[Help] Council charging me for repair to pavement

Moshe Gariani · Sep 15, 2021

Anyone else ever been through this?

Apparently tree roots from our garden have caused a problem with the pavement and we (or our insurers) are liable to pay for the work done by East Sussex Highways.

Main area of advice if possible is how much do you think the actual cost was for them to replace 3 or 4 cracked pavement slabs with tarmac?

£200? A bit less? A lot more? Will they have used any German products?

I think we have £375 excess to pay on any claim so am thinking we'll be coughing up our own cash for this?

beorhthelm · Sep 15, 2021

remember to chop the tree down, otherwise repeat costs in future.

Moshe Gariani · Sep 15, 2021

beorhthelm said:
remember to chop the tree down, otherwise repeat costs in future.

There are several trees potentially involved so that could be a bit of an issue. Might do me a favour though as I'm quite keen on getting rid of them and a project to build a house or at least get planning permission for the end of the garden where they are...

Paul Reids Sock · Sep 15, 2021

How bizarre. I was at a utility for quite a while and pretty sure that we used to give people the option of going through an approved contractor to get it repaired themselves rather than just doing it and then passing on a charge.

For me it will depend on whether they have had to (or claim they have had to) close the footpath and any associated permit costs or traffic management if they needed to close a lane of the road etc.

Very strange that they wouldn't have told you about the cost when they have said that you will be liable. One thing people always used to do to us was to ask for evidence that it was their fault. You will be amazed how many claims were just dropped as it wasn't possible to confirm which tree had caused the damage etc.

Moshe Gariani · Sep 15, 2021

Paul Reids Sock said:
How bizarre. I was at a utility for quite a while and pretty sure that we used to give people the option of going through an approved contractor to get it repaired themselves rather than just doing it and then passing on a charge.

For me it will depend on whether they have had to (or claim they have had to) close the footpath and any associated permit costs or traffic management if they needed to close a lane of the road etc.

Very strange that they wouldn't have told you about the cost when they have said that you will be liable. One thing people always used to do to us was to ask for evidence that it was their fault. You will be amazed how many claims were just dropped as it wasn't possible to confirm which tree had caused the damage etc.

The early info I got on that from a phone call is an assertion that "they will have had to do it urgently as it was a hazard".

They won't have had any additional costs from road or pavement closure. Just a simple 3 or 4 slabs removed and replaced with tarmac.

dazzer6666 · Sep 15, 2021

Moshe Gariani said:
The early info I got on that from a phone call is an assertion that "they will have had to do it urgently as it was a hazard".

They won't have had any additional costs from road or pavement closure. Just a simple 3 or 4 slabs removed and replaced with tarmac.

It’s the council. Five week job.

banjo · Sep 15, 2021

Moshe Gariani said:
The early info I got on that from a phone call is an assertion that "they will have had to do it urgently as it was a hazard".

They won't have had any additional costs from road or pavement closure. Just a simple 3 or 4 slabs removed and replaced with tarmac.

Pity they’re not as quick to repair the bloody roads, and all the other bloody pavements.

Dave the hatosaurus · Sep 15, 2021

banjo said:
Pity they’re not as quick to repair the bloody roads, and all the other bloody pavements.

The pavements where i live in worthing are awful , a patchwork quilt of various uneven coloured slabs (many broken) and tarmac fill .
Round here though the vast majority of the breakages are due to vans , lorries and large cars parking half on and half off the pavement !!
Even as i type this i looked up the road and saw a morrisons van doing just that !

PILTDOWN MAN · Sep 15, 2021

Paul Reids Sock said:
How bizarre. I was at a utility for quite a while and pretty sure that we used to give people the option of going through an approved contractor to get it repaired themselves rather than just doing it and then passing on a charge.

For me it will depend on whether they have had to (or claim they have had to) close the footpath and any associated permit costs or traffic management if they needed to close a lane of the road etc.

Very strange that they wouldn't have told you about the cost when they have said that you will be liable. One thing people always used to do to us was to ask for evidence that it was their fault. You will be amazed how many claims were just dropped as it wasn't possible to confirm which tree had caused the damage etc.

Trouble is finding an approved contractor when I had a dropped curb put in.

pocketseagull · Sep 15, 2021

I think you should call East Sussex Highways on 0345 608 0193 to ensure any communication has been genuine before making any payments.

KeegansHairPiece · Sep 16, 2021

Moshe Gariani said:
Anyone else ever been through this?

