Opinions wanted

[BlueOrchid]

Hello

Can people please let me know what they think about this matter....

The house next door to us was sold recently and the buyers have decided to completely renovate it: new roof, side return, loft dormer, total garden re-vamp - the complete works.

This started on the first day of the school summer holidays (I have 2 kids and don't work over the summer so I can be at home with them). It was very noisy. Also the builders were working EVERY Saturday. So we get very little noise respite.

On the day their massive wrap around scaffold went up it knackered our sky reception.

I sent a polite text mentioning this.

The text back merely expressed surprise that sky was so "sensitive" and seemed to deny their scaffold could be the cause.

We then paid for a sky engineer to fix the issue. A very nice man came around and said "yes of course it is the scaffolds fault" and he moved our dish to get a signal.

I have since mentioned it twice in passing that we have paid for an engineer hoping they will offer to reimburse us - but it is clear they have no interest in doing so.

It isn't really about the money - I am actually more upset that these new people who are going to be our neighbours (once they move into their finished house) could be so dismissive and offhand about this matter.

So here is my question:

Would you have offered to pay for a sky engineer if you had caused your neighbours dish not to work?

Thanks in advance for comments

[Ellie78]

Tell them that you expect them to reimburse you.

[kibris]

No you should have spoken to them before and said that if they dont move it then you would send a bill.As you didnt do this thats why they dont care because they could say that it wasnt working and your passing the cost on to them. If i was you i would but the bill in the post and tell them they have 7 days to pay or you will take them to court for the cost

[BlueOrchid]

I know I should. I just wanted it to be sorted out in a pleasant manner. I don't have any doubt that they know I want them to reimburse me.

The fact that they haven't yet offered (it has been month) means they don't want to have to pay. I am worried that if I ask outright they will just refuse and everything will be horribly awkward. I have friends who say that having mentioned it 3 times I should just leave it now and forget about it.

[BlueOrchid]

Sorry that previous response was to the first comment.

To respond to the second comment - they are both lawyers. I don't think I can threaten them with court.

Also - I want to be on good terms with my neighbours - and more than the money it saddens me that this is an indication that we are not going to be living next door to people who are considerate.

[EDmummy]

It's difficult - we had a problem with noise and inconsiderate builders (blighted our garden last summer) by the works of one of our neighbours. They were off site and didn't know that their builders were causing problems. Have subsequently met our neighbours and mentioned it and they said they wished we been able to tell them earlier. The builders they'd employed were Cowboys and they've now spent much more money sorting out the poor work - had we managed to let them know of our issues with them earlier they would have definitely had a word. I truly hope you can find a way to resolve.

[Townleygreen]

are the builders allowed to work on a Saturday afternoon? I am sure that came up near me and they had to stop.

[Loz]

I doubt suing them would work anyway. They haven't damaged anything and, as far as I know, you have no legal right to a line of sight to the sky satellite.

Of course, a nice neighbour would have offered to reimburse you, but...

[uncleglen]

Builders should stop by 1 pm on Saturdays.

[Grok]

In answer to your original question:

Yes, if I was considerate and wanted to be a good neighbour. However, I would have warned you about intended works first, and made it clear that you could approach me asap if any problems caused, and a resolution sought.

No, if I was an inconsiderate neighbour and did not care about good neighbour relations as I think I am better than you!

[ed_pete]

I suspect your future neighbours would be happy to compensate you though it is quite likely that this is not really a top priority for them at the moment and easily forgotten. I would imagine that the stress of buying and renovating a house is taking up all their time at the moment. It maybe a good idea to write them a short note - having something physical is more likely to act as a reminder.

[Lowlander]

I would have had an engineer round to confirm it was the scaffolding and to quote to fix it (but not pay anything at this point).

Then approach the neighbours, tell them your Sky went down, you had an engineer out who said it was their scaffold, and it would be x amount to fix. All in a nice, friendly way. If they didn't offer to pay then, I would ask them to.

That would be the fairest way. What you've done is fixed it yourself and asked them to pay without giving them a chance to fix it first, which is bound to have wound them up a bit.

[*Bob*]

Lowlander Wrote:

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which is

> bound to have wound them up a bit.

YES to this. Winding up someone you have to live next door to for years is ALWAYS the best course of action.

[red devil]

A side issue, but it may give you some 'leverage' with your neighbours.

From your OP, it reads like the building works commenced soon after they bought the house. Is the new side return extension on the boundary you share with them? If so, did they serve you with a Party Wall notice, and has a Party Wall Award been agreed? If not, they should've done, and they can't start work on the extension until all the paper work is signed off. There might be planning issues too. Just saying like...

[Earl Aelfheah]

This would annoy me no end, not because of the money as such, but the principle of it - the lack of thought / consideration on behalf of your new neighbours. That said, I don't think there is much you can do about it really, unless you really want to end up on bad terms with them (which I'm sure you don't). I would probably try to forget about it and move on (I know this is easier said that done).

[BlueOrchid]

I apologize for the double thread on this subject. It was unintentional.

