Builders sand blasted render from neighbours house and wrecked our garden

jakemonson

Yesterday our neighbours had builders come to their house to sand blast render from the front and back. 

The builders didn’t put any barriers up to protect the houses either side, which resulted in our front garden being completely wrecked, killing a lot of flowers and covering it in brick dust and sand. They had also trampled a section of the flowers and a small bamboo fence we had in place to separate the 2 gardens. On top of this there was sand and brick dust everywhere. They didn’t notify my girlfriend that they were about to start the work so sand also got into one of our open windows and into the house. They were also walking on our flat roof above our kitchen without permission, to get access to the back wall. This could have easily caused damage to our house.

Obviously we want to be compensated for the damages but we don’t want to place our neighbours at fault. What would be my best course of action? 

DE_612183

I think you have to accept that the neighbours need to speak to THEIR builders.

You could contact the builders direct - not sure what they will say but doubt they will be at all concerned.

It would be a good place to start if you can quantify your loss - so probably just the flowers that will need replacing. 

born_again

You need to have a word with neighbour to start with as they employed them.

Ergates

The first step would be to speak to your neighbor and find out who the builders were.  Then contact the company with your complaint.  They *should* have public liability insurance - however from what you're described, they sound like complete cowboys.

jakemonson

Ergates said:

The first step would be to speak to your neighbor and find out who the builders were.  Then contact the company with your complaint.  They *should* have public liability insurance - however from what you're described, they sound like complete cowboys.

We have spoke to the neighbours who were really nice about it, offered to clean up the remaining sand and have provided us with the builders details. I’m just wondering whether to go straight to the builders or if I need to go elsewhere. I’m not a big complainer so I’m not used to this 😂

DE_612183

depends what you want - if you want cash - go to the builders and tell then what you want and try and quantify it.

see what they say.

if they say no, you could issue a money claim against them - but again it needs to be all quantifiable - rather than just £5,000 for inconvenience.

You may need to get someone out to check the roof - that's a cost the builder should pay.

gwynlas

You could quantify the loss of plants and fence and what a gardener would charge for reinstatement. If you think the roof would not bare weight then have it surveyed. Being they acted as cowboys you are unlikely to get a positive response so check your home insurance for legal cover.

Hoenir

jakemonson said:

They were also walking on our flat roof above our kitchen without permission, to get access to the back wall. This could have easily caused damage to our house.

Presumably they didn't though. Flat roofs can withstand such treatment. 

Did the builders have scaffolding put up? 

jakemonson

Hoenir said:

jakemonson said:

They were also walking on our flat roof above our kitchen without permission, to get access to the back wall. This could have easily caused damage to our house.

Presumably they didn't though. Flat roofs can withstand such treatment. 

Did the builders have scaffolding put up? 

No they didn’t have any scaffolding put up. I feel like a couple of structures either side of the house they was working on and some protective sheets could have easily prevented this. 

Aylesbury_Duck

jakemonson said:

Hoenir said:

jakemonson said:

They were also walking on our flat roof above our kitchen without permission, to get access to the back wall. This could have easily caused damage to our house.

Presumably they didn't though. Flat roofs can withstand such treatment. 

Did the builders have scaffolding put up? 

No they didn’t have any scaffolding put up. I feel like a couple of structures either side of the house they was working on and some protective sheets could have easily prevented this. 

But they cost time and money, and it sounds like these are cowboys.  Your neighbours should be wary about any other work they're having done by this outfit, because if they can't do a job like this professionally, what other corners are they going to cut?

Vectis

jakemonson said:

Obviously we want to be compensated for the damages but we don’t want to place our neighbours at fault. What would be my best course of action? 

What sort of compensation would you be claiming for?

Were they particularly valuable plants in your garden? If not, then I'd suggest that any compensation would be minimal.

Unfortunately, you won't get compensation for things that might have happened but didn't. Saying 'This could have easily caused damage to our house' isn't enough to make a claim with. Either they caused damage or they didn't.

It sounds like all you've got to be compensated for are some bamboo and other plants. Work out how much that will cost to rectify (to be honest, the bamboo is probably indestructible anyway) and then decide if it's worth the hassle.

Yes, it's annoying, but you won't get compensated for being annoyed, I'm afraid.