good job and came recommended so we just left them to it.

That is until our neighbours 4yo shouted up to them and asked what a 'insert sequence of 4 letter words here' meant because she'd asked her mum who told her to ask the person she heard it from 😅. Mum had assumed it was dad (he can get a little overexcited watching the football) so it was red faces all around.

My roofers didn't swear and were absolute diamond geezers as it were

Plus they did an amazing job

They might have sworn under their breath and I was always worried for their safety rather than my precious ears possibly being hurt

I don't know why some insist on extrapolating this to other situations. A roof is not a restaurant nor a hotel reception nor a school playground. There's phrases like 'swearing like a trooper' for a reason, because some places/people are swearier than others. To expect 'employees' everywhere the world over to be the same is a bit simplistic and silly to me, but then so is getting overly offended by 'foul language'. As long as it's not hate speak and it's up on a roof among people who are happy to converse with each other in that lexicon, I couldn't care less.

I agree too. If these guys are working for the council, they are probably part of this. Why you should consider the Considerate Constructors Scheme | LABC

Quite depressing how many people have leapt on the OP. It can be intimidating to approach people like this. I once asked a couple of window cleaners to stop effing and jeffing very loudly (calling across the street to each other) and got a mouthful in return, that wasn't pleasant. You don't know how people will react and IMHO the workers should know not to turn the air blue, I don't suppose they would at their grandma's for tea, for example.

Jesus, can't you idiots RTFT and OP's update.

I'm with you. Plenty of people out there dislike swearing and yelling (if it was on my neighbour's roof I'd be able to hear everything as the noise bounces around here). I also really don't want my kids thinking that's an ok way to behave and okay language to use. I want them to be mindful of other people.

Yes it's quite possible to do a job without swearing

I completely agree