Can I charge construction company for using my services?

pipk62 · 20 October 2007 at 2:42PM

Hi all.
I have an unusual query(ies), and just wondering if I can get any 'compensation?

Here goes....
Firstly some background....

I rent a housing association house which was PRC and has now been bricked, which is part of an ongoing program for PRC housing in this area.

A few years ago a friend had his done, and was moved out of the house while the work was being carried out, for this he was given a temporary house and was paid compensation for moving and for any 'distress' caused.

I am getting nothing, and had to live in the house while they carried out the work.
So my first question I guess, is should the HA be paying some form of compensation?

But, heres my main query, which gets 'involved' so bear with me....

My house is on a corner, and me and my next door neighbour around the corner both have side gardens,
It was decided by the construction company and Housing Association that these side gardens would provide the best place to put a works site, which we both agreed to, they were intending to keep the hedge between the 2 properties and have 'split access', I told the site manager that I was intending to pull up the hedge and erect a fence, so to make it easier for both parties they agreed to remove the hedge, which gave them a clear single site.
Now, I did sign to say that I would put up a fence between the 2 gardens, but a day or two later I met the site manager in the street, and he said we're going to put up a fence for you.
I do of course realise (as has now happened) that his verbal promise may be refuted, and there is little I can do, meaning I now have to put up my own fence.

The next thing to happen was the construction company asked my partner (who, incidentally no longer lives here) if they could use my electricity supply and water supply for the container style offices and stores in 'my garden' which she agreed to, despite not getting any confirmation from me, the official tenant!
They operated a small site office and a plumbed in portaloo and washing facilities, about 3 weeks in they paid my partner £100.
There were some other verbal promises made at the time, which they seem to be fulfilling, although slowly (this included a driveway and a lawn - still unfinished, as well as again the promise of a new fence, and my request for a dropped kerb was met with "I'll see what we can do" - they do have to repair all the paths and kerbs yet anyway)

Incidentally, my neighbour has had a new fence put all around her part of the garden, but they stopped short of continuing along the 'separator' between our two gardens.

So, Now the works manager (not the same guy as site manager) has said no to them putting up a fence and "I didn't know anything about that" to my request for a dropped kerb.

And for using my services, they paid £100 over about 17 weeks, which was probably a little more than the electricity they used; they did admit that if I hadn't provided the electricity and water supplies, they would have needed to have got a generator and brought in a bowser tank, which I'm sure would have cost more than £100.

I would be happy with a dropped kerb for my driveway, but if that doesn't happen can I send them a bill for connecting to and using my services?

PasturesNew · 20 October 2007 at 2:53PM

I know that when houses flood and families move out, they send a bill as part of the insurance claim for the electricity used by the huge dehumidifers used to dry out their houses.