Scaffolding (scaffolder) issues

[julianf]

Next door needed some work doing. Scaffold needed to be on out plot.

Roofing chap came around to survey. I made it clear that i didnt mind people walking through the garage, but the materials had to go over the garden wall.

Subcontracted scaffold company turns up, takes it all though the garage. Moves stuff about (i find a small shot blasting cabinet balanced on top of my cnc machine, on top of the previous days work etc)


I dont mention this, until...

They come back (when im not here) and put scaffold up on the street (footpath) outside. They drill fixing points into the wall of our house. Im not about so dont see any of this till later.


I call up the roofing company chap, who has subcontracted the scaffold company. Chap is generally aggressive. Apparently my granting access at the back permits them to drill holes in my wall at the front. Apparently its all included in the verbal agreement for access... He blames my neighbor for not informing me. My neighbor has no clue about how scaffold is put up. (our house was decorated last summer, btw)

Anyway, in this heated conversation, i point out that he came around to survey the job and its his error if the scaffold company cant (health and safety you know) lift some poles over a garden wall. He implies that the scaffold wont come down then. Then says that they can build a bridge or towers or something over the wall. I mean they're a scaffolding company, i guess. Its not a small wall, about 8 foot, but its not like its one of Trumps campaign points or anything.


I get an email from my neighbor -

"
got a message from the roofers that the scaffolders will attend on thursday to take away the scaffold from the side of the house. Apparently they'll knock on your door and ask (nicely maybe) if they can go through your yard but if not they will go over the wall.
"

So i get the knock. Chap starts swearing very quickly. Tells me "he is going through to get his scaffold" etc. I put the recorder on my phone and tell him that if anyone sets foot in the garage, ill call the police. At one point he says "your garage is a nightmare" (i didnt reply, but its not like i prepared it for him, as the agreement was that nothing would go through there!)



Scaffold is still up.

Im wondering what happens now? Do i have to employ a third party to take it down, and then do the small claims thing for the costs?

 

[addjunkie]

Photograph the wall fixings, get your neighbour out and point it out. He will be footing the bill to put it right as he hired them.

Dont take it down, it puts you in the naughty corner modifying a scaffold incase someone gets hurt on it

 

[julianf]

Photograph the wall fixings, get your neighbour out and point it out. He will be footing the bill to put it right as he hired them.

Dont take it down, it puts you in the naughty corner modifying a scaffold incase someone gets hurt on it

In truth, the wall fixings are the least of my concern. I find it hard to believe that you can go about drilling holes in other peoples walls without some sort of proper consent, but, again, my main concern is all the scaffold remaining at the rear of our property.

Standard terraced plot. My garden is "sealed" by the garage at the far end.

If the job comes down, it wont be me doing it for the reasons you mention. Ill contract someone with paperwork and invoices for the recovery of funds.

 

[Kram]

Good luck, my experience is that roofers and scaffolders are best not to be messed with as they will generally not care too much for the consequences.

Suggest you nicely apologise, request they continue but to have more respect for your property and make right the holes already drilled once they finish.

 

[carbon]

I’m not sure if this applies as I’m not sure what work is involved, some work will need a party wall notice to be signed before work commences. See Party Wall Act 1996

 

[8ob]

Make it quite clear in writing that they can remove the scaffolding on the proviso that they will be held responsible for any damage or reinstatements.

Bob

 

[gaz1]

In truth, the wall fixings are the least of my concern. I find it hard to believe that you can go about drilling holes in other peoples walls without some sort of proper consent, but, again, my main concern is all the scaffold remaining at the rear of our property.

Standard terraced plot. My garden is "sealed" by the garage at the far end.

If the job comes down, it wont be me doing it for the reasons you mention. Ill contract someone with paperwork and invoices for the recovery of funds.

the scaffolding company has no right to drill your wall to secure there scaffolding

id advise take photos climb onto scaffolding and take photos of the drilled holes

on other peoples property theres no right to tie into others property and what they should have done is strengthen there poles by using more poles to do so

as goes for being impolight he can climb over the wall for me no access through the garage

any damage caused has to be put right i can bet that the damage wont be remedied so be warned a note has to be put in as they drilled into your property without consent you can force or replace whats been damaged so if its the brick your can have the whole brick replaced same with the stone

a further note tie into walls can and do rust they say they dont but they do

contact the scaffold company direct tell them to remove the scaffolding off your property due to the damage that they have done to your property without consent eg: drilling into your walls to secure the scaffolding

if they dont you will have the scaffolding removed and stored untill they repair the damage to your property holding onto the scaffolding as equity until the repairs are completed

record your convo

 

[tigdlo]

How long has this been going on? You would need to give them written notice and a reasonable amount of time to resolve the issues before you can take it any further.