Apparently tree roots from our garden have caused a problem with the pavement and we (or our insurers) are liable to pay for the work done by East Sussex Highways.

Main area of advice if possible is how much do you think the actual cost was for them to replace 3 or 4 cracked pavement slabs with tarmac?

£200? A bit less? A lot more? Will they have used any German products?

I think we have £375 excess to pay on any claim so am thinking we'll be coughing up our own cash for this?

The big chunky dense concrete slabs they use on some pavements are £90 each. Typically £20 or so normally.

Moshe Gariani · Sep 16, 2021

pocketseagull said:
I think you should call East Sussex Highways on 0345 608 0193 to ensure any communication has been genuine before making any payments.

Good advice. Exactly what I thought when Mrs G read the letter out to me over the phone - "This sounds like a scam".

It is 100% legit though. I've spoken to ESH and confirmed.

Moshe Gariani · Sep 16, 2021

KeegansHairPiece said:
The big chunky dense concrete slabs they use on some pavements are £90 each. Typically £20 or so normally.

Yes, I'm sure anything they do will be more expensive than the normal cost.

They have replaced the previous paving slabs (2 or 3 of them) with about one square metre of tarmac. Anyone any idea (to the nearest £100?) what they might charge for doing that?

Timbo · Sep 16, 2021

You have to remember the council have no money, they will try to find any way possible to make someone else pay for any repairs they have to do.

Official Old Man · Sep 16, 2021

I think I've mentioned this before but any excuse for a laugh.
Man from council comes along Brighton seafront every so often spraying paint on broken paving slabs.
Repair guys turn up in their nice heavy lorry, drive along the pavement and repair painted broken paving slabs.
Man from council comes along Brighton seafront spraying paint on broken paving slabs caused by lorry.
Repair guys turn up in their nice heavy lorry, drive along the pavement and repair painted broken paving slabs.
And so it goes on.....

Paul Reids Sock · Sep 16, 2021

Moshe Gariani said:
Yes, I'm sure anything they do will be more expensive than the normal cost.

They have replaced the previous paving slabs (2 or 3 of them) with about one square metre of tarmac. Anyone any idea (to the nearest £100?) what they might charge for doing that?

Have they said whether that is considered the repair?

That may have been an 'emergency make safe' to avoid a trip hazard with a further contractor due to come out and dig that up before relaying the slabs. If just the temp tarmac then it shouldn't be too extortionate.

I would first ask them for evidence that to prove that it has been caused by your tree/s (unless you have a big old plot of land with a forest and no other trees around)

Bodian · Sep 16, 2021

I remember the good times said:
I think I've mentioned this before but any excuse for a laugh.
Man from council comes along Brighton seafront every so often spraying paint on broken paving slabs.
Repair guys turn up in their nice heavy lorry, drive along the pavement and repair painted broken paving slabs.
Man from council comes along Brighton seafront spraying paint on broken paving slabs caused by lorry.
Repair guys turn up in their nice heavy lorry, drive along the pavement and repair painted broken paving slabs.
And so it goes on.....

My brother-in-law once asked the council lads whether they realised that parking their truck on the paving slabs to repair other paving slabs was counter-productive.

He was told to 'Go Away'.....

Moshe Gariani · Sep 16, 2021

Paul Reids Sock said:
Have they said whether that is considered the repair?

That may have been an 'emergency make safe' to avoid a trip hazard with a further contractor due to come out and dig that up before relaying the slabs. If just the temp tarmac then it shouldn't be too extortionate.

I would first ask them for evidence that to prove that it has been caused by your tree/s (unless you have a big old plot of land with a forest and no other trees around)

Tarmac is their method of repair so that should be it hopefully. Work was done in February.

The only trees anywhere near are mine and they couldn't look more guilty if they tried..!

Does anyone know what would happen if I said to East Sussex Highways "I'm not paying this until you prove that it is my tree that has caused the damage?". Would they let it drop if only a few hundred quid involved? Or would they pursue it with surveyors etc and I'd end up with those costs too?

portslade seagull · Sep 16, 2021

What about all the slabs broken by cars parking on them, do they charge them. Has anybody ever parked on the slabs in question

Moshe Gariani · Sep 16, 2021

portslade seagull said:
What about all the slabs broken by cars parking on them, do they charge them. Has anybody ever parked on the slabs in question

Sadly not. They are right up against my fence - well away from the kerbside - on a section where nobody parks.

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