National Grid/Balfour Beatty Re-Instatement Work

Sarah_Kett

Good afternoon guys,

I am in need of some guidance in relation to some work that was completed on a 6 month old driveway recently.

A long story short, we had a £3000 permeable driveway completed last October after being told by national grid and United Utilities that no more work needed doing on our property.

Low and behold a few months later (drive all completed) we were told that actually the new driveway needed to come up, United Utilities needed to repair a drain and national grid needed to move the gas line that had caused the damage. We agreed that work could be done but rather than taking it up twice we would want one company to take responsibility, and have the hole taken up once and both works completed on the same day.

So roll forward a few months and this happened (after being pushed from pillar to post being told it did then didn't need doing every other day). National Grid took responsibility for the work, took it up, then filled the hole back in poorly and put the bricks back down. To a point that there were no stones for drainage, a lot of the bricks were scratched and damaged and the site was left with mud everywhere meaning that the permeable driveway was not permeable in that area taken up.

We complained and got the original contractor out to give us a quote to fix the work. This was quoted at £1200 as the whole area needed lifted and re-laying properly to make sure it was permeable again and wasn't just going to hold water in that part.

National grid told us this was too much and they were getting other quotes.

So we thought if it's someone who specialises or can do it properly, it wouldn't have been an issue.

We came home a few weeks later from a hosp appointment to discover a van at the end of our driveway. National grid had sent out two men to replace the 7 chipped bricks nothing lifted back up, underneath was sand (not supposed to be used on a permeable drive and our original contractor discussed this with the area manager during an earlier site visit)

We have since called them and it would appear that this is the extent of the work they are prepared to do!

So when we were promised it would be unnoticeable in the first instance, this is totally wrong and were really upset and annoyed with the way we have been treated and how it has been dealt with.

This has been going on for so long now it's really causing a lot of stress for us as we just aren't being listened to. We're trying to plan a wedding for next year and it's really just taking over everything we're trying to do at the minute.

We've taken pics at every step and try to show how loose and damaged the bricks are and the scratches from where they have been working.

We feel that the work is so unacceptable we need some advice on what can, if anything, be done next to help push our case for someone there to listen to us.

I have had a reply from Ombudsman today after sending them a comprehensive list of pics and every correspondance, however they have stated that National Grid have refused to engage with them and as this is a voluntary service they don't actually have to! In the meantime the drive has sunk somewhat in that area.

I can't imagine now trying to go to court and tackle the issue as it feels like were losing at every turn here and we just want the drive replacing to standard!

Any help or advice would be great fully received!!

:(:(:(:(

ThumbRemote

From what you've said, it would seem a straightforward case of sending them a letter before action, then taking them to small claims court for the £1200 required for your contractor to do the job properly.

(This assumes they have a legal responsibility to make good any damage they do in digging up to access their pipes.)

agrinnall

Sarah_Kett wrote: »

I can't imagine now trying to go to court and tackle the issue as it feels like were losing at every turn here and we just want the drive replacing to standard!

I'm not sure what other option you think you might have. Or indeed what alternative might be easier than taking it to court, assuming the point ThumbRemote has made is correct.

https://www.moneyclaim.gov.uk/web/mcol/welcome

kazzah

when my disabled brother had a similar issue with Balfour Beatty who failed to re-lay the paving slabs in his garden or supply him with a key for the meter cupboard ( apparently they are in "short supply) so my brother was unable to isolate his gas supply in the case of an emergency - we too were pushed from pillar to post. For three weeks we were engaged in a backwards and forwards tussle.

losing the will to live - I posted on their facebook page and tweeted about their lack of response and lack of anyone "owning" the complaint.

Within in 3 days the gents had been to relay the slabs ensuring my brother could access his wheelie bin again and the same night as the facebook post went on a key was miraculously delivered to his flat.

I don't know if it will work for you - but it's worth a shot - good luck

agrinnall

kazzah wrote: »

...supply him with a key for the meter cupboard ( apparently they are in "short supply) ...

Was it the standard triangular lock? If so I bought my key in a pound shop, I very much doubt if they are in short supply. And a pair of long nose pliers will do the trick in a pinch.

kazzah

Agrinnall - it was- but my brother is severely disabled with heart failure, epilepsy and a range of other problems - he is unable to drive to the shops so whilst hey did tell him that he "could buy one in any DIY shop" they failed to take into account he is virtually housebound.

They were in short supply to the contractors at that time as they were fitting all new outside meter cupboards for the whole road and obviously they were losing keys left, right and centre - knowing that for most people it wouldn't be a problem to replace them.

neilmcl

kazzah wrote: »

Agrinnall - it was- but my brother is severely disabled with heart failure, epilepsy and a range of other problems - he is unable to drive to the shops so whilst hey did tell him that he "could buy one in any DIY shop" they failed to take into account he is virtually housebound.

They were in short supply to the contractors at that time as they were fitting all new outside meter cupboards for the whole road and obviously they were losing keys left, right and centre - knowing that for most people it wouldn't be a problem to replace them.

Just as an aside I was told by my gas safe plumber once that according to regulations they are supposed to switch off and isolate the gas supply if a householder doesn't have his own meter key.

[Deleted User]

kazzah wrote: »

my brother is severely disabled with heart failure, epilepsy and a range of other problems - he is unable to drive to the shops so whilst they did tell him that he "could buy one in any DIY shop" they failed to take into account he is virtually housebound.

Rather than posting on Facebook etc for over three weeks, did it not occur to you to simply purchase a key from an online retailer? Long nose pliers would also do the job.

The relaying of slabs would then have been the only issue.

kazzah

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

Rather than posting on Facebook etc for over three weeks, did it not occur to you to simply purchase a key from an online retailer? Long nose pliers would also do the job.

The relaying of slabs would then have been the only issue.

not that any of it is relevant to the OP - but

1) I didn't post on face book for over three weeks - I posted once and the same day a key was delivered to my brother

2) My brother ( wanting to TRY to be an independent as possible) didn't TELL me about the lack of key for three weeks

3) not having outside meters myself I did not know you could purchase keys online and my brother is not computer literate, does not have a computer, nor broad band - so that would have been beyond him

not EVERYONE is computer literate - some elderly people ( like my brother) do not have the capacity to understand or work a computer.

And actually as my brother was listed as a disabled customer with his supplier -the onus SHOULD have been on the contractor to ensure he DID have access to his meter cupboard.

I can assure you if I had known about this and the fact that for three days and nights in early December when the new meters were being installed they left him with no access to hot water or heating, I would have sorted it sooner.

But he didn't tell me until almost three weeks later when he had spent hours on the phone to a variety of departments trying to sort it himself and getting no-where - which is where the OP found herself.