When a problem manifests in the boundary line, and the neighbour is unreasonable..

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robinbanks

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Just went to view a terraced property for sale that has a serious problem with its front wall; it's stone faced, rubble filled and looks to have had a long standing water ingress issue around the eaves that has caused the front skin to separate and lean out of plumb.
At its worst, it looks to have bellied out by around 5 inches and both properties on either side of the boundary line seem approximately equally affected

The owner of the neighbouring property came out as I was leaving, and I caught him to have a conversation about it. He has an odd perspective, near enough the first thing I said was "whoever buys that is gonna find themselves on the thick end of a lawsuit from me". I asked why. "Because I want compensation; for years it's been a problem but the lad that lived there never had any money and nobody knew who the owner was so I could sue them".
"Let's say I bought it" I started "would you be willing to work out a solution to the problem of the wall?"
"Well the whole lot needs taking down, and if you think I'm losing a bedroom while that happens you've got another think coming. I've got a family"
"So you'd be wanting whoever engages in repairing this wall to find some alternative accommodation for your family while works were carried out?"
"No chance! Would you want that? Would you move into a hotel while your neighbour fixes the fence, for example?"
"Well, it doesn't seem equivalent, but I'm looking for solutions here - so you wouldn't move out?"
"No way, I don't want the upheaval"
"Are you thinking you'd stay in the house then?"
"Well that's not going to work is it? If you take that down the whole lot comes down, that's risking my family. It's a rubble wall. It needs rebuilding but I'm not prepared to lose a bedroom"
"I was more thinking along the lines of rebuilding just the front leaf "
"It's a rubble wall. It's lime mortar"
"I know. I have them on my house. I'm looking for your thoughts on a solution to this one having a damaged front, because it affects both properties. I'm working from a perspective that you want to solve the problem your house has.."
"Yes, but I want money! compensation! If you buy it I'll be going after your money"
"That doesn't fix the problem with the wall though.."
"Oh **** off, I've had enough of this"

Goes back inside and slams the door

Curious that he has money to take people to court, on what grounds I have no idea, but not fix what was probably quite a trivial leak back in the day, before long neglect meant the wall shifted to the point that the gutter snapped and has clearly just spent years gushing down the facade..

Few questions, as I'm not well up on party wall stuff, or even having neighbours that are short sighted..

Say the solution is to take down and rebuild the affected skin- the affected patch is only about 4m by 4m, is there any requirement to involve the neighbour?
If he's hell bent on being awkward, is it possible just to cut the wall on the party line, rebuild the side we care about, affix it to the inner at the boundary and and leave him to wallow in his own stupidity/shell out for his own fix if he's not amenable to repairing the entire wall at the same time? Does his wall have any right of support and, by refusing to deal with him and just sorting "our" side out we then become liable for removing support?

What possible claims could a neighbour have for compensation against an incoming new owner who's demonstrated nothing but willingness to fix? If he has hard evidence that it was a problem on a neighbouring house that damaged his property, how much aggro can he cause? (in a separate conversation with another passer by, he claimed to have been trying for years to get the council to enforce something, but that came to nought too)

Are there any particular problems a neighbour of that kind of perspective could cause in terms of legal/physical rectifying the problem?
 
It is a legal requirement for the seller of a property to inform any prospective buyers of any known disputes or "feuds", for want of a better word, with any neighbours so you ought to have been informed by the agent or solicitor and furthermore would you really want a neighbour like that who's first meeting with you involves abuse, threats and a good old fashioned expletive to finish off ? I would walk away and leave him to doorstep the next viewer as with an attitude like that he will be waiting a long time for anyone to move in next door.
 
Perhaps that's the game, so he can buy the place for himself..

Totally valid point though; the place is up for roundabout bare building plot money, but practically wants rebuilding anyway; no kitchen, no bathroom, no CH, outside toilet, looks like a crack den and the neighbour's property looks like a slum at the back too. Not afraid of the work but really can't be bothered with the politics..
 