I had raised the matter in a different section accidentally and it had been moved here. I didn't realise it had been moved here and thought it has been deleted by the moderator - so started a new thread that was also moved here.

Anyway now I realize my mistake and won't make it again.

Also - in response to a few comments, I mentioned to them the day the scaffold went up that is interfered with our sky signal. We waited 2 weeks then we forced to organize to get it fixed ourself as our children were unhappy.

I kept my neighbours informed at each step. They have ignored me each time.

I have now asked directly for money (rather than hinting and hoping they offer which would have been pleasanter).

Anyway it isn't the money - more the rudeness. I would be perfectly happy for them to donate the amount to charity. I would just like an acknowledgement - which I have never had. And that is actually been what has made it more tricky to let go of.

I know in the big scheme of things this is not a big deal. I started the threads to genuinely find out if many people would have taken my neighbours position.

[BlueOrchid]

Sorry -

Also want to add in response to Lowlander that getting a sky engineer to visit and quote would cost ?60 - so once the engineer is there it is crazy not to let them fix it.

If the neighbours wanted to check it if it was their scaffold that caused the problem or organize to fix the sky themselves - they had weeks in which to do so.

So I don't really agree that I have wound them up.

Red Devil - one of the things that grates is that we signed off EVERYTHING they asked for straight away as we were trying to foster a harmonious neighborly relationship.

[Lowlander]

BlueOrchid Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Sorry -

> Also want to add in response to Lowlander that

> getting a sky engineer to visit and quote would

> cost ?60 - so once the engineer is there it is

> crazy not to let them fix it.

There's a fair few independent engineers who would have given you a free quote to use. You could then have replied saying that an engineer had confirmed it was their fault, and would they mind paying. Then you could then either use that engineer or one of Sky's.

Anyway the point is that you just bypassed this step so the neighbours could feel that you're now just asking for money without any evidence, which would wind most people up. You need to prove to them that this is the problem rather than just getting it sorted and expecting them to believe you.

(You could always ask Sky to send you written confirmation that the scaffold was blocking the signal, or it might be mentioned on the invoice)...

I think your relationship with the neighbours has gotten off to a pretty low start!

[BlueOrchid]

My sky engineer spoke to their builders when he fixed the issue. No one is in any doubt about the cause. If the neighbours asked - they could speak to the engineer we used (we have his telephone number). Or they could offer to contribute the amount they feel is fair if they think we have over-paid.

But in reality they have just ignored the whole issue and not responded to any direct emails or texts.

So Lowlander just to check would you have behaved in the same way as my neighbours? And do you think any potential souring of the relationship is all caused by MY actions?

[Saffron]

You have signed off to their building works, no? And, as Loz says, there's no legal issue concerning line of sight (it's not a right under the conditions you've set out above.) The scaffold is not permanent.

If I were the neighbour, I would have probably offered a contribution towards Sky engineer.

However, if it were my Sky dish, I wouldn't have even asked the neighbours for a contribution. I would have just paid it all myself, as one of the hazards of high density London living.

It's hard to say, of course, what effect your actions have on your neighbours, as we only have your version of events. Needless to say that you certainly feel slighted. Fair enough. You're unlikely to get any money from them, as you have no legal basis to do so it seems. So I guess the thing to ask yourself is going to be whether chasing up the money repeated really IS going to sour the relationship, and whether you're otherwise able to let it go? In contrast if you really do want to persue the money, be as direct and straightforward as possible, with as much supportive evidence as you can offer. But tbh, I wouldn't be surprised if you get nothing. :( xx

[Lowlander]

If I was you I would have obtained a quote and spoken directly - on phone, leaving voicemails/texts - to your neighbours giving them the chance to fix it or you would have to pay for it yourself.

If I was your neighbour I would expect a more robust challenge i.e. "Hi, my Sky is down, engineer has come out and said it's due to your scaffold blocking signal, any chance you could move the scaffold or my dish"?

Then I'd chase a few times and leave it after that - too small a situation to fall out with neighbours over.

I'd obviously be thoroughly pi$$ed off but would not go asking for advice on a forum that they can read!!

[BlueOrchid]

They still live in central London so I doubt they are using the forum yet.

[miga]

I'm with BlueOrchid. I would feel slighted (based on what's been described).

As it appears that they were unwilling to contribute to fixing the inconvenience they've created, posting this on a public forum is as valid a strategy as any. Shame can be a powerful motivator, it was worth a shot.

As far as maintaining friendly relations and being an adult about things and taking it on the chin for the sake of keeping things sweet, I wonder whether this neighbour is likely to reciprocate non-compulsory niceties on the evidence above.

To me it seems the possible option is to take the moral high ground on this issue by not pursuing it any further, and remember their behaviour for the next time they require anything more from you than that to which you're legally obliged.

[adonirum]

"they are both lawyers"....says it all, really. Nearly as bad as having two Police officers next door!!!!

But seriously, what miga said above.

[JohnL]

It does give you permission to do similar at a point in time.

Usually the reason I hold off causing problems :)