pervy builders

LegacyUser

i moved into my new flat recently- its a ground floor flat but it has an unusual layout- the living rooom/kitchen and bathroom are all under the other flats but the bedrooms are further on down and its not under anything- its just a flat that had a long hall and 3 bedrooms built out at the back of it- mines the only flat like it here- the bedrooms all have high ceilings and skylights that iv to open and close with one of those long poles.

Basically when i moved in here things were brill- then the woman who owns the big house behind the flats decided she wanted some work done on her house- so she got builders in.

This is where it gets weird- the other morning i was asleep in bed and my alarm went off about 9.30ish(i dont work till 11) My beds right above the skylight - and there was a guy looking down into my bedroom- i know he was 1 of the builders cos he was wearn dat luminious jacket the rest of em had on - i was only in my underwear n i freaked out n ran outta the room.I called my landlord and when he came down i explained the situation to him.

He went next door and confronted the builders but they all denied it- However my landlord said when he was leaving he noticed a ladder leaning up against the wall that leads on to the roof of my bedrooms- and they have no business bein on my roof as its nowhere near where they are working.

my LL suggested i stay on the couch till the works finished- and i couldnt call the police or nothing cos it was daft.

But this morning ONCE again i caught one of them looking at me when i was getting dressed and this cheeky ****er started blown kisses at me

This time i went over to the house and spoke to the owner of the house who was very rude to me and basically said "as long as they did what she was paying them to do she didnt care"

What the hell am i ment to do- the builders will be there ages cos shes having a few extentions put on her house and im not spending the next few months sleeping on the couch and getting dressed in my kitchen.

What can i do?

dudara

Ask your landlord to fit blinds to the skylights. If they are Velux, then it is easy to do so.

mal1

If they are on your roof then could you not ring the gardai?

LegacyUser

This is common behaviour amongst construction workers, when I worked on the sites they were all at it, especially around flats in the city, some girls even put on intentional displays!, but you should call the guards and ask them to have a chat with them. or else try to cover the skyligh until they are gone..

LegacyUser

I'd suggest finding out who the builders work for- ie. what company. Simply ring and complain.

Your LL stating that it is "daft" is rubbish- this is serious invasion of privacy, repeated incidents would be harrassment. Your LL is more interested in preservaing good relations with the neighbours than anything else.

If you complaint has no effect, threaten legal action, make sure you keep a diary of each event. Even forking out €100 for a solicitor's letter detailing the legal action you are prepared to take would have an effect.

C.D.

I'd suggest finding out who the builders work for- ie. what company. Simply ring and complain.

Your LL stating that it is "daft" is rubbish- this is a serious invasion of privacy, repeated incidents would be harrassment. Your LL is more interested in preservaing good relations with the neighbours than anything else it seems

If your complaint has no effect, threaten legal action, make sure you keep a diary of each event. Even forking out €100 for a solicitor's letter detailing the legal action you are prepared to take would have an effect.

PS: my broswer did a double take so if this gets posted twice (1 of unreg), my apologies!

biko

Hang something thin covering the skylight. If the room is dark they can't see in and sunlight will still get through.

You can't stop people looking in a window, even if it's on a roof.
Keep a camera close and see if you can snap one in action, then threaten law suit. "Kick them in the wallet" tactics.

Merrion

Call the Gardai - seriously ... if they pop down and tell the builders that they risk being put on the sex offenders register if they don't smarten up and the problem goes away.

How Strange

OP, find out the name of the builders if you can and send a legal letter to them and the neighbour having the work done. CC your landlord (after you have asked him to put up blinds and state that in your letter). Also, report the two incidents to the gardai.

This isn't cheeky its way out of line and you should frighten the bejaysus out of the woman getting the work done.

The builders might think its a pervy joke but they won't be laughing after a visit from the gardai and a legal letter. Also, when you go to the gardai be really upset and talk about feeling violated etc because our boys in blue can be quite lazy about things like this and mightn't want to follow it up. Insist that they do and they contact you aftewards and get the badge numbers of the gardai you speak to.

cowzerp

I think its part of a builders training to learn wolf whistling and pervy behaviour, when i worked on sites even the old boys would be at it-i used to think that these lads are like my da and there doing this-dodgey!! cover the window and forget about it from then...