 

[gaz1]

How long has this been going on? You would need to give them written notice and a reasonable amount of time to resolve the issues before you can take it any further.

no notice has to be given as its mostly agreed upon notice 1 week or less arrange with scaffolding firm to install it

normally your told or contacted of when it can be built up which is normally 24-48hr notice

once you ring the company up they have 24-48hr notice to remove said scaffolding from your property

the threat of i will leave it up has been met with a direct contact with the scaffolding firm

its now there place to remove it within 48hrs and they should comply as you have made it clear you will hold there scaffolding to ransom until the repairs to the damage that they have caused without consent or repairs needed to put back right

remember the same rule applies if you damage peoples gardens treading on all of there plants it can and does cost you a fortune to replace the damage caused by ignorant workers

( i can assure you that mouthy git wont be back for the job but be prepared for retaliation as some will do it )

 

[carbonarc]

Hi. Get an image of the "Scaftag" which must be attached to the scaffold. If this tag is not available for inspection give your local HSE notification.

 

[addjunkie]

Hi. Get an image of the "Scaftag" which must be attached to the scaffold. If this tag is not available for inspection give your local HSE notification.

Big company mentality. I had a proper firm put a biggish house scaffold up for me, it was up 4 months, not 1 inspection to check security/ safety etc, no scaff tag.

 

[DaveB]

Look carefully at the scaffold.

Somewhere will be an inspection tag, if you can't find it call the local council HSE and if they will not attend call the HSE for real, contact details will be on hse website.

Be warned this is the nuclear option....

 

[Erie Fred]

Why can't roofers just do the right thing ?

 

[brightspark]

Big company mentality. I had a proper firm put a biggish house scaffold up for me, it was up 4 months, not 1 inspection to check security/ safety etc, no scaff tag.

rarely do i see scaffy tags on jobs big companys on public works and sites yes domestic houses no

 

[julianf]

Look carefully at the scaffold.

Somewhere will be an inspection tag, if you can't find it call the local council HSE and if they will not attend call the HSE for real, contact details will be on hse website.

Be warned this is the nuclear option....

Is the tag a requirement even if the job can't be seen by the "general public"

Ie the bit at the back is in private (my) ground only.

The bit at the front, on the pavement, with sleepers on the road, should, I'm sure, have a tag. I'm not sure if it does or not.


One of the boss scaffolders workers was trying to resolve the situation. He asked to meet me round the back, so I invited him though the house (ie I wasn't just being an ass about it).

He asked me if the back door to the garage was locked. I confirmed it was. He made the comment, along the lines of, "probably for the best".


As I say, they let themselves through uninvited last time. The door is hard to open from the outside. It's now (without tools) impossible to open from the outside (can not be lifted of hinges either - would need cutting)

 

[dobbslc]

I think your first mistake was letting them through your house / garage in the first place. I'd never do that whatever the circumstances.
I'd be very tempted to report this to the old bill making sure you tell them about the veiled threats.
After that tell them in writing to get their gear off your property now (not next week when the jobs finished) and you'll be getting the repair work done by a third party as let's face it who would want a scaffolder repairing your brickwork!
I'd would have to have been restrained from getting my recipe saw out and cutting their scaffolding into little pieces, cheeky ********!

 

[carbonarc]

A "Scafftag" may not be a legal requirement but is needed to verify who erected the scaffold and who inspects it a regular basis for safety. The intention of the "Scafftag is to help verify issues in the event of safety matter. If an accident arises and no Scafftag is fixed to the structure it may be the property owner has questions to answer.

 

[Seadog]

Why can't roofers just do the right thing ?

Paging @roofman

 

[dobbslc]

I'm sure he gets enough grief from scafs that's why he's bought that cherry picker...

 

[Pete.]

A "Scafftag" may not be a legal requirement but is needed to verify who erected the scaffold and who inspects it a regular basis for safety. The intention of the "Scafftag is to help verify issues in the event of safety matter. If an accident arises and no Scafftag is fixed to the structure it may be the property owner has questions to answer.

The scaffold company has a duty to inspect the scaffold at minimum every 7 days or if it's been subject to any event that might affect it's integrity, such as adverse weather or something bashing into it, ground subsiding etc, and a written record kept. There is no requirement for a tag, that is just general good practice. It must be tagged/signed as not for use if it fails inspection though.

They are NOT allowed to fix to a neighbouring property without consent however Julian's beef is sadly with the neighbour not the contractor. The neighbour is responsible for what his contractors do and Julian should not have to talk to them at all. He is quite at liberty to deny them access to his property though and if it were me I would make their life a living nightmare in terms of access. to strike it as well as presenting invoices for repairs to my property.

@julianf if you have legal cover through your house insurance give them a call they will have expert advice for you.