Problem neighbours - Dealing with clients neighbours

[mickavalon]

Hi

We have been building a clients Garden for 4 weeks, in a pretty upmarket part of Birmingham. The clients drive is separated from the neighbours by a low wall, but the neighbours drive is slightly steeper, so their 2 large 4x4 vehicles are only slightly covered by the wall. As the project came to a finish, we were Paving our way out the side entrance ,leading onto the drive(very small drive, perhaps 3x6 mts), and this involved some cutting of stone, and mixing Mortar. We made sure the mixer pointed away fro the property and neighbours car, and any cutting we did with a water Kit. However, some dust did carry away when we opened and tipped cement into the mixer, anyone who uses a mixer will know this is hardly a dust storm.

That evening(Thursday) I get a call from the client saying their neighbour is claiming we have covered his car with concrete and cement, which has apparently caused damage to the surface, despite him allegedly asking my team to be careful, and that he expects us to pay for a "specialist" clean/valet of one of his cars. After reassuring the clients that we would act responsibly, I spoke to my team(I wasn't on site that day), none of whom said they'd been spoken to, and that they weren't aware of any issues. Next morning I went to look at the damage, and to be honest I couldn't see much to be concerned about, indeed the offside of the car was dirtier than the near side. Whilst not denying that some dust may of indeed been caused by us, I couldn't see anything that looked like cement or concrete. The guy wasn't in, so I spoke further to my team about being careful, and to pass on my details if he wished to discuss. By Saturday morning, it having rained quite heavily most of Friday evening/night, the slight bit of dust had gone, and the car would really only require a simple car-wash, which we could do, but again the guy was out, but the client told me her Husband had had quite a heated conversation with the neighbour who'd stormed off!!!

Now I wish to deal with this,on behalf of my clients and my professional reputation, in as amicable manner as possible, and I haven't spoken to the guy yet. However I do feel that he's making a very big mountain out of a very small molehill. There was no damage, no actual concrete, and roofers working on the other side of him have also been making dust, so whilst I don't mind cleaning the car, or giving him the cash to take it for a regular clean, I really don't like to be bullied into an expensive valet, by someone, who from day 1, has made the project quite a logistical nightmare, with constant moaning about deliveries, parking, materials outside the clients house, skips etc

Has anyone else had to deal with this kind of issue? What more should I do, or rather how far should I bend? I purposely haven't responded to a call he made earlier today(Sunday), for two reasons, one being it's a rule I have that today is a family day, and secondly, I wished to see what a consensus of opinion would be.

Regards

[Forestboy1978]

If the customer is happy and you are sure there is not one single bit of cement on the car, if it were me, I'd take lots of photos and an HD video then email them to myself to date stamp them, then tell the neighbour to do one, or take whatever action he thinks he can, whilst doing one of course.

Bullies, should be brought to heel, not accommodated for.

[mickavalon]

We've taken some photo's, which I suppose are dated on the phone, so we'll see how he wants to play it tomorrow. Mentally I'll be thinking Feck off, but I have to play it carefully, so as not to upset my Clients, so I'll be as diplomatic as possible. If there is a genuine problem I would obviously wish to sort it, I'd hate to think we'd wrecked his car, but I didn't see much evidence.

[dig dug dan]

I wouldnt lose sleep over it. Just sounds like they are chancers trying to get a freebie. Ignore them and carry on.
I have had one or two idiots like this myself. Last one had a night visit and a gallon of old engine oil on his blocked paved drive for his trouble

[seanandruby]

Sounds like you have taken all reasonable precautions. I'd just ignore him. D D D those sort of tactics are O O O and not advisable at all.

[rab1]

Just politely ask for evidence of any damage etc and walk away. Do nothing and will go away after a few weeks

[rxbren]

No chance on a full valet they just trying it on even if you had to pay for a wash at local foreigner quick wash. It's a bit of a shot situation they could have moved the cars knowing works were going on and at the same time one of your guys could have knocked and asked if they would mind moving their motors just incase

[mickavalon]

rxbren, your right, my guys should've told him but as they weren't cutting and it was just the puff of dust from a cement bag being opened, I don't suppose they thought it would cause such a problem. He is the kind of guy who wouldn't move anyway, he moaned about a loose soil delivery we'd had because he'd had to drive over apart of it to get onto his drive and he'd had to sweep his drive afterwards....bearing in mind we'd got the soil in, this was just the remnants on the road, which we were in the middle of sweeping up!!! The guy likes to fight, and goes out of his way to be awkward and as obstructive as possible. We're not the only ones getting moaned at, other companies on a house the other side of him and someone renovating their own house a few doors up have been "spoken to" as well.

[dig dug dan]

Sounds like you have taken all reasonable precautions. I'd just ignore him. D D D those sort of tactics are O O O and not advisable at all.

Of course they are not advisable, but given the fact that these people obviously go round upsetting everyone thinking they are better than everyone else, it just means that when "something happens" in the dead of night, they would have to draw up a shortlist of about 100 names, and realise maybe they need to wind their neck in a bit.
I am past caring or worrying about people like this. I used to, and it used to get to me, now, its the customer I am working for that matters.

[mickavalon]

Sorted it out all amicably, I paid him £40 cash for the "Professional" cleaning, there was an amount of residual dust on his vehicle, which was difficult to distinguish between ours and the other builders, but for the sake of my clients relationship with the guy, i ate a bit of humble pie and just thought dark thoughts as I handed over the cash.
P.S We've also picked up a future project with the clients and 2 other potentials on the same road, so all ends well.

[seanandruby]

Cheap and cheerful, well done. DDD i would sooner front them and have a row, doing a judas is not for me.

[dig dug dan]

Cheap and cheerful, well done. DDD i would sooner front them and have a row, doing a judas is not for me.

I do both just for the enjoyment

[lutonlagerlout]

Sean the Days of Rows and judas tricks are long gone ,sadly
if we are doing anything involving potential dust or mess I knock on the neighbours doors and explain the water and noises suppression we use
we will be making noise from 8-4:30 and that cannot be avoided and we do our best with dust with a water bottle
however as mickey alludes the slurry dries out then becomes dust again
did have 1 horror story when I asked the lads to clean the scaffold ,it was a windy day and they wept the red mortar snots off with a hard broom
a hideous red sheen appeared on next doors aston martin which was behind locked gates
I offered £150 for a pro valet but the guy (fair play to him ) just said dont effing let it happen again

sometimes stupid things happen but you just have to fess up and dig deep

try to avoid any contact when the red mist is down,its the type of advertising you can do without in the local press

LLL

[GB_Groundworks]

We have to be tight with dust in the factories so we use herras panels and scaffold sheeting then use water suppression, can get custom printed screens now for herras panels builders near me doing a renovation have sneakily sectioned off a 1panel
By 2 panel section of the road for skips and materials and looks legit as the panels are all covered in printed sheeting.

[mickavalon]

Ok, I've changed my font colour, don't remember why I had it green, but hey ho...The clients were really pleased I'd sorted it with the neighbour, and we are currently pricing their front garden, with a view to carrying out the project in the Spring, so all's well. I've also had a word with my guys about being more on the ball with dust and general dirt about the site. We do use Water dust suppressors, and we'll put a tarp screen between the mixer and any likely targets. We all know dust can't be helped, and LLL is right, I've told them to just let the neighbours(and clients!!) know if there's anything that could upset them about to happen.