Render thickness dispute

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Vics91

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Hi, newbie here and a foreigner too, so bear with me as I'm trying to explain the issue

My neighbour wants to render their extension, which happens to be a boundary wall going into my back garden. Very narrow back garden, may I add. Before I go into the actual question I want to clarify that I have not objected to it, I do not intend to object to it and I will happily allow them access to my back garden. Question I do have is this:

As it's a VERY old house our house plans have no measurements. I found somewhere on google (I can't for the life of me find it again) that in such old cases a common agreement is that neightbour can only go up to their soffits or roof tiles where it overhangs. Anything after that is considered breaching into my garden / tresspass. Is that a common UK thing? They said that as it's not structural there is no rule to how thick the render is? Surely explanding a wall is structural, no? Are there any limits to how far neighbours render goes into my garden?

I have no problems with them improving their home but the condenscending tone actually made me consider a land surveyor and a full dispute should they cross the line - they have alot of double standards in terms of what they can do vs what I can do. They lived here for 20+ years and were bossing me around since day 1 when I moved in, including telling me off for walking on my own lawn so I am now quite tempted to push back but I am not entirely sure where to start. I don't want to be rude to them or make their life difficult (as they do mine, lol) but I do want to ensure I am educated in that matter so if they do kick off or give me grief I can find a way to tackle this issue in a proper manner.

Phew, a long one, sorry!
 
If they overhang the boundary by just one mm they are trespassing, it is as simple as that. Have they built the extension already? You could refuse but then perhaps will be staring at a block wall forever more rather than a rendered wall. Sometimes it can be easier to just move on, even when they're dickheads.
 
freddiemercurystwin said:
Have they built the extension already?
Click to expand...
The extension was built more than 20 years ago, I have no issue with the building itself. It's about their assumption that as it's their extension and render isn't structural they can go as thick as they want to, which I find unfair. They told me the render will be 1cm, their builder told me it's 3cm.

I don't have an issue with the 3cm, I do agree that a nicely rendered wall is better than a fight over such a small thing. I just want to know at what point can I say that they are taking the mick with how far into my garden they are going :)
 
Just be an arse about it.

"If you want to encroach onto my property, please submit a formal request in writing before doing so."

And never reoly.
 
Jeez, normally render is 18mm thick so who knows what they're planning, I know I would prefer a rendered wall but sometimes you gotta just be the bigger person. They're dickheads, you can play their silly games if you want, refuse them access or ask them to make it formal if you want, you have to live next door to them though, we don't.
 
I am definitely letting them render the wall as long as it's up to the 3cm that the builder told me about as that fits under their soffit overhang anyway, any more than that and I will object and get them to do a boundary survey. I think that will be a fair compromise and it will be up to them to prove how far they can go rather than up to me to defend my land.

I don't want to argue with them (I never started any disputes with them or any other neighbour) but at the end of the that I pay mortgage for this slice of land, I am not willing to lose it just because I'm too scared to challenge my neighbours on their bullshit.

Thank you both, I will likely prepare a document stating what what I am okay with and instruct them that if they dont like it they can arrange for the survey to be done. It's a fair compromise I think and hopefully it will resolve the issue :)
 
I think you may have hit the point on the head in your first sentence when you say you are a foreigner. I think they are trying to bully you and hope you will just give in to their demands because you may not know the rules/regulations of this country. They have shown their hand by trying to tell you not to walk on your own lawn!
Stand your ground on what they will be allowed to do on your side. If they say the law says they can do such and such, ask them for the relevant paperwork where you can find the information for yourself.
 
Builders will not waste more material to fuel their dispute.
They will render the wall as it should be rendered.
Seriously though, you will not find any document specifying your exact boundary by the mm.
A few mm to have a nicely rendered wall is something you or anyone will ever miss.
However, as they're trying to boss you about, find a way to cause them some grief, they deserve it.
 
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