[jrah]

Over the last few months my neighbours have been having their house renovated, the works have been extensive the whole house has has been stripped back to the brickwork and they've basically started again.

Anyway on numerous occasions now when the builders have been working my car has fallen victim to either, bits of fallout from the front of the house during drilling, fine dust from cutting slate roof tiles etc etc.

Anyway the final straw was yesterday when they had been mixing cement, gotten some on the side of my car and removed it themselves with a hose pipe and rubbing the paintwork by hand! Blatantly obvious when i went out to my car to see swirls and scratches all over where they had tried to cover up the mess!

I confronted the builder about it but he was foreign and could barely understand what I was saying, how would you guys pursue this further, the neighbours aren't currently living in the property as the works are so extensive, do I take this up with the main contractor? Public liability claim?

I let the first few times go and gave the car a clean myself and a polish up etc but this time its gone too far, I've already given them my contact number and said i don't mind moving the car off my drive if they're going to be working, but they've just ignored this.

Any advice on how to pursue would be appreciated.

[MickyD'bo]

Originally Posted by jrah

Over the last few months my neighbours have been having their house renovated, the works have been extensive the whole house has has been stripped back to the brickwork and they've basically started again.

Anyway on numerous occasions now when the builders have been working my car has fallen victim to either, bits of fallout from the front of the house during drilling, fine dust from cutting slate roof tiles etc etc.

Anyway the final straw was yesterday when they had been mixing cement, gotten some on the side of my car and removed it themselves with a hose pipe and rubbing the paintwork by hand! Blatantly obvious when i went out to my car to see swirls and scratches all over where they had tried to cover up the mess!

I confronted the builder about it but he was foreign and could barely understand what I was saying, how would you guys pursue this further, the neighbours aren't currently living in the property as the works are so extensive, do I take this up with the main contractor? Public liability claim?

I let the first few times go and gave the car a clean myself and a polish up etc but this time its gone too far, I've already given them my contact number and said i don't mind moving the car off my drive if they're going to be working, but they've just ignored this.

Any advice on how to pursue would be appreciated.

I'd undo all of the scaffolding bolts and shit in their plaster buckets. Seriously I'd be fucking stotting mad. I would DEFFO take this up. Inconsiderate wankers.

[MSCD]

Check with the local council they should have permits for the work and their insurance will be certificated then I would go direct.

They know where you live so whilst pulling screws will give you satisfaction nor a long term fix

Any signage on their trucks?

[Soul_Glo]

CCTV + small claims court.
Goal: professional polish to remove the scratches and respray if required. They foot the bill.

[dopper99]

Fook em, I'd phone the police. Criminal damage.

Especially if they get arsey.

The law is on your side.

[ajfoggy]

I'd try and speak to the owners first see if they can sort it out. If you get nowhere then report the builders for everything you can unless they pay for the professional correction.

[mikeoz]

They are liable getting them to pay is the issue.
Do you know the firm?

The Police won't pursue criminal damage as they won't be able to prove any intention...just stupidity.

[willjames]

Tell him to sort it and if he refuses, call the local HSE, you can bet they're in breach of something health and safety related. Small builders usually are.

[JD6]

Originally Posted by dopper99

Fook em, I'd phone the police. Criminal damage.

Especially if they get arsey.

The law is on your side.

Given that the damage was unintentional, I would have thought that this would be a civil matter rather than criminal. They are still responsible for the damage though and should be made to pay.

[R99]

Full Gtechniq ceramic detail to the tune of £900 at a detailer of your choice.

Nothing less.

[MickyD'bo]

Originally Posted by Incontinentia Buttocks

It always comes down to a bucket of shit with you, doesn't it!

It features so solidly in my life now. I'm now praising the god of effective bowel function. Shit is my friend.

[BMWChap]

Ouch!, definitely contact your neighbours as they know you and will be easier for you to deal directly with them, then let them claim back via the builders insurance

[R0B]

Another vote for speaking to the owners of the property. When we had work done, we communicated well with our neighbours. One side moved his car each day - good bloke. The other side were and still are c*nts about it. They didn't move the car, so when all the work was done I knocked and said I'd pay for a full valet. He agreed (but didn't thank me), we set a time, and an hour before the valeter was due to arrive, he went and got his car cleaned. I should have seen it coming, given that he tried to tell my builders to stop work as he was paranoid we'd stolen 3 feet of his land. Which, as he forced me to check land registry, it turns out he had 3 foot of ours all along. It would have cost a fortune to move everything 3 feet so I left it, but enjoyed that moment of glory more than that Sunday's blow job.

Anyway, the moral of my story is that from my POV as the property owner, I was very conscious of the neighbours, and I'm sure your lot would be too.

[jrah]

Thanks for the input guys, I'm going to pursue the owners, the building contractors clearly don't give a f*ck. Hopefully they accept responsibility and its an easy job.

[Sasquartch]

Ask the builder who the site manager is

If he cant tell you then say you'll be immediately reporting them to the HSE as there's some rule or regulation that means someone has to be on site when work is going on

[454697819]

Originally Posted by Sasquartch

Ask the builder who the site manager is

If he cant tell you then say you'll be immediately reporting them to the HSE as there's some rule or regulation that means someone has to be on site when work is going on

Not quite true to be honest, but still, contact the property owner and write a letter to the company and hand it to the operatives on site for the attention of the director.

take photos, record sending letters and stick with it.

[xenon]

Originally Posted by R99

Full Gtechniq ceramic detail to the tune of £900 at a detailer of your choice.

Nothing less.

Great.

How exactly?

[R99]

Originally Posted by xenon

Great.

How exactly?

Take it to a detailer to have the paint assessed & ask them to give a quote for the work.

That way the OP will have a figure ready to go to put forward to his neighbours / the building contractors.

I successfully had a pay out for detailing costs after National Windscreens took it upon themselves to use a hard rubber water blade on my car (whilst it was still dirty!!) to dry it before carrying out the windscreen replacement.

The OP may want a different outcome though?