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National Grid - damage to car and property
Hearty1971
Posts: 2 Newbie
Hi All,
Not sure if this is the right forum but closest I can find.
National Grid are replacing the main gas pipe/service in my street. Although they have now moved on further down my street, they have not only left outstanding issues at my property but left me quite annoyed.
I returned home from work one Thursday at 3.30pm to be told they would require access to my property on the following Monday and that I would need to be home all day as I gas meter needed to be moved from inside to outside and the pipework inside the house would need to be repiped. The also advised me that they would dig up one side of my drive which wasnt an issue as my drive is wide enough for 2 cars.
On returning from work on the Friday I found that the whole path across my drive had been dug up and I had no access at all to my drive. I had asked them if they could put some substantial covers over the whole to allow me access and they said they didnt have any. I therefore had to park in the street for over 2 weeks whilst waiting for this to be sorted. As a result of parking in the street, the yellow barrriers that National Grid use, fell onto my car causing damage. This was due to their neglect, not securing the barriers together.
As it turned out, they were unable to carry out the work on the Monday due to the snow, but I expected this so not really an issue with that. However, the following Thursday at 3.30pm the workmen approached me and advised that they needed access the following day and that I needed to be present. I advised them that I was unable to get time off work just like that but asked if it would help if I was back by 1.30pm. They advised me that they would be at my property at 1.30pm as the job was likely to take a good 2 hours if not more. They turned up at 4pm when it was starting to go dark and some of the work needed to be done outside the property. My issue here is that I neednt have had time off work! Not only that, but the work took 3 hours and I was without gas from 8am to 7pm which meant no heating when it was cold weather and no means of cooking food. No offer of temporary heating by way of fan heaters.
A few days after the work was 'completed' at my house, I went outside and noticed that the workman had not done the finishing work, in that none of the holes had been patched up where they drilled through the wall, faces have been blown off bricks, they have propped the plastic downpipe (from gutters) forward with a piece of brick to enable them to get the gas pipe behind. All looks very shoddy indeed.
I have written to National Grid regarding my car and they put me in contact with the local Customer Complaints Officer. Under his instructions, I obtained 2 quotes for the work to my car and he collected these from me over 3 weeks ago but I havent heard anything. I also spoke to him regarding the issues with the drive and not getting access and also about being messed about regarding the lateness of work commencing, he apologised for this and acknowledged that it was just not good enough. As for the finishing work, I was told over 2 weeks ago that the finishing team would be in touch with me. I chased this up over a week ago, still no contact from them.
My main issues are:-
1) Damage to my car, quotes obtained for around £700.00
2) Work that remains unfinished at my property making it look unsightly
3) Time off work when there was no need
4) Inability to access my driveway for over 2 weeks
I am seriously considering taking court action in the county court, mainly for the damage to my car but will also include damages/compensation for the other issues. I do intend getting a quote for the 'finishing work' before preparing my case for court. I also have witnesses to the barrier incident.
Obviously, I would write to National Grid again prior to taking action, giving them 7 days in which to respond and advise them of my intention.
What are your views on this? I know National Grid are a major company to fight in court. I do have a fair bit of court experience due to my job but not in connection with this sort of thing.
Your comments/thoughts/opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Hearty1971
Not sure if this is the right forum but closest I can find.
National Grid are replacing the main gas pipe/service in my street. Although they have now moved on further down my street, they have not only left outstanding issues at my property but left me quite annoyed.
I returned home from work one Thursday at 3.30pm to be told they would require access to my property on the following Monday and that I would need to be home all day as I gas meter needed to be moved from inside to outside and the pipework inside the house would need to be repiped. The also advised me that they would dig up one side of my drive which wasnt an issue as my drive is wide enough for 2 cars.
On returning from work on the Friday I found that the whole path across my drive had been dug up and I had no access at all to my drive. I had asked them if they could put some substantial covers over the whole to allow me access and they said they didnt have any. I therefore had to park in the street for over 2 weeks whilst waiting for this to be sorted. As a result of parking in the street, the yellow barrriers that National Grid use, fell onto my car causing damage. This was due to their neglect, not securing the barriers together.