Last edited:
robinbanks said:
Just went to view a terraced property for sale that has a serious problem with its front wall; it's stone faced, rubble filled and looks to have had a long standing water ingress issue around the eaves that has caused the front skin to separate and lean out of plumb.
At its worst, it looks to have bellied out by around 5 inches and both properties on either side of the boundary line seem approximately equally affected

The owner of the neighbouring property came out as I was leaving, and I caught him to have a conversation about it. He has an odd perspective, near enough the first thing I said was "whoever buys that is gonna find themselves on the thick end of a lawsuit from me". I asked why. "Because I want compensation; for years it's been a problem but the lad that lived there never had any money and nobody knew who the owner was so I could sue them".
"Let's say I bought it" I started "would you be willing to work out a solution to the problem of the wall?"
"Well the whole lot needs taking down, and if you think I'm losing a bedroom while that happens you've got another think coming. I've got a family"
"So you'd be wanting whoever engages in repairing this wall to find some alternative accommodation for your family while works were carried out?"
"No chance! Would you want that? Would you move into a hotel while your neighbour fixes the fence, for example?"
"Well, it doesn't seem equivalent, but I'm looking for solutions here - so you wouldn't move out?"
"No way, I don't want the upheaval"
"Are you thinking you'd stay in the house then?"
"Well that's not going to work is it? If you take that down the whole lot comes down, that's risking my family. It's a rubble wall. It needs rebuilding but I'm not prepared to lose a bedroom"
"I was more thinking along the lines of rebuilding just the front leaf "
"It's a rubble wall. It's lime mortar"
"I know. I have them on my house. I'm looking for your thoughts on a solution to this one having a damaged front, because it affects both properties. I'm working from a perspective that you want to solve the problem your house has.."
"Yes, but I want money! compensation! If you buy it I'll be going after your money"
"That doesn't fix the problem with the wall though.."
"Oh **** off, I've had enough of this"

Goes back inside and slams the door

Curious that he has money to take people to court, on what grounds I have no idea, but not fix what was probably quite a trivial leak back in the day, before long neglect meant the wall shifted to the point that the gutter snapped and has clearly just spent years gushing down the facade..

Few questions, as I'm not well up on party wall stuff, or even having neighbours that are short sighted..

Say the solution is to take down and rebuild the affected skin- the affected patch is only about 4m by 4m, is there any requirement to involve the neighbour?
If he's hell bent on being awkward, is it possible just to cut the wall on the party line, rebuild the side we care about, affix it to the inner at the boundary and and leave him to wallow in his own stupidity/shell out for his own fix if he's not amenable to repairing the entire wall at the same time? Does his wall have any right of support and, by refusing to deal with him and just sorting "our" side out we then become liable for removing support?

What possible claims could a neighbour have for compensation against an incoming new owner who's demonstrated nothing but willingness to fix? If he has hard evidence that it was a problem on a neighbouring house that damaged his property, how much aggro can he cause? (in a separate conversation with another passer by, he claimed to have been trying for years to get the council to enforce something, but that came to nought too)

Are there any particular problems a neighbour of that kind of perspective could cause in terms of legal/physical rectifying the problem?
Click to expand...
Sounds like a complete tw@t….although there is an even better word which is reserved for such people.



 
You would also struggle to get a mortgage should you need one as the lack of kitchen and bathroom make it unlivable and most lenders would not entertain it.
 
Aye, no stranger to that, but genuinely haven't had a neighbour who was so outwardly awkward

Chiefly seeking feedback on whether there is any substance to the assertion that a person can instantly sue a new owner of a neighbouring property for compensation..

..and on whether it's possible to either to just fix "my" side and leave his, or get some kind of legal insistence that I'm allowed to repair the wall for both parties (as he's demonstrated clear lack of intention/capacitg) and he butts out/pays a reasonable rate for my works to repair his side ?
 
To be able to blame you he has to demonstrate that you were negligent in causing damage to his property which, of course, you were not so his claim has to be with the current owner and any lawyer would just laugh at him. Any attempt to repair the work just on your part would sadly mean getting a Party Wall Agreement with the clown so more pain no doubt.
 
I am confusion.

If this is a terrace, and the front wall is bowing, why does that mean you would need to touch the wall across the boundary?

A neighbour won't be compensated for events in the past related to the previous owners negligence - and that's even if he can prove he is owed anything - which i can't see from the details mentioned.

In such circumstances I'd probably get him hit (not literally initially), with a section 76 notice from the council requiring him to rectify his own building.
 
^woody^ said:
If this is a terrace, and the front wall is bowing, why does that mean you would need to touch the wall across the boundary?
Click to expand...

The bulgiest part of the bulge is on the boundary line between the two properties, so notionally half the bulge is "theirs" and half is "mine" (for want of a better phrase)

As neighbour had revealed themselves to be somewhat a dipstick within a couple of minutes of opening conversation, I wondered about the prospect of separating the front leaf (cutting it vertically down the boundary line), and just fixing "my" side, leave him to do whatever he likes with his
 
If the wall is not in the deeds you can do exactly that.
But again, imagine the hassle this guy will cause you.
Find another property.
 
Good grief take the advice and walk. Let the property fall down round that idiot's ears. Life just isn't worth that sort of hassle.
 
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