Schism

I cant believe your LL said it was daft. I'm actually shocked at that. They have no right to stare in through any window at you.

Jigsaw

I would say a good idea would be to nick the ladder so they are stuck on the roof. Then call the Garda. That's well outta line.

Nothingcompares

take a photograph of the offenders.

Scoobydoobydoo

I would try to have some kind of camera ready under the covers. I think you should arm yourself with as much evidence as possible, as they'll just deny everything of course.
Alternatively, you could stay out of the bedroom for a while, but why should you?
It depends what you feel better about doing.

LegacyUser

NA15 wrote:

Your LL stating that it is "daft" is rubbish-.

i kinda see his point if i ring the cops and say "men are loking in my window-" they wouldnt do nothing- also at that stage it had only happened once

bronte

That is disgusting...I would try and enquire what company these builders are working for and write a letter of complaint..as someone said befor

Firetrap

Having a camera to hand is a good idea if you think they'll be up to their old tricks again. I'd also complain to their employers and contact the gardai. Why should you have to move out of your bedroom because these a********s think it's hilarious to look in the skylight at you?

Oriel

Get the guards. The ***** will stop when they see you're taking action.
All the advice about cameras is bollocks. That would only be of use if it even got to court, and that is a millions miles away.

Oriel

bronte wrote:

would try and enquire what company these builders are working for and write a letter of complaint

Or if you've lost contact with everything sane, you could try that.

the_syco

Nothingcompares wrote:

take a photograph of the offenders.

If for nothing else: take a picture to show the cops when you goto complain.

LegacyUser

'

chvhvbcbv wrote:

What the hell am i ment to do- the builders will be there ages cos shes having a few extentions put on her house and im not spending the next few months sleeping on the couch and getting dressed in my kitchen.

What can i do?

If you are serious about stopping it...

Ask to speak to the foreman. Inform him you will be making a complaint to the police in the near future and you will also be speaking to your solicitor about it TODAY. Remain calm and speak simply and straightforwardly. Inform the owner and landlord of same. Make a complaint to the Gardai TODAY. Do not say immediately who the people are who are spying in your home. Merely state their are strange men hanging around your home spying on you in vulnerable situations. If the Gardai press further state you presume they are builders.

If you do that, your problem will be solved.'

LegacyUser

'Call the Gardai. There was a similar case in the UK a few weeks back involving a tanning salon and a peeping tom which resulted in a prosecution and the peepers enrollment on the sex offenders register.'

tbh

call into your local garda station, explain exactly what happened calmly and clearly, tell the cops that you are really getting scared by the guys, and ask the cops would there be any way they could cruise by and just have a word with the builders to tell them they are aware of you allegations and are keeping an eye on them.

LegacyUser

'I went to the police and they said i need proof so i decided to try the picture thing so i kept my digital camera in my room and the next time i caught one of them i took a pic- but he moved away in time and the pic came out blurry

Then about an hour later they did it again but this time the person had a hat over their face(u know the wolly hats) so i cant catch their faces

im at my wits end here- the windows are not those velux ones according to my LL so i cant get blinds in them and the cops wont help without proof'

Knockoff Nige

chvhvbcbv wrote:

'I went to the police and they said i need proof so i decided to try the picture thing so i kept my digital camera in my room and the next time i caught one of them i took a pic- but he moved away in time and the pic came out blurry

Then about an hour later they did it again but this time the person had a hat over their face(u know the wolly hats) so i cant catch their faces

im at my wits end here- the windows are not those velux ones according to my LL so i cant get blinds in them and the cops wont help without proof'

Seriously? Did they want you to see some pics of what they were perving over aswell? Bloody hell, its a sad state of affairs. Perhaps you should tell the gardai to come outside as they will need a pic of you keying their car.

C.D.

C.D. wrote:

I'd suggest finding out who the builders work for- ie. what company. Simply ring and complain.

If your complaint has no effect, threaten legal action, make sure you keep a diary of each event. Even forking out €100 for a solicitor's letter detailing the legal action you are prepared to take would have an effect.

