UK Landlord Forum / Life

OK, I live in a 1st floor flat and the flat upstairs from mine has had building work going on since end of January. To my understanding its nothing major just reflooring & repainting going on. Its a 1 bed flat. Its now nearing end of March and so far only 1 room has been done. The builder works alone. I know work to flats has to be done but its taken 2 months to do 1 room. I have had enough as I work sometimes days or night shifts and this is a nightmare!

So I phoned the landlord 2 days ago to ask when the work was ending? My landlord's reply was "I don't know, the builder has other jobs he's doing for other customers" so he is doing this job when it suits him. I explained how disrupting this is now and said to the landlord unless work is finished by May 1st, I'll have to move out. I also said to him I'd happily give the builder another month to do the whole flat if he brought extra help e.g another builder or 2 to get things moving quickly. I'm not unreasonable I'm offering the builder more time even though he's wasted 2 months already.

Today I come back from work at 6.30pm to the sound of power tools etc upstairs! The builder was asked to work into the night by the landlord! I was livid!! I went upstairs and politely explained to the builder why he had to leave and he launched into a tirade of abuse! Granted I should have phoned the landlord first but that does not excuse the abuse from the builder. The flat is still occupied and the tenants there witnessed the abuse. I was called mentally insane by the builder, told the landlord should just evict me for complaining, the F word was used, the abuse was shocking! This was from the builder!

Not only has he inconvenienced me but to verbally abuse me in my own home is unacceptable! This week I pulled him up for running through the entire block of flats at 8am when he comes in and slamming every door as he goes along. I work shifts and this is unfair! This is something he has been doing for 2 months as well and I'm fed up, my landlord does nt seem to know how to get him to finish the job. I've suggested to the landlord that the builder no longer works alone as he has struggled to finish the job so far. My landlords solution, get him to work at night!

I'm just looking for advice from tenants and landlords. Am I being unreasonable with this?

I think you do sound unreasonable, yes.

You clearly had no right to approach the builder like you did. You didn't engage him for the work, he works for someone else.

You have the power in this situation - the biggest advantage of renting - you can move and leave it all behind you.

Why get livid over short-term noise? By definition it won't be there forever. You're not the one who gets to offer the builder more time, or not.