Anyone ever had any sucess with Utility company making good their work? They've ruined my path!

Blowsbubbles

Hi all

Another forum member whose property spolit by a gas company! Just really wondering did anyone ever manage to get whole areas replaced? I can't get my head around how they can come into your property and ruin your stuff, especially when better options available e.g lawn!

So we got written notice it would be happening in a 3-month period, then had someone pop by who said putting in new gas pipes in front gardens (existing in back) that they would mole them down and that would just need to dig up a hole directly in front of house but that would be it, and we'd have full access driveway etc. 

We noticed them working down the street, then one day came home from work. Couldn't get on driveway, nor walk to house as SEVEN holes dug into our path! 
Rather than going through the lawn, which would easily recover, they have chosen to go through our really nice, neat path. Even more frustrating is there's a couple of adjacent 'joining' areas where the cement is already knackered that could of gone through arggh!   

Their repair work is cement patches. It looks awful and already can see hairline spilts. 
As you can tell I'm really frustrated, and in shock they can just do this, and so gutted of the cost and time I am going to have to put in now. 

Incidentially, they also managed to completely destroy my stairs. I was away and they spoke to my houseguest and said they would replace. Which tbf they have and done a really good job. But also fustrated no communication with me homeowner, nor that nothing has been mentioned about path. 

I'm guessing from reading other posts I need to take photos, get quotes and seek compensation, so just wondering if anyone was ever sucessful on this, or lost cause!? TIA 

 

35har1old

Blowsbubbles said:

Hi all

Another forum member whose property spolit by a gas company! Just really wondering did anyone ever manage to get whole areas replaced? I can't get my head around how they can come into your property and ruin your stuff, especially when better options available e.g lawn!

So we got written notice it would be happening in a 3-month period, then had someone pop by who said putting in new gas pipes in front gardens (existing in back) that they would mole them down and that would just need to dig up a hole directly in front of house but that would be it, and we'd have full access driveway etc. 

We noticed them working down the street, then one day came home from work. Couldn't get on driveway, nor walk to house as SEVEN holes dug into our path! 
Rather than going through the lawn, which would easily recover, they have chosen to go through our really nice, neat path. Even more frustrating is there's a couple of adjacent 'joining' areas where the cement is already knackered that could of gone through arggh!   

Their repair work is cement patches. It looks awful and already can see hairline spilts. 
As you can tell I'm really frustrated, and in shock they can just do this, and so gutted of the cost and time I am going to have to put in now. 

Incidentially, they also managed to completely destroy my stairs. I was away and they spoke to my houseguest and said they would replace. Which tbf they have and done a really good job. But also fustrated no communication with me homeowner, nor that nothing has been mentioned about path. 

I'm guessing from reading other posts I need to take photos, get quotes and seek compensation, so just wondering if anyone was ever sucessful on this, or lost cause!? TIA 

 

Moling is great in good ground conditions but by the number of holes this wasn't the case. Moles can be diverted by stones or come to a complete stop that's why holes have to excavated to reset the mole 
Chances of getting full width reinstatement are slim

Eldi_Dos

Blowsbubbles said:

Hi all

. 

Incidentially, they also managed to completely destroy my stairs. I was away and they spoke to my houseguest and said they would replace. Which tbf they have and done a really good job. But also fustrated no communication with me homeowner, nor that nothing has been mentioned about path. 

I'm guessing from reading other posts I need to take photos, get quotes and seek compensation, so just wondering if anyone was ever sucessful on this, or lost cause!? TIA 

 

You mention that other area's where the cement is knackered, I do not think that will help your case as it sounds like you are looking for betterment.

Post up some photos of the path and stairs and  people can give a opinion based on them.

NeverTooLate

A couple of neighbours complained that their grass verges had been wrecked by the gas company, they came back a few months later, dug and reseeded it. I guess that didn't cost them much though.

TELLIT01

If you see the mess utilities leave behind when doing highway work, and in pedestrianised areas of towns, I suspect they can get away with leaving a bodge job.  I've only heard of one instance where they had to go back.  That was where they smashed York stone paving in a conservation area and tried replacing it with tarmac.  That one they didn't get away with.

Eldi_Dos

TELLIT01 said:

If you see the mess utilities leave behind when doing highway work, and in pedestrianised areas of towns, I suspect they can get away with leaving a bodge job.  I've only heard of one instance where they had to go back.  That was where they smashed York stone paving in a conservation area and tried replacing it with tarmac.  That one they didn't get away with.

Or it could have been they put down tarmac as a temporary measure while they sourced replacement York stone.
It is not exactly something you would keep in the back of the van.