We had new windows fitted last summer, and the neighbours agreed to allow scaffolding in their garden for them to fit our windows.
The scaffolders did some damage to our house, which the window company repaired.
During all the snow, our guttering collapsed, and while DH was talking to the neighbours about the possibility of putting scaffolding up again, the neighbour mentioned that they had caused some damage to his property last time (damage to fence, gate and electric box). We trust the neighbours completely, they are not lying.
Anyway, we instantly got on to the window people and asked what they were going to do about it (this was Dedember/January). After a lot of delaying they sent someone out to look at it (and the work to our guttering we need doing). We ended up having to chase them up, and eventually the reply was
- tough to your neighbour, it has been 6 months and anything could have caused the damage - to whcih my reply is the damage was in a number of places on a property which is otherwise extremely well maintained. In addition to that the scaffolders damaged our house - it's not a huge leap to realise they might damage other houses.
- Oh and we'll come and fix your guttering, just need to arrange things with the scaffolders.
To which I pointed out to the fuckwit on the other end of the phone that the neighbours might not be so inclined to
do us a favour and allow scaffolding to be put up given the damage and the fact that the company are willing to do nothing to put this right. However, on this separate issue, we expect them to repair our guttering, and the "how" is simply not our problem.
What legal rights do we have, if any? We have decided to put all this in a letter, state that the fact they aren't willing to do anything about the damage to our neighbours' is unacceptable, that the 6 month time lag has in paort been due to their incompetence in returning phone calls, and amidst all this we expect ou guttering to be fixed. Any other tips?