Money Moral Dilemma: Should I pay for my excess dust?

YeOldOne

lee-uk wrote: »

I think the health and safety executive now say that when using a hand held grinder it should use water to suppress the dust.

But that is only to protect the person USING the grinder.

Marco12452

No, offer to hose it down for them. They'll ask for a full valet.

lisao1

ha ha ha like the above suggests, the guy has too much time and too short a fuse.
WOOOW! are you sure this guy hasnt answered way up the list??? What was it ? Beware corrosive acid on your new drive, later in the year. Ha ha ha
Its dust not concrete chippings.Is it ? lol. Dont go near his car, he could accuse you of damage already there. I'd put the price of the local drive through in an envelope and post it through his door. On the front "Clean Me!!!".
However, if the car is used for his job or a rental, he does have a point. I would've parked my car out of the way if i'd seen work bein carried out in close proximity,just, to avoid other damage occurring. Hope its sorted 8)

pineapple

This happened to me. I was that person with the dust!
My car got covered. It was hardly just a speck or two. I didn't have the nerve to complain to my neighbour but I wish he had had the forethought to warn me about the work being done because I could have moved the car. I'm not fit and don't have a hose pipe even. I had to take the car to the car wash again having just had it done.
I always warn the neighbours in advance if there is going to be any noise, dust etc and frankly you should have done the same. It's just common courtesy, so apologise. Maybe take round a bottle of wine as a conciliatory gesture.
Sometimes the most difficult people can be won over (wrongfooted?) by a nice gesture. And it can give you the moral high ground. Life is too short for neighbour disputes.

zipman23

Same thing happened to me when I had my back garden landscaped...my neighbour (who had been told we were having the work done) had her washing out. The lads cutting my paving stones knocked beforehand and told her she might want to take her washing in as they were going to be cutting them which would mean alot of dust! You should have seen her face...the miserable cow!!

We had the work done in 1 day for their sake rather than having it done in the 4 days some companies said it would take which would have just caused more problems!


If you had pre-warned him and he didn't move his car, thats their fault! Then again, you can't control the wind can you? Well not unless your name is Aeolus!!

BigMummaF

spikedouglas wrote: »

Did you inform your neighbour(s) before the event that you were having something messy done that would potentially affect their property or the enjoyment of their property?

If no, pay what he wants, and hope that your other neighbours don't read this. While I don't believe you have a duty to inform them, nevertheless something you did - or got done - has inconvienienced/damaged their property. If they go to court they will probably win given a sympathetic judge. The contractors arn't liable as they were carrying out your instructions and shold have warned you about possible issues - if they didn't of course you could sue them; but most likely lose.

If you did advise them then apologise, offer a fiver or a hose down. (Not a scrub as that may damage.)

Yes, if they are alongside you or you are in a very small cul-de-sac, but this guy lives opposite. I'll ask again, how big should the catchment area be for informing the 'neighbours' of your intentions?
My immediate neighbour on one side is always attempting DIY, often begins at 8am on a Sunday morning & loves to show off his *ahem* prowess & latest acquisition on the front lawn. The ones the other side are having an extension built, I can't use my washing line most days & shut the door because of the noise. The physical fall-out from both are just as likely to land on or miss my property completely & we're in a terrace :undecided

Flatbat wrote: »

Surely , the contractors carrying out the job would reasonably be expected to know that a lot of dust would be created when cutting flagstones - after all they do it every day . I think they should take reasonable precautions to prevent excessive dust causing problems to neighbours - or be liable for any damage .
If you were having your house painted and the contractors splattered paint on your neighbour's car , the contractors would be liable for the damage not the householder ... it's just that dust travels further than paint ( usually ! )

Just thinking out loud..would it possible there is more dust around, given the exceptionally dry conditions we've had? I have no idea where the OP is located & of course, could be suffering the wettest weather in the country Even so, I can't help coming back to the fact he is across the road & not even next door but one...

spikedouglas wrote: »

....In this scenario the chap opposite may well leave his car in his drive all day, that's his perogative, but if he's not warned and comes home to it covered in gritty dust then it's somebodies job to put that right.

So if I came home & found the gas had dug up the roads/the council erected a bus shelter/replaced a lamp post et al, & my newly-cleaned-before-I-went-out beloved motor covered in carp...I can sue? I think not, plus I don't agree with the 'claim it!' culture that is growing far too readily these days.

Someone mentioned it is in the WAY you say something & that is so true. For example the OP's hubby could have said ("My husband apologised and said we didn't know what we could do. ") 'Sorry; I don't know what we can do about it ' OR 'Sorry? I don't know what we can do about it '...Same words but completely different connotations & what I was trying to say in my post yesterday KBZ
Oh, and how exactly is saying "I don't know what we can do about it" 'offering solutions'??? :rotfl:

Valhaz

I think it would be fair to buy him a car wash at the local garage or hand car wash.
When we had our driveway done, we told our neighbours and they parked up the street for a day.

tomell

If you do decide to wash his car (i wouldnt) Make sure you hose it down first to get rid of the dust as it will be gritty and sharp and will scratch the paint if just rubbed by a sponge or equvalent.
Or tell him to stop being so petty or tell him him its the after effects of icelandic volcane ash

spikedouglas

BigMummaF wrote: »

Yes, if they are alongside you or you are in a very small cul-de-sac, but this guy lives opposite. I'll ask again, how big should the catchment area be for informing the 'neighbours' of your intentions?

I would guess, as far as you expected the mess to go and then a bit more. Of course, you don't have to do anything; that would suit some people who don't give a damn about their neighbours, but I guess that's down to your attitude and however much you fear being held to account.

And as far as your other remark goes, that's once again down to attitude, if the council had screwed up as in your example, then yes, I'd expect them to pay. And I'd enforce it.

silverswan

Just wait till Katla on Iceland blows, and he'll be lucky to see his beloved car under all the dust!