As it turned out, they were unable to carry out the work on the Monday due to the snow, but I expected this so not really an issue with that. However, the following Thursday at 3.30pm the workmen approached me and advised that they needed access the following day and that I needed to be present. I advised them that I was unable to get time off work just like that but asked if it would help if I was back by 1.30pm. They advised me that they would be at my property at 1.30pm as the job was likely to take a good 2 hours if not more. They turned up at 4pm when it was starting to go dark and some of the work needed to be done outside the property. My issue here is that I neednt have had time off work! Not only that, but the work took 3 hours and I was without gas from 8am to 7pm which meant no heating when it was cold weather and no means of cooking food. No offer of temporary heating by way of fan heaters.
A few days after the work was 'completed' at my house, I went outside and noticed that the workman had not done the finishing work, in that none of the holes had been patched up where they drilled through the wall, faces have been blown off bricks, they have propped the plastic downpipe (from gutters) forward with a piece of brick to enable them to get the gas pipe behind. All looks very shoddy indeed.
I have written to National Grid regarding my car and they put me in contact with the local Customer Complaints Officer. Under his instructions, I obtained 2 quotes for the work to my car and he collected these from me over 3 weeks ago but I havent heard anything. I also spoke to him regarding the issues with the drive and not getting access and also about being messed about regarding the lateness of work commencing, he apologised for this and acknowledged that it was just not good enough. As for the finishing work, I was told over 2 weeks ago that the finishing team would be in touch with me. I chased this up over a week ago, still no contact from them.
My main issues are:-
1) Damage to my car, quotes obtained for around £700.00
2) Work that remains unfinished at my property making it look unsightly
3) Time off work when there was no need
4) Inability to access my driveway for over 2 weeks
I am seriously considering taking court action in the county court, mainly for the damage to my car but will also include damages/compensation for the other issues. I do intend getting a quote for the 'finishing work' before preparing my case for court. I also have witnesses to the barrier incident.
Obviously, I would write to National Grid again prior to taking action, giving them 7 days in which to respond and advise them of my intention.
What are your views on this? I know National Grid are a major company to fight in court. I do have a fair bit of court experience due to my job but not in connection with this sort of thing.
Your comments/thoughts/opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Hearty1971
0
Comments
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Compensation for no access to your drive? If they're repairing your car, what provable losses do you have from parking on the street. Inconvenience is not quantifiable.
Millions of people park on streets every day.0 -
The main issue is damage to the car and unfinished work on my house.
They have had the quotes for the car but after over 3 weeks i've not heard anything from them at all. I am planning on chasing them up this coming week but will not let them keep putting me off and drag this out.
With regards to the property, I am a private tenant and need this resolving without having to get my landlord involved although she is aware of the situation. I just think its appalling the way they have left it. It was a rush job, late on a friday evening when it was cold and raining. Obviously the guy just wanted to get home but if they'd started it at 1.30pm like we had arranged, then this would not have been an issue.0 -
You can claim for losses you can prove and any hard ship you can show. Parking on the street is not a hardship, you have no claim.
As far as I can see from your post the national grid have accepted liability for the car and the finishing work, it's just a timing issue you have.They have already said they will fix it, court action will not speed this up, they will have it pencilled in to their list of things to do.0 -
If you are a tenant then surely its your landlord that should have an issue with the property finish and address that with NG?
NG are responsible to you for the car. as for the time off work not sure who would actually be to blame for that, would depend on your tenancy agreement0 -
you are owed 50 pounds every 5 working days that they fail to complete the job in their promised time frame.
check GS standards compensation chart. hidden away ,of course, on their website.
it was 50 pounds in 2009 , when i was treated like a piece of dirt by them. even though i was polite and patient.
but you very likely 'will not' get what you are entitled too, even though you pay extra money ontop of the gas prices for such instances as this, because they are scam artists earning commission every time they save money ( stealing entitlement) for the bosses and themselves.
you may be offered a good will cheque of a much lower value, if you're lucky?
you may decide to go to the ombudsman? but they are in league with national grid and they will side with the company. they are just as worse.0 -
they smash our drives and path ways up and do what they want to do and walk away and wait for the customer to complain. HELL awaits those that complain. They are experts at passing blame. They do it all the time, and make lots of money from it.0
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they wanted me to sign on the dotted line to a statement that NG did all they could and within code of conduct, but i refused. DIRTY SCUM COMPANY. HELL BENT ON TAKING ENTITLEMENT.0
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What ThumbRemote said. Settle petal!0
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