ᐅ The road maintenance authority charges €5,000 for a temporary driveway crossing.
Created on: 1 Mar 2013 23:12
B
blubbl
Hello,
I’m new here and hoping someone can give me advice on a current issue.
Brief description of the situation:
We have an end-of-terrace house (facing the street) in Hamburg. In spring, we want to redesign our garden and need several deliveries of bulk materials (topsoil, recycled concrete, gravel, etc.). The street is separated from our property by a sidewalk about 2.5 meters (8 feet) wide. There is no lowered curb (although the curb is very low, about 5–7 cm (2–3 inches)) and no parking bays. The sidewalk is around 50 years old and paved with old gray slabs and some loose coarse asphalt.
The suppliers informed us that we need permission from the road maintenance authority to drive over the sidewalk, in case of possible damage. Our gardener (a friend) said it’s common either to pay a fee of around 600 € for this permit, or alternatively, a security deposit of about 2,500 € which the authority can use for repairs if damage occurs.
Today, the road maintenance officer came on site and said a temporary driveway would be required (the sidewalk would be removed, asphalt placed so that the curb is no longer an obstacle, and then after the work the driveway would be removed and the sidewalk restored). So far, so good.
BUT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO COST 5,000 €!!!
In other words, we should pay 5,000 € without even having caused any damage!
We’re quite shocked. Wouldn’t it make more sense to resolve this with a security deposit instead? After all, we are just a private household and have saved carefully for the house and new garden. 5,000 € seems really excessive. Recently, we already paid 500 € to the city office to build a small garden shed under a tree (which could be at risk, according to the environmental office). I already found that quite steep, although I’m a real nature lover. Others just buy a garden shed for 500 €.
Well, the shed situation doesn’t really matter here, I just wanted to mention that it’s not that we are avoiding all fees. But 5,000 €?
Now the question: Does anyone have any advice for us? Who can we contact, or does anyone know similar cases in Hamburg?
Many thanks in advance for your replies!
I’m new here and hoping someone can give me advice on a current issue.
Brief description of the situation:
We have an end-of-terrace house (facing the street) in Hamburg. In spring, we want to redesign our garden and need several deliveries of bulk materials (topsoil, recycled concrete, gravel, etc.). The street is separated from our property by a sidewalk about 2.5 meters (8 feet) wide. There is no lowered curb (although the curb is very low, about 5–7 cm (2–3 inches)) and no parking bays. The sidewalk is around 50 years old and paved with old gray slabs and some loose coarse asphalt.
The suppliers informed us that we need permission from the road maintenance authority to drive over the sidewalk, in case of possible damage. Our gardener (a friend) said it’s common either to pay a fee of around 600 € for this permit, or alternatively, a security deposit of about 2,500 € which the authority can use for repairs if damage occurs.
Today, the road maintenance officer came on site and said a temporary driveway would be required (the sidewalk would be removed, asphalt placed so that the curb is no longer an obstacle, and then after the work the driveway would be removed and the sidewalk restored). So far, so good.
BUT THIS IS SUPPOSED TO COST 5,000 €!!!
In other words, we should pay 5,000 € without even having caused any damage!
We’re quite shocked. Wouldn’t it make more sense to resolve this with a security deposit instead? After all, we are just a private household and have saved carefully for the house and new garden. 5,000 € seems really excessive. Recently, we already paid 500 € to the city office to build a small garden shed under a tree (which could be at risk, according to the environmental office). I already found that quite steep, although I’m a real nature lover. Others just buy a garden shed for 500 €.
Well, the shed situation doesn’t really matter here, I just wanted to mention that it’s not that we are avoiding all fees. But 5,000 €?
Now the question: Does anyone have any advice for us? Who can we contact, or does anyone know similar cases in Hamburg?
Many thanks in advance for your replies!
To be honest, I had never heard of a path maintenance worker before. But it’s nice that such a role exists.
However, I wouldn’t be interested in that at all. There are also thick rubber mats, about 2 cm (0.8 inches) thick, which construction machines or excavators usually drive over. You can just lay something like that down and drive into the garden. Or does the path maintenance worker stay on the property 24/7?
However, I wouldn’t be interested in that at all. There are also thick rubber mats, about 2 cm (0.8 inches) thick, which construction machines or excavators usually drive over. You can just lay something like that down and drive into the garden. Or does the path maintenance worker stay on the property 24/7?