Neighbour used and abused us. Damage to roof etc.

[Tina]

Hello everyone  

Since last November, next door neighbour has had builders working on a double extension. They are still at it.  My issues:

 

1.  Builders put scaffolding onto our flat roof extension without our permission and have badly damaged the roof. We have cracks and plaster falling to the floor. The roof was not built to withstand up to six burly men at any one time.   They have not stuck to approved plans, having extended further.

 

2.  They have built a huge 9ft tall brick building in their garden for which planning permission was refused.  This will impact my privacy.

 

3. Their builders removed the felt (covering) from our roof and didn't fold it back as promised.  When they peeled the covering back, our electrics were left exposed and our lights no longer work. The boards are damaged.

 

4. They promised us that this would all be sorted out. But they are now not returning our phone calls or answering their door.

 

5. Half way through the build, when the plaster came off our ceiling due to a few overweight builders jumping up and down on our roof, I confronted the scaffolders and they became abusive and police were called.    At this point they promised to put everything right.  

 

What would you do?

 

 

[Tina]

[Declan52]

Have you kept a detailed log with accompanying pictures??

As in on 16/12/20 while doing X work this was damaged and then have a pic to show the damage. And then so and and so on for each and every occurrence when something the neighbours builders had an impact on your house.

Did you give them permission to come onto your ground and erect the scaffolding??

The ceiling should have had an acrow underneath to take the weight.

It's this kind of detail a solicitor will ask for if you end up going doing that route. 

 

 

[Tina]

Hi Declan. I gave them verbal permission to put foundation  under our house after they told me it would add value to my house. 

 

I did not give permisson for them to use my roof in any form.  

 

I have taken photos and as they are dated, I will add what happened.  

 

I am a bag of nerves as I have been begging them not to store bricks etc on my roof.  And to please stop jumping onto the roof. They would apologise, only to repeat again the next day. 

[ProDave]

No 1. Report the planning breaches to your council planning, particularly the brick outbuilding that was refused and the extension that does not conform to the approved dimensions.

 

Appoint a solicitor to deal with the damage issues.

[Temp]

Check if the Party Wall Act applies to the work they have done. Note that the Act covers much more than work on party walls. It covers digging their foundations within a certain distance of your house. If it does, and they did not comply with its provisions, then any court case is more likely to go in your favour.

 

Check if your house insurance includes legal protection. Sometimes they will pay to fight your case but not always.

 

 

[Mr Punter]

Too late for Party Wall Act as the work is now complete.

 

As other have suggested, contact the Local Authority planning enforcement about the breaches.

 

Appoint a solicitor to act in relation to the trespass and damage.  Get an assessment of the cost to do whatever work is required.

[Ferdinand]

Good advice above.

 

My only add would be to check now if there are any nuisances that need sorting now. eg I once had someone build an extension with a gas flu existing over my drive; that got moved round the corner as it did not  meet  regulations.

 

And if you have a local expert you can have a conversation with who will  be an informal sounding board, it is useful. Example  would be a work colleague married to an architect etc,

 

The legal insurance cover is a very useful stick, but if they take it over you may not agree with all the decisions.

 

Ferdinand

   

[Vijay]

do you know the owners rather than the builders?