!

As above.

ferdi

Do you have a big fat hairy male friend?

get him to sleep naked in your room insead of you for a couple of nights...when the builders take a peek, they'll get a nasty surprise.

LegacyUser

Then about an hour later they did it again but this time the person had a hat over their face(u know the wolly hats) so i cant catch their faces

unfortunately a lot of builders do seem to live up to the caveman, pervy stereotype but thats fn ridiculous. Jebus I think i would actually be scared if i was in this situation.

Could you not video them, even if its just the crappy video function on a digital camera?

A once off sneaky peak through the window is one think, but every morning? and then to do it again even after you took a pic? B**tards. Go back to the guards do not let them get away with that kind of behaviour.

Firetrap

This is definitely worth a trip back to the guards. They're not being very helpful though but that's flippin' typical. Can you afford to go to a solicitor and have a solicitor's letter sent to the building company? Something formal needs to be done.

Smellyirishman

Hassle the guards, that's bang out of order.

Until then, cover your skylight.

Knockoff Nige

Something doesnt add up here. Firstly, the Gardai know that no photos can be used against anyone. Its the law. Secondly, you have been suffering this up to now and have done very little about covering up. Perhaps I'm being a little insensitive and I apololise if I'm wrong.

Conar

Knockoff Nige wrote:

Secondly, you have been suffering this up to now and have done very little about covering up. Perhaps I'm being a little insensitive and I apololise if I'm wrong.

I think you are wrong, why should anyone have to cover up in their own home cos they have pervs looking in their skylight.

The Garda are being assholes here too, I would threaten going to their superiors if they don't take you seriously. Be sure though not to say it as a threat but more of an act of desperation, we all know how defence they can be.

There is absolutely no way that you should need to take pictures of a perv before the garda should take action. Reson with them.
Ask them if they would require photographic evidence of people attempting to break into a bank before they would respond.

If what you say is true (and we've no reason to doubt it, it just seems insane that it could be happening) I would be getting on to a solicitor now and ask for advice and get a letter for the house owner and the building company.

Maybe the builder in question (or maybe theres a few) actually doesn't realise that he could go on the sex offenders list, I'm sure if he/they did they'd stop.

Knockoff Nige

Conar wrote:

I think you are wrong, why should anyone have to cover up in their own home cos they have pervs looking in their skylight.

The Garda are being assholes here too, I would threaten going to their superiors if they don't take you seriously. Be sure though not to say it as a threat but more of an act of desperation, we all know how defence they can be.

There is absolutely no way that you should need to take pictures of a perv before the garda should take action. Reson with them.
Ask them if they would require photographic evidence of people attempting to break into a bank before they would respond.

If what you say is true (and we've no reason to doubt it, it just seems insane that it could be happening) I would be getting on to a solicitor now and ask for advice and get a letter for the house owner and the building company.

Maybe the builder in question (or maybe theres a few) actually doesn't realise that he could go on the sex offenders list, I'm sure if he/they did they'd stop.

Why should anyone have to cover up? Because she is being spied on and it hasnt been resolved.

Sangre

If they work for anyway medium-large company they're higher ups would take a complaint very seriously and make their foreman give them an absolute boggling.

You could chance your arm and tell the woman who is having the work done that you're applying for an interim injunction based on nuisance, harrassment and privacy which will require the company employees to stay 100feet away from you at all times. Meaning they won't be able to work for her, might actually get her off her selfish arse.

Conar

Knockoff Nige wrote:

Why should anyone have to cover up? Because she is being spied on and it hasnt been resolved.

It might be advisable for the short term, but its no solution.
I think I misinterperated you, I thought you were saying it in the same way people think women with short skirts are prompting rape.

Knockoff Nige

Conar wrote:

It might be advisable for the short term, but its no solution.
I think I misinterperated you, I thought you were saying it in the same way people think women with short skirts are prompting rape.

WTF? lol, thats crazy. Of course I meant in the short term and my doubt still remains.

Bendihorse

just cover the skylight, its turned into a game to them now moreso than sneeking a peek, they know they are getting to you and are loving it! Make life easy on yourself and cover the skylight till they are gone. If i were in that situation, thats the very 1st thing i would have done.

