Building works, Nothing ever goes smoothly

[doodab]

Bastards

[administrator]

Nightmare. Makes me

I guess not even worth writing a letter stating this as is an admission of doing it? If you are definitely caught though then I would appeal and put a few of the bits above in the letter. I expect if you withhold payment while you appeal it might mean you can get an invoice or two more in before you have to cough up if cash flow is tight. Don't say you aren't going to pay, just send in a letter saying you are appealing on the grounds that you feel the charge is unreasonable given then distance of the encroachment and the length of time. Supply photos to show no damage of the pavement and point out that you were doing it as a responsible home-owner etc to protect the public.

If you don't try then you don't get! At least you will waste some council time and feel like you got something for your money if you complain

[doodab]

You could also contact the daily mail, although I suspect they will want to know how much your house is worth before and after.

[Paddy]

On a brighter note. Many years ago the council were replacing the kerb stones. They wrote and asked if I wanted a dropped kerb put in at a cost of £300 (a lot of money then). A few days later a council surveyor chalked on the pavement outside other houses the words "existing" on all dropped kerbs. A few days later they dug up the old kerb stones. It was then a used some yellow chalk and chalked "existing" on the pavement outside my house.

While my nice new dropped kerb was built, I rubbed out the chalk.

A few weeks later a man from the council visited and said "By mistake, we have put a dropped kerb in. Would you like to voluntarily pay for it?" I replied, "No thank you. Good bye"

[mudskipper]

On a brighter note. Many years ago the council were replacing the kerb stones. They wrote and asked if I wanted a dropped kerb put in at a cost of £300 (a lot of money then). A few days later a council surveyor chalked on the pavement outside other houses the words "existing" on all dropped kerbs. A few days later they dug up the old kerb stones. It was then a used some yellow chalk and chalked "existing" on the pavement outside my house.

While my nice new dropped kerb was built, I rubbed out the chalk.

A few weeks later a man from the council visited and said "By mistake, we have put a dropped kerb in. Would you like to voluntarily pay for it?" I replied, "No thank you. Good bye"

Ah,, so if you pay Scraggy's bill, it all evens out.

[SandyD]

Just pay it, its not worth it... life is too short.


I know unfair, but at the end of the day, no point of stressing too much about £1 or £2K when you are a contractor, if I were you I'd call the council and apologise and keep them buttered and sweet, they can be complete bastards if they target you, trust me its not worth it to aggravate them or have them on the wrong side.

As for fighting with the builder... forget it, its 1000 time worse than fighting with an agency swallow the fine, learn from it and move on!!!

[Paddy]

Just pay it, its not worth it... life is too short.


I know unfair, but at the end of the day, no point of stressing too much about £1 or £2K when you are a contractor, if I were you I'd call the council and apologise and keep them buttered and sweet, they can be complete bastards if they target you, trust me its not worth it to aggravate them or have them on the wrong side.

As for fighting with the builder... forget it, its 1000 time worse than fighting with an agency swallow the fine, learn from it and move on!!!

Many councils are now privatised and run by outsourcing such a Capita. They will find all sorts of ways of increasing revenue. In such a small contravention, the cost, fine etc is not legally recoverable under "De minimis". ie. The courts are not interested in minimal violations. Tell the council or Capita to get lost.

[Wanderer]

The final sting is £458.49. Budget was tight for the work anyway, now its tighter.

Tell the builder you are knocking £458.49 off what you are paying him and he can argue it out with the council. There is no way you can be held responsible for his ignorance and negligence, if he does this stuff for a living then he should know what he's doing.

[OwlHoot]

A few weeks later a man from the council visited and said "By mistake, we have put a dropped kerb in. Would you like to voluntarily pay for it?" I replied, "No thank you. Good bye"

nice one

[SimonMac]

Tell the builder you are knocking £458.49 off what you are paying him and he can argue it out with the council. There is no way you can be held responsible for his ignorance and negligence, if he does this stuff for a living then he should know what he's doing.

How many times have we said that responsibility lies with us rather an accountant, yes a good builder should have known this but there is some responsibility on Scrag to do his own due diligence, ignorance is no excuse

(Sorry if that sounds harsh Scrag, love you really )