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Please, please, PLEASE help me with my upstairs neighbours and their builders. the builders are brutes, they spit on our stairs, flick fag ash everywhere, the whole hallway is a PIT and they utterly, utterly REFUSE to close the door of the flat upsta...

183 replies

Aitch · 18/08/2008 20:39

we've spoken to our neighbours about it (as have the people upstairs to them) and the builder has basically said that if they 'pander' to us then they won't finish the job on time. PANDER?! they are revolting, disgusting, the scum of the earth, i hate them. but our neighbours can't control them, no-one can...

and of course the noise and dust are bad, really bad, but somehow it would be easier to bear if they weren't being such utter cunts at the same time.

the work, by the way, is pulling down pretty much every internal wall of a massive victorian flat, moving kitchens, bathrooms, wetrooms etc. it's a massive job and we're the ones suffering the most because it's happening above us. (in fact, they've cracked our ceilings and WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH OUR INSURANCE cos they're refusing liability. we have photos, though).

we hear the noise above us and then a couple of milliseconds later we hear it amplified back through the hallway, like a big acoustic guitar. it's torture.

we can't live like this, it's impossible, me and dh both work from home and can't make a phone call during the day and dd is shaking every time the drilling starts. we've had to put her into nursery more so it's costing us money for them to do their work, never mind lost earnings.

i phoned the council and they've yet to phone me back... it's been a few days. does anyone have any experience of this? are there people i should be speaking to? please help, i'm going a bit mad with this. it's been three weeks and it's going to be at least another five, apparently.

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Aitch · 19/08/2008 17:51

btw i have just read through thread and i can't help but note that LOADS of people tried to help who i didn't respond to by name, sorry about that, was a bit frazzed last night. (could you tell?)
thank you, one and all, i do very much appreciate the support.

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LilRedWG · 19/08/2008 17:55

Oooo - Aitch! I didn't realise - Congratulations

Commiserations on the miserable bastard of a neighbour though.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 19/08/2008 18:19

Ditto WW's last post

Freckle and Expat have given some sterling advice.

Definitely play on the pg thing. (Not that you have to 'play' on it ).

StinkyFart · 19/08/2008 18:27

Not mentioning the news I missed earlier in thread SHHHHUSHH

expatinscotland · 19/08/2008 19:27

still, the issue of the ceiling and the extra you've had to stump up for the childcare remains.

i know they're clueless about what it's like to work from home or have kids, but that's hardly you're lookout, tbh.

and they've been incredibly inconsiderate.

still, you need to cover your own arse first, not put it out for them to swat.

expatinscotland · 19/08/2008 19:52

aha, it's called 'Don't Blame the Builder' and it's on Channel 4.

a show about builder/client disputes.

Habbibu · 19/08/2008 20:10

Sorry I didn't see this yesterday, Aitch - and an official congratulations from me...! Probably a stupid question, and possibly I've missed it being discussed, but are the builders employees or self-employed, do you know? Worth trying to complain to the company, or to the trade association if they belong to it?

Aitch · 19/08/2008 21:20

self-employed. i feel they've taken the wind out of my sails by being better today, however...

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expatinscotland · 19/08/2008 21:22

what does your DH think?

bet it hasn't pulled the wind out of his sails.

Aitch · 19/08/2008 21:33

no it hasn't. he wants to kill the builders and make the neighbours watch. and then kill the neighbours.

WHY is my dd still up, by the way? she is very much enjoying Maestro. poor soul has a bit of a poo thing going on, i think she's feeling a bit unsettled...

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expatinscotland · 19/08/2008 21:34

speak.to.a.solicitor.

and keep on with the council.

pookamoo · 19/08/2008 22:43

Expat is right - speak to a solicitor.
The neighbour is breaking (almost certainly) a condition of their lease, which will be enforceable by you and the other neighbours as well as the landlord.

It's worth keeping on to the council, because this will help your case.

Aitch · 19/08/2008 22:49

i will speak to a solicitor, i promise. why does everyone keep assuming that the flats are leased, btw? does no-one own apartments in hengerland?

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WendyWeber · 19/08/2008 22:53

No - in hengerland the land will be freehold but the flats leasehold, with communal charges for maintenance etc.

Aitch · 19/08/2008 22:57

oh, up here we own our own flats and pay communal charges via an agent known as a factor (or robbing bastard).

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WendyWeber · 19/08/2008 22:58

"Should I buy a leasehold flat?

If you want to buy a flat, rather than a house, due probably to the costs involved and potential return on the investment, then you have little choice. Present property law in England and Wales effectively requires that the vast majority of flats will be leasehold.

At present leasehold flats are preferable to the alternative form of freehold flats where similar rights and obligations as found in a leasehold may not exist and enforceability between flat owners can become difficult as there is no separate landlord. Legislation will in the coming months be introducing a further form of tenure known as commonhold, although the full details of this are still being introduced and will only apply to new flat developments where the landlord decide to offer sales on this basis.

If you are considering buying a flat, then a leasehold should not be a concern as long as you know and appreciate your rights and obligations. With a well-written lease and a properly managed building, a leasehold flat should provide a perfectly good home for occupants and a secure investment."

(Mind you our house is leasehold, albeit with a 999-year lease dating from about 1890; this is so that the freeholder has rights to anything under the land apparently - there are a lot of leasehold Victorian terraced houses round here)

Aitch · 19/08/2008 23:00

gosh, i don't understand a word of that... what happens to the poor sod who buys at the end of the 999 years, have they got something to sell?

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WendyWeber · 19/08/2008 23:06

Leases on flats often run for only 99 years - the price near the end of the lease drops quite a bit but still, why would you? (There are houses on short leases too, in posh parts of London!!!)

With our 999 year lease the house will have fallen down by then

expatinscotland · 19/08/2008 23:09

yikes, that sounds like it could be complicated.

Aitch · 19/08/2008 23:10

you eeengleesh are craaaazeee.

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WendyWeber · 19/08/2008 23:12

Nah, not crazy - at least, the rich aristos who own the land under the flats/houses are very not crazy , I suppose the loons who buy the short leases are though...

Aitch · 19/08/2008 23:15

the duke of westminster is crazy, to be fair. rich, but crazy. [inbreeding]

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WendyWeber · 19/08/2008 23:16

Inbred, agreed, but canny (or if not him, his agent - god, how wonderful to be that crazy but still not have to worry about money )

bookthief · 20/08/2008 18:00

Ds broke our laptop so I've only got mn at work and am forever being inconsiderately interrupted by people wanting me to do actual work here so am mainly lurking recently. And as I'm pt that's my lot again til Monday.

Would be well up for running about the bowling greens getting chased by Parkie if it ever stops raining...

(That's in response to earlier post and not bizarre non-sequitur re: your bastart neighbours btw)

Aitch · 20/08/2008 18:41

lol at bastart. it's like you're fluent!

next sunny day...

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