Work started on my new fence yesterday and the builder said he should finish later today. The problem is that they had to drive down a wide pathway at the back of my house to drop of materials and equipment and load the van up with the original bricks and concrete blocks away. The pathway is owned by the corporation of London and one of my neighbours had a go at the driver saying he couldn't drive down there. The driver then said it would only be for a few hours to load and unload but the neighbour still complained.
I don't have a side gate and the only other way is to cart the old rubbish through my house. If it's only for a few hours is my neighbour within their right to complain?
I have a driveway running along the back of my property leading to a couple of bungalows. Last week I had some guys in to trim the hedge on this boundary, and the guy on the other side of the drive (not the lovely people up at the end of the drive) complained about the noise of their equipment. My response was to tell him to *** off (bearing in mind the extremely noisy dog owned by same person, plus the noise from his property when (a) it was demolished and rebuilt (b) the tree in the back garden was lopped and (c) they had a garden room built).
Some people like to moan about anything and everything. I don't see how it affected them in any way shape or form. Unless of course it was blocking them from driving down it!
Anyone can complain. Human right. But the best option is to get it done and apologise for any inconvenience rather than worry about it. As long as you aren't causing a legitimate problem, or leaving things in a state, where's the harm ?
Had a neighbour complain about workmen accessing my garden along a shared alleyway and my response was 'I will tell him when I see him' - 'who, he asked' - 'the first person I meet who actually gives a ****' Neighbour scuttled off with his tail between his legs obviously not expecting such a response from a little old lady!
sqad, //Perhaps a word of explanation from tigger the day or so before, might have been a nice touch. //
And it would probably have provoked a complaint from the miserable old busybody even before the builders arrived. Some people just like to make everyone's business their own - and he sounds like one of them.
as someone who has been involved in a very bitter neighbour dispute that has been ongoing for a couple of years now, i would always recommend trying to find a positive way forward (even if i wouldn't actually do that myself now - theirs and mines positions have been so entrenched now, i can't imagine peeing on them if they were on fire) But it's probably better not to let it get that far!
Just ignore, Tiggs. By the time the neighbour takes the matter any further (if he/she actually does) your fence will be finished. Don't worry about it!
sqad, I think it's just as well Tigger didn't chance it. Fine if you know you have reasonable neighbours but this man sounds like he's moaning because he likes moaning.
Update.....I spoke with the builder again and I asked him who it was that complained and told me it wasn't a neighbour but one of the wardens or whatever they're called from the C of L.
I'm going to draft an email to them along the lines of had it not been for the tree causing my brick wall to collapse I wouldn't have needed a fence to be built and no van to be driven up the pathway or footpath or whatever is!!
I also agree with naomi, some people just love to complain, I think it's the highlight of their lives ! The job will be done and dusted before he has time to do anything. And, definitely, no wine !