awkward neighbour

[Gary Prentice]

Is there more to it? An underlying neighbour dispute perhaps??

 

That!

 

The opening poster has got planning consent and is working on behalf of the neighbour, not the tree owner.

[peatff]

What's puzzling me is why your client is paying for work on someone else's property ?

[10 Bears]

As others have said, the neighbour isn't being awkward, he is just taking the actions of a 'reasonable' man by taking steps that the person he hasn't employed directly - but will be accessing his property to undertake work, is reliable/honest/trustworthy/insured/experienced (delete as appropriate).

 

Without asking for proof of insurance, certs and references (and a bit of a chat as someone else mentioned) - how else is he to determine that the OP is not a fly-by-night who could potentially cause damage on or to his property, then scarper without putting anything right?

 

This neighbour is acting reasonably in the circumstances presented. I applied this line of thought - what would I do if I was in his shoes? I certainly wouldn't let someone traipse all around my property to conduct commercial work, and with the potential for damage without knowing who they were, what they were able to do, and yes ultimately, who can I contact to seek restitution if something goes wrong.

 

I'd arrange a time to call round for a chat, be courteous, give him copies of the paperwork and a couple of business cards, and you never know you may get more work or another referral from it...

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

What's puzzling me is why your client is paying for work on someone else's property ?

 

I had one like this.

 

A '70's housing estate of semi's built on former agricultural land adjacent to pre-existing large detached houses.

 

Elderly couple trying to sell estate semi to release cash to move back up country and be closer to family.

 

Previous agricultural hedgerow Ash on a shared boundary between large detached house (retired building society manager) and small gardened semi. With 50 years growth since the change of use of the land, the Ash canopy was touching the windows and completely dominating the small garden of the semi. Unable to sell the semi since all the feedback from estate agent was about the tree.

 

Technically, a co-owned tree, the well off resident of the large detached house was completely unaffected by the tree. I suggested they might share the cost but he was having none of it. The elderly couple covered the full cost because they were over a barrel.

 

We needed access and some working area in the neighbour's garden and he, quite naturally, wanted to be reassured of competence and liability etc.

 

He was a royal PITA though - he asked us to tackle some work for him after that task. Never bothered getting in touch to follow it up.

[treequip]

What's puzzling me is why your client is paying for work on someone else's property ?

 

At a guess its going to benefit the client.

 

Its not at all unusual, back in the day I did a lot of subsidence work and in order to get what they wanted the underwriter would often pay for tree works on third party land.

[Joel77]

I am felling a oak tree in a garden in a couple of weeks for a client the tree concerned is in the neighbours garden it has a tpo, consent has been given to fell.

the neighbour has rang me up wanting my public liability,2 references and copys of my nptc tickets.

anyone had this happen to them, I do commercial work as well and client only wants public liability,

 

I take it your working in the neighbors garden ? Can't see the problem show them your certs smile be nice do the job and on to the next one !!

[Joel77]

Doesn't seem unreasonable (I'd be a bit taken aback by the request for references, but why not?)

 

Aren't people always going on about clients using non certified uninsured chancers in the industry?

 

Good comment

[Stephen Blair]

Do you look dodgey????

[skyhuck]

 

 

 

You could also inform them that having a valid PL insurance policy in no way obliges you to make a claim against it - it always strikes me as a bit odd that some customers are so focussed on the provision of proof of insurance but don't realise they can't make you use it if you choose not to.

 

 

 

 

In the event of a mishap, when the contractor is sued by the client or their insurer, I would have thought they would be forced to make a claim.

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

A matter of scale I guess.

 

A fence panel or roof sheet, I'd probably elect to remedy without recourse to claims procedure and potential premium increase.

 

Tree on house, different story, but the choice of wether to submit a claim still rests with the insured which is what I was alluding to.

 

Touch wood, not a situation I've had to deal with so far.