Next door's builders leaving pile of rubble on our drive

[LittlePickleHead]

Next door is a large period building sectioned into many studio flats, all rented out. As far as I know there are a number of landlord owners and a separate freehold owner. Relevant as I do not have contact details for any of them and don't know any of the tenants.

They have recently had the driveway redone and it's been a bit of a bodge from start to finish. Our driveway is directly next to it and due to the work we moved our car - which was lucky as we got back the next day to find concrete splatters all over our side wall and our fence (further down the drive) broken.

They have now painted the wall and fixed the fence BUT we got back last week to find a pile of rubble, sand and some crates on the entrance to our drive.

We've spoken to the builders who said they will 'speak to the office'. We've called the head office of the company who said they will 'talk to someone about clearing it'.

I'm fuming as we cannot use our drive until it's going and we weren't even asked in the bloody first place. It's been there over a week now.

Would we be within our rights to tell them if its not gone by tomorrow we will get shovels and move it to next door? I feel bad for the tenants as it's not their fault but what a bloody pisstake!

Probably. Another tack would be to try ringing the builders once or twice a day, every day until they sort it. Be the squeaky wheel.

Would we be within our rights to tell them if its not gone by tomorrow we will get shovels and move it to next door? I feel bad for the tenants as it's not their fault but what a bloody pisstake!

I wouldn't do this, what if they say yes? You'll have given yourself a lot of messy hard work to do.

Take photos and pester them on twitter/facebook (or threaten to).

report them to the local council for fly-tipping

How much is there? Could you shovel it back onto their side? And maybe add a few bits of your own while you're at it.

If not, then be the squeakiest of squeaky wheels as pp says.

Will definitely be a squeaky wheel. It was just the way that they said they would 'look into it' as obviously they just put it there without a plan to remove it!

It's a fairly big pile but would be doable to move between me and OH.

You're right though Lizzie, I hadn't considered they might not actually give a shit if we move it to next door.

If (and hopefully it doesn't come to this) they fail to remove it, does this constitute fly tipping and would the council actually do anything about it?

Report it as fly tipping. Give the council details of when you contacted the builders to get the stuff moved. It's not your responsibility to move it and the building company can be fined. You could give the builders one last chance before you report them.

be aware that as the landowner you can be deemed liable for fly-tipping / clear-up costs if not reported as someone else having done it - report to the council immediately... builders have a cost to get rid of waste so I have no doubt this is so that they don't have to - it is by definition fly-tipping, doesn't need to be a mattress in a lay-by