Neighbour has complained about Portaloo

[Helenwalker2]

We are having some work done on our house which has required a portaloo to be placed at the front. This was a requirement of both parties who quoted if we weren’t to allow access to a toilet indoors for the various trades who will be on site (absolutely no chance with the horror stories I’ve read on here and from a couple of friends).

Our property is at the end of our street so we have only one direct neighbour. When it was first delivered the woman who lives next door made a comment about it being unsightly and hoping it won’t be there for too long - I confirmed the works are going to take up to 3-4 weeks but would keep her updated.

We are 2 weeks on, and this morning our neighbours husband knocked. He said they are unhappy with the smell and want us to move it to the back of our house in the garden. I confirmed we had previously asked and this wasn’t possible. Note we don’t believe there to be any smell albeit were away this weekend.

The woman then knocked this afternoon. Moaning about how bad it smelt at the weekend and how we are unreasonable to have placed it outside the front of our house and so close to their windows.

I said the work is still on plan and it will be gone in the next week or two. She then said she is going to complain to the council as they’ve had ‘advice’ that it isn’t permissible to place portaloos at the front of houses where there’s an attached house (as both ours is being semi detached).

AIBU to stand firm? We don’t believe there’s any truth in what she’s said and by the time the council get round to doing anything, it should be gone.

I'd just let the poor guys use a toilet in the house. What exactly are you scared of? Most of the "horror stories" are them leaving the toilet smelly as if everyone in the family excretes roses and lavender and this couldn't be easily and quickly sorted, and most of the actual horror stories are made up.

I think the council will just laugh if the neighbour complains.
We had a portaloo on our drive for 3 months when we had an extension built and it certainly never gave off a smell. It was regularly emptied though.
It is standard to put Portaloos on front driveways. You see them all the time. They're not particularly pretty, but then they're only a temporary presence.
Your neighbour just needs to put up and shut up.

Let her complain. They won't do much in a hurry.

Can the skip and the van not be moved so that the portaloo can go to the other side of the garden away from your neighbour?

That's what I thought but I've had a number of tradesmen in lately and it is grim. I never do that away from home and it amazes me that so many people need a bowel movement during the day at someone else's house.

Every day when they left I'd have to don mask and gloves, and go in and disinfect all surfaces.

If people don't permit builders the use of their lavatory, bottles of urine appear n the street.

I certainly wouldn't complain to the council...no point, but I would have a word with the neighbour if it smells as bad as she has said.
The OP seems to have had it installed, and has no idea if it needs emptying or cleaning...or whatever one does to keep on top of a portaloo...so to speak.

Going away for the weekend may solve it for her, unfortunately not the neighbour.

By the time she’s had any response from the council the portaloo will be gone anyway

What on earth? You know workmen excrete exactly the same bodily materials that your own family do? I’m having work done at the moment and the workmen use the bathroom as they need. I couldn’t tell you whether it was a bowel movement or not, because they leave the bathroom as they found it. It’s a toilet, designed for shit and piss, regardless the occupation of the person in there.

We had a portaloo for about 6 months during renovations, I was so relieved when it finally went. It was emptied regularly but they do smell.

and we didn’t let them use the one in the house as they were dusty or muddy depending on what stage of foundations or building was going on and didn’t want them tramping upstairs in their boots. Or hogging the loo when I wanted a shower…

I really wouldn’t fall out with my neighbours over this. Is there no way it can be moved!

You do realise some people have conditions that mean they can’t just wait?

It’s equally grim to employ someone then deny them basic facilities like a toilet and running water to wash their hands.

Im sure the neighbours have put up with the noise, dust, mess, vehicles etc…perhaps the tin can filled with shit at the end of the drive was a step too far.

it amazes me that so many people need a bowel movement during the day at someone else's house.

Are you easily amazed? The digestive system is not controlled by whose house one is at and pooing during the day is normal.

