Fallen over drain sticking out of pavement outside my house

[car1sberg]

We live on a new build estate and the site isn't finished yet so the roads and paths haven't been resurfaced. The roads are full of pot holes, I got a puncture after hitting one in the dark few months ago and complained to the building company who covered the cost of the repair.
Anyway there are 3 drains/sewer covers sticking up out of the pavement outside my house. We have small children and I'm worried one if going to fall over and hurt themselves. I didn't think it would be me, but I tripped over one a few days ago and went flying and have bruised my leg badly and been hobbling since.
I'm really cross! Do I have grounds to complain? Have attached a photo of the drains. Thanks.

Ooh deffo! Think of the compo hun!

Yeah I’d complain . That’s not really acceptable . Although big enough for a grown up to avoid but not necessarily children who goes running everywhere

They’re not exactly inconspicuous op. Can’t you just walk round them?

Wearing shoes might be helpful!

This is just one of those things when you're one of the first into a new build estate. Just be careful.

Being as you’ve been so aware of them, worrying about your children falling over them, how did you manage to trip over one?

I suppose you could complain. I’d be more interested in finding out when they’re going to finish the resurfacing.

I mean, I agree with what the others said, but you could ask the building company to put some cones or something on them just to make it a bit more obvious/safer?

So you knew about them but still tripped over them after, coincidentally, getting a payout for your tire blow put otlr whatever?

Honestly I don’t think you should complain. They’re completely visible, rather large actually, so unless there are extenuating circumstances (hello drip feed) it seems like you should have seen them. I don’t mean this in a rude way.

@Ineedaduvetday a payout? Ha. More just the cost of the new tyre I needed after not seeing the pothole in the dark. I had complained about them a couple of times before this happened.

@ViperAtTheGatesOfDawn why exactly would shoes help?
Don't your children ever walk around the driveway without shoes? My driveway ends just to the left of the photo.

@KaleSlayer I was pushing the pram and had my puppy on the lead when I tripped over them.

@KaleSlayer and they can't tell me when it will be resurfaced, I have asked numerous times.

@Shelby1981 there were cones but some of the children playing out have taken/moved them.

Don’t be ridiculous. You tripped over something extremely obvious that you knew beforehand was there; it didn't just spring up as you walked towards it! In fact, if you were pushing a pram, the pram would have had to go over it in the first place. Do you not look ahead of you when you're pushing the pram? I know I do.

@Soontobe60

Don’t be ridiculous. You tripped over something extremely obvious that you knew beforehand was there; it didn't just spring up as you walked towards it! In fact, if you were pushing a pram, the pram would have had to go over it in the first place. Do you not look ahead of you when you're pushing the pram? I know I do.

Exactly

I was pushing the pram and had my puppy on the lead when I tripped over them.

Ok. Hopefully holding on to the pram helped you not fall so badly? Did you fall to the ground? What do you want your complaint to result in?

@Soontobe60 the pram went to the left of them slightly on my flower bed so I didn't have to go over those with it. I walked behind the pram, naturally, but ended up slightly over to the right due to my puppy.

Clearly all of you would be cool with these left outside your driveway for the foreseeable future & never come remotely close to having an accident due to them. Good for you!

No, I already said I would want to know when the resurfacing would be finished and I’d keep asking the question and hassling the developer.

I'd definitely contact the developers and state that I'd tripped on one of them and hurt myself and I'm concerned about children doing the same, ask how they can think they are safe to be left like that long term.
Not sure from your post whether you're angling for compo but I wouldn't pursue that myself I'd just want it sorted asap so no one else does it.
It's not acceptable or safe for the drains to be left like that

I think you should complain, yes but don't expect to receive compensation, just a resolution. Some people with sight impairment won't necessarily see those, they should at least have a brightly coloured circle of paint around them.

Clearly all of you would be cool with these left outside your driveway for the foreseeable future & never come remotely close to having an accident due to them. Good for you!

I think they look pretty shit, tbh. I'd complain.

Should be barricades around them as a trip hazard, I’d ask for that at the least

Lots of these replies are a bit unnecessarily snipy. I’d definitely ask for the developers to sort this out. What if an elderly person who doesn’t have great eyesight trips over one and breaks a leg? It’s not about compensation or being precious, it’s about fixing shoddy work and ensuring a pavement is safe for pedestrians.

I wonder if there's a clause in the contract you signed to say that you accept you'll be living with unfinished areas, noise, large vehicles etc until the estate is complete, and that it's at your own risk. I'd be surprised if developers don't cover their arses in situations like this.