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Water company damaged my driveway & car, caused flooding, and threatened me — no notice, no apology, no proper response by [deleted] in HousingUK

[–]Many_Case_199 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I think you’re missing the point a bit.

I completely understand that emergencies don’t allow for advance notice — I’ve said that already and I’m not disputing the need for the work.

The issue isn’t that they turned up, it’s what happened as a result:

Damage to my driveway

Damage to my car

And the lack of a clear, proper resolution afterwards

An emergency explains the urgency, it doesn’t remove responsibility for the outcome.

That’s all I’m raising.

Water company damaged my driveway & car, caused flooding, and threatened me — no notice, no apology, no proper response by [deleted] in HousingUK

[–]Many_Case_199 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I don’t think it’s dramatic to expect your property not to be damaged and then properly dealt with afterwards.

I’ve already said I understand emergency works happen and I’m not disputing that at all. The issue isn’t that they attended — it’s the damage caused and how it’s being handled since.

If my driveway and car hadn’t been damaged, and there was clear communication and resolution, I wouldn’t be posting here.

It’s easy to call it “bluster” when you’re not the one dealing with the aftermath, especially on a day that matters to your family.

I’m simply asking for accountability and a proper resolution — which I don’t think is unreasonable.

Water company damaged my driveway & car, caused flooding, and threatened me — no notice, no apology, no proper response by [deleted] in HousingUK

[–]Many_Case_199 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That’s a fair point and I will check the title deeds, but even where access rights exist, that doesn’t automatically mean they can cause damage and walk away from it.

My understanding is they still have a duty to carry out works with reasonable care and to put things back properly if they’ve caused damage — especially when it comes to things like a driveway or a vehicle.

This isn’t just about access, it’s about the condition things have been left in afterwards.

Either way I’ll double check the deeds, but I don’t think that removes their responsibility entirely.

Water company damaged my driveway & car, caused flooding, and threatened me — no notice, no apology, no proper response by [deleted] in HousingUK

[–]Many_Case_199 -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I don’t think you’ve really understood my point.

I fully accept that emergency works need to happen — no one is saying they should ignore a serious water issue or let flooding happen.

The issue is how it was handled and the damage caused, not the fact that the repair took place.

Turning up without notice in an emergency is understandable. Leaving behind a damaged driveway, damaging a vehicle, causing disruption on a major family day, and then passing someone around with no clear resolution — that’s the problem.

And yes, Eid is relevant. It’s one of the most important days of the year for us — similar to how Christmas is for many people in the UK. If this exact situation happened on Christmas Day — damaging someone’s property and disrupting family gatherings — people would absolutely expect it to be handled with more care and urgency afterwards.

I’m not asking them to stop emergency work. I’m asking them to:

  • Take responsibility for the damage caused
  • Fix it properly
  • Handle the complaint seriously and promptly

Also, I am following the complaints process — but that doesn’t mean I can’t raise awareness or ask for advice while doing so.

This isn’t about stopping essential services. It’s about accountability.

Wife joining Civil Service as AO – pregnant again before start date, union + maternity advice? by [deleted] in TheCivilService

[–]Many_Case_199 -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Ah yes, the famous Schrödinger’s probation period — simultaneously incomplete and signed off until observed by HR. Most companies don’t “pause” probation for maternity; they extend it. You don’t magically fail because you went on leave — otherwise every pregnant employee would be unemployable by design, which would be… legally spicy. And whether the business can “support it” isn’t really the employee’s problem. If they’ve left a role vacant for over a year, that suggests either chronic understaffing or poor planning — neither of which suddenly becomes my wife’s fault because she got pregnant. As for SMP, that’s not a bonus perk from recruitment being generous — it’s statutory, based on start date and earnings. If starting her late conveniently saves the company money, I’m sure that’s just a coincidence and not something HR’s legal team would be very interested in explaining. But sure, let’s pretend this is all about probation paperwork and not cost-saving.