Also... what? A mask and gloves and disinfecting all surfaces? Were they smearing shit all over the walls? What do you think they produce that your family doesn't? Just ventilate, air freshen and clean as you usually do.

They’re using ‘smell’ because they don’t want to look at it.

I work in construction management. Even in the summer, I’ve not known them to smell and I’m often standing next to them. I’d just smile and nod and say you’ll consider moving it (which I probably wouldn’t).

We've had a lot of work done on our house over the last couple of years with multiple trades and workers using our indoor loo. They've all been neat, clean and respectful with the loo and with the house generally.

I sometimes feel that Mumsnet is a portal to a parallel universe where everyone only ever behaves as badly as they possibly can 😆

It's a blue plastic box, and they don't smell unless improperly used. It's there for a few weeks. You and the NDNs need to get a bit of a grip.

Our neighbour had one when they did a 6-8 month project. The only time we could smell anything was when it was emptied. She will have to be patient, 4 weeks is nothing!

@Helenwalker2 YANBU OP and stand firm. Have a look at this to check your compliant with regulations: www.wcportables.co.uk/blog/ensuring-portable-toilets-meet-local-regulations-and-accessibility-standards/
Specifically:
Hygiene Standards for Portable Toilets
Cleanliness is critical for user health and satisfaction. Regulations often require portable toilets to be:

• Regularly cleaned to maintain hygiene.
• Stocked with handwashing essentials like soap, water, or sanitiser.
• Well-ventilated to prevent unpleasant odours.

By meeting these standards, you’ll ensure a positive experience for users and compliance with local rules. Placement Rules for Portable Toilets Where you place the toilets matters as much as their design. Local zoning regulations typically dictate:

• Minimum distances from buildings or boundaries.
• Screening requirements to minimise visual impact.
• Placement in accessible, well-lit, and safe locations.

Following these guidelines will help you avoid complaints and ensure your facilities are practical for users.

If you honestly can't detect any odour from a portaloo in your own garden, I don't see how your NDN can.

You'd be absolutely gutted if you experienced a fleeting chemical disinfectant smell when you left your house for a period of 4 weeks. Do you realise how strange that sounds. You haven't left much room for expression of feelings when something actually bad happens, if that 'absolutely guts you'

This ^. It's ludicrous!

Have you cleaned a toilet yourself after 6 men have used it all day carelessly? Also what if the area that is being worked on isn't where the toilet is, if cutting blocks/ digging trenches/ plastering there will be a lot of dirt on clothes. I believe the toilet did need a deep clean daily and personally wiping over a toilet and cleaning up wee splashes and poo marks from a workforce got old very quickly. The posters saying its not messy must be thinking of having and electrician or plumber round for a few days. This is not the same.

I doubt the council will care - I was offered a Portaloo out front (access at the back not possible, whilst there is access, the contractors weren't allowed to move the portaloo by hand and no one was paying to crane it over the house) - mostly for the contractors but also for us - we declined it because it would not have been accessible to me and I don't really care who uses our toilet, it is a toilet.

Tell the neighbours there is nothing you can do, it will be gone when its gone, you can't detect a smell ... and leave them to grump to themselves about it.

Erm, most reasonable people? We've taken on a lot of projects and had a lot of building work done one way and another and it's never occurred to me to tell the people working on our house that they can't use the loo. Feels a bit dehumanising tbh. We've never had an issue.

I always let workmen use my loo and never had any problems. I made them tea and biscuits too. They are just normal people you know.

But if you must have a portaloo I’d say by the time she’s complained to the council and the council have replied, the work will be done.

Oh how big of you to allow them into your house when they're needed 🙄I really don't get the obsession over workmen and toilets on here. If you want the work done YOU should be sucking up the inconvenience not your neighbours! I have OCD and don't even use public toilets but it's just something you have to put up with. I wouldn't get a portaloo and stick it in front of neighbours so I didn't have to deal with the inconvenience. People are so selfish these days on here saying neighbour will have to put up with it-maybe OP should put up with letting them use her loo!