UKC

The house next door is having major building work done on it. The work has been ongoing for two years (the owner is a builder who does work on the house when he has no other work). The area is a mess with his rubbish blowing into our garden and noise from building work very early in the morning and late at night.
As there is no end in sight to the work, is there anything I can do to get the area cleared up and stop the early/late work?

In reply to crisp:

The first thing anyone will ask you is, have you talked to the owner?

So, have you? If not, start there. if you have, what did they say/do?

T.

In reply to Pursued by a bear:

I have tried to speak to him and explain the situation. He is rather abrupt and can't talk as he is very busy and has jobs to do. Polite conversation is getting nowhere.

In reply to crisp:
Check the Planning Approval conditions, there will probably be some sort of working hours or maintenance of site conditions stipulated in them. Alternatively, speak to the Local Planning Officer or Head of Planning if it's a serious issue.

Edit: good luck!

In reply to crisp:

Is next door 'attached' to you? If it is, the Party Wall Act applies and gives you some rights - basically, work shouldn't start without you getting a notice and this would limit early morning and late night work. If it isn't attached, then noise and nuisance issues go through your council. The only other observation is that two years work (even part-time) sounds as if it should be substantial enough to involve building control (things like kitchen refits, rewires, gas works, structural changes etc.). Normally, the fees for this come with time limits, so I'm surprised that it is dragging on.

In reply to crisp:

Jolly good. Then you start to write a log of what happens at what time and what effects it has on you. Try and go backwards if you can, but only if you're absolutely certain of times and dates.

Then explore your local authority website. There usually is guidance on what counts as reasonable and unreasonable noise and what counts as an acceptable and unacceptable time to be making it. If you have the opportunity record some of the noise on a phone so you have additional evidence.

Once you're across all that information then, armed with your log, start talking with your local authority.

But remember; nothing will get done easily and it's up to you to force this along. You're also likely to fall out with the house owner.

T.

In reply to crisp:
one of three things /4
1 put up with it
2 Party wall act is a powerful peace of legislation, has they served notes on you? if so it may limit site hours BUT only in respect of PW works .. but they may not be doing PW works
3 log all and environment dep. of the local council
4 buy his house

edit well if your in Italy I have not a clue