Open it up and place a sheet across it then close it so that the window itself secures the sheet. They will get sick of looking and stop trying in the end. Im a woman and i work with men that are labourers, they get bored and start trying to find ways to amuse themselves and each other. If you get the guards out the builders will laugh at you and find some other way of driving you around the twist, so your best bet is not to give them ANY reaction, cover the window and they will go away.

A reaction of any kind is what they are after - i suspect its not about the 'perv' anymore.

LegacyUser

'I had a problem like this some years ago when I was at college, there was building work going on behind the house I was staying in (there were several student houses in a row and the majority of students were female). One particular guy kept watching us so I called over to the foreman and told him that if the guy didn't stop watching us I would go to the police. The offending builder was moved off the site that afternoon.

Speak to someone in the company, inform them that if it doesn't stop you will report them and carry that through if it doesn't stop.'

MarkR

I say go over the foremans head, contact the company. Also borrow a video camera and point it at the skylight about 8am and let it roll. Next time you see them on the roof call the cops again about it. Every time it happens actually call the local station. They have to investigate and if you have proof all the better.

If you have a local paper it may be no harm to give them a shout. Lovely headlines, local beauty (I may be taking some licence here) fends off salivating builders.

Anti

First off you LL will have to put blinds up on the windows. Thats not something you have to sort. If they are velux ones they are a simple few mins job. I personaly would contact a solicitor and have a letter written out, one for the owner of the house, one for the builders and one for the LL. As all 3 of them are involved. Call the guards aswell, and sound really panicked, say that you think they are checking out your apartment and that they have been perving on you too.

IRISH RAIL

op pm me

Beruthiel

IRISH RAIL wrote:

op pm me

Banned.
B

projectmayhem

Anti wrote:

Call the guards aswell, and sound really panicked, say that you think they are checking out your apartment and that they have been perving on you too.

agree with this.

telling the guards about it is one thing, sounding distressed is another.

i know you shouldn't have to do this, but just sticking a towel or something over the window would also be advisable. if not, stick to the couch (to avoid more stress) and have some horrible, overweight, hairy male friend sleep naked on your bed.

patrickolee

Or paint the window white.

BaZmO*

At this moment in time I don't think the Guards can or will do anything.

You're best bet is to go to the Foreman and tell him what's going on, if the company are anyway decent they will sort this out asap.

If he seems like he's not doing anything to help you find out the name of the company that he works for and then ask to speak to the MD or Contract's Manager for the particular job and threaten to report them to the CIF (Construction Industry Federation) if the don't sort it out. I guarantee they'll take it serious then.

And sure anyway, your Landlord should be doing all this for you.

dade

would these guys climbing a ladder and getting on you LLs roof not constitute trespass? next time just Dial 999 and say some guy is peering in your window and you're scared sh1tless.

I'd also write to the builders head office outlining the legalities of their employees actions an employer can be held labile for the actions of the employee,(Mattis V Pollock i think). so if said perv breaks the law the company can also be done for it.

Beruthiel

Beruthiel wrote:

Banned.
B

OP
I have unbanned Irish Rail, he has sent me a PM explaining the reason behind his comment (which was far from clear)
I am satisfied with he explaination and I believe he could be of some help regarding getting this stopped.
I recommend you drop him a PM for further details and a full explaination on what I'm talking about.
A

ntlbell

put a black bag on the velux untill the work is done????

and chill out a bit.

IRISH RAIL

sorry about the dodgy message
im in the office and got cut off but i should have explained it better
if the op could contact me by pm i would be happy to help at as this would realy p**s me off too

hullaballoo

What bugs me most about this is the Gardaí's attitude. It really irks me when I hear them telling complainants that they need 'proof' in order for them to do anything.

If you got the name of the Garda (you should always get the name and rank of any Garda you talk to), you should go to his superior explaining the treatment you got. Failing that, there's the area Chief Superintendant. Failing that, there's the Garda Ombudsman: http://www.gardaombudsman.ie/

dodgyme

jsut cover the skylight with something and move on